Alexi Markou, at age 15 had moved to West monroe, Louisiana from the hot Phoenix, Arizona. always being a dreamer and full of zeal, God soon set a heavy vision on her heart to see a change in the place she was at. She was feeling heavy constantly going to church and seeing people who are freed not acting free, including herself. she realized that there were so many people who were missing out on what God had in store because of inaction. She saw the need and she stepped into it. it wasn’t right away. she became hesitant, tried to logic it out, justify it and try to say someone else can start it. but one day her mom said, “Alexi if you don’t step into it now you never will, if you wait for perfect and convenient times it will never get done, the time is right now.” immediately after that moment she called up her closest friends to be the team, invited someone to play worship and gathered in her grandmas living room. as 15 people showed up, she grew excited and the holy spirit roared that night. after a hour or 2 of worship she knew that this was just the start of so much more to come. Even a friend went up to her and said, ” Alexi i see this thing being bigger than you think it’s going to be.” Alexi continued, once every month hosting worship nights open to all genz in all different churches, areas and even in different schools. To parks, living rooms, in the rain, poolhouses and campfires she gathered and more people showed up. Her fire grew and grew as she saw people once tense loosen up in worship, she saw dancing and freedom how it should look!!! Fast forward to covid-19….no meetings… no school… no in person. But we didn’t let that stop us. The creativity began to flow like it never has before. Liberated live chats where we host creatives and chat for an hour, carpool covers of worship songs, peace for the week as students encouraged those fearful in this time and even starting up our monthly youtube videos. The Lord used the time of isolation to grow deeper with him, to grow in him and stir the hidden dreams within her and many of her friends. As covid-19 slowed down and the schools picked up people were desperate and hungry for the word of God and an answer. we gathered at the school and prayed, worshipped and a girl gave her life to jesus. What was once Liberated La was no longer just in Louisiana but it spread all over online. It became a movement, teens in texas, london, australia, arkansas, arizona, california and even canada began wanting to be apart of this. on september 12th, 2020 she and a team stepped into this. After months of prayers and preparation in our team zoom calls we had arkansas, california, arizona, louisiana and canada had a revive night where all of them gathered genz and proclaimed the gospel for all to here. That night two were baptized in louisiana, including alexi’s mom. many were awakened and delivered that night from the fear, depression and even anxiety within our generation. Now she is 17, two years later and 200 gathered at her school for a collaborative event, 9 got saved and many were delivered. Although it’s a movement to live free, be awakened, train them up and send them out into their everyday life becoming the reality of heaven, it became a prayer for our generations heart posture. To be one not of hype, but of surrender. Not of an event or one moment but of a relationship and obedience to the lord. we wanted to see our city fully freed from any strongholds, awakened to the reality of the gospel, trained to become the reality of heaven within their schools then sent out and ready to stand up and do anything for the sake of the gospel. we aren’t done. this is just the start. Liberated was created to free those in bondage, show people who jesus is, train in what a normal christian according to the bible is and to send out bold genz into their schools to revive them. This all started with one simple yes. Are you willing to say yes?

THERE IS A JOY IN SURRENDER.

In the Bible there is a story of Jesus going to a Jewish festival and as he goes he passes along where many blind, lame and paralyzed people live. He stumbled across a man who had been in bad condition for a long time and when Jesus asked if he wanted to be well the man replied saying no one ever helps. “Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.” John 5:8-9 Jesus didn’t tell the man to continue to sit on his mat after he was healed, Jesus made the man use what was healed in his life so that others might see and be healed as well. The man couldn’t move because he was paralyzed but once Jesus healed him, he told him to use what was his weakness as a strength! To not wait one bit but to start walking. Walk forward so that others can see that and be healed as well. Boldness starts a chain reaction. Sometimes all someone needs is someone else’s boldness in order for them to step out.

This worship night is called, “Liberated” which means “freed from imprisonment, slavery, or enemy occupation.” I know the idea of the word liberated has lots of meanings but this idea of liberated means BEING FREED BY GOD & TAKING THE NEXT STEP FORWARD BY SHOWING IT IN THE WAY WE LIVE RADICALLY. key phrase: TAKING THE NEXT STEP FORWARD BY SHOWING IT IN THE WAY WE LIVE RADICALLY. Because God has set us free from the things that once held us captive we have to start moving forward so that we can help others be free! It’s realizing that God’s already broke my chains off and it’s time to move and free others as well. I’m ready to be a generation that goes ALL IN and to the ends of the world for JESUS. I believe that our generation is apart of one of the biggest revivals the world has ever seen.

It’s time to become freed from the fear that once held us and rise up as the NOW GENERATION. Who’s with me?

-Alexi Markou