Purdue Athletes Declare Faith in Jesus at ‘Baptism Night’: ‘God Is on the Move’
A movement of God spreading across college campuses and sports programs sparked a “Baptism Night” for Purdue athletes last month. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) chapter at Purdue organized the unique one-night event after a series of athletes inquired about baptism, prompted by a Bible study about Jesus’ own baptism, Sports Spectrum reported.
“A couple weeks ago, we were looking at the baptism of Jesus and there were some questions around what does baptism look like in your own life,” Joshua McKenzie of FCA Purdue told Sports Spectrum. “One athlete said they were interested in getting baptized, and honestly, that just kind of spurred in me that we should just give an invitation for any of our athletes to get baptized.”
McKenzie scheduled a Baptism Night for Oct. 22 on campus and saw 13 athletes follow through, including five football players, a few cheerleaders, and a track athlete. The FCA chapter described the night as “nothing short of incredible.”
“Hearing so many powerful testimonies and seeing our peers boldly declare their faith reminded us of God’s presence and His work on our campus,” FCA Purdue said in a follow-up Instagram post. “Each story reflected courage, transformation, and the beauty of surrendering to Christ. … God is moving here, and we’re grateful to be part of it.”
The special Baptism Night was but one example of a movement of God across college campuses. More than 5,000 college students gathered in an arena near the University of Cincinnati this week for a worship event organized by UniteUS, which saw hundreds of students baptized. Similar events have been held this fall on campuses at Tennessee, Oklahoma, Grand Canyon, and South Florida. Meanwhile, college athletes at Ohio State, Pittsburgh, and Alabama have held their own worship services, inviting other students to hear their Christian testimonies. Polling mirrors that trend. Barna released data on Friday, revealing that interest in Scripture among young adults is surging, with 50 percent of Millennials and 49 percent of Gen Zers now saying they read the Bible weekly—an increase of 16 and 19 points, respectively, in just one year.
McKenzie says God is on the move.
“I do think the culture has changed,” he told Sports Spectrum. “That’s very evident. These students on campus, if they’re professing Christ, that’s more unique than previously was before, especially in the Midwest and the South where seemingly everyone was a Christian. Now, it’s not a given.
“Those who are professing Christ are maybe more faithfully following Christ. There’s just more of a dividing line where you’re either in or you’re out. I don’t see as many college students on the fence.”
Photo credit: FCA Purdue/Instagram
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Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
Originally published November 07, 2025.
