Michelle Berg
Saskatoon StarPhoenix
Around 1,000 people packed into Diefenbaker Park on Thursday night, lifting their hands in song as Christian rock music blasted from the stage. Outside the fence, protesters pounded drums, blared horns and waved a massive rainbow flag, trying to drown it out.
American musician and preacher Sean Feucht brought his Revive in 25 tour to Saskatoon — one of the few Canadian stops to go ahead after a string of cancellations across the country.
Feucht, a California musician who gained prominence for organizing large outdoor worship gatherings during the pandemic, has faced backlash across Canada.
He calls himself a musician, missionary, author and activist, but his views on abortion, gender, LGBTQ issues and COVID-19 mandates have fuelled opposition. He has aligned himself with the Make America Great Again movement and has been an outspoken supporter of U.S. president Donald Trump.
Media coverage has pointed to Feucht’s remarks as a source of controversy. The Guardian reported he has opposed homosexuality and criticized schools for teaching “transgenderism.” The Tyee noted he has previously shared an image depicting Pride as “demonic” and mocked transgender people and same-sex parents.
Halifax, Charlottetown, Quebec City, Vaughan, Winnipeg and West Kelowna all revoked permits for his shows in recent weeks, citing safety or community concerns. A Montreal church that hosted him without a permit was fined $2,500.
Saskatoon became one of the few cities to allow the event to proceed. Mayor Cynthia Block defended the decision, saying the city could not revoke a permit based on views alone and emphasizing that public safety would be closely monitored.
About 25 police officers were stationed around the site, with bag checks at the gate. Admission was free, and police reported no incidents as protesters and attendees remained peaceful.
Protesters
Dozens of protesters surrounded the site, holding signs and blasting music from speakers to compete with Feucht’s worship band. Many carried rainbow flags, with one woman holding hers inside the fenced venue in silent protest.
Protesters bang drums, blow horns, wave rainbow flags and hold signs outside Sean Feucht’s concert at Diefenbaker Park in Saskatoon.
Chants included: “Sean Feucht, we see you, get out of Saskatoon,” and “No love like Christian hate.” Others singled out city officials, shouting: “Cynthia Block, we see you, you are complicit too.”
One woman held a sign reading “Jesus is not in your MAGA cult.” She said she attends church herself but opposed what she sees as a distortion of faith. She asked not to be named, citing concerns her congregation might disapprove.
“He’s so intertwined with the MAGA movement in the United States,” she said. “That is not what Jesus taught when he was here on Earth.”
She and others pointed to Feucht’s past remarks about LGBTQ people as a central reason for the protest.
“This is not the Jesus that I know. Jesus loved everyone,” she said. “When it comes to the things he’s said that demean LGBTQ people, that’s where I draw the line.”
At the end of the concert, protesters shouted “shame,” “don’t teach hate,” and “Jesus loves everybody,” as attendees filed out. Most ignored the calls, though one woman responded, “He sure does. God bless you.”
Attendees
Supporters described the evening as an open-air worship service, not a political rally.
We’re here to praise God,” said attendee Stan Klassen. “If we can’t express our faith and what we believe in, then something’s wrong. But I tell you one thing: God loves them … and regardless of what they think or believe, I still love them.”
Beth Rempel said the concert brought a sense of unity. “It’s the bringing together of believers — people standing in the sunshine to praise God,” she said.
Among the crowd were families with children, worshippers singing with hands raised, and others swaying and dancing to the music. A young couple said they drove from Prince Albert to attend, wearing homemade shirts with Bible passages and red crosses painted on their faces.
From the stage
Between songs, Feucht told the crowd he believed opposition to his concerts was spiritual warfare.
“I’ve been all over the world and the most resistance I’ve ever felt to worship is in Canada,” he said. “Why is there so much resistance? Because the devil is so afraid that the church of Canada is gonna get her roar back.”
His lyrics carried the same themes, with refrains about revival, freedom and perseverance. In songs like Church on Fire and Louder, worshippers sang lines such as “Some call it revival, but it feels like waking up” and “Nothing’s gonna stop us singing your praise.”
He also declared: “The government doesn’t get to tell us when and how to worship God,” quoting Psalm 68 and recalling pandemic-era fines. He praised Saskatchewan for not cancelling his event, though he noted organizers faced extra costs and security requirements.
Beyond the music
The event included communion, baptisms in a blow-up pool beside the stage, and a call for attendees to share the night on social media. After the show, a man was submerged into the pool to be baptized as the crowd cheered.
Buckets were passed to collect donations, with Feucht also encouraging e-transfers to support the tour. At the end of the night he sold merchandise, DVDs, CDs and books — including Bold Teens: A Field Manual on How to Live a Courageous Life for God.
At one exit, an attendee handed out copies of Druthers, a free publication criticized for promoting conspiracy theories. Outside the fence, protesters ended the night dancing to Pink Pony Club blasted from a speaker as Feucht’s band wrapped up.
For some, the evening was a joyful night of music and faith. For others, it was a reflection of widening cultural and political divides reaching into Canada. Both sides claimed the moral high ground. In Saskatoon, the clash between worshippers and protesters was loud but peaceful — each side convinced of its own truth.
