It was the first time in at least 18 years that the president of Lane College had spoken at Union. To demonstrate Union’s support for Hampton, Union’s executive leadership gave him a collection of books written by some of the university’s faculty and prayed over him before he spoke.
Hampton’s sermon was based from Nehemiah when Nehemiah led the Israelites in rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem, restoring the city to its former glory.
“We might conclude that Jackson, Tennessee, our world, is in disrepair,” said Hampton.
Hampton praised Union students for being willing to serve the community in many different ways just like the Israelites rebuilding the walls. He keyed in on a certain worker, Baruch, who was noted for working zealously to repair his part of the wall.
“There is power in working zealously,” Hampton said. He referred to a study that found that students who chose their occupation because they loved it made more money than those who did a job just to get money.
“Passion pays off,” Hampton said.
He asked Union students to keep doing the good work of helping the community and spreading the light of Jesus to Jackson. He said he wanted to continue on the path of racial reconciliation Lane and Union have started since himself and Samuel W.“Dub” Oliver, president of Union University, have been appointed to their offices within the last year. In order to do this Hampton said Union students need “to live life turnt up.”
The word “turnt” was taken from a variety of hip-hop artists. Hampton used the term as an emphatic charge for students to work zealously in class and in their spiritual lives to help heal a sick world in the future. He also asked them to “get turnt” to transform Jackson for the better through their actions.
