Creation Fest: The Tour Journal

Minneapolis, Minnesota is a busy city.  We arrived at the Club 3 Degrees on time after traveling all night.  There was a ton of construction in front of the Club so it was difficult getting the busses in to unload but we had plenty of help.  Actually this Club is also a church and a really neat place.  Nick calls it the “Electric Factory” on steroids.  Everything in the three story building is done right and it’s in the heart of the city.  On the lower level (basement)  is a really great coffee place.  On first floor the stage and standing room.  On the second floor tables and more standing room.  On the third floor they have offices and tables where they fed the crew.  Great coffee and food!

This time we had to divide the tour into two nights but include Bob Lenz and worship with “Worth Dying For” on both nights.  Tonight Kutless, PIllar, Worth Dying For, KJ-52 and Run Kid Run played.  The crowd seemed to really love the night.  Several kids raised their hands to ask Christ into their lives.   We are looking forward to tomorrow when the rest of the bands get to play in this neat place.

The Tour had a couple of days off in the Chicago area.   Time to do some wash and have a couple of good meals.  One rainy day and one beautiful clear day. Most everyone had some rest and time to relax.  We parked the four buses in a vacant lot near the hotel and our great bus drivers treated us to a barbecue!  The parking lot was a vacant Bennigan’s and on the last night the police came and told us the busses had to be moved by 6:00 am or be towed.  No problem we were leaving at 2:00 am!

As planned we left for Onalaska, Wisconsin on the morning of the 22nd at 2:00 am and drove all night to the Omni Center.  They were all prepared for us.  Not to bore you with details but we were able to back the tractor-trailer right up to the stage to unload – very nice.  This was the first show that the promoter had done and he really did a great job.  It was not our biggest crowd (somewhere around 1,000) but it was a great night.  Pastor Harry said that several people came up to him and said how thankful they were that we came to Onalaska.  The best was when the invitation was given to follow Christ 43 kids came to the prayer room.  A couple of them had some really heavy things going on in their lives and stuck around for more prayer.

The bands are more and more like a family and that unity produces great results for the Lord.  Tonight we leave for Minnesota.  The weather is a lot cooler now.  It feels like it might snow but we are hopeful to escape any bad weather.

This is an amazing tour. You can really sense that God has paved the way.

Last night over 700 people came to Christ in Menasha, Wisconsin at the Power of One event. About 57 kids were sponsored with Compassion International. It’s beginning to feel more like a movement than a tour. Changed lives is what is all about.

We really felt everyone’s prayers today. After leaving Kalamazoo our bus carrying the Creation crew hit a deer. The deer did run off after it hit the side of the Blue Prevost leaving some antler dents! Poor thing. Jon Micah (Kutless) and his wife encountered a serious accident this morning. A man was thrown out of his car right in front of their RV. Thankfully Jon’s wife (who was driving) was able to quickly maneuver the RV to miss the injured man. Thank you Lord for your guardian angels!

This is the Lord’s Day and we had “church” together in the afternoon. James Mead from Kutless shared the Word and we had communion together. Great moment and there is a lot of unity.

Kalamazoo, MI was ready for us! WAY/FM sponsored the event at the Wings Stadium and just under 2500 people came. The bands had a great night for sure. The crowd really had a great time. When Bob Lenz gave the altar call about 150 young people ran to the hallway to firm up their commitment. Pastor Harry spoke with them and prayed but he had to divide them into two groups. This was a big night for Compassion as well.

Here’s some of their comments from the salvation prayer cards:
“I love how you have this – thanks Creation Fest!”
“Thank you so much and was the best experience for me”
“Your amazing. You really changed my perspective on life.”
“I am willing to follow Christ”
“Thank you for allowing me to witness my daughter’s dedication to Christ.”

All these miles, all these notes played and songs sung, all the preaching and planning is totally worth it when you see kids coming to Jesus! We give Him all the glory! Keep praying for the upcoming dates!

Bob Lenz is one of our featured speakers on the tour. He also heads up Life Promotions that runs Power of One and Lifest in Wisconsin. Power of One started at 12:30pm with several seminars and local bands and even an illusionist. It’s a non-denominational event very well structured and held at Menasha High School & Field House. Creation Festival: The Tour was the evening program at 6pm. This crowd was ready for a great night. KJ-52 introduced Pastor Harry and he came out with a Thousand Foot Krutch hoodie and KJ’s window shade glasses. Pretty cool but really just funny. Over 3,000 attended in standing room only. It was loud and fantastic. The bands were at their best! When Bob spoke and asked people to trust in Christ there were hundreds raising their hands and saying the prayer for salvation. Everything just seemed to come together tonight. You can tell the people had really prepared and prayed. Hospitality for the artist was superb with even a free massage by a professional therapist. The sound, lighting, video and total production was superb. Producer, Nick Kulb looked more relaxed today as things moved forward like they were on cruise control. God is good and we give him all the glory. Keep praying – lots of dates remaining!

Boy, it’s good to be on the road again after a couple days of rest and picking up a semi-truck to replace the two rented trucks. We left Nashville at 8pm the night before and arrived to load-in at 8am. The venue is a mega-church called Life Changers International in Hoffman Estates, IL (near Chicago). It was an exciting day but Roel Maldonado (lighting) accidentally got a nasty deep cut on his upper arm (by a razor blade!) and he had to get several stitches at the local emergency room. He seems to be doing fine but it was a little scary. Bob Lenz rejoined the tour today after his ministry trips to Canada.This was not one of our biggest nights but it did excel in other ways. The altar call was very strong and so were the sign-ups for Compassion. It’s great to hear how grateful people are for the tour. Keep praying – God is moving and touching lives!

We arrived at Ozark Civic Center (Ozark, AL) on the Lord’s Day around 8:00 am Central time on a misty morning.

The auditorium stage was set up and and fairly easy load-in. No matter how you cut it, load-in and load out is heavy work. Then comes the challenge of making everything fit and look good in the new venue. Sound checks, lighting checks, band checks…on the list goes. God has granted us the cream of the crop in all areas of sound, lights, production,etc. They work together and make it happen no matter what challenges they face.

Got to say…KJ-52 is not only a great rap artist, he is doing a terrific job as the MC. Cool guy with a great heart. He has George Moss along doing the show with KJ. Good choice KJ.

Cliff Skinner (production manager) had a nasty lower back ache and we made him sit out or just direct staffers. He is a hard guy to tie down for a while. Pray for his speedy recovery.

Around 4pm Pastor Harry led a devotional about Hebrews 11 and focused on Abraham’s faith. We had great time of prayer together with band members and staff. We are all expecting
God to do great things on this tour.

“Worth Dying For” had a great worship set and it was beautiful to see kids, arm -in-arm, praising Jesus. A sea of hands raised to the Lord. Every band out did themselves tonight. There is such a great sense of unity in the Spirit and no competition. Pastor Harry shared the message and the altar call and encouraged people to change this area for Christ.

We are heading back to Nashville tonight. Everyone is looking forward to a couple of days off to be with family and get refreshed for the next leg of the Creation Festival: The Tour. Of course there will be some fine-tuning of some items and picking up some additional gear. Stay tuned to our blog…the next stop is Chicago on the 17th!

Did I mention that God is Awesome? Just in case…let me say it again, GOD IS AWESOME!

We pulled into Cullman Alabama Fairgrounds around 9:30am (Central time). All the busses & trucks arrived together after a ten-hour ride from the last date. Long ride means more sleep for the performers and the bus drivers will catch up on their sleep during the day. Nick Kulb (Producer) messed up his foot the night before. He had a nasty gash on his heel from hitting a chair leg. Ouch! Limp, limp.

The event was out doors and it reminded all of us of Creation! The weather looked somewhat threatening for a while in the morning but then it totally cleared in the afternoon (thank you, Jesus). We were only a couple of hours from Nashville so some of the families of band members came and joined us. Great southern chow from a local church as well.

“Youth Quake” is in it’s sixth year, headed up by Shane Quick who works with Premiere. Essentially, the “Creation Festival: The Tour” was the program. In addition hot local band, “Nine Lashes,” opened and Matt Pitts who leads a youth movement called “The Basement” with over 6,000 kids coming in Birmingham, AL. Matt gave the message with drama a player and a candidate for the Heisman Trophy. This definitely was the largest crowd we have played for thus far on the tour. The bands had a great night – great all around. One little glich when the lights went out but all is well.

We pulled into the auditorium to load in about 8:30am.  It was a foggy trip but most of did not know it because we were asleep.  A really neat historic auditorium that reminded us of the Trenton War Memorial building where we held a ton of concerts in the early years of Come Alive.  Jeff, the promoter has a great heart and loves kids.

We had a couple of guys protesting the concert with sandwich signs saying we were an abomination and workers of iniquity.  I was proud of our guys who (with a sense of humor) talked with them <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8_HknD6_XY>.  Jesus said, “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” Matt.5:44

The bands were really having fun tonight and shared their faith.  Pastor Harry gave the word and there was a good response.  He also shared about Compassion.  KJ-52 really did a great job as MC.  This crowd was really into the entire evening – having fun, worshipping, responding to the Word.  Great night!  Thank you Jesus.  Loading will finish somewhere between 1:00am and 2:00am and we will drive to Cullman, AL  We appreciate everyone’s prayers for the tour.  God is good!

The people of this church were fantastic to us.  We pulled in and were able to do rehearsals and fix and repair gear to make the show work.  Our guys were amazing and worked many late hours to make the show go off without a hitch.  RUSH Concerts promoted the show.  The treated us to good food and the Pastor and volunteers were just great.   They have a huge campus and the placed really rocked.  Bob Lenz gave the message, and people came forward  for salvation.  We loaded out an left for West Virginia about 2:30am.  It was Pastor Harry’s first time in tour bus bunk bed.  He did alright and was the first to rise in the morning.