Christian Union: The Magazine Summer 2017 | Page 52

the spiritual climate on campus P E N N | On Campus ‘Pray without Ceasing’ PENN FOR JESUS ORGANIZES TENT OUTRE ACH By James Supplee, Penn ’17 I t was 3 a.m. on a typical April weeknight and six students sat in a circle on the floor of a tent right off of the Compass on Locust Walk, listening intently as “Sophia” poured out her struggles. Raised in a Chris- increasingly sporadic. Now she depicts herself as on the verge of unbelief, while asking challenging questions of the God whom she once praised. The rest of the students, all members of different Christian ministries at Penn, The Prayer Tent on Locust Walk was organized by Penn For Jesus. 50 tian home, she was deeply involved in the church, served in youth group, faithfully attended Sunday worship, and experienced the presence of God in her life. Yet, she tells an entirely different story of her life at Penn. During her freshman year, she began to doubt the goodness of God and His work. Though she had found a church home in Philadel- phia, she did not experience the awe and wonder of the Lord as she had in her earlier years. Eventu- ally, though she had faithfully attend- ed church throughout her childhood, her regular church attendance became offered her words of encouragement before earnestly praying for her. The apostle Paul exhorted the members of the church in Thessalo- nica to, “Rejoice always, pray without interpretation of that verse in the 24/7 Prayer Tent. Organized by Penn for Jesus annually since 2006, this event provides a space in Stiteler Plaza ded- icated to drawing near to God through prayer, worship, and fellowship every hour of every day during the week leading up to Easter Sunday. The tent features many aspects designed to encourage all who enter. The walls, lined with paper, provide a space for entrants to write powerful passages of Scripture and prayer re- quests. One corner features a confes- sion station, which allows anyone to write a confession and then shred it, symbolizing God’s forgiveness of our sins. Nevertheless, the primary attrac- tion of the tent is the fellowship of believers from all across campus, unit- ed together in community to draw near to the throne of grace. Throughout the week, members of various ministries at Penn signed up for shifts in the tent in order to pray and minister to all who entered, including students and non-students, believers and unbelievers alike. These Throughout the week, members of various ministries at Penn signed up for shifts in the tent in order to pray and minister to all who entered, including students and non-students, believers and unbelievers alike. ceasing, and give thanks in all circum- stances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). Every year, during Holy Week, Penn students take a literal visitors ranged from pre-freshman on campus visits to seniors who had seen the tent from their bedroom windows for three years and had never checked it out. The prayer tent also provided