Big Daddy Weave's 'Jesus I Believe' Tour to visit Cape Bible Chapel

Big Daddy Weave � along with opening act Brandon Heath � will bring its brand of Christian music to Cape Bible Chapel on Wednesday night.

�We feel very grateful and very humble that we still get to do this after 20 years. I can�t believe it,� Big Daddy Weave lead singer Mike Weaver said in a phone interview Friday. �I�ve always felt like somebody was going to call at some point and be like, �Alright, now you gotta get a real job.��

The group formed in 2002, and has acquired Dove Awards, K-LOVE Fan Awards, Billboard Music Awards and multiple ASCAP Awards.

The latest single released � �Jesus I Believe� � Weaver said, came at a time when his brother, Jay, who plays bass and provides vocals for the band, went through diabetic health difficulties, which required the amputation of both of his feet.

�But now the doctors think it has to do with this one medication that he was on,� Weaver said. �Actually, it cost him his feet ... within 48 hours we would�ve lost him if he hadn�t had that. It was just a crazy time.�

Brandon HeathSubmitted photo

Weaver said because of that, all of a sudden that song became about the situation they were in.

�I think now, coming out of that, it just becomes this place where we�re learning how to stand,� Weaver said. �Situations change, and sometimes we go though trouble. Jesus said we�d go through trouble in this life. But the thing is, we can�t control the trouble that�s going to come to us. But we can control our response.�

Weaver said Jay is on tour with them, and will be at the show Wednesday.

�He�s got prosthetics, and he still wares out pretty quick; he sits most of the show,� Weaver said. �But it�s always awesome to me, how he comes walking out there [on stage].�

Weaver said fans have shown their support for his brother at their shows.

�... The main thing, we just saw was we had been laboring and praying over people who were at the shows, and all those people showed back up when my brother was going through this,� he said. �We just heard from people all over the world.�

�The King & Country guys started this hash tag, #PRAYFORJAY, and man, it just became this mantra,� Weaver said. �And the body of Christ, they just held my brother up; it was really beautiful.�

The Weavers also had to deal with the passing of their father around Christmas. Mike Weaver said their relationship with their father strengthened their faith.

�He was just such a huge encouragement in my life,� Weaver said. �As I�m thinking back on his life, I�m thinking about all the time he and my mom spent praying for us. And when I stand in front of a big group of people, thinkin� about playing the songs we wrote at our house ... I know it has to do with having a mom and dad who prayed.�

Of the band�s intense connection with the audience at their shows, Weaver said he thinks �it must be the favor of God.�

�On our own, I don�t think we�re anything very special. [God] does stuff that mankind can�t undo,� Weaver said. �That�s who he is. He�s that God. And I think what people connect with also is that we�re not fakin� it. That doesn�t mean we always get it right, either.

�We really are in a real pursuit of the Lord, and we�re also not scared to talk about when we screw up, too, and our failings, our shortcomings, our fears,� Weaver said. �We�re not scared to share from that place, too.�

Weaver said Wednesday night�s show will be �pretty low-key,� but they will end the show performing alongside Heath, and �we love that,� Weaver said.

�[Heath] plays the first half hour, and it�s just some great songs,� Weaver said. �I love his music. It�s some of my favorite Christian music. It�s our first time touring together. We�ve met in passing, but it�s really our first time really getting to hang out much, too. It�s cool.�

Weaver said his favorite song to perform on tour is �Overwhelmed.�

�It kinda changes from time to time, but I keep coming back to that. There�s something about the bridge part of the song, I just love singing that to Jesus,� Weaver said. �There are points in it when I can just stop [performing] and let the people sing.�

Weaver said something special for a songwriter is to hear other people sing something that �means a lot to you, but it means something to them now, too.�

On-the-road food choices can either be interesting or iffy for the band, and Weaver said last time he was in Puxico, Missouri, he really wanted to try a goat burger.

�I want you to know this is burning in my heart right now. But when we were in Puxico, I came into contact with the idea that there is goat burger out there,� Weaver said. �And the people of Puxico, man, they held it over my head like, �We got goat burgers and you don�t.� They treated me like I was ignorant because I had not had goat burger. Yet they did not offer me goat burger.�

Weaver said he was at a crossroads in his life, �with this dying need for goat burger.�

�And I�ve never been truly offered one,� Weaver said. �So I�m just prayin� someone will hook a brother up when we�re there in Cape Girardeau.�

Doors open at 6 p.m., with the concert beginning at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Cape Bible Chapel, 2911 Kage Road in Cape Girardeau. Tickets may be purchased online at www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1639288.

jhartwig@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3632

Pertinent address:

2911 Kage Road, Cape Girardeau, Mo.