life | trustfall

Sitting in the chapel through one of my favorite campus events – 24 Hour Worship. Why is it my favorite event? It includes everyone!

This is an event that has possibly the most participation from campus wide students- 112 students playing and 36 different sets this year. The number of students that come to worship is so hard to track since students come and go but well over 600 students come and go throughout the time. My favorite part is that it is such a mix of music styles, accompaniments and participation that it showcases the unity in the body of Christ for worship. Truly embodying making a joyful noise to the Lord. As I watch sets change hands as the next set starts and students remaining in the spirit of keeping the worship continuous, it maintains the heart of the idea that was birthed 8 years ago. It surprises me that there are more students in the chapel at 3AM than 3PM and this event continues to strengthen the worship community on campus.

There is never a moment that there is not a gathering of students in the chapel throughout the 24 hours with so many students filing in and filing out, supporting friends and strangers. Students in sleeping bags and blankets in the balcony remaining in the chapel throughout the 24 hours, seeking the Lord, standing to worship, journaling, reading. The presence of Christ is eminent and strong and shows the spiritual thirst of students on campus.

Your greatest ability is availability – this was spoken to me years ago as I dug into ministry. Young adult ministry is a patient ministry. And for me, being in the chapel throughout this event is living out availability. Every year I have students come sit with me for prayer, to talk though things on their hearts, or share a burden. Often throughout the semester I will have students approach me on campus with the line, “I saw you at 24 Hour Worship so know you do something here on campus”…. And then proceed to share with me their situation where they need help. To me it’s being able to be available and lead students in their pursuit of Jesus.

Full Circle Moment – Eight years ago I helped kickstart this event and break through the red tape at GCC so that the chapel could be open through the night. Amanda (seen in photo with camera) was a part of that original team and now she is employed at the college to document events like this. What a fun moment it was as she met those serving in leadership and rejoiced that this event has survived past Covid, past leadership being passed down year after year, past frictions and challenges and red tape. This is rare that a group starts on campus and survives through TWO generations of students graduating. When Adam was a senior and thinking about what would happen on campus as he left, it was a challenge that I gave him that the strength of his leadership is found in being able to raise up the next generation and empower them to take over the event. The same holds true in every ministry as it hits its high points and low points and often fades out on campus after five years. Unfortunately I have seen so many of these events sunset.

And so, as student plow through their semesters, this event has brought about a resurgence to the heart of worship. A refocus on the semester. And a dive into priorities.

Your Voice.

Matters.

Your voice is heard.

Do not become silent. Do not think that your voice doesn’t matter or that one life dedicated to truth and unity isn’t enough. Speak truth. Speak life. Speak unity. Speak revival.

I grew up singing the lyrics. “You’ve got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything” to a song written by Aaron Tippin in 1991.

In our culture today, standing for something is not always popular. But what is popular is not always right and what is right is not always popular.

I am tasked with walking beside a generation whose hearts are stirring. Whose flesh wants something more than this world offers. A generation that yearns to stand.

Headlines speak toward revival on campuses and a generation that is turning back to the gospel. This is true. This is something I have seen. They are yearning for something different than a Sunday morning faith. They want authenticity. They want a Savior who speaks to them personally. They want healing and restoration. Their hearts are yearning and seeking a fresh wind. They don’t want the motions. They want to live it.

May they rise.

May the awakenings happening on college campuses reach our towns and cities.

May the voices rise to be clear amongst the static. That the hearts of the next generation would be turned towards truth. That they encounter the living God that their hearts seek.

May the old embrace the new in realizing that what’s in the heart is what matters. To stand united on the main thing, that our world is in need of truth and our young people hold the keys to change.

I remember where I was as I watched the Twin Towers burn. I was that college student, stirred to make a difference and speak truth. I remember sitting in my desk as I heard about the Columbine shooting and each mass shooting after that. Though every incidence of violence that broke out. As a teacher, my heart broke for the lives of students that were lost to suicide.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter. We are not in this world alone. We are in community with 8.2 billion other people. People who are hurting, scared, alone, hungry, afraid, bitter, in need.

What matters?

It doesn’t have to be like this. We all have a part.

May this generation turning their hearts back to Jesus be a reflection to the world. That our lives would not end with silence, but that we would be brave enough to stand for truth and justice.

I have seen this next generation labeled as the REVIVAL GENERATION. And my hope is that they truly would be them. After millennials and Generation Z, there has to come some generation that steps out. That is bold. That seeks after a truth that this world does not offer. I am sure that mainstream America may not label this generation as Revival Generation, but my work on campus with this generation gives me hope. Even if a fraction of the students are pressing in for change, it is enough to light a spark that turns into a flame, that starts a fire and I hope it is an all-consuming fire for the things that matter in this world. Not the things that fade, but the things that are eternal.