Pepperdine Worship Summit 2024 Draws Thousands for a Powerful Celebration of Faith

The 2024 Pepperdine Worship Summit, held on Saturday, September 14, 2024, brought 5,000 people—including more than 1,200 students—together for an evening of Christ-centered worship at Alumni Park on Pepperdine’s Malibu campus. The event was headlined by GRAMMY Award-winning Christian artist Chris Tomlin, whose music has touched millions globally, and featured inspiring messages from author and speaker Sadie Robertson Huff.

Waves Worship, a worship ministry comprising Pepperdine students, staff, and alumni, opened the event by performing original musical arrangements with spirited passion. Their music, reflecting the voices of multi-generational Christians, aims to embody the songs God is singing over the Pepperdine community and the heartfelt responses from the community in return.

Waves Worship

Returning to the Pepperdine Worship Summit for the third year, United Voice Worship, a music ministry composed of worship pastors and praise leaders from Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Kentucky, led an a cappella worship experience. Between songs, they guided the crowd in thoughtful praise, sharing messages of God’s love and eternal protection. 

President Jim Gash (JD '93) took the stage to address the audience and introduce Tomlin. "If you love Jesus, let me hear you! And if you're ready to praise Him with Chris Tomlin, let me hear you loud and clear!" said President Gash. "We brought Chris here tonight so you can lift your voices together at Pepperdine and show the world who we are and what truly matters to this community."

Tomlin performed a selection of his popular songs, including "Is He Worthy?" and "Holy Forever," leading the crowd in a unified chorus as the lyrics to each song were displayed on a large screen above the stage. “What a beautiful sound tonight,” shared Tomlin. "Let’s fill this hill with praise as we look out over the Pacific Ocean, taking in the beauty of God—the moon tonight and all of His glory shining through."

Chris Tomlin

Dee Dee Mayer, interim chaplain and director of RelateStrong at Pepperdine's Boone Center for the Family, introduced Huff to the stage, sharing her impressive professional background as well as inspiring character. “I have the privilege of introducing a friend to Pepperdine. While she might prefer I not mention her website, Live Original, her numerous books, or her podcast, what she truly wants me to share is about her husband, Christian, and her two daughters.” Mayer adds, “Above all, she is passionate about loving people, fostering connections, and inspiring others to connect with one another.”

During her talk, Huff spoke passionately about the power Christians bring to the world, highlighting their responsibility to be a source of light, especially in difficult times. "The world is not getting any brighter unless you take on the call of your life to be the light," Huff said. She also expressed gratitude to Pepperdine for organizing the event and gathering a community devoted to God’s word. "This campus truly feels like a city on a hill. God, thank you for the leadership here, for creating spaces like this where we can come together in your presence, unite as the body of Christ, and be reminded that we're not alone."

Sadie Robertson Huff

Following Huff’s message, Tomlin returned to the stage for a powerful encore to close out the night. “What an honor to sing these songs and worship God with you,” said Tomlin. “We have so much to be grateful for, and it's important to remind ourselves of all the blessings we have. Tonight is a good moment for that."

Launched in 2021, the Pepperdine Worship Summit was created to bring the University community together in faith while dedicating the start of the academic year to God through prayer and praise. Each year the massive audience includes Pepperdine students, staff, faculty, and alumni, as well as attendees from outside the University who are eager to worship together. 

First-time attendees Craig and Judy Bowers, who learned about the Pepperdine Worship Summit through their church, City Church California in Ventura, expressed their excitement for the music and spirit-filled atmosphere. They felt encouraged that Pepperdine offered a space where people from various backgrounds could come together. 

"It’s important for people from different denominations and cities to gather and recognize that Christ is working not just in our community, but in the communities all around us," Craig shared.

Crowd worshiping together at 2024 Pepperdine Worship Summit

Matt and Erica Sekijima heard about the event from a friend and were stunned by the incredible setting and scale of the campus, commenting on its picturesque environment being an ideal place for worship gatherings. 

Matt further expressed that the event is an inspiration for unity during a time of division. “Events like this, where the focus is on Christ, worship, and fellowship, can serve as a unifying force,” he said. “If you were to survey this crowd, you’d likely find significant differences among them, some quite serious. But today, something brought everyone together, and I think we need more gatherings like this."

For Seaver College student Claire Everbach, the Pepperdine Worship Summit is an impactful event that provides her with the opportunity to spend time with her classmates and the broader community.

"The Pepperdine Worship Summit is a great opportunity to showcase Pepperdine's Christian values, and it’s an event the entire University can benefit from,” she said. “It’s a rare chance to have so many of your classmates gathered in the same space, and it feels so powerful to be able to worship together."