Design and art has been the creative central piece of OUTCRY. Each year we explore the art and visuals before anything else. As a graphic designer, it’s always been a labor of love each year we roll out our next tour. Pouring over inspiration. Going back to why we do OUTCRY to keep the art in line with our vision.

And it never gets easier. Every year I pour over art for a couple months and try to take risk. And every year I get butterflies in my stomach when we roll it out! But as an artist, if you aren’t nervous about unveiling your creation, you aren’t taking enough risk.

Forgive me for a moment as I geek out on design! This year, we unveiled 3D images of Mars as central to our design. They were compelling the minute I looked at them. The idea that there is something that looks like a tiny point of light to our naked eye could be so vast and beautiful. That there would be a hidden beauty in creation that has been there for so long, but only viewed recently. The idea that there are vast mountains, fields of giant sand dunes, expansive landscapes covered in craters and valleys. It immediately lifted my eyes to something far beyond me.

Not only are the images beautiful and idea of them transcendent, there is more to be seen. Put 3D glasses on and you see the image pop. Adding depth and texture.

This is the church to me.

From a human vantage point the church seems inconsequential. We get clouded by politics and media. Social media and pop culture. Then we go to our local church that seems so familiar. So unremarkable. Filled with imperfect people.

But from a higher vantage point we can see the vast impact of the church. We can see that our movement changed history. It effected everything.

But we can see the church through an even higher vantage point. God’s vantage point. And like putting on 3D glasses, we can see new textures and depth in the familiar and seemingly unremarkable. God calls us his body and bride. He pursues his bride unrelentingly and speaks love over her. He says we have a beautiful future when—as J.R.R. Tolkien says—everything sad will become untrue.

This is our heritage. Your church. My church. With a new vantage point, the unremarkable becomes miraculous.

Ryan Romeo

Ryan Romeo lives in Phoenix, AZ with his wife, Blake, and their three children. He is a founding member and Creative Director for OUTCRY.

More information at ryanromeo.com