First published through The Paris News on May 22, 2017. The article can be found on their website at http://theparisnews.com/opinion/article_6d2058dc-3f0b-11e7-97ad-7331537f9224.html and was backdated.

Even though Kent Kirby doesn’t have to dye his hair after this past weekend, it was worth it.

A youth rally was held at Bethel Baptist Church, where Kirby is the youth minister. He told his youth group if they could bring in more than 100 other youth, then he would dye his hair a random color. However, while only about 20 youth attended the rally, it was worth it because a teenager chose to follow Christ that night.

Don Dowdy spoke on personal burdens the students struggle with. He referred to them as personal Isaacs.

Toward the end of the sermon, he had the students take a pen and a piece of paper and write down their personal Isaacs that have been bothering them lately. After the group wrote down their burdens, he told them they could pray over the burdens and let God take control of what was wearing them down.

Before Dowdy’s sermon, the church put together a couple of games for the youth to play. One game they played was a Fear Factor-style game. The youth would reach into a paper bag, not knowing what was in it, feel an object and figure out what it was. When they were reaching in and feeling something like spaghetti or a Christmas tree, not knowing what they were feeling, their reactions were priceless.

After the Fear Factor game, the youth then played Twilight Dodgeball. This game was rather intense because a couple hours before the dodgeball game, Kirby turned on a smoke machine and had laser lights shooting into the building. The only light the youth had to go by were the laser lights.

When I heard about the rally, my intentions were to help Kirby set up on Saturday. But, by the end of the night, I was helping set up tables and chairs for a senior benefit on Sunday night. Even though I don’t attend Bethel myself, it was entertaining watching the youth have fun and learn what they could about Jesus.

Kirby did say the event was to enforce a spiritual awakening for the youth in the area, and it did its job — it had an impact on someone. Because of that, it was all worth it.

From what I understand, Bethel Baptist Church is going to have another youth rally in the fall, and anyone who would like to can help with it. Kirby told me they will take any donations, from plastic spoons to food or condiments for the next rally.

I’d highly recommend attending the next rally, whether you’ve already chosen to follow Christ or not. The rally was well worth the time.