This Monday, February 19, Houghton College will host a worship event called “Carry the Love.” The evening will feature a message, worship session, and prayer. “Carry the Love” is organized by a tour group called Circuit Rider that travels around the U.S. visiting university campuses, leading worship services, and encouraging young people to step forward and lead their generation like Jesus.
They began this ministry to inspire Christ-like action, remarking. “We are losing our generation,” the organization remarked. “Statistics show that 70% of Christian students leave their faith Freshman year, and for every 4 people who leave the Church, only 1 turns to it. Something has to change.” Their mission, as stated on their website, is to “inspire this generation to love like Jesus,” to “start a Jesus movement,” and to “release a wave of salvation and revival over the culture of division and fear” that they believe currently prevails.
Two of the event’s organizers, Emily Hornibrook ‘21 and Sadie Dunnett ‘19, were filled with excitement for its potential. “I attended a ‘Carry the Love’ night at a different campus about a year ago, and it was life-changing,” Hornibrook remarked. She also shared that she was struck by how “on fire” the entire room was, and believed that bringing this event to Houghton’s campus may be what reignites the hearts of believers who have grown complacent or lukewarm in their faith.
“I want other people to experience what I got to experience,” Hornibrook shared, “I prayed for guidance, and asked that everything we needed would just work itself out if it’s what God wanted. And that has definitely been the case. People have come forward to help, and everything has just fallen into place.” In every phase of planning and preparation, the team has experienced God’s provision.
With the help of a few other students, Hornibrook and Dunnett independently managed the project. Hornibrook commented that they began by making contact with their tour leader, Miles. “Our tour leader suggested that we find a venue first, so we did that, got SGA approval, printed the posters, spread the word, and now we’re just excited to see what God does!”
When asked to share what she believed makes this event different from a night of Koinonia or Mercy Seat, Hornibrook said they were optimistic that “people who don’t generally go to Koin or Mercy Seat would come to this, get inspired, and then come to the events that Houghton regularly offers.” Dunnett also commented, “My prayer is that the entire chapel will be filled. It’s going to be a great way to reach a wider audience. We’re praying for genuine encounters with Jesus and His truth… this really has the potential to be life-changing.”
The event will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Wesley Chapel, and will feature worship, a message from one of the tour members, prayer, and a free space for God to move in the lives of all who attend. Hornibrook remarked that though there is structure to this event, it is largely open-ended and intentionally left without a time-restraint. She was eager to see what happens because “it’s freely-scheduled and we’re all open-minded and expecting God’s work in all of us.”
Both Hornibrook and Dunnett reflected on their hopes and said that one of their greatest joys was anticipating a night of worship with other believers, though not a part of the Houghton community, who love God and who share in the body of Christ. “We have one thing we’re all coming together for,” Hornibrook shared, “just a time of learning, listening, worshipping, and being together with God and one another.”