With music blaring, there is a tender brokenness. A room filled with beautiful contradictions — thousands of people, yet individual growth. Collective worship, but separate moments. People standing, sitting, jumping, kneeling and lying down sprawling themselves across the carpet, soaking into the fibers. It’s an orchestra of unraveling, beginning to transform into healing and wholeness. A moment of Heaven touching Earth.

The Desperation Student Conference is a Christian event that is held at New Life Church off Voyager Parkway.

Although, this three day event — July 10-12 — is aimed toward students, people of all ages are welcome to hear from world-renowned speakers and worship bands.

“We really want to empower and inspire this generation into a desperate pursuit of the things of God. Desperate communicates hunger, thirst and this need of ‘unless I encounter God and really discover who I am in him, then I’m lost’…We’re not here to make people good; we want them to discover that God loves them,” said David Martin the pastor of Desperation Ministries.

More than 4,000 people from 31 states are expected to venture to New Life Church to dive into this three-day event.

This year’s lineup includes speakers Louie Giglio, David Martin, Lisa Bevere, and more. Musicians include Kari Jobe, Elevation Worship, Mosaic MSC, and Desperation’s own band, Desperation Worship.

“Our heart is to simply open the door and to be able to invite students to experience God and the truth of God and the love of God. It really isn’t about the lights and the glitter; it’s about that one student in the crowd going ‘wow, God loves me and he has a plan for my life,’” explained Martin.

In between the seven sessions, games, such as hamster ball racing, inflatables and a rock climbing wall, will be available for $10.

This Christ-centered event is a way for people to have fun, experience community in a new way and encounter the presence of God.

“It’s not about doing, it’s about being. If you understand who you are and that you’re approved by God, loved by God, accepted, and forgiven, then a natural expression of that will be to love others and lead others,” Martin said.

“It’s not about what you are for or what you are against, but if we’re able to love with the love Christ has given us, then that transcends political, racial, any type of boundaries that our culture would want to set up and throw labels. All the labels come off.”