September 22nd, from 6:30-8:30pm Jayme Montera, a full—time traveling evangelist, and the One Hope group which includes Hugh, Travis, and the band Full Circle, were invited to lead an event in the Great Bend High School auditorium. Before you entered the auditorium, a sticker with large lettering that spelled out “GUILTY” was handed to you to put on yourself. After the opening band performed multiple religious songs, Jayme made his way onto the stage and began to tell the audience about his troubled past, which started as early as 11 years of age when he started dealing drugs. Mr. Montera told the audience that he knew in his heart he wanted to change, and he would go to multiple denominations, and nothing would help him change. He was so desperate for a change in his life that he was suicidal, and he began doing drugs to relieve the pain.

“Have you ever walked into a store, handed a clerk a $20, and asked for different change? Say a $10, a $5, four $1, and four quarters. But instead of giving you what you asked for, she just took your $20, put it in the register, and handed you a fresh, new $20. The analogy being, if you know you need to change yourself from a bad habit, but instead of embracing God you just change to a new bad habit, nothing has really changed. External change is a good thing, but internal change is what truly matters.

Jayme went on to explain that one day, at one of the services he attended, looking for change. He then stood up and started asking God “Please God, I don’t want to be anything like I am now. I want to be a new man,” he then walked to the altar in the middle of the sermon and begged God for change. Right then and there he experienced Jesus. Jayme went on to explain that he woke up the next day, went outside, and the world, instead of being the usual black and white, was colorful, all because he embraced God.

Jayme went on to express his feelings towards the crowd, explaining that you have sinned many, many times in your life, but no matter what you can always embrace God and put all of your guilt onto him. But if you put your guilt onto God, you also have to give your whole self to him. At the end of the sermon, Jayme and his friends put a cross up in front of the stage and had the audience remove their “GUILTY” sticker and make their way up to the front and place it on the cross. He said, “If you’re giving God your guilt, you’re giving him yourself,”. After everyone placed their sticker onto the cross, you had the choice to walk to the auditorium where a young minister would pray with you, or you could stay and listen to Full Circle.

The morning after the event happened, Jayme expressed his feelings towards how it went, “I feel like last night was a huge win. The amount of students that came out for the night rally exceeded our expectations. I felt the students were all very engaged throughout my speaking, and responded immediately upon my invitation. Last night reminded us that teenagers are very open to the gospel truth. After the rally I had an opportunity to speak with a number of students which verbalized the impact that Jesus had made in their life. We are so grateful to the administration of Great Bend High School for the opportunity to serve.”

Levi Massey, from Full Circle says about the outcome, “Anytime the church comes together to connect with the next generation it’s fun. And when believers come together great things happen. Last night was so much fun and it had a lasting impact on the youth. The expectations were met, and the kids had a great time. The expectations were by far met and the students showed great response and Jayme did awesome with connecting!”