At Awakening Conference, we maximize on every opportunity to create a fun, expectant, and powerful atmosphere where God is free to move and do as He pleases. It’s our goal for everyone who attends to be set free, and that they may encounter God in a new powerful way.
Just as you have to create the culture of your church- you must create the culture of any event you do.
This will take intentional planning and implementation, it won’t just happen! We have learned over the years how to create an infectious environment of expectation. With every moment, song, graphic, video, and element we want to raise the faith and expectancy of the people. Once they are set free the door is open for God to come and do the miraculous in their lives. The Awakening begins.
One of the most effective tools we use to create an expectant atmosphere at Awakening are dynamic openers. We try and make our openers interactive and fun. This year, we brought in a new element: 3D Video. We provided 3D glasses at registration for the opening video.  This intro served to bring peoples expectancy and faith to a whole new level before a chord has even been struck or a word preached.

Let me set the scene for you: The doors open and as people flood in, the lights are dim, there is a large drop cloth over the stage, and loud “Avengers” music is playing over the speakers. Its as if they are boarding a roller coaster. The music gets louder, the excitement arises, and the crowd know it’s about to begin. After the people have entered and filled the altar area the music begins to fade down slowly into silence. The crowd cheers- it has begun. From here on out they are on a ride, and it’s full of surprises from interactive commands with a robotic 3-d character on the big screens to comical moments in the video presentation.

You can see the intro for yourself here:

This opening experience is vital for the commencement of the Conference. We want the people to feel excited and expectant as they walk into the room. They aren’t waiting in a quiet venue (with the band tuning their instruments in the background) for someone to awkwardly welcome them to the event. Instead, we want them to have the sensation of boarding a ride at Disney World for the first time. This exciting and somewhat nostalgic environment breaks off the “cool” and the “religious” mindsets, and sets the youth free. They don’t have to put up a facade; they are free to be themselves for once in their life. In the video, a robotic girl appears and begins an “Awakening Analysis” where she asks the crowd if they are prepared to shout, dance, clap, jump, and so on. We do this to teach the youth that we will be loud, responsive, engaged, and excited- all for the glory of God! It’s a powerful moment where God begins to bring freedom to the youth- that He may touch the real them and fill them with joy.

This translates to explosive praise from the people as the band finally comes on with a loud note after the booming 3D countdown, curtain drop, and blast of confetti. Moreover when the preacher begins their sermon the crowd is loud, responsive, and hungry to hear the Word of God. The facades are broken and the real them is revealed, which makes way for God to come and do the supernatural. This creates for an unbelievable opening night and sets the tone for the rest of the conference. We will have fun, we will dance, we will jump in praise, we will shout in worship, and we will make Jesus famous.

How do you define the atmosphere you are trying to create?

– Wandson Santana