Unity In Worshipping Jesus: Iowa

Published May 5, 2025

Katrielle Bauknight

Let's set the scene. In January-February 2025, my team and I road-tripped across the USA. College campuses, coffee shops, malls, you name it: we were there sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed. A regular day looked like evangelizing during the day and hosting worship events in the evening. On February 17th, we hosted a worship night at a coffee shop in Iowa City, and I was leading.

We had spent the entire day evangelizing at a nearby college. At this point, we had an hour until the event, and I was JUST starting to prepare the set. What's more, my co-leader, Abigail, and I had never led a set together before! We prayed over what songs we should do and then quickly practiced the set. However, we were both feeling nervous and unprepared. We asked God to let the worship night feel like friends who are simply worshipping Jesus together, rather than "hosting a group of strangers". Then, we arrived at the event.

About 30 people from the college showed up for the worship night. My nerves kicked in again. I pleaded with God to let this worship night be a sweet time of fellowship. Per usual, God delivered. As we started to worship, everyone became unified in our love for Jesus! We were strangers, but as we sang together, it felt like a room full of old friends. It was so sweet and refreshing.

As time went on, we diverted from our set and started to play spontaneous worship. I didn't think much of it until after the event. A girl named Esther came to me and asked to meet for coffee. We met two days later, and I heard her story. She is on fire for Jesus and has felt Him lead her to host worship sessions on the weekend at her college. As Esther sought God's insight on how to lead this ministry, she grew a desire for spontaneous worship. Worship moments that made room for God to move. Sets where her peers could feel comfortable relating to God and one another. As she shared her vision for those worship moments, I felt like I was talking to an old friend. It was the same desire I had for the worship sessions I led. We got to pray together over her worship ministry and encourage each other in the truth. What beautiful fellowship.

All in all, Christ brings unity to the body even when we have never met before! Even though we were strangers, we had the sweetest fellowship because of our love for Jesus. What's more, Esther and her friends are still ministering to their peers on campus! God is moving in Iowa!