Hopes of Youth Praise & Worship Night to Continue Throughout School Year {video}

In August, musical friends, Ben Fulghum, JohnBernae and William Griggs, Dylan Hill, Nick Jackson, Andrew Swortzel, Justin Tanner, Phillip Taylor, and Ryan Zawacki, came together for a Youth Praise & Worship Night to encourage and uplift area seventh through twelfth grade students as they began the 2024/2025 school year. Hardeman County Schools returned on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, after fall break, and the group hopes the reason the praise event was held is a reminder to students as they continue the school year.

The idea of holding the worship night came about through conversation between Ryan Zawacki and Andrew Swortzel.

“Our minds kind of went back to when we were in high school, the [Hardeman County Baptist] Association used to hold a back-to-school rally. Different churches would get together and there would be a little music, some speaking, and it was always a good foot in the door before you went back to school, kind of a spiritual motivation,” said Ryan, who wanted to support area students in the same manner. “We kind of had the kids on our mind. Let’s encourage them and get their hearts and minds before they step back into the school building.”

Other than playing at Y.E.P. and for an occasional association event, it had been about three years since the group had played together in a committed effort. When Ryan and Andrew presented the idea of a night of praise and worship for students to the others, the decision was a unanimous one for them to collaborate for the occasion.

Over the years, they all have become a tight knit group of friends. They do not represent any one church in Hardeman County and instead represent Christians in the county coming together in the love of Jesus Christ. You could say the group looks like Hardeman County when it comes together with no racial or spiritual divides, and just has a common love of Jesus Christ.

“We are different ages and demographics and range from early 20s to mid-40s,” said Ryan, noting he and Justin are probably the oldest members in the group. “The common thing is we are Christian and have a firm foundation in the Lord. We are trying to do something here in the county, encouragement and gospel related.”

All of the group members have a heart for youth, especially in Hardeman County. Their connections range from being graduates from Hardeman County Schools, parents of students in the county schools, or a teacher in the system.

Ryan noted struggles some students face during the school year that include a rise in anxiety levels and uncertainty. Those experiences can affect a high school senior, a new student in high school, and even in middle school [and elementary school].

“Young people are just distracted. They have got a lot on their minds, and they have got a lot of pressure. They see a lot and they have a lot of questions,” said Ryan, a father of three, two that are teenagers. “You got to get them back rooted into what really matters and what your true joy, meaning and purpose is in life is. Everybody needs a reason for hope. Everybody needs some reason to press forward. And the really only true motivation and hope in life is the Lord Jesus.”

Andrew and others in the group believe in the importance of fellowship among people, especially the need for youth with each other.

“Y.E.P. gets done once a year and we kind of go our separate ways, and we don’t ever come back again,” said Andrew, who shared his hope for those that attended the worship night. “They are young Christians. I wanted them to just come in and be vulnerable. Not to feel like they had to put on a façade while they were there if they were around their friends or anything like that. To come and be vulnerable and if you had problems, lay your burdens down, and learn how to teach others to do the same thing. Learn how to be a witness yourself while you are also being witnessed to.”

The group played a series of worship songs, prayed, and spoke to the youth in attendance. They hoped the youth left with encouragement and feeling spiritually uplifted.

“So, we hope that they grew spiritually, and that they took something away . . . a word from a song, a word from one of the Band members. They can wake up tomorrow morning and take it with them to school. And they say, ‘hey man I really like that’ and that it just carries on. It is a domino effect, and it reiterates every day throughout the school year.”

Andrew also shared his hope for the youth that attended.

“In the morning at 8 a.m. and maybe through conversations going on at breakfast, at lunch, before class starts, and then other people kind of listen in, maybe those we witnessed to with our worship can witness to others with their words later on,” said Andrew. “I hope they saw another friend, another Christian brother or sister in Christ they can rely on. And I hope first and foremost they go home at night and wake up in the morning and they can take away Jesus, and they rely on him in thick and thin, today, tomorrow, until the end.”

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