ReViVaL!!

So, this past week has been "Revival" at our church. We had a total of 5 services that we called "Revival." A guest speaker, Nathan Carroll, and worship leader, Seth Dunnington, came in for the week to bring God's word to our church.  Tuesday was very special to Jacob and my heart because it was 'Youth Night.'  It was a different feel for the night, very different from our church's traditional, straight-from-the-hymnal kinda services. Jacob's band, Oculus Dei lead worship for the night.  The name Oculus Dei is Latin for "the eyes of God." Their mission statement is to see the world and all people through God's perspective and not their own.  It is comprised of 5 guys shown below:

OCULUS DEI

Seth Dunnington (lead singer), Jarrod Skinner (lead guitarist ~ AWESOME!!), Evan Kohen (acoustic guitar and back-up vocals), Drew Whitehead (drummer), and Jacob Morgan (bass and acoustic guitar)

So, there's the band. Now, the night itself... Jacob and I had been praying for the Revival as a whole since the pastor had planned it, but we had especially been praying for Tuesday night, Youth Night. We had been telling the youth to invite, to come, and to bring. AND THEY DID!!! God was amazing and truly blessed our hearts through our youth. They invited, they talked, they came, and they brought lots of people. Normally, on a Wednesday night for youth services we average about 30-35ish. But this week, this Tuesday, there were 55 youth listening to the gospel of Jesus Christ!!! AMAZING!!! Now, understand that it is NOT ABOUT THE NUMBERS, but it is so awesome to have 55 youth being blasted with the gospel of Truth. That's what we were so excited about.  The Word of Jesus Christ was being proclaimed to 55 youth in this lost world! How humbling!

Our church has never had a 'Youth' service before. They had never experienced corporate worship like that, and WOW! did the youth show the church that it was appreciated! First of all, the youth sat in the front center of the sanctuary (usually they sit in the balcony and have ADD problems).  This was such a beautiful picture of what the church should look like: the younger generation being surrounded, supported, protected, and taught by the older generation. I loved it! *On a side note* Before the service started, the pastor mentioned that if you were sitting in the front and didn't really enjoy loud, really loud music that they might want to scoot back a bit (he said this b/c Oculus Dei is a contemporary Christian band... loud, passionate, and crazy!). After he said this, ALL the old people in the church moved to the very back!! hahah!!! It made me giggle a bit! But, they stayed, that counts for something. Okay, back to the point. I was sitting in the very front, with all the youth sitting behind me. And during worship, I heard the sweetest, mot wonderful sound I have heard in a long time - THE YOUTH WORSHIPPING LOUDLY AND WITH ABANDONMENT! I loved it. I soaked it all up. It was great. Such a blessing and a special love from God to us that night.

After worship, we had a pizza dinner for the youth. Obviously, our faith is small and we didn't expect that many youth to come out... WE RAN OUT OF PIZZA! What an awesome problem! :) I just want to share a few pictures of the youth and the work of God that night!

The whole group!

OUR GOD IS GREATER!