How Church Engagement Influences Tour Culture
Logan, from sibling group CAIN, shares the importance of Christian artists making church attendance consistent on the road.
The life of a touring Christian artist can seem rather counter-intuitive.
You travel the country pouring yourself out while performing songs that guide listeners to a relationship with Jesus. Yet, often on Sundays — your mornings which were once spent in the company of your church family — now find you on a tour bus, in a new city, and physically/emotionally drained.
It’s not long before this lifestyle can leave a Christian artist more empty and more isolated than they ever thought they would become. And if this feeling isn’t addressed, if a Christian artist continues to pour out from an empty, dry vessel, this tiredness can evolve into a debilitating, career-changing issue.
So how is this prevented?
How can a Christian artist tour in such a way that they return home healthier than when they left: physically, emotionally, and spiritually? How can a Christian artist positively influence their tour culture towards the heart of the Father?
The key is found in placing value in what the Father loves most…His bride. The bride of Christ, the Church, with all its flaws and failings, is still the apple of the Father’s eye. And remaining engaged with the bride of Christ is a key to driving a Christian artist’s tour culture.
For Christian artist’s performing in churches across the country, you have the opportunity of experiencing a new body of believers every Sunday.
Your tour bus pulls into a perfectly good church for a Sunday night concert, so why not spend time in that same church for their morning services? We’ve found this to be an easy and sustainable way to go recharge with some corporate worship and refocus with a meaningful Bible teaching.
Also, we’ve also found that leading the charge to attend church and offering a no-pressure invitation to our crew inspired other tour mates to join. There’s something so bonding about attending church with your crew.
The shared experiences spur spiritual conversations amongst the team and create a sense of having a church home even while on the road.
Sunday is typically the most challenging day for the crew on a church-based tour.
Church services limit the crew’s access to the church building which create a late and rushed load-in process. So, in the midst of this chaos, attempting a required, in-house tour church experience seemed like it would cause more harm than good to the team.
So, we have replaced required, Sunday tour church with optional local church attendance on Sunday’s paired with intentional time together with the team on Saturday’s. This combination has helped shape our tour culture in such a beautiful way.
On Saturday’s we dive deep into a book together as a team, we pray together, and then we play together! Meaningful conversations followed by kickball, volleyball, relay races, etc round out a perfect time with your team and creates some beautiful memories. Then, you turn around and attend a church all together on Sunday and recharge after a weekend of shows. It may sound simple, but this routine has turned our touring team into a touring family. It has helped shape a culture that bears one another’s burdens, encourages one another, and initiates inclusivity.
As a Christian Artist, we encourage you to remain engaged with the body of Christ, even while on the road. That paired with intentional time with your team on other day’s of the touring weekend will create a tour culture that leaves you pouring yourself out from a place of “being filled up” and helps sustain your career no matter the trial you face.
Explore resources from CAIN at MultiTracks.com!