The Hope Nights Tour
Begins In Rustburg, Virginia
With Fun, True Worship
3/5/26
Hyland Heights Baptist Church - Rustburg, VA
By Cody Cooksey
Romans 5:5
Hope. That is the meaning behind it all. In a growing world of troubles and tribulations, we are in a constant need of reminders that hope is all around us, readily available. It is always nice to see and hear shouts of hope, and that was evident in the act of worship provided by Danny Gokey, alongside We Are Messengers and Jon Reddick on their opening night of “Hope Nights”.
These unique artists provided a lineup that drew in a lively crowd. The show began with newcomer SVRCINA, a lively artist who brought such a range of vocals to her indie aesthetic, notably in her rendition of Hulvey and Forrest Frank’s “Altar”. Jon Reddick took over shortly after, engaging with the audience in a fun way that kept Jesus at the center of it all. “No Fear” and “God, Turn It Around” proved to be classics-in-training, as just about everyone sang each word while on their feet. Jon showed the perfect way to conduct a night of worship!
We Are Messengers were next on the lineup, and they stole the show. Lead vocalist Daren Mulligan was charismatic, interactive, and empathetic with the audience, sharing his own stories of grief, joy, hope, and life as a whole. On top of this, his band had the time of their lives, playing their equipped instruments for the Lord. They played newer hits like “A Thousand Times” as well as their well known songs “Maybe It’s OK” and “Come What May”. Their lyrics have already proven to “Magnify” God, and their performance of worship further confirmed their hearts being on fire for the Lord.
To cap off the evening, Danny Gokey and his ensemble made their way to the stage, playing many hits that are easy to dance to such as “Sound of Heaven” and “Love God Love People”. He also played his softer hits “Hope in Front of Me” and “Tell Your Heart To Beat Again”, which resonated well with everyone in attendance as they filled the room with vocals of emotion. The same could be said for “Be Alright” and “Todo El Mundo”, where he was at his peak in interaction and dance, moving through the crowd and aisles. The point of this evening was to portray Hope, and that mission was accomplished through an array of genres and pure worship.
