The Shout: Finding the Prophetic Voice in Unexpected Places - Participant's Guide

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.