A total of 37 students and members of the local community were baptized at the end of Pacific Adventist University’s (PAU) Festival of Faith, held October 1–7, 2023. The number of baptisms in 2023 at PAU now totals 50.

“We are so excited to see 50 students and community members baptized at Pacific Adventist University this year,” said Dr. Lohi Matainaho, PAU vice chancellor. “This is a testament to the power of God’s Word and the impact that it is having on our students and community members.”

Festival of Faith is an annual event at PAU that brings together students, faculty, staff and members of the surrounding community to worship and celebrate their faith in Jesus. This year’s guest speaker for the week was Pastor Greggo Pillay, from Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. In his morning and evening presentations, Pastor Pillay shared his music gifts and stories of the power of the Gospel.

“We are grateful that our speaker was used by the Holy Spirit to share powerful God-centered messages, and we pray that these new believers will continue to grow in their faith,” said Dr. Matainaho.

Contributions from the seven worship sites across campus added to the success of the program. “In my experience, the enthusiasm and participation I witnessed at PAU were truly exceptional,” commented Pastor Pillay.

The original version of this story was posted on the Adventist Record website.