What a profoundly transformative and spirit-filled few weeks we’ve experienced at Downsview Seventh-day Adventist Church! Our recent “Control F5” Youth Evangelistic Series was an incredible journey of spiritual renewal, drawing our church family and the community closer to God.
The Significance of “Control F5” If you are wondering about the unique name of the series, “Control F5” is a call for us to spiritually “reset, refresh, reboot, and restart”. Dr. Paula Olivier provided a brilliant modern parallel using our smartphones: just as cell phone companies prompt us to power down and restart our devices to allow new updates to take hold, Sabbath worship and this series were designed to help us power down from the world and download optimal “updates” from the Holy Spirit. The goal was to be completely refreshed in our faith, our fellowship, our ability to forgive, and the fire of the Holy Ghost.
Dynamic Messages from Our Speakers Over the course of the series, God spoke mightily through an anointed lineup of guest speakers:
- Pastor Mitchum Burnett opened the series with a message titled “The Antivirus Software”. He reminded us that when “bugs” or mistakes disrupt our lives, we can always look to Jesus to refresh our perspectives, reset our connections, and seek reinstallation.
- Dr. Paula Olivier brought an unforgettable word preaching about Paul and Silas in the inner prison. She challenged us to become “wounded worshippers”—believers who don’t just praise God in times of comfort, but who lift their hands and worship even when their hearts are broken and they are in the “midnight” seasons of life.
- Pastor Paul Smith delivered a powerful message centered on living after the grave. Focusing on the life of Lazarus, he brought out a profound truth: God did not bring us out of our past merely to survive it, but to be a living witness of His power. He challenged the church to stop living in past graves and to sit confidently at the table God has prepared for them.
- Dr. Lyle Notice anchored the series with his sermon “Who Pushed Me”. Preaching on the paralyzed man at the pool of Bethesda, Dr. Notice urged us to drop our excuses and stop blaming our past for our present. He reminded us that when Jesus tells us to pick up our mat, we must carry it as the burden of proof that God is still a miracle-working God.
A Beautiful Baptism The spiritual high of the preached word culminated in a beautiful baptism. A young man named Thiago boldly made up his mind to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. In a joyful celebration of saying “yes” to Jesus, Thiago was baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and was officially welcomed into the fellowship of the Downsview family.
A Joyous Concert of Praise The series was also accompanied by a spectacular fundraising concert on July 4th. The event aimed to raise essential funds for major church building improvements, specifically repairing the leaky roof and replacing the HVAC system. It was an evening of soaring music featuring incredibly talented musical guests, including the Perpetual Praise choir visiting from Montreal, the group Intercession, singing evangelist Dana Marie, and Dale Brown.
Taking It to the Streets: The Anti-Drug March We did not keep this incredible revival confined to the four walls of the church! The “Control F5” series officially wrapped up on the afternoon of July 11th when we took our refreshed faith to the streets. Meeting at the Oakdale Community Center on Grandravine Drive, we marched boldly through the Driftwood community. This Anti-Drug and Anti-Violence march was our opportunity to make some joyful noise and declare to the neighborhood that guns and drugs are not the solution—Jesus Christ is the better way.
If you missed any of these phenomenal Sabbaths or want to re-watch the messages to hit “refresh” on your faith one more time, you can view the entire series here: https://downsviewsda.org/sermon-categories/youth-evangelistic-series-2026/
Let us continue to walk as renewed, refreshed, and rebooted children of God!