May 6, 2025 • 17 mins
Something extraordinary is happening on college campuses across America. While headlines often focus on political activism or social trends among Gen Z, a powerful spiritual awakening is taking root that deserves our attention.
UniteUS represents the latest wave in this movement - a structured revival approach that's quickly spreading from campus to campus with remarkable results.
We traveled to Baylor University to witness UniteUS firsthand, giving you a front-row seat to what God is doing. That night, approximately 250 students made decisions for Christ, including an atheist who had simply followed the crowd to the event.But perhaps most remarkable were the hundreds of students who flooded the stage when challenged to commit to ministry and missions.
We interviewed Matt Baksa, a Baylor senior who's foregoing law school to pursue missions among unreached people groups in Africa. His story represents countless others making radical decisions in response to God's call. "There are 3.4 billion people that will never have the opportunity to even accept the possibility [of knowing Christ] without us going to tell them," Matt explained, capturing the urgency motivating this generation.
Whether you're curious about spiritual movements among Gen Z, seeking encouragement about the future of faith in America, or feeling the stirring to answer a similar call, this episode offers a glimpse into what could be the beginning of a significant spiritual awakening.
Helpful links:
- See it live on YouTube!https://youtu.be/8x5F3WkXibw?si=FgYj5jB1b-3cf31W
Pray for the Nations with OneWay's Prayercast
UniteUS Baylor, CBN News Story
Baylor's FM72
One80 on Asbury Revival of 2023
One80 on College Football Awakening
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Margaret Ereneta (00:09):
Make no mistake, God is moving on
college campuses, just like yousaw last week with Wes, a Baylor
football player, and thecollegiate football movement
that just happened, God is alsomoving through groups like Unite
US.
We took you to Asbury in 2023.
Whereas Asbury was an organicrevival, think of Unite US more
(00:30):
like a Billy Graham crusade or atent revival meeting, but on
college campuses all over thecountry with exciting fruit.
So we visited Unite US atBaylor so we could give you a
seat right in Foster Pavilionand you could see and hear from
students on what Unite US meantto them.
(00:54):
Unite US is a movement thatstarted by Tonya Prewett, who
had a prayer group of studentsat Auburn University in 2023,
which put on the first Unite byfaith, and it spread to several
other college campuses.
The team also includes JennieAllen, who you might know from
the IF gathering or Gather 25,and Pastor Jonathan Pokluda, who
(01:15):
leads Harris Creek Church inWaco, Texas.
We talked to JP, as he'saffectionately called, and he
explained the story behind UniteUS.
As we talked, literallybaptisms are happening in the
background, so you can hearthose.
Here's what he said.
Jonathan Pokluda (01:30):
So we started in Auburn.
So I was invited to speak toAuburn University.
I thought it was going to belike 600 college students and we
got there with 6,000.
At the end of the night, a girlhad never been baptized, a
college student had never beenbaptized.
And we said, great, is therewater nearby?
(01:54):
And we went out there and thatnight 250 or 300 Auburn students
got baptized and we got toshare the gospel and just have
conversations with each of themand we thought that was one and
done and it was an amazing night.
But then Alabama called, andthen FSU called, and Tennessee
and Georgia and South Carolina.
And you know this is our 15thor 16th university.
So we're here at Baylor andit's just been amazing.
It's been an incrediblemovement of God.
Margaret Ereneta (02:15):
Tonya began the event explaining what Unite
was to the students in the midstof many other movements of God,
even many that are happeningalongside it right now, many
among Gen Z, and the eveningstarted with Jennie Allen
opening us in prayer.
So here's that prayer.
Jennie Allen (02:31):
This isn't some show.
We're here to come perform God.
This is a night that we arepraying that lives would be
changed for eternity.
And so, spirit, we invite youhere, we ask you to come, we ask
you to change this campus, weask you to change each of us.
Margaret Ereneta (02:53):
What Jennie did next was a very powerful
visual for the students to seethe sin that might be holding
them in bondage, and theyactually talked about repentance
and confessed sins to oneanother to prepare themselves
for the night, which it was evenmore spectacular.
T he music we're featuringtonight is all from the event
(03:13):
done by Elevation Rhythm.
And then it was JP's turn toshare, and he challenged the
(03:51):
students to stop simply goingthrough the motions to actually
live out their faith.
He took them through John 14 (03:56):
6 , to not just believe it but to
live it and share it.
Here he is.
Jennie Allen (04:03):
Maybe you're here, you're a Christian, but you're
not living your purpose.
Purpose, and you know you'renot.
You know you're just goingthrough the motions, you're
doing the things, but, man, I'mjust burdened for us, because
the thing that kept me frombecoming a Christian is thinking
(04:24):
I was one.
It's a familiar verse, John 14.
It's the one where he says I'mthe way, the truth and the life.
And I'm just asking thequestion what does it mean if we
actually believe that Jesus isthe way, the truth and the life?
It means we're ready, it meanswe've accepted him as the truth
and we share it, and weunderstand that there is no life
(04:45):
found apart from him.
Like that, that's all there is.
Like that's what we have to do,sharing the gospel with every
single person in proximity ofyou.
Like, like what about saying,hey, I'm going to the mission
field now to lay it all on theline?
Like what if we went on offenseand we lived out our purpose?
Margaret Ereneta (05:08):
Friends, you might be a bit skeptical about
real change happening at ascheduled worship service like
this, but rest assured.
There is real fruit here.
You'll hear from Matt later,who was at event, t alk about
his new mission for God and acareer change.
But before we get to Matt, letme tell you this was amazing.
Almost 250 decisions for Christfollowed JP's plea Tonya
(05:30):
Prewett and shared on CBN thatone of those new believers was
an atheist who just followed athrong of students to Foster
Pavilion and became a newbeliever in the Lord that night,
after many came to receiveJesus.
Next, JP challenged theChristians to start actually
living for Jesus.
Jonathan Pokluda (06:09):
Don't make it perfect, make it yours.
He says anything, you see, Ican wash it.
Margaret Ereneta (06:22):
When we thought it was done, there was
more.
Tonya and Jennie came out totell the crowd they weren't
actually done.
They said this hasn't happenedat other Unite meetings, but
they felt called to challengethe students to do hard things
for God, be on mission overseasin ministry here and lead
movements of their own.
What followed was a stage sofull of students, one told me
(06:46):
she had to stand off stage asthey shared stories and were
commissioned.
Students were taking turns withthe microphone, challenging one
another to go all out for Jesus.
One student told the crowd shewas tired of her way.
I'm putting myself down, takingup my cross and following him
wherever he wants me.
But then folks, Matt took thestage.
(07:11):
He shared how he is foregoingthe pursuit of law to go on
mission to unreached people inAfrica.
Here's a little of what he said.
Matt Baksa (07:16):
The Lord of the harvest to send his laborers
into the harvest field.
Margaret Ereneta (07:21):
We just had to talk to him and by the grace of
God we did, and you'll hearfrom him in a little bit.
But first let's finish thenight.
All of Foster Pavilion thenleft the building to witness
baptisms outside.
It was so cool to witness.
One girl told me she was sickof taking for granted all the
Christians around her anddecided to join their team.
(07:42):
Another one had hidden herfaith from her family and had
decided to go public withbaptism that night.
Here's a little baptism for you.
We went to Unite US Baylor soyou could experience it and
(08:03):
wanted to make sure you got afirsthand account from a student
.
So we sat down with Matt Baksa,that student called to go to
Africa, about UniteUS.
Matt became a believer hisfirst year at Baylor at an event
called FM 72, which is 72 hoursof prayer at Fountain Mall,
right in the center of campus.
It's another event that JennieAllen is involved with.
(08:25):
Now a senior, he talks abouthow he got called from pre-law
to missions.
Quite a different trajectory.
Matt Baksa (08:32):
I go to Harris Creek Baptist Church, so my head
pastor is Jonathan Pokluda,which is a really amazing thing,
and I'm very fortunate to beable to go to a church led by a
man like that.
I first heard about Unite whenhe came back Unite Auburn, and
was able to tell the story tothe church of hundreds upon
hundreds of college studentsgetting baptized in the beds of
(08:55):
pickup trucks and I was blownaway by that, because at Baylor
being able to be faithfully ledby people like JP there's a lot
of gospel presence, I would say,on Baylor campus, and other
campuses around the countrydesperately need people to go
there and share the gospel.
Also, I'm lucky enough to be ata church with a pastor that
(09:17):
cares enough to go and share thegospel with those people.
So that was the first time thatI had heard about Unite.
And then in September of lastyear 2024, I got to go to Unite
at Texas A&M and that was areally cool, amazing experience
to actually be a part of itthere and witness hundreds of
people come forward and receiveJesus and then hear about
(09:38):
hundreds of people gettingbaptized.
After I can honestly say thatit was a spiritual environment
unlike any that I've been in ina very long time probably ever
Unite at Baylor versus Unite atany other place.
It felt like the presence ofGod was like fully in the
(10:00):
auditorium, with us.
Originally walking into theauditorium I was unsure of what
the event was going to look likebecause, being at a Christian
school, knowing that one of thebig figures that helps Unite be
what it is is a head pastor inthe area, I wasn't exactly sure
as to what it would be like.
And then, when the event gotstarted, I knew that it was
(10:22):
going to be a special night.
Just being able to worship withElevation Rhythm was an amazing
experience.
And then hearing from JennyAllen was amazing that message
on Hebrews 12 that she sharesabout throwing off sin and
confession.
It's so powerful because it'sjust a reminder that verbalizing
things and sharing is truly thepath forward to escaping or
(10:43):
conquering sin in our life.
And then hearing JP justtalking about being spiritually
asleep and the need to stayawake, that was also a message
that was much needed for us, andI think it's showed by the fact
that hundreds of people thatclaim to be Jesus followers who
weren't actually following Jesus, came forward and said I want
(11:04):
to recommit my life, I want tostop being spiritually asleep
and truly like the Spirit of Godwas on the move the entire time
that the event was going on andafter when people got baptized.
It was a very moving experience.
Overall, All I can say is avery convicting experience.
I have this alarm on my phone at10:02 pm.
10:02 representing the Bibleverse Luke 10:2, where Jesus
(11:32):
says "Therefore, pray earnestlyto the Lord of the harvest to
send his laborers into hisharvest.
We were worshiping and my alarmwent off in my pocket.
I pulled my phone out and I sawthe time and just the words
pray for the harvest across myphone screen.
And I looked over the audiencein the lower sections, just all
(11:54):
standing there with their handsup, just all standing there with
their hands up.
It was incredibly profound tojust remember that there are
people all over the world whoare longing for an experience
like this and then also beingburdened with the reality that
there are 3.4 billion peoplethat will never have the
opportunity to even accept thepossibility of that without us
(12:17):
going to tell them in the firstplace.
So when Jenny came out and waslike we're not done yet.
We have more people that weneed to invite up here.
That was what was going on inmy head leading up to that, and
just hearing the invitation forpeople to step forward and live
their lives on spiritual offense, going forward and harvesting
(12:40):
for God, rather than living ondefense, trying not to sin, I
felt truly like a deep sense ofneeding to go up there and do
what I can.
It was amazing.
There was truly hundreds ofpeople that had rushed the stage
after Jenny said if you feellike your calling is to live for
(13:00):
God and live in ministry or inmissions like, if you feel like
your calling is to other people,for the sake of the gospel,
come forward just on the stage.
And then to have probably 300people flood the stage and just
stand up there to show theirfaces and show the rest of the
campus like, hey, I'm going tobe here to stand in the gap for
(13:23):
you when you need me to lead youwell in the faith.
That was an amazing experienceto just stand there among many
people who were my friends andjust be able to look at the
people in the crowd and say Iwant to carry you when you're
down on the mat.
Margaret Ereneta (13:41):
Next, Matt shares with us how he got called
to missions.
Matt Baksa (13:45):
A few months after I was first saved, I was
challenged to go on a missiontrip.
Later, our mission staff memberchallenged me to go on a
mission trip to the unreached,and going on that mission trip
and sitting in the weight andconviction of being in a city
full of people who arecompletely unreached and don't
know the gospel was a challengeunlike anything I've ever
(14:06):
experienced before in my life,where we met somebody who was
highly interested in hearingabout what we had to say and
then the next day, less than 24hours after meeting him, one of
the people on our trip went anddid a Bible study with him and
he came to the faith.
He accepted Jesus that day andless than two hours after that
moment, he came back and gotbaptized and I got to bear
(14:28):
witness to that, reflecting onthat, recognizing that that
never would have happened if wedidn't fundraise, fly overseas
and coming back from that, itwas like a rock in my shoe that
I was unable to get rid of, so Iwould just continue to pray for
the nations.
That rock in my shoe grew tothe point where I started to
understand that going to theunreached and making a lifestyle
(14:51):
and using your life leveragingit for the sake of glorifying
God among the nations issomething that is a path forward
for people.
So in about August of 2024, Idecided not to go to law school.
I chose to start pursuing apath in ministry instead,
through mobilization and thenpossibly missions.
(15:13):
And now, at this point in time,I do feel like my conviction is
to move overseas, understandingthat the gospel is almost like
saturated our country and ourland, and just going to a place
and having a conversation withsomebody who's never heard it
before and we'll never hear itif we're not there and then that
person comes to faith.
It reminds me a lot of theparable of the lost sheep, where
(15:36):
we live among the 99.
And I feel like what God'scalling us to do is to move into
the land where there's the oneperson that's waiting to be
found, and God wants us toparticipate in that, which I
think is really cool, and I wantto participate in it because
God wants me to.
Margaret Ereneta (15:54):
Folks, I'm encouraged and challenged by
what Matt says next, and I workfor a missions organization
called One Way and we do servein Africa.
Just know, folks, Gen Z,they've got the fire from the
Lord.
It's so exciting.
Matt Baksa (16:09):
There's countries with somewhere near 45 million
people that have maybe 27long-term workers living there
at the current moment, butregardless, the proportion among
the unreached is justunacceptable.
Today, being willing to be ledby God is something that was
extremely important to us up onthe stage, but also recognizing
(16:32):
how hard that's going to be, godbest uses that burden by
sending me out to the nationsrather than trying to have me
get a law degree to be anadvocate for people legally here
.
He wants me to be a spiritualadvocate for people where they
have none.
So that's a challenge to us tobe harvesters.
But also, the first thing thatChrist says, immediately after
(16:55):
saying that the laborers are few, is that we need to pray,
therefore.
So the first thing that Iwanted to encourage people to do
, and the first thing that Ifeel called to do, is to pray
above all else, because nothingcan be done without abundant
prayer.
And what are we praying for?
We're praying for God to raiseup people to go and share where
(17:17):
there are none, which is a veryimportant thing to pray for.
It's a thing that needs to bedone in this world, and praying
for it is something thateveryone can do.
Margaret Ereneta (17:28):
See the link in our show notes for PrayerCast
so you can pray for the nationstoo and see lots of links to
UniteUS and other excitingmovement.
And see lots of links to UniteUS and other exciting movement.
Thanks for listening today.
We'll be back soon with Season4 of 180.
The best way to find it is tofollow us on your favorite pod
(17:50):
player.
Make no mistake, God is moving on
college campuses, just like yousaw last week with Wes, a Baylor
football player, and thecollegiate football movement
that just happened, God is alsomoving through groups like Unite
US.
We took you to Asbury in 2023.
Whereas Asbury was an organicrevival, think of Unite US more
(00:30):
like a Billy Graham crusade or atent revival meeting, but on
college campuses all over thecountry with exciting fruit.
So we visited Unite US atBaylor so we could give you a
seat right in Foster Pavilionand you could see and hear from
students on what Unite US meantto them.
(00:54):
Unite US is a movement thatstarted by Tonya Prewett, who
had a prayer group of studentsat Auburn University in 2023,
which put on the first Unite byfaith, and it spread to several
other college campuses.
The team also includes JennieAllen, who you might know from
the IF gathering or Gather 25,and Pastor Jonathan Pokluda, who
(01:15):
leads Harris Creek Church inWaco, Texas.
We talked to JP, as he'saffectionately called, and he
explained the story behind UniteUS.
As we talked, literallybaptisms are happening in the
background, so you can hearthose.
Here's what he said.
Jonathan Pokluda (01:30):
So we started in Auburn.
So I was invited to speak toAuburn University.
I thought it was going to belike 600 college students and we
got there with 6,000.
At the end of the night, a girlhad never been baptized, a
college student had never beenbaptized.
And we said, great, is therewater nearby?
(01:54):
And we went out there and thatnight 250 or 300 Auburn students
got baptized and we got toshare the gospel and just have
conversations with each of themand we thought that was one and
done and it was an amazing night.
But then Alabama called, andthen FSU called, and Tennessee
and Georgia and South Carolina.
And you know this is our 15thor 16th university.
So we're here at Baylor andit's just been amazing.
It's been an incrediblemovement of God.
Margaret Ereneta (02:15):
Tonya began the event explaining what Unite
was to the students in the midstof many other movements of God,
even many that are happeningalongside it right now, many
among Gen Z, and the eveningstarted with Jennie Allen
opening us in prayer.
So here's that prayer.
Jennie Allen (02:31):
This isn't some show.
We're here to come perform God.
This is a night that we arepraying that lives would be
changed for eternity.
And so, spirit, we invite youhere, we ask you to come, we ask
you to change this campus, weask you to change each of us.
Margaret Ereneta (02:53):
What Jennie did next was a very powerful
visual for the students to seethe sin that might be holding
them in bondage, and theyactually talked about repentance
and confessed sins to oneanother to prepare themselves
for the night, which it was evenmore spectacular.
T he music we're featuringtonight is all from the event
(03:13):
done by Elevation Rhythm.
And then it was JP's turn toshare, and he challenged the
(03:51):
students to stop simply goingthrough the motions to actually
live out their faith.
He took them through John 14 (03:56):
6 , to not just believe it but to
live it and share it.
Here he is.
Jennie Allen (04:03):
Maybe you're here, you're a Christian, but you're
not living your purpose.
Purpose, and you know you'renot.
You know you're just goingthrough the motions, you're
doing the things, but, man, I'mjust burdened for us, because
the thing that kept me frombecoming a Christian is thinking
(04:24):
I was one.
It's a familiar verse, John 14.
It's the one where he says I'mthe way, the truth and the life.
And I'm just asking thequestion what does it mean if we
actually believe that Jesus isthe way, the truth and the life?
It means we're ready, it meanswe've accepted him as the truth
and we share it, and weunderstand that there is no life
(04:45):
found apart from him.
Like that, that's all there is.
Like that's what we have to do,sharing the gospel with every
single person in proximity ofyou.
Like, like what about saying,hey, I'm going to the mission
field now to lay it all on theline?
Like what if we went on offenseand we lived out our purpose?
Margaret Ereneta (05:08):
Friends, you might be a bit skeptical about
real change happening at ascheduled worship service like
this, but rest assured.
There is real fruit here.
You'll hear from Matt later,who was at event, t alk about
his new mission for God and acareer change.
But before we get to Matt, letme tell you this was amazing.
Almost 250 decisions for Christfollowed JP's plea Tonya
(05:30):
Prewett and shared on CBN thatone of those new believers was
an atheist who just followed athrong of students to Foster
Pavilion and became a newbeliever in the Lord that night,
after many came to receiveJesus.
Next, JP challenged theChristians to start actually
living for Jesus.
Jonathan Pokluda (06:09):
Don't make it perfect, make it yours.
He says anything, you see, Ican wash it.
Margaret Ereneta (06:22):
When we thought it was done, there was
more.
Tonya and Jennie came out totell the crowd they weren't
actually done.
They said this hasn't happenedat other Unite meetings, but
they felt called to challengethe students to do hard things
for God, be on mission overseasin ministry here and lead
movements of their own.
What followed was a stage sofull of students, one told me
(06:46):
she had to stand off stage asthey shared stories and were
commissioned.
Students were taking turns withthe microphone, challenging one
another to go all out for Jesus.
One student told the crowd shewas tired of her way.
I'm putting myself down, takingup my cross and following him
wherever he wants me.
But then folks, Matt took thestage.
(07:11):
He shared how he is foregoingthe pursuit of law to go on
mission to unreached people inAfrica.
Here's a little of what he said.
Matt Baksa (07:16):
The Lord of the harvest to send his laborers
into the harvest field.
Margaret Ereneta (07:21):
We just had to talk to him and by the grace of
God we did, and you'll hearfrom him in a little bit.
But first let's finish thenight.
All of Foster Pavilion thenleft the building to witness
baptisms outside.
It was so cool to witness.
One girl told me she was sickof taking for granted all the
Christians around her anddecided to join their team.
(07:42):
Another one had hidden herfaith from her family and had
decided to go public withbaptism that night.
Here's a little baptism for you.
We went to Unite US Baylor soyou could experience it and
(08:03):
wanted to make sure you got afirsthand account from a student
.
So we sat down with Matt Baksa,that student called to go to
Africa, about UniteUS.
Matt became a believer hisfirst year at Baylor at an event
called FM 72, which is 72 hoursof prayer at Fountain Mall,
right in the center of campus.
It's another event that JennieAllen is involved with.
(08:25):
Now a senior, he talks abouthow he got called from pre-law
to missions.
Quite a different trajectory.
Matt Baksa (08:32):
I go to Harris Creek Baptist Church, so my head
pastor is Jonathan Pokluda,which is a really amazing thing,
and I'm very fortunate to beable to go to a church led by a
man like that.
I first heard about Unite whenhe came back Unite Auburn, and
was able to tell the story tothe church of hundreds upon
hundreds of college studentsgetting baptized in the beds of
(08:55):
pickup trucks and I was blownaway by that, because at Baylor
being able to be faithfully ledby people like JP there's a lot
of gospel presence, I would say,on Baylor campus, and other
campuses around the countrydesperately need people to go
there and share the gospel.
Also, I'm lucky enough to be ata church with a pastor that
(09:17):
cares enough to go and share thegospel with those people.
So that was the first time thatI had heard about Unite.
And then in September of lastyear 2024, I got to go to Unite
at Texas A&M and that was areally cool, amazing experience
to actually be a part of itthere and witness hundreds of
people come forward and receiveJesus and then hear about
(09:38):
hundreds of people gettingbaptized.
After I can honestly say thatit was a spiritual environment
unlike any that I've been in ina very long time probably ever
Unite at Baylor versus Unite atany other place.
It felt like the presence ofGod was like fully in the
(10:00):
auditorium, with us.
Originally walking into theauditorium I was unsure of what
the event was going to look likebecause, being at a Christian
school, knowing that one of thebig figures that helps Unite be
what it is is a head pastor inthe area, I wasn't exactly sure
as to what it would be like.
And then, when the event gotstarted, I knew that it was
(10:22):
going to be a special night.
Just being able to worship withElevation Rhythm was an amazing
experience.
And then hearing from JennyAllen was amazing that message
on Hebrews 12 that she sharesabout throwing off sin and
confession.
It's so powerful because it'sjust a reminder that verbalizing
things and sharing is truly thepath forward to escaping or
(10:43):
conquering sin in our life.
And then hearing JP justtalking about being spiritually
asleep and the need to stayawake, that was also a message
that was much needed for us, andI think it's showed by the fact
that hundreds of people thatclaim to be Jesus followers who
weren't actually following Jesus, came forward and said I want
(11:04):
to recommit my life, I want tostop being spiritually asleep
and truly like the Spirit of Godwas on the move the entire time
that the event was going on andafter when people got baptized.
It was a very moving experience.
Overall, All I can say is avery convicting experience.
I have this alarm on my phone at10:02 pm.
10:02 representing the Bibleverse Luke 10:2, where Jesus
(11:32):
says "Therefore, pray earnestlyto the Lord of the harvest to
send his laborers into hisharvest.
We were worshiping and my alarmwent off in my pocket.
I pulled my phone out and I sawthe time and just the words
pray for the harvest across myphone screen.
And I looked over the audiencein the lower sections, just all
(11:54):
standing there with their handsup, just all standing there with
their hands up.
It was incredibly profound tojust remember that there are
people all over the world whoare longing for an experience
like this and then also beingburdened with the reality that
there are 3.4 billion peoplethat will never have the
opportunity to even accept thepossibility of that without us
(12:17):
going to tell them in the firstplace.
So when Jenny came out and waslike we're not done yet.
We have more people that weneed to invite up here.
That was what was going on inmy head leading up to that, and
just hearing the invitation forpeople to step forward and live
their lives on spiritual offense, going forward and harvesting
(12:40):
for God, rather than living ondefense, trying not to sin, I
felt truly like a deep sense ofneeding to go up there and do
what I can.
It was amazing.
There was truly hundreds ofpeople that had rushed the stage
after Jenny said if you feellike your calling is to live for
(13:00):
God and live in ministry or inmissions like, if you feel like
your calling is to other people,for the sake of the gospel,
come forward just on the stage.
And then to have probably 300people flood the stage and just
stand up there to show theirfaces and show the rest of the
campus like, hey, I'm going tobe here to stand in the gap for
(13:23):
you when you need me to lead youwell in the faith.
That was an amazing experienceto just stand there among many
people who were my friends andjust be able to look at the
people in the crowd and say Iwant to carry you when you're
down on the mat.
Margaret Ereneta (13:41):
Next, Matt shares with us how he got called
to missions.
Matt Baksa (13:45):
A few months after I was first saved, I was
challenged to go on a missiontrip.
Later, our mission staff memberchallenged me to go on a
mission trip to the unreached,and going on that mission trip
and sitting in the weight andconviction of being in a city
full of people who arecompletely unreached and don't
know the gospel was a challengeunlike anything I've ever
(14:06):
experienced before in my life,where we met somebody who was
highly interested in hearingabout what we had to say and
then the next day, less than 24hours after meeting him, one of
the people on our trip went anddid a Bible study with him and
he came to the faith.
He accepted Jesus that day andless than two hours after that
moment, he came back and gotbaptized and I got to bear
(14:28):
witness to that, reflecting onthat, recognizing that that
never would have happened if wedidn't fundraise, fly overseas
and coming back from that, itwas like a rock in my shoe that
I was unable to get rid of, so Iwould just continue to pray for
the nations.
That rock in my shoe grew tothe point where I started to
understand that going to theunreached and making a lifestyle
(14:51):
and using your life leveragingit for the sake of glorifying
God among the nations issomething that is a path forward
for people.
So in about August of 2024, Idecided not to go to law school.
I chose to start pursuing apath in ministry instead,
through mobilization and thenpossibly missions.
(15:13):
And now, at this point in time,I do feel like my conviction is
to move overseas, understandingthat the gospel is almost like
saturated our country and ourland, and just going to a place
and having a conversation withsomebody who's never heard it
before and we'll never hear itif we're not there and then that
person comes to faith.
It reminds me a lot of theparable of the lost sheep, where
(15:36):
we live among the 99.
And I feel like what God'scalling us to do is to move into
the land where there's the oneperson that's waiting to be
found, and God wants us toparticipate in that, which I
think is really cool, and I wantto participate in it because
God wants me to.
Margaret Ereneta (15:54):
Folks, I'm encouraged and challenged by
what Matt says next, and I workfor a missions organization
called One Way and we do servein Africa.
Just know, folks, Gen Z,they've got the fire from the
Lord.
It's so exciting.
Matt Baksa (16:09):
There's countries with somewhere near 45 million
people that have maybe 27long-term workers living there
at the current moment, butregardless, the proportion among
the unreached is justunacceptable.
Today, being willing to be ledby God is something that was
extremely important to us up onthe stage, but also recognizing
(16:32):
how hard that's going to be, godbest uses that burden by
sending me out to the nationsrather than trying to have me
get a law degree to be anadvocate for people legally here
.
He wants me to be a spiritualadvocate for people where they
have none.
So that's a challenge to us tobe harvesters.
But also, the first thing thatChrist says, immediately after
(16:55):
saying that the laborers are few, is that we need to pray,
therefore.
So the first thing that Iwanted to encourage people to do
, and the first thing that Ifeel called to do, is to pray
above all else, because nothingcan be done without abundant
prayer.
And what are we praying for?
We're praying for God to raiseup people to go and share where
(17:17):
there are none, which is a veryimportant thing to pray for.
It's a thing that needs to bedone in this world, and praying
for it is something thateveryone can do.
Margaret Ereneta (17:28):
See the link in our show notes for PrayerCast
so you can pray for the nationstoo and see lots of links to
UniteUS and other excitingmovement.
And see lots of links to UniteUS and other exciting movement.
Thanks for listening today.
We'll be back soon with Season4 of 180.
The best way to find it is tofollow us on your favorite pod
(17:50):
player.
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