Excerpts from The Examiner.

An article by: Steve Rees

Seeking to communicate the “Father heart of God” to this generation through music and outreach at home and abroad, Heaven Fest intends to focus on two key issues this election year: adoption and government.

The latter surprised even Powers, but orphan care and adoption is part of Heaven Fest’s DNA.

According to Heaven Fest’s Powers, adoption communicates the “father heart of God” because the bible teaches that all believers – young and old – are joined together as a family by God’s decision to “adopt” them.

Adoption is an obvious and nice fit with Heaven Fest’s vision and partners, but when Powers sensed that God was leading him to focus on government, it provided another surprise.

In an election year, when fear-mongering will reach fever pitch, the last thing Powers wanted to do was focus on government.

Given that Heaven Fest has been a “giant, laboratory experiment in being an obedient son,” Powers decided compliance was his only option.

So again this year when the bands have played their last set, a nameless, faceless, back-lit band will take center stage, replacing celebrity musicians with the true headliner: Jesus Christ.

“I felt as though God was saying, ‘I want you to invite my kids into a time of repentance,’ ” Powers said.

“I sensed God was saying that too many of his kids have forgotten they’re first his followers, before they’re Americans,” Powers said.

“They’ve also forgotten that they’re followers of mine before they’re members of a political party,” Powers believes God told him.

In a year when $1 billion will be spent on the presidential election, catering to the one core motivational emotion of fear, too many Christians “hang out on Friday night with hatred, scheming up ways to beat the crud out of their political enemies.”

“Jesus is not a fan of fear (or hatred),” Powers said.

The repentance, Powers said, will be a way of saying, “Hey, Lord, we want to be friends with you; Sorry for being friends with your enemies.”

Read the article from The Examiner in its entirety here.