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Without Walls is without limits for Easter

A large Tampa church plans to bring in big name acts for a free concert at the Times Forum.

By RICK GERSHMAN
Published March 24, 2005

TAMPA - No one can claim Without Walls International Church lacks ambition. The mammoth Tampa church - congregation 20,000-plus and growing - is bringing out some big guns for its Easter service on Sunday.

The church's "City Wide Easter Extravaganza" will feature a free concert at the St. Pete Times Forum headlined by country music legend Loretta Lynn, resurgent from her Grammy-winning album Van Lear Rose and R&B star Patti LaBelle.

"We're going to pull out all the stops this year," said Without Walls pastor Randy White. "We think out of the box for sure."

The sermon, an "illustrative message" on crucifixion, also will feature an actor simulating Jesus Christ's ascension into Heaven.

The event's final budget will exceed $450,000. "This is the biggest single event or endeavor we have ventured to do," said spokeswoman Jennifer Mallan.

Hiring nationally prominent performers for Easter Sunday events has become more common these days, said Gary Bongiovanni, editor-in-chief of the concert trade magazine Pollstar.

"I think it's something we're seeing more of as these (church services) have grown and become more theatrical," Bongiovanni said. "I'm in Fresno (Calif.), which is not a very big market, and we have Randy Travis playing an Easter service."

Bongiovanni said that exceptionally large churches have purchased major performance arenas in recent years. Those include Inglewood, Calif.'s Great Western Forum, former home of the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Houston Rockets' former home, then called the Summit.

Without Walls' 9 a.m. service and concert Sunday is free and open to anyone of any faith.

White said he was "astonished" at the diversity of attendees for the church's 2004 service, held at the University of South Florida's Sun Dome: "We had Muslims, Jews, homosexuals, lesbians. At Without Walls, we are not biased - we don't pass judgment. (We encourage) people from all walks of life."

Also performing Easter Sunday will be Josh Turner, a newbie on the country music scene, and Fred Hammond, a member of the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. They bolster a lineup led by Lynn and LaBelle, each of whom has enjoyed some renewed limelight in recent years.

LaBelle's biggest hit, Lady Marmalade, burned up the charts again a few years ago when covered by the star quartet of Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mya and Pink.

Lynn, meanwhile, has enjoyed one of the most impressive comebacks of any legendary artist. Van Lear Rose, produced and coarranged by Jack White of the White Stripes, topped many critics' lists for 2004's best album. It also was the first album in which Lynn, who turns 70 next month, wrote every song.

"We believe Easter should be a celebration for the whole community, so we're bringing in secular artists," White said. "(They) can sing whatever they want to sing, do whatever they want to do. We don't put any restrictions on them."

Through an arrangement with the Israeli government, White said, the service also will include a live Internet feed that will link to the Wailing Wall and other key biblical sites and project them onscreen.

So can Without Walls' Easter extravaganza get any more, well, extravagant? At the least, it can get bigger. Church officials considered holding this year's celebration at Raymond James Stadium, just down the road from the church, but decided on the more intimate Times Forum.

As for Raymond James? "Maybe next year," White said.

[Last modified March 24, 2005, 01:19:16]