Hannah Barnett Chapel – March 15, 2023
By Anthony Tierney, senior at Christian High School
Hannah Barnett, experienced author, arrives at Shadow Mountain’s Christian High school to present to the student body her message which aims at informing the youth in greater knowledge of Jesus Christ so they can find their calling and purpose in Him; which she does through her foundation ‘Generation Distinct.” She greatly believes in the potential of today’s youth as the future of the church if only they are willing to take a risk to stand up for their faith and the purpose God has given them.
She opened on Wednesday afternoon with a story about the life of William Wilberforce, who serves as one of her great examples of leaders who chose to take risks and revolutionized the world because of it. Wilberforce at only 21 years old was elected to be a part of the British Parliament, and not only was he given great physical power he had been given great spiritual power through taking hold of the plan that God had for him while in Parliament. He came face to face to Jesus and knew he had two options: to either take a risk on the plan God had for him or to waste the opportunity and go back living life his way. Wilberforce was bold and decided to take the risk and declare to all his purpose that, “the Lord God almighty has set before me two main objectives: the abolition of the slave trade in England and the reformation of manners.”
Though he was unsuccessful when he was young, he eventually got back into parliament at 73 years of age he was able to hear that the slave trade was abolished. The exact next day after he heard that he passed away, it is almost like God had a purpose for him to do that and once he finished that he died. Barnett Utilized this story to exemplify her belief that no matter what age, from or background someone may come from God can still use them for extraordinary things even if it takes years of dedication.
The second leadership attribute he explored was the aspect of a leader’s hunger for learning and improving within his life. He informed the audience that a leader always believed there’s more for him and room for improvement and a leader will be the one to walk into a room and take notes on what’s around him and what people are saying. Everywhere they go is a classroom. Curiosity and question-asking is a short cut for this because curiosity gives oneself credibility.
Hannah Barnett drives home her message with the scripture of when Jesus recruited Andrew and Peter to be his disciples in Matthew 4:18-20. Again, she exemplifies the point that when Andrew and Peter were given “their risk or walk away moment” they chose to follow Jesus and to change the world for God’s greater glory. Through these two stories she presents her main point of her message and reason for talking which she states is that “When Jesus sees young people, when Jesus sees the next generation… I believe he sees a group of people who he can use to shake up the world and start a movement and join his work to spread his gospel to the ends of the earth.”
Barnett goes on to say that while many see this fact that Jesus can call anyone; they look at their flaws and disqualify themselves from fulfilling their purpose because they think Jesus would not choose someone with these kinds of flaws. “God is not afraid of the things you disqualify you with,” she states to dismiss any doubts, “when Jesus looks at you he doesn’t see you for who you are but who you are reacted to be.” She wants people to know and believe in the potential that God created them to fulfill and not to live in the mediocrity they have chosen for themselves through these excuses. Barnett knows that each person is destined to great things if they allow God to guide them to the risks they must take and trust in him when they have to make that jump; she simply wants people to live the greatest lives they can where they have the fullest relationship with Christ.
Hannah Barnett ends her message with one last statement of what God’s purpose in the lives of the youth looks like, “There is a wrong that you were born to make right.” She encourages the student body that if they are simply willing to take the risk God is presenting them, they will make an impact in the world and right a wrong in this world that they were born to fulfill.
