By Jeanni Ritchie
A slate of popular Christian artists arrived in Cenla last month for a full night of fellowshipping and worshipping. Danny Gokey, Colton Dixon, Mac Powell, and Ryan Ellis took the stage in Louisiana Christian University’s Guinn Auditorium with their Ignite Tour 2025.
Ryan Ellis opened the evening with a prayer, a brief testimony, and some of his biggest hits, including Gonna Be Alright and Heart of the Father. I’d read that Ellis recently lost a child, and seeing him on stage still faithfully singing praises was inspiring. True disciples don’t hide their light even when surrounded by darkness.
Colton Dixon hit the stage next with one of my daily playlist songs, Miracles.
You can stay the stars aligned, but I know that it’s more than timing. Anyone who’s ever watched their entire life seamlessly fall into place after complete chaos can recognize the divine orchestration of the Master Himself.
A 2012 American Idol finalist, Dixon led the crowd through a rocking set, complete with bright lights and an audience participation song with My Light. After a message to both the lost and believers about faith walks and church hurts, he introduced us to his not-yet-released single In Spite of Me.
Dixon has two other songs on my daily playlist, and he performed them both. I sang along to every word of Up + Up and Build a Boat. The former reminds me that no matter how down I get, He will lift me up. The latter reminds me that no matter the storm, no matter the desert season I am in, God’s love never fails.
Dixon’s twin five-year-old daughters inspired his recently released children’s book, Build a Boat, based on the hit song. After his rousing set, he autographed copies at his merch table.
After a brief intermission, Mac Powell — best known as the longtime lead singer and unmistakable voice of Third Day — took the stage with newer hits such as I Love Jesus and The 99, older Third Day hits like Soul on Fire, and a medley of early-aught Wow Worship hits like God of Wonders and Holy Forever.
I loved those Wow Worship CDs, finding car rides with four preteens much more peaceful with the gospel hits streaming through the speakers. With Bluetooth these days, any song can be played at any moment with just a push of a button.
Including the songs Powell played after taking audience requests: Show Me Your Glory, Consuming Fire, I Need a Miracle, and Cry Out to Jesus.
Powell closed his set with 2021’s New Creation, a song I felt was written just for me. Anyone who’s served God faithfully in the flesh would say the same. God will take you down every time until your worship moves from your head to your heart, and you become a new creation.
He brings blessings out of tragedies,
and turns old songs into symphonies.
Just as He did for me. Just as He can do for you.
Danny Gokey was the last to take the stage, singing many of his chart-topping hits like Stand in Faith, We All Need Jesus, Stay Strong, Sound of Heaven, I Got You, and Haven’t Seen It Yet.
Gokey—also an American Idol finalist—debuted his first album in 2010 and has released seven albums and 27 singles since, including Love God Love People. The message is simple, yet profound, and one I have to remind myself of often. In all the rushing and running and planning and overthinking, there’s only one thing required of us: love God and love people. In the song, Gokey sings to keep it simple and take it back to ground zero.
Ground zero is the cross.
By the time the concert ended, we were all at the foot of the cross—having laid our worries down and lifted our voices up—as Ryan Ellis, Colton Dixon, Mac Powell, and Danny Gokey had indeed ignited something in each of us.
Jeanni Ritchie is a freelance writer from Alexandria, Louisiana. She can be reached at jeanniritchie54@gmail.com.
