One Day is Now

By Communications Fellow Isabella Ventura ‘23

Walking into the doors of the Atrium, I pondered what could await me inside. One Day. A day of community; a day of expression; a day of growth. A day of spiritual emphasis, with over 1000 middle and upper school students from Second Baptist School campuses along with Woodlands Christian Academy. Although all these phrases voiced by the school faculty had given me a glimpse of the event, I had no idea what was about to unfold.

Moments later, I found myself amongst hundreds of students in the Worship Center. Coming from different schools and distinct backgrounds, we all sat together as keynote speaker Shane Pruitt’s voice rang across the enormous auditorium. With captivating charisma and contagious passion, he bestowed upon us a distinctive quote:

“Gen Z is a revival generation.”                         

Revival. According to the Oxford Languages, “revival” is “an improvement in the condition or strength of something.”

Pruitt’s assertion was intentional. Moments prior, he had described several hardships my generation faces: with an increase in mental health disorders among children and young people, Gen Z is more depressed and anxious than any of its predecessors. Gaining access to infinite information online and witnessing a variety of sensitive controversies, our generation is walking out into an atmosphere never experienced before. 

Yet Pruitt selected the adjective “revival.” Improvement, condition, strength. 

Teachers, parents, and faculty at Second Baptist School constantly encourage us to be bold and wise, using our knowledge to alter our community and world. Growing up consistently hearing such a message, it can often be easy or convenient to forget the weight of those words- “We are the future, but we are also the present.” 

It is a daunting task and an inevitable one. Yet throughout the years, I’ve realized that those around me have taken a duty as vast as the ocean and taught me to view it as a drink of water–to take it sip by sip.

When my teammates push me to the absolute limit in the second half of a soccer game, demanding excellence and energy despite our mutual exhaustion, they are all improving me. Whether tackling influential literature in English or discussing difficult topics in the Bible, I am exposed to the current condition of our world. And as we support and rely on one another in all our endeavors, we can reach out and grasp our undeniable strength. As we enter every moment together, big or small, and embrace it, we take a step closer towards revival. 

Our generation is out-spoken and strong-minded and often brutally honest to the point of appearing offensive. But we grow together, taking all the pieces of our lives–every idea and each perspective–and putting them together to construct a beautiful picture. 

As Shane Pruitt stood on the stage, eyes blazing with emotion, he had something he wanted us to hear, a message he wanted each and every listening student to remember- “You are the church right now.”  

Reviving the world around us isn’t an ambition to plan for the future. It starts at this very moment–or no, it’s been ongoing since the very beginning. With my beloved peers around me, the endless opportunities SBS offers me, and God’s guiding hands on my shoulders, I fearlessly embrace what lies ahead, knowing I’m being equipped in each and every moment.