This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
*The Cry Out Conference, taking place May 1-3 in Houston, is more than an event—it’s a transformative experience designed to empower, heal, and inspire. With a star-studded lineup including Deion Sanders, DC Young Fly, and Stephan Speaks, and performances from Le’Andria Johnson, Madison Ryan Ward, and Kirk Franklin, this year’s conference promises to be unforgettable.
I had the opportunity to speak with Pastor Keion Henderson and Lady Shaunie Henderson about the vision behind Cry Out, its impact, and why this gathering is so crucial in today’s world.
A Vision Born from Pain
When asked about the origins of Cry Out, Pastor Keion reflected on a deeply personal moment.
Scroll to continue reading
“I had recently come through a divorce. I was in Chicago at a conference, and a minister on stage said that the children of Israel weren’t able to leave the wilderness until they cried out. At that moment, I felt like I was in my own wilderness. When he said ‘cry out,’ tears just flew out of my eyes, and I knew—this was it,” he shared. “I made a pact with myself that if I got through it, I would help others come through as well. Cry Out grew from that pain, but today, it’s our investment into the nation, giving people a safe, vulnerable place to come as they are—but not leave like they came.”
What Attendees Can Expect
With a powerful mix of faith, culture, and personal development, Cry Out offers much more than sermons and worship. Lady Shaunie explained why this year’s conference is particularly special.
“Every year I come out like just empowered, feeling like a new me,” she shared. “It is so much that goes on during that conference, from support to vision. So I’m looking forward to this lineup just because we are dealing with a lot of trauma. We have financial sessions. We have a little bit of everything, which we do try to do every year, but we were super intentional with the “All-In” theme. And that’s truly what we’re going to do, be All-In.”
Pastor Keion echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the blend of faith and fun.
“This is a conference where people can come and bleed and cry on other attendees who are gonna be there. We’ve got clinicians, we’ve got preachers, we’ve got worship leaders, we’ve got Eric, the Hip-Hop Preacher. What we try to do is blend faith and culture in such a seamless way that one moment you’ll be cracking up at a comedian and the next moment you’ll be laying on the altar and you won’t even know the difference between the two because it is our goal to let people know you can have faith and fun at the same event. People can expect vulnerability. They can expect victory. They can also expect to be challenged.”
Faith in a Shifting Culture
With the country facing increasing secularization and declining church attendance, I asked the Hendersons why Cry Out is so timely.
“This conference is important because while everything around it is unstable, it’s gonna be solid,” Pastor Keion noted. “It’s gonna be a place that if you’re black or white, if you’re Republican or Democratic, if you’re conservative or if you’re liberal, whatever you are, all of that stuff goes away at the foot of the cross. The Bible says there’s no more Jew nor Gentile. There’s no more bond or slave. There’s no more, you know, male or female. All of that stuff disappears in the presence of God. That’s why we created it. So you don’t have to bring your ego. You don’t have to bring your success. You can come as you are. I’ll say it until I’m blue in the face, but you don’t leave like you came.”
A Call to Action
During the conversation, Pastor Keion shared a striking anecdote.
“I made sure to tell Dion last year when he came to cry out, his team wasn’t doing that well. And then he came and spoke for us and his team went from four and 12 to 12 and four. And now he’s the third-highest-paid football coach in all the NCAA.”
The Cry Out Conference is set to be a life-changing experience for many. As Pastor Keion put it, “Only what you do for Christ will last.”
And for those in attendance, those words may very well take on a whole new meaning.
Watch my full conversation with Pastor Keion Henderson and Lady Shaunie Henderson via the clip below. For more information about the Cry Out Conference, visit the website.
READ MORE FROM EURWEB.COM: ‘Basketball Wives’ Returns with a Star-Studded Season 12 on May 5 | VIDEO
Sign up for our Free daily newsletter HERE.
