Monday, October 4, 2010

Cape Girardeau

We complete the first of five legs of the Tour on Sunday night in Cape Girardeau. It has been a great first week. We have hosted close to 300 churches in the VIP Dinners and 169 of those churches have pledges to get 1,627 children sponsored. A great first week. I'm off next week but will return on October 14th in San Jose.

Jason Gray

Jason Gray is the opening act for the Tour. He and his wife are traveling with us on our bus. It has been great to get to know him. I love his music - you have to check it out - www.jasongmymusic.com

VIP Pastors Dinner - Cape Girardeau

Setting up in Cape Girardeau

Jessica Directing Setup in Cape Girardeau

Crossing the Mississippi

We drove all night from Atlanta, Georgia to Cape Girardeau, MO for our final show on the first leg. It was around 8AM as we crossed the Mississippi into Missouri. Do you know who was born in Cape Girardeau? Rush Limbaugh

Verizon Amphitheater - Alpharetta, GA

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Bunk House

My bunk is on top, Steve Green is in the middle bunk and Max Lucado is on the bottom bunk. Last night I got up around 3:30AM to get some Advil and I was climbing down when the bus swerved. I fell to the floor and as I did my right hand hit Max on the chest causing him to wake up. He was really out of sorts as he was trying to figure out where he was and what was happening to him. Quite an adventure.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

MWS Set List Alpharetta Georgia

Max and the children

This was taken at our 4:30PM VIP Pastors Dinner in Alpharetta, GA.

Getting ready for the VIP Pastors dinner tonight in Alpharetta

Unloading the Truck

Dan from WV on a little downtime

The Team in Alpharetta

Getting ready to unloading the truck.

Setting up in Alpharetta, GA

This AM

We pulled into Atlanta this morning around 6:30AM. I slept until around 9:00AM and rolled out of the bunk (literally - its the only way out) to find that most of the team was already up and at them. I headed over to the dressing room area at the amphitheater and found the catering room. Most of the team was there having breakfast - cereal, eggs, bacon, sausage, donuts, rolls, fruit, yogurt and coffee. After our breakfast our crazy day begins unloading trucks and the long process of setting up for the pastor dinner begins. Tonight's dinner is being held at a nearby Marriott as there is no room at the amphitheater.

Rolling into Atlanta

So I have a top bunk and we are talking about which one is best. Max has chosen a bottom bunk and I asked him why? He said that he was on a bus during the Young Messiah Tour and the bus took a sharp turn in the snow and he fell out of the bunk - thanks Max.

Michael W Smith and Toby Max - Corbin, KY

Mac Powell in Corbin, KY

Max

Max and I wrapping up the World Vision presentation at the pastors dinner. In Korbin we had 42 churches pledge to sponsor over 360 children.

WV Church Advisor - Laura Wesson

Laura is sharing the in's and out's of hosting a Hope Sunday with pastors in Korbin.

VIP Pastors Dinner - Corbin, KY

About 180 pastors gathered with us in Korbin to hear Max Lucado.

A Night on the Bus

The concert finished up last night in Corbin, KY around 10:30PM - does anyone happen to know what Korbin is famous for? (answer below). We begin to gather around the bus as the crew tears down the show. We have 13 people on our bus plus the driver. There are 12 bunks (stacked three high) on our bus. The beds are comfortable but a little short for those of us over 6'. There is a reading light, an air vent and a TV/DVD combo player that is mounted in each bed. Finally there is a sliding curtain for privacy. There is a toilet but rule number 1 is there is no number 2. There are about eight of us from World Vision on our bus, Max Lucado and two members of his team, artist Jason Grey and two AEG Live staff who are producing the tour. Over the next hour or so people gather on the bus. I go into one of the dressing rooms at the venue to change, brush my teeth and get ready for bed. Back on the bus around midnight and we are still waiting for the crew to finish loading. We sit around and talk while Max enjoys his evening bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios. One of the road staff brings in a sack of Wendy's burgers, chicken sandwiches and baked potatoes for the vegetarians. Over the next hour or so people begin to climb into bed until around 1:30AM there's only three of us awake as the bus departs from the arena headed to Corbin.

Answer: The first KFC

Friday, October 1, 2010