Students Hear from Jay Lowder Twice in One Week

Jay Lowder, evangelist and author, spoke at both Convocations last week to encourage students to live fully for the Lord. 

Lowder talked about the faces of evil, depression, suicide, standing up for Christ and spreading the gospel to others.

In his first Convocation, he began with a story about the man possessed by demons who was called “Legion.” 

In ancient times, this referred to an army ranging from 3,000-6,000 soldiers. Lowder used this Bible story to tell students to be on guard against Satan and his attempts to deceive and destroy them.

Lowder told students one way the devil will try to destroy them is through self-harm. He said the devil will convince some that ending their life is the end of pain, but this also means giving up chances to change and improve. 

“Every 31 seconds, someone attempts suicide,” Lowder said. “According to the latest report I pulled up the other day, every single year in the United States around 7,000 … high school students alone will take a gun, a rope, a razor blade in an attempt to extinguish a hurt-filled life.”

Lowder told students that people who think about or commit suicide do not fear dying but rather fear living. They believe that life will not get better than it is in that moment. He then went on to share a little of
his testimony.

“I was 21 years of age, and even though I grew up in church, when I got old enough, I went off to college and left church,” Lowder said. “By the time my life began to unfold in all the wrong ways, the job was gone, the car was gone and the relationship that I thought meant a lot to me (was gone). I decided, as Dr. Prevo mentioned earlier, to end my life.”

Lowder then told students that he hopes they let God be real to them before he gave the invitation to accept Christ. 

During the altar call, the floor filled with students inspired by the message to be saved or to renew their commitment
to Christ. 

During his second Convocation, Lowder encouraged students to reach others for Christ, not just in international settings but also right here in the U.S. He encouraged students to follow God’s plan and make a stand for Christ. 

Austin is a news reporter