Shaina MacLeod sat behind her drum kit on the massive stage at Robber Baron Stadium, her sticks resting in her hands as she watched John Foster walk from the podium back toward his guitar setup. The prophet's two-hour sermon had just concluded, leaving 60,000 people in stunned silence as they processed the weight of divine judgment and prophetic warning they had just witnessed.
His red Stratocaster waited for him on its stand, the instrument that had produced such supernatural music during their rehearsals. One of the band's technical assistants helped John slip the guitar strap over his shoulder, the familiar ritual that signaled the transition from prophetic proclamation to musical ministry.
Shaina's mind flashed back to the middle portion of the evening, when they had performed their arrangement during the segment John called "Reclaiming a Song from Satan." They had taken Guns N' Roses' "November Rain" and completely transformed it into a Christian-themed song, with new lyrics that she and Bradley had crafted together over several late-night writing sessions.
The memory made her smile despite her nerves. Bradley had been initially skeptical about taking such a well-known secular song and giving it Christian lyrics, but the result had been powerful beyond their expectations. The familiar melody had drawn the audience in, while the new words proclaimed gospel truth with the emotional intensity that the original song's structure demanded.
"I still can't believe how well that worked," she thought, remembering the crowd's response to their "November Rain" transformation. The concept of reclaiming popular songs for Christian purposes had been John's idea, based on his belief that Satan had corrupted much of modern music that could be redeemed for godly purposes.
Now, however, her attention focused on the closing song of the evening—their cover of Johnny Cash's version of "God's Gonna Cut You Down." This was the song that would end every night of the ministry tour, and Shaina felt the weight of responsibility as she prepared to lay down the rhythmic foundation for what would be a climactic moment.
John looked at her and nodded, the signal they had rehearsed dozens of times. Shaina took a deep breath and began tapping out the distinctive beat that would drive the entire arrangement. Her sticks struck the snare drum with precise timing, establishing the groove that would carry 60,000 voices in a unified expression of divine justice.
The song began with Bradley's rhythm guitar providing the harmonic foundation, while Ron's bass line locked in perfectly with Shaina's kick drum pattern. Yasmine's keyboard work added atmospheric layers that built anticipation for John's entrance as vocalist.
When John began singing the main verse, his voice carried the same supernatural authority that had marked his sermon, but now channeled through music that seemed to resonate in the very bones of everyone present. The lyrics spoke of divine commission and prophetic calling, words that took on profound meaning when sung by a man who had literally returned from death with God's message.
"Well my goodness gracious, let me tell you the news
My head's been wet with the midnight dew
I've been down on bended knee, talkin' to the man from Galilee
He spoke to me in the voice so sweet
I thought I heard the shuffle of the angel's feet
He called my name and my heart stood still
When he said, 'John, go do My will!'"
Shaina felt the power of the moment as John's voice soared through the stadium's sound system, reaching every seat with perfect clarity. The lyrics about being called by the man from Galilee and hearing the shuffle of angel's feet carried autobiographical weight that transformed a traditional song into prophetic testimony.
The chorus that followed was joined by 60,000 voices, creating a sound that seemed to shake the very foundations of the stadium. Shaina had performed in front of large crowds before, but nothing had prepared her for the experience of providing the rhythmic backbone for a congregation of this magnitude expressing unified worship and warning.
Then came Yasmine's organ solo, the sound processed through equipment that made her keyboards sound like a massive church organ connected to rotating speaker cabinets. The Hammond-style tones filled the stadium with rich, rolling waves of sound that spoke of both judgment and mercy, creating a musical interlude that allowed the weight of the lyrics to settle into every heart present.
But it was John's first guitar solo that truly electrified the crowd. As his fingers moved across the fretboard with supernatural skill, the triumphant sound of his Stratocaster echoed through the stadium like a battle cry of divine victory. Shaina found herself playing with increased intensity, her drums responding to the soaring guitar lines with fills and accents that seemed to come from somewhere beyond her conscious control.
The interplay between John's guitar and her drums created a musical conversation that transcended normal performance dynamics. Every note he played seemed to call for a specific rhythmic response, and every beat she provided seemed to inspire his next melodic phrase. It was as if they were channeling the same divine source, their instruments becoming vehicles for supernatural expression.
Another chorus followed, with the crowd singing even louder now, their voices raised in proclamation of God's inevitable judgment upon the wicked. Shaina could see people throughout the stadium with their hands raised, some weeping, others shouting the lyrics with passionate intensity.
The second verse carried even more power than the first, John's voice growing stronger as the song progressed. The lyrics about seeking the Lord and being found by Him resonated with prophetic authority that seemed to penetrate every heart in the stadium, believer and skeptic alike.
Then came the moment Shaina had been both anticipating and dreading—John's final guitar solo. As he launched into the climactic passage, she felt something beyond normal musical inspiration take hold of her. Every muscle in her body channeled maximum power into her drumming, her sticks becoming extensions of divine energy as she pounded out rhythms that seemed to shake the earth itself.
The guitar solo soared and wailed with emotional intensity that brought tears to her eyes even as she played. John's Stratocaster sang with the voice of prophetic warning and divine triumph, each note perfectly placed to build toward a crescendo that would remain in the memory of everyone present for the rest of their lives.
Shaina played with strength she didn't know she possessed, her entire body engaged in creating rhythmic patterns that seemed to come from somewhere beyond her training or experience. She felt completely spent, pouring every ounce of her being into supporting John's supernatural guitar work with drumming that matched its intensity and power.
When the song finally ended with a thunderous final chord, the stadium erupted in applause so loud it was almost deafening. Sixty thousand people rose to their feet, clapping, shouting, and cheering for what felt like an eternity. Shaina sat behind her kit, exhausted but exhilarated, knowing she had just participated in something that transcended normal musical performance.
As the applause gradually tapered off, John stepped back to the podium microphone and raised his hands for quiet. The stadium lights came up slightly, providing better visibility for what would come next.
"Let us pray," John said, his voice carrying clearly through the sound system despite the lingering echoes of applause.
He offered a closing prayer of blessing and commission, asking God to protect those who had heard His word and to grant them strength for the trials that lay ahead. As the prayer concluded, the main stadium lights came on, signaling the end of the official broadcast.
A moment later, an announcement came over the public address system. "John Foster will now attend to any who are sick and in need of healing, behind the stage. No videos, photos, or recording of any sort will be permitted."
Shaina watched as a few dozen people began moving toward the area behind the stage, many supported by family members, others walking with obvious difficulty. The response was smaller than she had expected, but those who came forward seemed to carry serious conditions that required divine intervention.
As she began packing up her drum kit, Shaina realized she had just participated in the first night of what would become a global phenomenon that would change the world forever. The evening's ministry was far from over—the supernatural demonstration of God's power was just beginning.
