We have often been asked "When is Proclaim! going to do a tour in the US?" That is just what we had the opportunity to do this month as our jazz/fusion band Next Exit was invited to Ft Worth TX to partner in evangelism with a church and a Christian community outreach organization. Proclaim! co-director Bob McIntyre, who is based in Ft. Worth, organized the tour.
Before the Next Exit concerts started up, some of the band members, forming a classical ensemble for the very first event, accompanied speaker Vicki McIntyre's presentation of The Tale of a Tapestry that explains the gospel through the significance of the veil tapestry in the Tabernacle and the Temple.
This powerful presentation to a full house resulted in good opportunities for interaction with friends who had been personally invited.
The sunny warming weather that had been predicted for the weekend did not materialize. It was chilly, but dry, for the Friday and Saturday events at a large newly renovated facility sponsored by Cornerstone Assistance Network, a cooperative ministry of many area churches, that meets spiritual and physical needs of the community.
Friday evening was a time for volunteers and supporters of that ministry to tour the facility and hear about ways God has been working in people's lives. Next Exit played for about an hour after dinner in a stiff breeze to give a preview of the next day's activities.
The Saturday focus was on reaching out to the surrounding community and making them aware of the services that are available. An all day festival featured carnival events, a free lunch, and 3 hour-long music sets.
In spite of the chilly and threatening weather more than 300 people came to some part of the event. We were able to give the gospel through the concert and speak to individuals throughout the day.
And the organizers were prepared to engage people in a way that would provide opportunities for follow up. We heard reports of several significant contacts of spiritual value that were made on that day or through follow up.
We looked forward to an exciting time on Sunday evening with our final concert at a park in a huge apartment complex where a local church has been working to start a new church. A very motivated and energetic team had done everything right in preparing -- beautiful high quality flyers delivered to each home,
staging set up, excellent gospel tracts to give, sharing teams ready to go.
But for reasons known only to God, after all the effort and sacrifice of so many, the concert could not go on. A few minutes before the concert was to start it began to rain. After an hour of uncovering and recovering, waiting, praying, hoping, it was evident that it was time to pack up.
It's at these times we have to rest in the assurance of God's wisdom and sovereignty and be satisfied that we were faithful and obedient in the part that we played. Our hearts were heavy, especially for the local team that had so many expectations for a break through in their ministry. We did find out the next day that one individual had prayed for salvation in a conversation with one of the team members under an umbrella waiting for the concert. Then in a follow up visit to the home of that new believer, another family member received Christ. A reminder that even
when it appears that our efforts are in vain, God is always at work.
when it appears that our efforts are in vain, God is always at work.
