GARDENA, CA – (4:20 p.m., PST) – Ascend, a worship ministry of Flight, is planning to bring a concert tailored for young adults to the Gardena-Torrance area. The event comes just in time to kick off back-to-school efforts in the South Bay.
“Ascend is based on Psalm 24,” the ministry’s leader, Foluke Racheal Oduntan, tells Sarie Reads. “Psalm 24 says, ‘Who can ascend the hill of The Lord, the mountain of The Lord?’ And then it says, ‘Only those who have pure hands, pure hearts. Those who do not swear deceitfully or lift up their souls to idols.’ So Psalm 24 is the heart behind Ascend. It’s a worship movement that literally captures what we do every month when we have our Flight Encounter nights.”
The average Flight Encounter night looks like lots of prayer with worship through singing. Foluke leads the way with vocals that command the room.
“Flight actually came about like an instruction from God to start a youth prayer movement,” Foluke says regarding the origins of her prayer movement. “I remember I was sleeping and I woke up, and He (God) just told me, ‘Oh yeah, the name is called Flight. Name it Flight based on Isaiah 40:31.’”
Some prayer ministries aim to encourage Christians to make prayer a daily practice. Foluke Racheal Oduntan believes there is more to the spiritual act than ritual.
“We’re a ministry that is centered on intimacy through prayer and worship,” the minister shares. “We’re called to train young adults and youth to pray intimately with God, not religiously,” Foluke reveals.
“[We’re] very spiritual, but also rooted in the word of God. We pray from the Bible. Our prayers are scriptures. We use scripture to pray, and to bring God’s will down and spread revival through the youth and young adults in L.A.”
The spreading of revival now includes a worship night with popular names such as Annatoria, Eniola Abioye, and Foluke herself.
“There will be prayer on that evening,” the psalmist says of Ascend’s first worship night. “Maybe like a ten minute charge and some deliverance, prophecy, however the Spirit moves,” she continues.
“It’s our night to just worship. It’ll be very professional,” Foluke assures. “We’re just going to open our hearts to the Holy Spirit, and [we’re] inviting young adults into that moment.”
Ascend will be held on September 4, 2026. Those interested in attending can complete this form to get on the waitlist. You can learn more about Flight here. Pre-save Foluke’s latest single, ‘Messiah,’ here.