On February 3, a historic moment took place in Nashville, Tennessee. The conference was held at the famous Nashville Bridgestone Arena and drew in over 10,000 attendees for a powerful 10 hours of worship, prayer, the Word, and commissioning to share the Gospel. It welcomed young adults and people of all ages to gather for a life-changing day of worship, the Word, and a fresh encounter with Jesus. The event, featuring many prominent worship leaders and speakers, drew in thousands, including NRT staff writers Brendan Burke and Bradden Ford. After experiencing the impactful event, both shared their thoughts below on the conference.
Brendan Burke
Experiencing The Send in Nashville was powerful. The performances are what made The Send memorable for me. The praise band UPPERROOM started it by capturing my attention; they performed with contemporary artist Martin Smith, which immediately captivated me. Worshiping with young adults was impactful from start to finish. Famous Christian artists Cody Carnes and Kari Jobe gave a more acoustic set. Several prayer groups formed as I connected with strangers, and we prayed together.
After listening to some speakers, Lindy Cofer and Circuit Riders performed with veteran Christian singer Darlene Zschech, leading a substantial, impactful worship set praising God and all His wonders. The evening's closer, Michael W. Smith, played solo and led us in singing his hit "Agnus Dei." With hands held high, Michael left the stage, and the crowd repeated the chorus for 20 minutes in God's presence.
Did I mention the messages from authors Frances Chan and Andy Byrd engaged the room as they led a religious movement over Nashville? There’s so much more I could say about The Send, but if it comes near you, check it out and feel the grace of God around you.
Bradden Ford
My experience at The Send was unforgettable. I've followed them for years and was extremely excited to attend their Nashville show. The passionate messages from numerous speakers about freedom, breakthroughs, and living a purposeful life in Jesus touched me deeply.
Worship was nothing short of beautiful. Several notable artists took the stage to lead throughout the day, including UPPERROOM, Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes, Michael W. Smith, Martin Smith, Lindy Cofer and Circuit Riders, and the Dumais Movement. Hearing leaders come together to sing songs, originals, and covers of pure worship to Jesus was so powerful. It didn't feel like a concert but like a sense of belonging as we worshiped Jesus in complete surrender and praise.
I was surrounded by several good friends--including Brendan--and thousands I had never met. Still, I don't think I've ever met a group of people at an event so welcoming, kind, and caring for each other throughout the day. I met so many amazing people I got to pray for and who prayed for me. There was no one-upping each other, but rather a sense of family of primarily young adults, ready for what God would do and fully committed to seeing Him move.
My favorite moments were seeing the praise band Lindy Cofer and Circuit Riders lead worship. Lindy's music and Circuit Riders' ministry inspire me to follow Jesus wholeheartedly. Every time I've seen them lead worship, the experience has deeply impacted me, and this was no different.
Throughout the day, we were jumping, hands lifted, on the ground, and worshiping wholeheartedly. However, we went deeper when Lindy and the team took the stage. Between Lindy Cofer and iconic artist Michael W. Smith, you could feel the presence of God rush in as we all joined in singing praise songs to our Father. Whether it was singing "Let It Rain," "Agnus Dei," "Worthy of It All," or "Every Nation," we were marked by what God was doing in us as He set our hearts on fire for revival.
