By Chris Mills
One of the first calls Mac Powell, lead singer of the Christian music group Third Day, made after the April 27 tornadoes hit his home state was to his friend David Nasser.
“Mac called to check on us after the storm and immediately asked how he and the band could help,” said Nasser, author, conference speaker and pastor of Christ City Church, Birmingham.
That conversation led to the Make Your Move Tornado Relief Benefit Concert on May 15 at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC). And the Alabama Baptist disaster relief fund was one of four relief organizations benefiting from concert proceeds.
More than $100,000 was raised and will be divided between Alabama Baptist disaster relief, Samaritan’s Purse, World Vision and the Birmingham Dream Center, a ministry of Birmingham’s Church of the Highlands.
Nasser said concert organizers wanted to work with groups that represented ministry on a local, state, national and international level.
Mel Johnson, Alabama Baptist disaster relief strategist, expressed his gratitude for the financial assistance and awareness this event provided.
“On behalf of our state convention and scores of people assisted, I say, ‘Thank you!’” Johnson said. “May God bless and multiply the efforts of all who have been faithful to pray and participate as Alabama begins to recover.”
Nasser said he hoped the night brought healing and reminded those in attendance that God is still in control and has a purpose in the midst of the storm.
“Do not waste your storm. God can always take tragedy and turn it into a testimony,” he said. “My life wasn’t drastically affected by the storm physically, but if I’m not drastically affected spiritually it would be wasted. This was not just an event but an eye-opening life change.
“The biggest tragedy would be for people to go back to where they were [before the storm],” Nasser noted.
Also involved in the concert were Christian music bands Tenth Avenue North and Rush of Fools, singers Trevor Morgan and Laura Story, Birmingham meteorologist James Spann, and radio talk show hosts Rick Burgess and Bill “Bubba” Bussey of The Rick & Bubba Show.
The BJCC offered the venue without charge and the Extraordinary Women Conference, which wrapped up the day before, agreed to leave the staging and lighting set up.
“Moment after moment like that happened, and within a week an event that takes a year to plan came together,” Nasser said.
Donations are still being taken and merchandise from the event, including a concert download, is available at www.makeyourmovebenefit.com. Proceeds from online merchandise purchases will also be donated to the relief organizations.
To make donations directly to Alabama Baptist disaster relief, visit www.alsbom.org/tornadorelief.
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