Listen Here
By Lincoln Bash
bashl@findlay.edu
Every Thursday night at the Winebrenner Auditorium, students at the University of Findlay gather together in worship at Revive, a student-led worship service organized through UF’s Campus Ministries.
“The vision of Revive is to have a place on campus to have a student-led worship service,” said Giorgio Ferrario, Director of Campus Ministries. “Revive is the one place where students from different majors, backgrounds, and schedules can get together to worship God.” Ferrario there’s a reason students are so involved with this service.
“The student-led component is also very important because it shows students what it is like to serve and it is an awesome opportunity to develop leaders,” he said. “For this year, my goal has been to create more space for intentional discipleship during our time on Thursday night.”
Ferrario said that all of the student-led worship music plays a key role in the Thursday night service.
“The worship team is such an integral part of Campus Ministry as their work and faith facilitates the worship of the whole campus,” he said. “Music is such a major way that we worship God and encounter His presence and goodness.”
“My role primarily has been one of the main worship leaders at Revive,” said Zach Zelenznik, a graduate student studying physical therapy. “I coordinate with all of the vocals and the instrumentalists on what days and what times they’re going to be worshiping, and when rehearsals are, and what songs we’re going to be playing.”
He said the team puts a lot of time and thought into what they play.
“At the beginning of the year, we will have like a three- or four-hour meeting where we plan and choose the songs for the entire semester,” Zelenznik said. “During Revive, we want to tell a story. And that story is of the gospel — starting from our sinfulness, and then going into Jesus dying for us, and then Jesus raising to life and being resurrected and the new life that we then have.”
Zelenznik said that balancing school and ministry can be challenging in his personal life, but nonetheless rewarding.
“I like saying yes to things, and I do not like saying no to things,” he said. “It meant I had to study hard with a lot of discipline, maybe one or two all-nighters, but it was worth it.”
Ferrario hopes being a part of Revive means learning to lead.
“My goal is that student leaders will be trained so that they can make disciples themselves, making it a multiplying process,” he said.
But Ferrario knows the worship of song is important in not just the college student’s life but everyone.
