May 5, 2008—More than 3,250 youth rocked the city of Charleston, S.C., last night, shaking the North Charleston Coliseum with loud music and laughter.
Rock the City is an event that features artists and a speaker, unites young people throughout their city, and gets them excited about changing their community for the glory of God.
Last night, hip-hop artists Group 1 Crew performed, some local youth pastors emceed the event, punk rockers Hawk Nelson got the crowds jumping, and Will Graham presented a message that challenged young people to live for Christ.
Before the concert started, we spoke with Will Graham, grandson of Billy Graham, who was the featured speaker at the event. He told us about the spiritual climate among young people in the city. This is what he said:
“I had a chance to meet with some of the youth committee [for the Lowcountry Festival], youth pastors, and college ministers as well. I think it’s probably true, for Charleston and for all of the south, that Christianity is something that’s always welcomed here in the Bible Belt.
“A lot of people … [are] Christian by association.”
“But yet when it comes down to where the rubber meets the road, a lot of people aren’t living out the Christian life. They’re Christian by association, but they’ve never had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
“I think there’s probably another level where people aren’t content. They’re finding things in this life that aren’t giving them everlasting contentment. … They’ve realized the physical things they have aren’t meeting their deep down emotional needs.
“A lot of people here are still looking for something, and they’re not quite sure what it is. Most of them probably don’t realize it’s a spiritual need. They still think it’s a physical need. They think, ‘If I can just find something, if I can just find love, a gadget, a car …’ For kids, maybe an iPod, the next video game, or a girlfriend or boyfriend, something like that.
“I don’t want kids to commit their lives to Christ; I want them to surrender their lives to Christ. I want to challenge them to surrender … every aspect of their life; their past, their present, their future, to Jesus Christ, and He’s going to give them a far greater life than they could ever imagine.”
Later on, Will spoke to the crowds:
“I just want to take a few minutes to talk to you about something that everyone in this world struggles with. … And that’s the idea of purpose. What’s the purpose in life?
“A lot of people today are struggling. [They ask,] ‘Why am I here on this earth? What am I supposed to do?’ My friends, everything has a purpose–even you.
“When we don’t understand the purpose of our lives, we’re dissatisfied. Some of you maybe feel lonely. When you are dissatisfied, you start to argue, you get jealous. There’s a lot of people here tonight that think the world is supposed to revolve around them.
“The world says, ‘If anyone is going to look after you, it’s going to be you.’ But the purpose of your life is not you. Tonight I’m going to ask you to give up everything. There’s only way you’re going to be satisfied in life: you need to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
“I’m not talking about going to church. I’m not talking about just committing your life to Christ. I’m asking you to surrender your life to Christ.
“When you commit yourself, you’re always in the drivers seat. When you surrender, you put your life in the hands of Jesus Christ, to be used of Him how He sees fit.”
At the invitation, more than 300 people came forward to make a public profession of faith and surrender their lives to Christ. Rock the City was held in preparation for the Lowcountry Franklin Graham Festival that will take place September 19–21, 2008 in Charleston, S.C.
Read our interview with Hawk Nelson’s lead singer, Jason Dunn!
