David Brown, Pastor of The Refuge Church in Illinois, preached a stirring gospel message titled, “After His Passion,”  that took us back to Calvary. He reminded us that the sufferings of Christ make up the foundation of our faith and something we ought to not forget. The word of the Lord came to Bro Brown, “This morning, my people will minister to me.

Tonight, I will minister to my people.” Truly, this came to pass throughout the entire Friday of General Conference. The Youth Day service staged a convicting message about worshiping our Lord in light of the deep sacrifices that He made through His crucifixion. We learned that the word “excruciating” actually comes from the same root word for “crucifixion,” something that Jesus endured. Yet, the purpose of Calvary was not for pain, but for people. The message was a clarion call to worship and declare Jesus in deep gratitude for enduring the shame of the cross and dying of a broken heart on our behalf. The delight of Christ Jesus was to see His people set free and walk in the glory and salvation of God.

This is why He endured. In response to the selfless life of our Lord, we were urged to live in such a manner where our motives are not to gain earthly treasures but to live a life that brings honor to God and remember that He is our greatest treasure. It is evident through the response to this message that this generation not only embraces messages that bring us to our feet, but that put us on our faces. This shows us that arresting gospel preaching is not only within the DNA of the United Pentecostal Church International, but it is also within the DNA of our Youth Day service.