The Beginning: Unite Auburn
In the fall of 2023, the first Unite event was held on the campus of Auburn University. After the worship service, 2,000 students walked a half mile to a nearby lake at Auburn’s Red Barn, and more than 200 students were baptized.
Following Unite Auburn, Auburn coaches—including head football coach Hugh Freeze—were called out by the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), who argued that the worship event was “inappropriate and unconstitutional.”
“Auburn University is a public university, not a religious one. It is inappropriate and unconstitutional for university employees to use their university position to organize, promote or participate in a religious worship event,” FFRF staff attorney Chris Line wrote to Auburn University President Christopher B. Roberts.
Tonya Prewett, founder of Unite, shared with CBN News that the event is “all a move of God.”
“We’ve seen thousands of students give their hearts to Christ,” continued Prewett. “We’ve seen over 800 baptized and you know, we’re just being obedient, we’re just walking in obedience and God’s gone before us and he’s moving in incredible ways.”