Festival of Hope - day 2
The closing concert (Newsboys) is still going on but old fogies with small children need to be in bed earlier... It's streaming live on www.bhamfest.com and may still be going if anyone's reading this now. The final night tomorrow starts at 5pm CST, and they will all be available to watch for another week if you can't catch the live stream.
Last night was good. Tonight was great. It was designated "Student night" so in retrospect I shouldn't have been surprised at the musical styles and volume tonight. I did sit with my hands over J's ears for many of the songs though. (Stuart had earplugs.) But he was bopping away, our little headbanger, dancing to Lacey as we clapped and laughed. He wasn't quite sure about the DJ,the rapper Flame or some of the others, just watching those or playing with the seats.
But what an incredible lineup, and the arena was packed. I'd say we had close to 6 thousand people there, filling the 3/4 of the seating that was open. (The remaining quarter was behind the stage and inaccessible.) Many more students and youth groups than last night, and when the call went out, they flocked to the floor to party.
Franklin's message tonight was about Daniel and King Belshazzar, also known as The Writing on the Wall. Belshazzar had all the answers right in front of him; he had a warning, and he just sat, and didn't do anything. That night was his last; how different it could have been had he heeded the warning.
And then came the opportunity for people to pray, to ask God to be with them. Half the arena floor was covered. I prayed with a young girl: she was so excited, so happy about her decision, and so surprised when I told her the angels were throwing a party in heaven, right now, for her. What a party there has been in heaven tonight!
Last night was good. Tonight was great. It was designated "Student night" so in retrospect I shouldn't have been surprised at the musical styles and volume tonight. I did sit with my hands over J's ears for many of the songs though. (Stuart had earplugs.) But he was bopping away, our little headbanger, dancing to Lacey as we clapped and laughed. He wasn't quite sure about the DJ,the rapper Flame or some of the others, just watching those or playing with the seats.
But what an incredible lineup, and the arena was packed. I'd say we had close to 6 thousand people there, filling the 3/4 of the seating that was open. (The remaining quarter was behind the stage and inaccessible.) Many more students and youth groups than last night, and when the call went out, they flocked to the floor to party.
Franklin's message tonight was about Daniel and King Belshazzar, also known as The Writing on the Wall. Belshazzar had all the answers right in front of him; he had a warning, and he just sat, and didn't do anything. That night was his last; how different it could have been had he heeded the warning.
And then came the opportunity for people to pray, to ask God to be with them. Half the arena floor was covered. I prayed with a young girl: she was so excited, so happy about her decision, and so surprised when I told her the angels were throwing a party in heaven, right now, for her. What a party there has been in heaven tonight!