The Unforgettable Event

Four years ago.

The polished blonde wood beneath my feet reflected the glare from a row of stage lights suspended high overhead. Despite the coolness of the auditorium, a bead of sweat had begun to trickle down my forehead.

I wiped it away with the back of my hand and looked out at the crowd of young people seated in front of me.

The air felt… electric.

Like a thrum of power that I could somehow sense, but couldn't exactly say why, I just had a SENSE.

A sense that God was wanting to do something extraordinary in the lives of the hundreds of young student athletes filling the auditorium.
I had been asking for prayer from you - my friends - and really from anyone who would listen.

But this was the moment of truth.

"If you want to say YES to Jesus, and make a public commitment to follow Him, I want you to JUMP to your feet and raise your hand on the count of three. ONE. TWO..."

I had told them it would take courage. I had done everything I could over the last four days to explain the message of freedom and love available through Jesus. I had asked for God to draw people.

But this was the moment of truth. "THREE!"

For a moment, there was complete silence…

…and then the young people began to surge to their feet: twenty… fifty… one hundred young people - the softhearted young volleyball players, the tough football players, and everybody in between - until nearly the whole crowd was on their feet, many with tears beginning to spill down their faces.

And in that moment, it hit me with an almost physical force - I caught my breath, took a step backwards, and just began to cry uncontrollably.

For a few minutes, I just couldn’t stop crying.

Because this… really is why we do what we do.

After coming forward and saying "Yes" to Jesus' offer of freedom together, the young people lingered for a long time, praying for one another, many of them crying together as God brought healing to broken areas of their lives.

And then, when the camp staff finally had to ask the young people to leave the auditorium, they spilled out into the lawn and continued to pray for one another.

By the end of the evening, by rough count, hundreds of young people had recommitted their lives, and many had made first time commitments to Jesus.

And for a while, I just stood there, stunned.

It is hard to put into words how moving it is to see firsthand the incredible love that Jesus has for people - the way He pursues them passionately in order to bring them the freedom and healing that we all so desperately need. Jesus gave His life for us, and He continues to pursue us, because He loves us more than we can possibly imagine.

I’ve shared this story before (from our experience at the 2017 Fellowship of Christian Athletes Iowa Sports Camp) but I chose to share it with you today, because…

We’re getting ready to do it AGAIN!

In just a few weeks we’re scheduled to perform, lead worship, and speak for the FCA 2021 Sports Camp in Pella, Iowa.

The Iowa FCA Sports Camp is one of our very favorite events to perform at in the United States because we love watching young people experience the love of Jesus, and this camp has historically provided an incredible opportunity to experience the genuine forgiveness, freedom, and transformation available through a relationship with Him.

We’d love it if you would join us in praying for this camp - that hundreds of young people would experience the love and truth of Jesus in a transformational way. Thank you so much for standing with us in this!

Following this camp, we have a summer of performances scheduled across the Midwest and on the West Coast, followed by more international opportunities later in the year. We’re also getting ready to release some brand new music (and we’ll be able to tell you more about it VERY soon!)

The mission of WRD of is to set foot on every country in the world and use music and the spoken word to share the love and message of Jesus with as many people as possible. Since 2012 we've been privileged to share the Gospel with hundreds of thousands of people in 38 nations, and have seen tens of thousands of people say "yes" to Jesus.

During our latest trip to Zambia, in partnership with On the Go Ministries and the Luis Palau Global Network of Evangelists, we were able to reach more than 40,000 people and saw more than 3000 decisions for Jesus - praise God!

Everything we do - from music and video production to national and international travel - is driven by one purpose: to share the love and message of Jesus with as many people as possible around the world - your love, prayer, and support has helped make this a reality, and we can’t tell you how thankful we are for your partnership in this journey.

If you'd like to pray for us, please pray for a huge RESPONSE to the message of Jesus wherever we go, for EXCELLENCE and FAVOR in our music and speaking, and for SAFETY and PROVISION as we travel.

Thank you again for your love and support friends - we love you and we’re so thankful for each one of you!

Haven’t seen the report from our latest international outreach yet? Check it out now if you need a quick dose of inspiration - Jesus is REAL, and He loves you desperately!