More than 8,000 teenagers and youth ministry leaders attended this year’s Generation Unleashed annual conference, which began in 1993 at City Bible Church in Portland, Oreg. The praise and worship musical essence of Generation Unleashed has been captured by Maranatha! The 13-song live album, due to release on January 29, heralds the standout new tracks “Always,” “Saved My Soul,” and “All Things Through Christ,” along with a fresh interpretation of the classic, “I Love You Lord.” Sonically, the guitar-driven Generation Unleashed band, often compared to Hillsong United, is known for their passionate songwriting style, intimate worship moments and aggressive, loud musical stylings. At the production helm, Adam Watts and Andy Dodd, best known for their work on Jeremy Camp, High School Musical, and the Hannah Montana albums, receive credit for mixing Generation Unleashed.
Generation Unleashed is comprised of worship leaders Donna Lasit (vocals, key/songwriter), Jeremy Scott (vocals, guitar/songwriter) and Jordan Flip (vocals/songwriter), all hailing from Portland. The husband and wife team of Pastor Doug Lasit and Donna Lasit currently lead Generation Ministries at City Bible Church. They aim to help young people find their source of strength and understanding from God and not become driven by culture, as well as mentor kids in finding their God-given musical talent. Donna, who started writing worship songs at 16, encourages young people to be innovative. “I love seeing young people write songs that are true originals – songs and melodies that come from God.”
Jeremy Scott echoes the passion behind the ministry of it all. “I love to see younger musicians and worshippers getting raised up in the church,” notes Scott. “I believe God is raising up young people through the nation to do something special in worship today and for the future.”
Generation Unleashed’s ministry expands beyond their annual conferences. GU leads weekly “Worship Workshops” that teach students the foundation of worship ministry. The “Worship Workshops” help these young musicians and worship leaders learn how to lead worship, write set lists, and gives instruction on how to avoid the typical pitfalls of a worship service.
WHO IS BEHIND GENERATION UNLEASHED?
Donna Lasit (vocals, keys/ songwriter)
Donna Lasit describes worship as her everything. “It’s the thing that gets me out of bed,” explains Donna. “It changes my perspective. It leads me in everything in life. Worship is a blessing that we get to bring before God.”
Donna started writing worship songs when she was 16. The first songs she wrote were, in her words, “love songs to God.” These songs, more than 1,000, were intimate expressions of her deepest desire to know her creator.
Now, along with her husband Doug, Donna leads Generation Ministries at City Bible Church. Her number one passion is for young people to find their source of strength and understanding from God and not become driven by culture or outside sources. She encourages young people to be innovative. “I love seeing young people write songs that are true originals – songs and melodies that come from God.”
This is an attitude that rings true in Donna’s own writing. Over the years, writing has always been a channel that helps her express what is in, and weighing heavy on, her heart. Donna hopes the music she writes provides a way to bring worshippers closer to God. She describes Generation Unleashed as worship fueled by a passion for God and the Church – in many ways similar to the same passion that drove her to write those first, private ‘love songs to God’ so many years ago.
Jeremy Scott (vocals, guitar/ songwriter)
Jeremy Scott has a passion to see young people led to the Lord. “I love to see younger musicians and worshippers getting raised up in the church,” notes Jeremy. “I believe God is raising up young people through the nation to do something special in worship today and for the future.” With this in mind then, it’s no surprise that Jeremy was young when he first felt the call to lead worship.
At age 15, he began playing drums and piano for his youth group. After being told he was “too loud,” Jeremy moved to playing the electric guitar. Still too loud, according to his youth pastor, Jeremy eventually found his way to leading worship with an acoustic guitar.
Jeremy draws inspiration in his writing directly from God’s word and being in His presence. “When the presence of God hits me, that is when I feel inspired to write” explains Jeremy. “Most of the time a song will begin out of my own devotional time.” He feels his motivation to write and his inspiration to worship are innately connected. “Worship to me means complete surrender,” says Jeremy. “It’s an opportunity to put everything else aside and put 100 percent focus on God – to lift him up for who He is and what He’s done.”
Jordan Flip (vocals/ songwriter)
Jordan Flip came to a turning point in his worship ministry about three years ago while attending a conference at City Bible Church. Until then, his goal was to deliver an excellent worship service.
While at the conference, God spoke to him about inspiring worshippers to excellent worship. “Teaching a new generation of worshippers, musicians, and worship leaders how to invite the presence of God in to the local church became my focus,” says Jordan.
The passion to raise up leaders among the youth of this generation is a core motivation behind Generation Unleashed and why Jordan is a part of the ministry. The leadership team lives out their passion for worship as a lifestyle. “Worship to me is a lifestyle of living before God. I want everything I do on a daily basis to honor and praise Him,” says Jordan. “It is out of the overflow of that lifestyle that I give God worship through music.”
Seeing people moved by God and lives changed from passionate worship fuels this worship leader’s heart. Jordan draws his inspiration to lead from the way he sees the Lord move in the crowd. “We would rather have the right heart and attitude behind the music then to have amazing music with no depth,” he said. That fervor for genuine, passionate worship is a signature of Generation Unleashed and the songs on their self-titled debut national release.
