The Shout is rooted in the first words of Isaiah 58: "Shout
loudly; don't hold back; raise your voice like a trumpet!" In the
prophet’s shout, Isaiah explains to the people that their religious
rituals are not enough to make their voices heard by God.God is
frustrated with their inconsistency as they seek God’s attention while
mistreating those around them. In these words, the searching heart of
many within the millennial generation finds a home. Here there is the
opportunity to recognize that God stands with the community, feeling the
same anger and frustration that many feel when injustice prevails and
the church is distant from those who suffer.
The Shout invites participants to learn to hear God's voice
among those within the community, which often emerges as a prophetic
"shout!" akin to Isaiah 58. This interactive, video-based curriculum
engages individual perspectives (Whispers), group responses (Shouts),
and community action (Echoes). It has six sessions, with each session
focused on a question rooted in the directives of Isaiah 58. The
curriculum offers a framework for small group discussions, in which
participants explore their own answers after first hearing the
perspectives of artists and creative thinkers. Participants are
encouraged to venture into their community to listen for unheard
prophetic voices and to help these voices be heard. This study
challenges readers and leaders to echo the shout by finding ways to take
action in collaboration with their community.
