Trevecca students gather in prayer, urging unity on campus

By Keturah Tobias, Jasmin Enriquez Martinez

Senior News Reporter, Features Editor

More than 50 students gathered on Tuesday at Benson Auditorium to pray, after students worked to organize a prayer event on social media following the shooting of Charlie Kirk last week. 

Kyle Plant, a junior music business major, said he wanted to host the event to demonstrate that Christians can put aside political differences and gather safely on a college campus. 

He originally planned the event to be at the flagpole outside the library, but they moved to Benson Auditorium because of rain.  

“First off, my main message to them was that I wanted them to take away from it is that we as Christians need to put aside our differences on the small things and come together for the cause of Jesus Christ,” said Plant. “My second goal was to let people know that we can come together safely and talk about more of these things.” 

Before the prayer started, Plant said some words to his peers who attended. 

“We all know about what happened last week and I’m not going to gloss over it,” said Plant. “It has affected us all very deeply. “And even in our own city to see people being stabbed on a daily, and a lot of division even in our own community.”  

Plant first posted about the event on social media after the shooting of Kirk, a conservative political activist,  last week. He then put up fliers around campus about the event, but was asked to take them down by Student Development officials in an email since he had not gained approval to host an official university event.  

Plant then mostly promoted the event on social media. 

Students spent the hour in small circles praying together.  

Sarah Arnold, a sophomore nursing major, prayed with other students about the importance of the willingness to die for Christ as much as living for him. 

“All these violent things that have happened, especially to Christians over the past weeks and years in the United States is going to possibly happen to us if we are bold about our faith,” said Arnold. “We’re not just called to die, we’re called to live in that risk, even if it means death, we’re still called to live out His word, even if it leads to harsh situations.” 

Justin Walker, a freshman film and television major, also joined and prayed with students during the event. 

“I’m just expecting people to do a thing, you know? Because when we’re together, he’s there too. Revelation says that prayers come with incense to God,” said Walker.  

 Zack Church, associate dean of residence life, helped move students to the auditorium when the rain started and stayed for the event.

 “My hope is always that we put our Christian identity ahead of our political ideology, and that our faith informs our political ideology, and not the other way around,” said Church.  

After closing in prayer, Plant encouraged students to share their personal stories and experiences with each other.  

“I really hope that people who have been able to find a renewed strength in being able to come together, regardless of opinion,” said Plant. 

The original version of this story included an error about the number of students in attendance. It has been corrected.