About 5,000 people, including Pepperdine students, staff, and Southern California residents, filled Alumni Park on Saturday evening for the sold-out Pepperdine Worship Summit 2025, an annual praise and worship event.
“This isn't just a concert,” said Tim Spivey, Vice President for Spiritual Life, who opened the event. ”With the ocean and beautiful scenery surrounding us, this is a night to truly worship the Lord.”
Over 1,100 Pepperdine students registered for the event.
The evening featured renowned worship artists Kari Jobe and Cody Carnes, New York Times bestselling author Francis Chan, music ministry United Voice Worship, and Waves Worship, a musical collective of Pepperdine students, staff, and alumni.
Waves Worship opened the evening with beloved covers “GOODBYE YESTERDAY,” “Holy Forever,” “Glorious Day,” and “I Thank God.” The group recently released their new album, WAVES WORSHIP, now available on all major streaming platforms.
Interim Chaplain at Pepperdine, Dee Dee Mayer, welcomed United Voice Worship to the stage, saying, “This group has been part of every Worship Summit, lifting their voices to Christ and inviting all of us to join in.” United Voice Worship then took the stage for the fourth year in a row, singing “Praise,” “Great Things,” “The Lord's Prayer (It's Yours),” and “Awesome.”
Following their set, a special video message from NFL player Christian McCaffrey encouraged young people to live with purpose, take their Christian faith seriously, and embrace life fully.
Pepperdine University President Jim Gash welcomed all in attendance and prayed, “We welcome the Holy Spirit into our gathering, dedicating our lives to Christ and celebrating the eternal hope we have through Him.”
Gash introduced Kari Jobe and Cody Carnes, who led the gathering in worship with “Take You At Your Word,” “Praise,” "Firm Foundation (He Won't),” and “Great Are You Lord.”
After Jobe and Carnes’ first set, Pepperdine’s Senior Vice President of Global Impact and University Chief of Staff, Danny DeWalt, introduced Francis Chan. “Francis has dedicated his life to building the church and disciples of Jesus, and we are honored to learn from one of the most transformative teachers of our time.”
Chan spoke about seeking God’s presence above all else, noting, “If God doesn’t show up, it changes nothing.” He encouraged the crowd to pursue inner transformation through the Holy Spirit, not just outward conviction. “When the Holy Spirit enters, you’re no longer a slave to sin, and you suddenly hunger for righteousness,” Chan said.
Chan emphasized that life and fulfillment are meaningless without God. He highlighted God’s holiness and mercy, saying, “He loves to show mercy and give to us even if we haven’t earned it.”
Chan concluded with a silent prayer alongside Kari Jobe and Cody Carnes, inviting God to fill the audience with His Holy Spirit. Jobe and Carnes then performed a second powerful set before President Gash closed the night in prayer and invited Cody and Kari back to the stage for “The Blessing.”
Throughout the evening, guests enjoyed food from Chick-fil-A and explored merch booths, including those from Waves Worship, Kari Jobe, and Cody Carnes, as well as apparel from Holy Garments and Lynx Athletics Club.
About Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is a private Christian university located 30 miles west of Downtown Los Angeles in Malibu, California. Rooted in the Christian tradition, Pepperdine is committed to both the relentless pursuit of truth through academic and scholarly excellence and to embodying Christian faith and values. With students at the heart of the educational enterprise, the University prepares approximately 9,000 scholars for lives of purpose, service, and leadership across its flagship liberal arts school, Seaver College; the Pepperdine College of Health Science; and four graduate schools—the Caruso School of Law; the Pepperdine Graziadio Business School; the Graduate School of Education and Psychology; and the School of Public Policy. Follow Pepperdine on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.