Radiant worship and the devoted hearts of hundreds of believers filled one room on August 22nd, 2017. Jacob and I were over-the-moon excited to be attending the Outcry Tour along with a multitude of other faithful believers of Jesus this past Tuesday. While the both of us thought we were simply going into a concert of a few of our favorite worship artists, God had a “bigger picture” in store.
For those who don’t know, my fiance isn’t exactly shy when it comes to...well most things really. But together, we certainly weren’t shy about edging our way as close to the stage as we could manage. The event opened with all three of the headlining artists, Bethel Music, Lauren Daigle, and Jesus Culture, leading the church in worship. You may be asking: “Heidi, how were you able to survive all of these amazing musicians together all at one time?" I think the best way I can honestly give an answer or description to that would be, it was overwhelmingly beautiful. Every one of these artists performed better live than I had ever heard on their studio-edited versions, and that is something I could so easily appreciate. By the end of the night, a third of the audience had abandoned both their seats and their shoes, and went with reckless abandon to the Father in praise.
But, besides the musical talent and entertainment that was plainly evident, the creators of the Outcry Tour had a more specific and valuable purpose for its functioning. A consistent message throughout the night included “the purpose of the church.” Every musician and speaker of the evening communicated the purpose for Outcry Tour: not to put on a performance, but to strengthen and enhance the importance of the church. One speaker said, “When this night is over, it’s all about the local church and the ministry of the local churches. Jesus calls the church His body and His bride…” During the night, quite a few new brothers and sisters devoted their lives to following Jesus, and were given the opportunity to talk to staff about finding a local church to get plugged into. God used the lineup and staff of Outcry Tour as part of His perfect plan to further His Kingdom, and I was overjoyed to have been a part of the evening.
10/10 would go again!
By Grace, H
