Cruse’s father, Clay Cruse, the youth minister and Terry Waggoner, the worship minister at his church, created a youth worship experience called WYFO, or Worship Your Face Off.
Cruse invited me to observe their service and how the youth group interacted with each other. His family is involved in the fundamentals and creation of the youth programs at Franklin Church of Christ, and their delivery.
We walked in and the first thing I noticed was the amount of people that Cruse talked to on the way into the sanctuary. The congregation knew him, not only on a shallow, acquaintance level, but deeply and personally.
“Hey, Terry!” Cruse said, slinging his arm around the taller man’s shoulders and walking towards the sanctuary.
The two guys had a brief conversation, but the connection was there. Cruse was at home in the church and his face only became brighter with the people he ran into.
Once we entered the sanctuary where the other teens congregated, a few members of the grew immediately said hello. Cruse was a little late, but the service hadn’t started yet. A few minutes later, Clay Cruse hopped up on the stage and said, “Are you all ready to worship your faces off!”
That started the music. The booming bass fell over the crowd and the lights were shut off. The sanctuary was dark, but the group was bright and alive, Cruse being one of the brightest. He was at ease and comfortable, nodding his head and swaying to the beat. Every now and then I could hear him singing along to the songs.
His younger brother Matt came up beside him, and they joked around while the music was still playing. His love for worship and his family combined into one.
“Do you like it so far?” Cruse asked me, still nodding to the beat.
“Yeah,” I said. “I’m having fun.”
If anything, his smile grew wider. You could tell he wanted people to share in his love of church.
“Good,” he grinned.
The music picked up and a faster, more energetic song began beating out of the speakers. The band was in full swing and so was the youth group. The lyrics were catchy and Cruse began bouncing on his heels. When the word “run” was emphasized in the song, the group took off.
One by one the students bolted from the mass huddled at the foot of the stage.
“Do you want to run?” Cruse asked me.
After that he took off. The energy in the room was palpable. Everyone was excited and pumped for the lesson to come. Cruse came back to the group even more exuberant than before. He was in his house of God and loving every minute of it.
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