by Sherilyn David
Finally, the week is over and the weekend is almost here. Let’s start it off right. After a long week at school or at work, the youth and the young adults could be doing a lot of things on a Friday night. They could be out and about with friends partying, attending a concert or watching a Warriors’ game. Or they might decide just to stay at home. But members of the GSCC J-YA/J-Youth choose to convene in church on a Friday night. Friday Night Life or FNL offers a positive alternative to the usual Friday night.
What exactly do we do at FNL? On this much-anticipated night, we fellowship with one another, praise and worship though music and more importantly, listen attentively to the word of God through invited speakers who gratefully attend to our spiritual needs. At FNL we get recharged and rejuvenated after a long and tiring week. At FNL a lot of Spirit-filled moments happens: lost souls have been found, lives changed, bonds strengthened and memories made. How does this happen? -Through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who is at the center of our focus and the main reason for what we do. We allow the Potter to mold our hearts that we can willingly serve Him. As a result we experience His enormous blessings.
Notable among these Spirit-filled moments happened during our first “Lock-in.” At the lock-in we did just that, locked in the youth and young adults inside the gathering hall for a night of games, praise and worship as well as listening to God’s awesome words. Even before our speaker delivered the message, before we settled down for dinner, the Holy Spirit moved amongst us as we sang songs of praise and worship. Everyone in attendance took his turn to pour out his heart to God. Some allowed tears of joy to freely flow from their eyes; others showed their true heart for worship. Distinctly I remember one of the young adults approached me about that moment. She said she had always heard about people being touched by the Holy Spirit but for the first time, at the lock-in, she finally knew what it meant. Wasn’t that really amazing?
Moments like these can never be recreated, but at FNL they are available to everyone every Friday. At the gathering hall, we have no ornate decors, no fancy set-up, no speakers of note. All we have are young men and women who love God and yearn more to learn about Him and be in the midst of others who love Him too. We offer an alternative to the typical Friday night-a spiritual high unmatched by anything else. We offer Someone who can give you love, happiness and salvation. A new life awaits you. The next time you are debating on what to do with a Friday night, remember FNL. Everyone is welcome, the young and the young at heart.
