At the University of Oklahoma (OU), students believe it’s time for a revival — and they have commissioned the help of GRAMMY award-winning artist Chance the Rapper and GRAMMY-nominated Contemporary Christian artists Kari Jobe and Chandler Moore for the occasion. What started off as a “God-sized dream” to a small group of OU students in a September 7, 2022 gathering, has now grown to a 150-member student-led movement called “Fill the Stadium” (FTS) — an evangelistic, free and sold-out event to take place on Saturday, April 29th at the Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
Spearheaded by OU students Josh Robinson and Nathan Wong, the 60,000 person event will pack out the stadium with prayer, worship, repentance and revival, in the hopes that both believers and non-believers can unify under a heart-centered message of hope and revitalization for the next generation.
“There is true power in the simplicity of the Gospel,” says OU student Josh Robinson. “We want to bring non-believers and believers into this stadium to hear about the love of Jesus. We believe this event will serve as a catalyst for positive change on our campus, in the city, across our state, throughout the nation, and around the world.”
For Robinson, Wong and many other students, FTS is more than just the big-name artists they managed to draw in. The FTS movement acknowledges the current state of depression, anxiety and brokenness for the Gen-Z generation, and is fervently seeking answers through a revival for peace, joy, and a sense of community.
“We believe that right now the world is hurting and it’s broken. Being on a college campus, we…see this a lot with friends and peers, and the way that they are affected by the world. We see increased anxiety, depression, and suicide rates across the country, and those numbers continue to rise,” said FTS Co-Director Nathan Wong. “We believe that there is an answer to the world’s problems, and we believe his name is Jesus, and we’re all about bringing together people for a night of unity, and for a night of hope.”
In addition to the star-studded line-up, Evangelist Nick Hall will deliver the message for the evening and share the Gospel. Ministry leaders across Oklahoma City and beyond are committed to attend, as well as business and community leaders who have provided financial support.
“We hope that this event brings together the city and the community,” Wong added. “We hope that this event is a catalyst for more growth and unity. We hope that [after this event], Norman never looks the same.”
