It's been a little over a year since I participated in an event that changed not only Hampton Roads but possibly the nation. The Blaze Manifesto took place last July and was a release of sound from the womb of the nation, in the Historic Triangle (Jamestown - Yorktown - Williamsburg). This public declaration of intentions to revisit the infancy of the nation and call forth her true destiny in this hour of spiritual vapidness and despair was birthed out of a vision given to my friends Josiah & Ashley VanFleet. For the three days of July 3rd, 4th & 5th worshipers from all over the USA converged on these three cities in Virginia, where the United States had it's foundation built, and cried out for the land, declared their love for Jesus and beat drums, guitars, pianos and anything else that makes a noise in adoration to God. 
There were no food tents, funnel cakes or merry go rounds to attract a crowd here. There were professional musicians who came and gave their talents with no billboard or lights for their names. There were dozens of volunteers who gave freely of themselves in the heat of July. All that gathered were there for the One Thing, Jesus Christ - and to lift up His name in the fields and cities which our nation's history hinged upon.
The sites had been strategically chosen and each musician/band was asked to pray about which day they should play. My family came to Jamestown in 1619, just 12 years after the first ships came down the James River. I was definitely feeling a pull to my roots as I had an opportunity to worship at the site where my forefathers had arrived some 400 years earlier. A decision was made to play all new material as I felt Father God leading me to break forth into songs of joy. I had a handful of songs that I felt could work but had no plan and no band.
I had been playing this summer at some Burn 24/7 prayer furnace events and had come across a drummer and a guitar player (Jeremiah Queen - drums; Sean Crewe - guitar) that I felt would be good guys to worship with that day. I asked my good friend, Bruce Raiford, to play acoustic guitar and sing backup vox as he has a true worshipers heart and has a knack for picking out great harmonies in a written or spontaneous song. Next I needed a bass player and I asked Josiah who was ok with it. In the few days before the event Josiah gave me a ring and suggested a backing singer that was a friend of his who was female and had a great heart and voice (Jessica McGee Lake) and a bass player who was coming down for Detroit that would allow Josiah switch to keyboards named Terrel Pierce. Josiah had heard great things from Burn 24/7 director, Sean Feucht about Terrel and thought he could jump on stage and pull it off. I went along and thought that God would put together the band he wanted as we pushed forward with the event.
Fast forward to the day of the Blaze Manifesto and I can't hold my pen to write my set list. I was feeling an overwhelming amount of stress and couldn't settle myself as it was starting to feel like a panic was on me. I asked Sean Crewe to write out a second copy of a song for me so I could sit for a minute and news was that neither Jessica or Terrel was to be accounted for with only 15 minutes to play. Now I had played music with Bruce for years and twice with Jeremiah and Sean but I hadn't even met Jessica or Terrel yet and we were about to worship together as a group. Moments before I had been given the lyrics to a verse and a chorus for a brand new song I felt God was leading us to play called "We Say Your Name" but I had yet to play these. In the next 5 minutes I met Terrel and Jessica, we prayed as a group and set up our gear in the tent area where the bands would play from. I felt
a connection with the Lord to not get swamped down in all the heaviness of what our nation was in desperate need for but a desire to bask in His presence and what Father God thinks of me/us. 
Our set together was the first and last time I have played with all these people. The sound that we created pulled down Heaven that day as identity in Christ was revealed and a delight for the King of Kings resonated in that field for all to see and experience. In the past year I have mixed the set of songs that we committed to God that day and have called them "Resplendent & Majestic", which is from Psalm 76 speaking of the Lord. I've spoken with a local pastor from Williamsburg who says that the Blaze Manifesto shifted the atmosphere in those cities - "you can feel it in the air". For those who took place in this event you know what occurred and we burn every day to represent the King.
Below are two recordings from sets at the Blaze Manifesto. These are available for download. As you listen, join with the Father's heart for our nation and pray.
I was also a part of my friend Josiah's band on the final day in Yorktown. The band is called Jehu Riders. Check this out for loud and unhinged worship.
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