The Baptist Student Ministry (BSM) at Howard Payne University hosted a 12-hour prayer gathering on Thursday, October 30, at the Mieth Outdoor Pavilion on campus. From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., BSM students served at the prayer gathering as students, faculty and staff stopped in. Several self-guided prayer stations and activities were set up across the pavilion, each designed to lead participants through moments of personal reflection, confession and thanksgiving.
Throughout the day, local churches volunteered during specific hours to pray over campus and be available for students who wanted someone to pray with. Members of the BSM Leadership Team were also present to help guide the prayer activities and support participants.
Freshman Kendall Garner, a Christian education major from Waco, shared about the significance of a time set aside for prayer.
“Sometimes when you get caught in the chaos in the middle of the semester, it’s nice to have a time of reflection,” she said. “We need prayer for difficulties that are going on right now or to take time to sit still and remember who brought you here and how God wants to use you.”
For sophomore Bekah Moreno, a worship ministry major from Breckenridge, serving with the BSM through activities like this was an answer to prayer.
“I was scared coming to college that I wouldn’t have a place to plug in,” said Moreno. “The BSM has provided me ways to serve within my community and make friends. It’s a powerful thing.”
Prayer stations included a prayer walk guide, painting, a place to cast your cares, Bibles to highlight meaningful verses and a campus map where students could pray for buildings across campus.
The day concluded with a student-led worship gathering, serving as a time of reflection and celebration of what God is doing on campus and through the prayers of His people.
“It was so encouraging to see so many people gather purely out of a desire to see God move throughout campus,” said Bryan Pate, BSM director. “Knowing that HPU was prayed over for 12 straight hours is huge. We have some really great churches in our community and great students, faculty and staff that really care for what God is doing at Howard Payne.”