&uot;Music moves people. If you give them enough alternatives, you’re bound to get through somehow.&uot; That’s the explanation Tyler Crisp offered behind a praise and worship team he and four other local youths recently formed. Crisp, classmates Lydia Smith and Ashley Freeman and Adams County Christian sophomores Heather Holloway and Adam Pate will help lead an area-wide youth revival sponsored by the First Baptist Church of Natchez next week.

But the teens are quick to say they will not be performing at the revival.

They want the focus to be on their message, not their talent.

&uot;It’s not a spotlight on us, but a spotlight on God,&uot; Crisp said and the others nodded in agreement.

And through that talent, the team hopes to connect with local youth that may not be reached through more conventional witnessing, such as sermons or Sunday school.

&uot;It brings more people together to get the word out to more people, not just to denominations,&uot; Holloway said.

The team, a first for the area, has been a goal of the teens for quite some time, but busy schedules prevented them from taking action.

But after attending a camp over the summer led by youth minister Jon Gillis, who is speaking at the upcoming rally, the group decided to take the step.

And that has meant months of planning, hours of practice and giving up other activities. Holloway, a forward for the ACCS varsity girls basketball team, will miss a district game to attend the revival.

&uot;Christ sacrificed his life, so why can’t I sacrifice a few extracurricular activities?&uot; she said.

Youth revival activities began Wednesday with a prayer and music service at First Baptist and will continue through Tuesday when the Praise Team will lead a revival service also at the church building.

Christian rock band Ninth Hour will perform Sunday and Monday.

Crisp is the son of Tucker and Donna Crisp; Pate is the son of Glenn and Mary Alice Pate; Freeman is the daughter of Lester and Sharon Freeman; Smith is the daughter of Clark and Susan Smith and Holloway is the daughter of Gary and Tawana Holloway.