An indepth review of Europe's largest Christian music event

5.30pm (Tony Cummings)
At the stand, halfway through my "this is what Cross Rhythms does" spiel to a smartly dressed African chap the Spirit powerfully and suddenly moves. It's the full nine yards - tears, shaking, snot. I somehow manage to get his business card before the other stand workers return.

Martin Smith (photo: Ian Homer)

5.40pm (Tony Cummings)
If there's one musician on the illustrious BCDO bill who will fully appreciate what God has built year by year at Big Church Day Out it is Martin Smith. The one-time d:boy was here at the very first event in 2009 when Delirious? - with Tim Jupp on keys of course - played one of their final gigs and then again in 2012 as a solo by which time the attendance had doubled. Now Martin is staring out at the throng of thousands of worshippers reminding us that we are all participants on God's great dance floor. I've never seen Martin more animated, more alive to God's manifest presence and his band, including a long-haired lass from Martin's St Peter's church on keys and a ginger-bearded fisherman-cum-guitarist give masterly support to the worship song maestro. His lyrics are prayers, prayers all of us are praying as we sing or sway or simply stand in the presence of Emmanuel. "You are here in the hurricane/You carry me through the driving rain/All I need to know is you are with me/You are here in the desert sun/And in your shadows where I belong/All I need to know is you are with me." And in ever stronger waves we feel God's presence. Martin speaks about a song he wrote a staggering 21 years ago and moments later thousands upon thousands are singing the words of a classic, "Did you feel the mountains tremble?/Did you hear the oceans roar?/When the people rose to sing/Of Jesus Christ the Risen One." And it's the Risen One that through the Holy Spirit now guides this prophet rock'n'roller of the profound significance of an event like BCDO that with God-breathed music has brought together Anglicans and Methodists, black Pentecostalists and Messianic Christians, Roman Catholics and new church folk to worship God without restraint or encumbrance. Martin speaks of "all the streams flowing into one river" and then a suggestion our hearts can't resist, "I think we should dance in that river." And dance we do.

Needtobreathe (photo: Ian Homer)

6.20pm (Ian Webber)
The Main Stage multitude readies itself to welcome the Grammy nominated South Carolina rockers Needtobreathe. The rockers know how to get the crowd moving right from the off. Kicking off with the rolling party style of the "State I'm In", by the time the song has finished, Eunice, the crowd-surfing sheep, has made her way back to the lighting tower and the crowd are in no doubt that Bear Rhinehart has a mighty set of lungs as with power and grit he effortlessly switches from throaty growls to high octave whoops. The title track from 'Rivers In The Wasteland' is spoken about with commendable transparency before the stripped back delivery of harmonies underline this band's vocal virtuosity. No one trick pony, Needtobreathe bring in elements of gospel, stomping rock and even blues as we are treated to a delicious slide guitar solo during "Oh, Carolina". The hour flies past and the boys are soon launching into the crowd pleasing and haunting "Brother" which even without the vocal of Gavin DeGraw is a fine closer to a top rate performance.

7.15pm (Ian Homer)
I'm delighted with Needtobreathe. I know I've caught some great live shots and though I haven't heard everything - photographers need earplugs when they're almost touching a festival's speaker stacks - I know they've delivered some mighty rock. I gaze at the 20-odd thousand Main Stage crowd, a gathering somewhat larger than the last time I saw the band. That was at a backwater club in Swansea which, despite Needtobreathe's big hit status in the US, could only bring in 200 punters. That gig was bizarrely interrupted by a power cut. It didn't faze the Southern rockers who then calmly stomped onto the bar and performed the rest of their songs un-plugged amongst the taps and optics.

7.21pm (Tony Cummings)
7.21pm and Guvna B is doing his thing with the confidence of a fast-rapping Christian minister but without the swagger of the OTT hip-hop star and the crowd around the Illuminate Stage are loving it. Here's a remix of Matt Redman and though the renowned worship leader is himself on stage only digitally the crowd, a sizeable one of 800 or 900, are soon jumping to the anti-slavery/human trafficking anthem "Let My People". That's followed by a rap of the old hymn "Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus", again with A Computer providing the choir vocal. Guvna then delivers a short testimony over a doodling electric guitar - "My parents came from a poor place called Ghana." Then as his capsule history progresses, "He changed me and he can change you."

Guvna is soon exhorting us to "Reach For The Stars" and all in front of me in the crowd were jump, jump, jumping. He goes off stage but comes back for an enthusiastically welcomed encore. Unfortunately, though I hear it I don't see it. I'm sitting on the corner of some wooden step leading up to a charity coffee stall. Suddenly, just as the encore begins a young dad pushing a buggy in which baby is fast asleep tries to push through the small space between the leaping throng and the coffee stall. It's tough going and he finally quite literally grinds to a halt directly in front of me. A number of giant size domino pieces have been discarded on the grass in front of me and one has jammed in the wheels of the buggy. Eventually the dad is able to wrench it free and continue on his way but by now I've missed all but the last few notes of Guvna B Borquaye's bass booming encore. But judging from the enthusiastic applause the Illuminate Stage will be able to mark this set down as a winner.

8.00pm (Maxine Cummings)
The much loved Kings Chamber Orchestra operate as a Christian community and a professional orchestra, founded over 20 years ago by award winning cellist and Jerseyman Gerard Le Feuvre. At the Tearfund Tea Tent they deftly perform a mix of worship, classical and folk and begin this evening's set with the instantly recognisable "Majesty" followed by "Battalia" by baroque composer Biber. Then there are two divertimenti by Mozart, lighthearted pieces played at social functions generally composed for a small ensemble. Throughout, leader Gerard tells little stories, one in particular quite funny (how one time he forgot his black shoes for a formal concert, rushed out late in the day to buy a pair only to find they had no laces. The only laces available were skateboarders' laces which were very brightly coloured and very long. Having laced his shoes he tied many knots in the trailing ends then tucked them under his trousers. Part way through the concert the laces - which looked like small dogs - fell out and the whole orchestra had "quiet hysterics.") Gerard introduces us to each of the ensemble members, who have been with the orchestra for varying lengths of time, some up to 20 years while the newest member is playing his first live gig with the orchestra. Another debut is by Gerard's teenage daughter, who is about to go the Royal Academy to study the viola. We learn that one of the three violas is very new, made last year, while another was made in 1757. The two cellists play "How Great Thou Art" accompanied by the double bass. Gerard reminisces how KCO played with Delirious? when they (the d:boys) "were on their way up." The final piece is "Dargason", an English dance tune composed by Gustav Holst. Gerard tells us there is a hidden piece in the work supposedly composed by King Henry VIII and I easily recognise "Greensleeves". I thoroughly enjoy these fun-filled symphonians.

9:05pm (Andy Shaw)
The ever-expanding community of worshippers known as Bethel Music based at Bethel Church in Redding, California, have, of course, made a monumental impact on the world Church. The fact that those musicians and songwriters have been providing the soundtrack to countless thousands' walk with God means they are a fitting way to end BCDO's Day One on the Main Stage. Opening with "One Thing Remains", Brian and Jenn Johnson lead us into the presence of God and the crowd are with them from the off. The Johnsons are then joined by William Matthews who leads us in worship. The band are tight, relaxed and clearly comfortable to go with the flow of the Spirit to produce worshipful soundscapes. As "Forever" fades Pete Greig, one of BCDO's Main Stage hosts, the head of the 24:7 Prayer movement and leader of the Emmaus Road Church in Guildford, unexpectedly walks onto the stage.

9.20pm (Tony Cummings)
I sit with Maxine right at the back of the Main Stage crowd. With every passing minute the sky is darkening and I can no longer see many of the 23,000 or so worshippers spread out in front of us. I don't care, of course, and neither do I mind that the stage is now little more than a bright spot in the centre of the flashing, strobing light show. The giant screens even at this distance give me some images to gaze at when I'm not standing, eyes closed, listening to the crystal clear singing and joining in, like thousands of others, with Bethel Music as they sing "Oh no, you never let go/Through the calm and through the storm/Oh no, you never let go of me." Like the throng around me, I'm hardly aware now of Brian and Jenn and William and the other Californian revivalists. I'm encased in God's love and enjoying his tangible presence. Suddenly at the end of "Forever" as the synth player continues to play on walks a moustachioed Englishman. In a gospel message of maybe five minutes he runs through the extraordinary truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Later I tell someone that the five minute sermonette by Pete Grieg is the most masterly, making-every-word-count delivery of an evangelistic message I've ever heard. At the end as Peter asks for a show of hands hundreds of people all over the arena take a step into the Kingdom of God. Bethel Music continue with the next song and this grizzled journalist feels privileged to have been witness to such a mighty work of God's Spirit.

9.22pm (Andy Shaw)
After Pete Greig's extraordinary intervention Bethel Music return to worshipping and in moments the crowd are immersed in the songs of praise once again. Jenn Johnson takes the lead on "God I Look To You" which ends with the crowd continuing the refrain "Hallelujah our God reigns" after the band have finished playing. William Matthews then takes us up a notch with "Deep Cries Out" which gets many in the crowd dancing. The whole set shows how Bethel Music have grasped what it means, not only to get lost in worship themselves, but to take others there with them. In such an atmosphere we are impacted by the silence as well as the wall of sound. When at 10.15 the evening ends the trek back to the awaiting tents begins, some people chatter happily but many others trudge silently, seemingly caught in a holy moment.

10.30pm (Ian Webber)
As I make my way back to my tent I stop to gaze at the sight of a huge cross formed out of lights on the side of a nearby hill shining above the campsite. It's an impressive beacon.

SUNDAY

10.30am (Maxine Cummings)
On wandering through the Bazaar the day before I had noticed a jewellery stall. Now I come for a closer look. The vendor of Shekinah Glass, Sally, makes the jewellery by fusing together pieces of coloured glass in a furnace then setting them in silver-plated rings, earrings, bracelets and necklaces. I buy for my daughter some strikingly pretty earrings with their delightful ability to catch the light. I know she'll love them.

Psalm Drummers (photo: Maxine Cummings)

11.05am (Tony Cummings)
I'm in the main thoroughfare, where the Psalm Drummers are banging their various drums with the cross rhythm complexity that only Terl Bryant and his crew of percussionists can muster while four people twirl flags inside the drummers' circle.