DC Festival Opens with 10,000 despite Rains
WASHINGTON – Some 10,000 people pulled out their raincoats and umbrellas Saturday to attend the opening day of the much-anticipated DC Festival on the wet grounds of Washington, D.C.’s National Mall.
Rains and warnings of floods caused the first half of the evangelistic “party” to be cut and main stage acts to be shortened to a four hour event. Still, thousands of youth and families crowded to the stage and kept their spirits high for the line-up of Christian artists and evangelist Luis Palau.
Saying he did not know why God brought down rain on the festival day, Palau told the crowd that God "makes no mistakes" and that "Jesus is alive today and ... here at the mall."
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One thing that sets DC Festival apart from any other evangelical gathering is that "there's still people here," said Dave Lubben, recording artist and worship director for the Luis Palau Evangelistic Association, as downpours fell onto the crowd.
"Praise God for the rain, amen?" Lubben shouted as attendants responded "Amen!"
A modified schedule featured testimonies by such figures as professional surfer Bethany Hamilton and performances by musical guests Kutless, Kirk Franklin and tobyMac.
Jumbotron screens featured video clips from former president Bill Clinton and President George W. Bush who said, "I appreciate Luis Palau for bringing so many people together in fellowship."
Crowds had increased from some 5,000 at the start of the festival outreach to around 10,000 by the end of the night at 8:30 p.m. as rains lightened and the music turned up a beat.
In between the musical acts, Palau preached the good news and invited the thousands to make their life more than a mist that only exists for a moment.
Recalling his own life-changing moment, Palau said it was raining on the night he had given his life to Jesus Christ at the age of 12.
Now, as a 70-year-old evangelist who has spoken to millions of people around the world, he extended the same invitation to the gathered people in DC.
"Despite the climate and the weather, God has spoken to your heart," said Palau. "If it wasn't wet, I would ask you to get on your knees."
With the ground surfaced with mud and pools of water, Palau instead asked the audience to bow their heads in a prayer that would renew their hearts and change their lives.
Some 1,500 people made decisions for Christ that night.
"You and I will have a party that will never end," said Palau. "Knowing Christ, it gets better every year that goes by."
Counselors were available with Bibles and response cards to guide new believers as well as renewed ones.
Conditions Sunday morning were mostly cloudy with the rain appearing to have stopped. The DC Festival team plans to resume with a full schedule of events for the second day of the festival beginning at 1:00 p.m.
