Logo text – Awakening: Building Emerging Worship LeadersHigh-school students entering grades 9–12 gather to explore faith, worship and the arts.

Where God’s Spirit meets with a group of people in such a profound way that it opens their eyes to God’s activity in the world, renews and gives vision to their sense of purpose and calling, and marks their lives forever.

Join other students in grades 9–12 to learn about worship, develop your gifts in the arts and lead worship at the end of the week in the Festival of Worship.

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Awakening VI: Student Perspectives
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Awakening VI Trailer
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Awakening VI Festival of Worship 2021
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Awakening IV (2019) 3 minutes
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Awakening IV (2019) 1 minute
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Awakening IV (2019) 5 minutes
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Awakening III (2018) 1 minute
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Awakening III (2018) 4 minutes
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Awakening II
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The Story of Awakening
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Awakening Preview 2017
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Jim De Boer, director of Awakening
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Hope College Intern Aaron
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Hope College Intern Jordan
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Meet our worship leader Bruce Benedict
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Hope College Intern Jack
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Hope College Intern Jake
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Artist in Residence Joel
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Meet Awakening's discipleship leader Josh Banner
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Come to Awakening!

Why Attend Awakening?

If you’re a high school student going into grades 9–12 seeking to grow your skills and passions about worship and the arts, this is the week for you.

Are you a musician, an actor, an artist, a dancer, a sound technician or a philosopher? Take this opportunity to develop your gifts — and perhaps discover gifts you never realized.

Join us on the beautiful campus of Hope College in Holland, Michigan, to work with nationally known pastors, ministry leaders, professors, church musicians, artists, dancers and technical arts specialists.

This will be a time to grow and learn more about yourself and your God. To see God for who he is. To build relationships. To change the lives of others and, in turn, your own.

Awakening worship on the beachDevelop your gifts in the Worship Arts

  • Vocal
  • Acoustic guitar
  • Lead guitar
  • Bass guitar
  • Percussion/Drum set
  • Keyboard/Piano
  • Organ
  • Strings
  • Woodwinds
  • Brass
  • Painting
  • Liturgical dance
  • Songwriting
  • Technology (sound)
  • Preaching/Theology
  • Worship planning

Individual students entering grades 9–12 are encouraged to attend, but you are also welcome to come with friends if you choose. Together or individually, you will return to your church, youth ministry and school prepared to make a difference for God in the lives of others.

The sense of Christian community will be rich and God-inspired!

  • Awakening VII (2022) — We hosted 47 high school students from 7 different states for an amazing experience of witnessing God’s presence in our midst.
  • 觉醒VI(2021)——今年我们能够与来自3个不同州的35名高中生面对面交流。零病例!赞美神!
    Awakening V (2020) – Due to COVID, students met online each Sunday in June and met online throughout the year on the first Sunday of each month
  • Awakening IV (2019) – 55 students from five states
  • Awakening III (2018) – 54 students from five states
  • Awakening II (2017) – 40 high school students from five states
  • Awakening I (2016) – 20 students from four states
Awakening Podcast

Awakening Podcast


The Invitation,Episode 1

The Awakening has collaborated with The Invitation to begin a new podcast. In the first episode Josh engages a group of the Awakening students to consider the unique gift of a teenager’s spiritual journey.

Already attended?

Come back for a second, third or fourth year. Most students do! If you've graduated from high school and are coming to Hope, be an apprentice! Graduating high-school seniors who have been a part of Awakening in the past and are headed to Hope in the fall can become paid student interns after their freshman year at Hope.

神呼召你到的地方,就是你的喜乐和世界的饥饿相遇的地方。

Frederick Buechner