Walking past the mall area on campus between 5 and 6 p.m., you might hear a familiar tune matched with the soothing voice of Carter Wood, junior worship ministry major from Midland.

Wood performs worship songs on a bench Monday through Thursday, if weather permits, to spend time with God.

“I love spending that hour with him and just being focused on him,” Wood said.

He began publicly worshiping through song in high school and transferred it over when he arrived at ACU. He played for tips in public singing mainstream songs, and moved to worship as his relationship with God grew.

Wood always felt he would be an entertainer and was inspired by his worship leader and mentor at his home church. Here he found his passion leading worship at his youth group and then moving on to main service worship.

Ever since stepping foot on campus as a student, he vowed to keep that intimate time with God. He also sees it as a way to break the barrier in meeting new people.

“I’m not much of a social butterfly so being out there on the bench is a way for me to put myself out there,” Wood said. “But the main reason is just to worship,”

Wood has taken part in leading chapels and other events on campus through worship.

Cyrus Eaton, dean of spiritual life and campus chaplain, said Wood has been an available servant for their department.

“I know that both the missions office and our office have been blessed by him being available to serve for different reasons,” Eaton said. “You see him singing all day yet in conversation he presents himself to be very humble, and that’s a point of respect and admiration that I have for him.”

Before Wood found his spot at the mall area, he tried out other locations on campus, but none of them stuck.

“I tried doing it by Jacob’s Dream, but I felt like I was kind of ruining the vibe,” Wood said. “Besides that, the vocals by the fountain are quite well.”

To Wood this time of worship is bigger than himself. He can use his talent to help others who may need to hear a certain song or message.

“God works in mysterious ways,” Wood said. “I can be doing a song that’s like completely random off the top of my head, but anyone who’s struggling, and they need to hear that particular song, God will use me in a sense to help them without me even knowing it.“

For Wood, hearing his gift helps others inspire him to just keep singing.

“I’ve had people come up to me and say, ‘Hey thank you for doing what you do I really needed that,’ and that just keeps on encouraging me to do it more and more.”