“Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before His presence with singing. Enter His gates with praise.(Psalms 100:1-4 KJV Bible)”Indeed a joyful nois-e was made and praises were sent up on Sunday in T. H. Harris Auditorium on the campus of Grambling State University when “Gospel Explosion 2009” got under way!
“It was very refreshing to see so many come out to praise our Lord and savior. [The explosion was] a great start to our week of festivities,” says graduating senior Shereena Fisher.
The Baptist Collegiate Ministry worked in conjunction with the Favrot Student Union Board treated the campus with the celebration.
The event kicked off at 6 p.m. when the host ‘FunnyMan’ Curtis Arrington used his gift of comedy mixed with just the right amount of praise to open up the event.
Regulars of Lewis Temple’s Baptist Collegiate Ministries might have noticed that the first act was just as anointed, if not more, than it has been every Tuesday. The BCM Praise Team opened up blessing the crowd with “You’re All I Need” and other selections that did not leave open hearts disappointed.
Lead by director Anthony Chetham, Greater Purpose Worship Ensemble blessed the eager onlookers with their gospel rendition of “Great Praise.”
No doubt their praises were great. Their mixtures of precise movements and on point notes and tones proved this act to be worthy of its name; they sung for the greater purpose.
“It felt as if God was in the place,” proclaims GSU Junior. “The anointing was moving beyond belief. The gospel explosion felt more like a spiritual explosion!”
Although not in their entirety, but none the less powerful, the Grambling State University Choir blessed the stage with classic gospel hits such as “Grateful” by Hezekiah Walker & LFC.
The crowd clapped their hands and sang along with voices lifted high as the Heavens while the choir performed the hits ‘Everybody clap your hands’ and ‘We Worship You’.
An energized D’Ann Harris, member of Entourage, came out to introduce her group and could barely complete the task before her hands were raised with glory and praise. Under the direction of Omar Jones and Trea Trapp, Entourage took the praise level to an even higher height with their song ‘Jesus Promised’.
They followed by lifting their angelic voices in higher praise with the all time gospel classic ‘Total Praise’. By the end of the song, the level of worship was so high, that Entourage had to continue on singing their total praise and the crowd was moved to a higher realm that set the tone for the featured artist.
‘Final Destined Nation’, the featured choir, came all the way from Dallas to bless our souls with original praise and worship songs.
The leader of the group got the crowd involved with the performance and dropped some major knowledge and inspiring words on all that attended.
“Those who came to receive the word.DID,” says graduation senior Cassandra Banks.
The group’s leader not only performed, but he was allowed extra time by the event’s directors to spread the gospel of Jesus and warn today’s youth how important it is to be set aside so that your light could shine. He gave demonstrations using the hook of the popular hit ‘Umbrella’ by Rhianna to illustrate how important it is to know the origin of the secular music some of us are guilty of listening to everyday.
He used just a snippet of the course, “.my umbrella-ella-ella-eh-eh” and informed us that those chants aren’t just catchy tunes. He was informed by a close friend whose parents were devil worshipers, that chant was used by his parents as they sat around a bowl of blood, just before a spell was cast.
Freshman Jamesia Leonard declared , “[The explosion] was the best event Grambling State University has ever given. It actually made me proud of my school!”
This truly was a blessed event that deserves all the praise and credit it has received.
“It was a spirit filled occasion that anointed all that attended,” says sophomore Kerrill James.