John Gray - I Am Number 8: Overlooked and Undervalued, but Not Forgotten by God

It happened on a Friday night in Smithfield, Rhode Island.

When I think of revival, I rarely think of any city located in the northeast corridor of the United States. Dont close the book, northeasterners, let me explain! I can admit that in my shortsightedness at the time, I really could only imagine something like this happening in one of the southern statesmostly, the Bible Belt. Places where there is a history of these kinds of moments happening. In truth, nobody was looking for the Spirit of God to unify an entire generation in the middle of Rhode Island. Who really goes to Rhode Island to find destiny? And yet, I was so very wrong. Destiny is exactly what happened in Rhode Island. For the kids who attended that youth conference, and for me.

It was so chilly that day I could see my breath when I got out of the car. As I walked the short distance to the church, I could hear the sound of kids singing praise songs over a heavy bass-driven beat. I couldnt make out the exact song but I discerned the sound of passion. Kids dont fake passion these days. I know hunger when I hear it. These kids? These kids wanted more.

I was raised in church. My mom was a church pianist. Granny was too. My dad was a jazz organist. Thats another story Ill get to later. My point is, Ive been in church all my life. Im also an observer. Those two things mean that I can clearly tell the difference between surface religious performance and authentic passion. The sound I heard on that cold day was the real thing. But even the sound could not have prepared me for the moment I would find myself in an hour later.

After the worship, I walked onto the platform. The kids were so excited, so passionate, the roar of the crowd was deafening. There were at least fifteen hundred youths and adults present, all staring up at me in anticipation of what God might do next. The atmosphere was amazing. As I began the message, I could hear the sound again, only this time, it was a rumbling. My words started flowing in a way they had never before. I was in a moment. As a communicator, as a preacher, you can tell when youre in a moment. There have been many times when I have preached and could feel that I was hitting up against something in the atmospherewhether it was the audiences curiosity or their resistance to what I was sharing, based on whatever differences they brought with them (denominational perspectives and theology, etc.).

But these kids connected to me, and I connected to them. There was something more I needed to say. I started reading from 1 Samuel 16. I shared with them that the Old Testament prophet Samuel had gone into the city of Bethlehem and to the house of Jesse to anoint the future King of Israel. After seeing seven of Jesses sons, Samuel asked the man, Are all the young men here? Jesse said, Well, there is the youngest (1 Sam. 16:11). There was someone, another son, that Jesse had forgotten.

From that moment in the sermon, there was a shift. I started sharing about a young manDavidrelegated to the fields, hidden in his own home, reviled by his brothers, overlooked by his father, but still very much loved and seen by God. Samuel goes on to say in the passage, Send for him; we wont sit down until he comes (1 Sam. 16:11). Jesse calls David, who was doing what he was always doing, watching the sheep. He didnt realize that everything was about to change.