By Anthony Howard
Jackson State University is kicking off “THEE Legacy Continues…” homecoming festivities with the return of THEE Gospel Explosion. The gospel show is on Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023, in the Rose E. McCoy Auditorium. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the show will begin at 6:00 p.m.
“Our students have been very vocal about wanting to make sure that homecoming was an opportunity for them to be filled not only with connection and fun but also with spiritual nourishment,” said Fran’Cee Brown-McClure, Ph.D., JSU vice president for student affairs.
The event will feature Jackson Revival Center (JRC) Church’s Revival Worship, Pastor Jennifer Biard, Minister Matthew Donaldson, Pastor Jarrod Benjamin, and Pastor Jason Gibson. The night of praise and worship is free to students, and advanced tickets can be purchased for $15 at Impact Tickets. Entry will be $20 at the door on the day of the show.
Biard is the senior pastor of JRC, a rapidly growing, nondenominational, ethnically diverse congregation in Jackson, Mississippi. She was ordained as a gospel minister in 1996 and licensed in 1998. She has devoted most of her life to providing people with tools and resources that encourage and inspire them toward wholesome, transformational living.
“We believe in the mission of JSU, and any time we have the chance to share the love of Christ with young men and women in our community, we welcome the opportunity,” said Biard. “Jackson State has been so gracious in welcoming us to minister on the campus, and we are extremely excited about what God is going to do on Sunday.”
Biard said attendees of the Gospel Explosion can expect to hear uplifting and soul-stirring songs that cover the spectrum of gospel music.
“Whether your musical preference is traditional, modern, contemporary, or quartet, there is something for everyone in the audience. But above all, you can expect to experience an encounter with God.,” she said.
With 16 years of experience as a worship leader, Donaldson is an ordained minister of music for the Liberal Trinity Church of God in Christ, a psalmist, and a gospel recording artist. He teaches worship teams how to use their gift to place a demand on heaven to release miracles, signs, and wonders into the atmosphere.
Benjamin is the senior pastor of Lampton Chapel AME Church in Canton, Mississippi. He’s described as an electric and dynamic speaker who brings genuine connection, compassion, and profound wisdom to his sermons.
Recently appointed as youth and young adult pastor at JRC, Gibson is a gospel artist and producer. His defining moment as an artist was when he and his gospel group, Destiny Project, performed at a showcase Grammy Award-winning gospel artist Bobby Jones hosted in Nashville.
Mississippi is known as the birthplace of America’s music, and Jackson hails as the city with soul. Music and spiritual connections play an important role in the university community.
“Jackson State is such a pillar of the Greater Jackson Area, as are the local churches in the surrounding area. When the idea came to mind to have an event, it was a no-brainer to work with our local churches to bring an evening of praise like this together,” explained Catetra Mallard, director of JSU Center for Student Engagement & Leadership.
For a detailed list of homecoming events, visit the Homecoming website at www.jsums.edu/homecoming and follow JSU on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Remember to use the official homecoming hashtags #THEELegacyContinues and #JSUHomecoming.