IT WAS ALREADY IN MY HAND!!

We sat down and looked at the task in front of us. It seemed HUGE! So huge, in fact, that we didn’t want to crunch the numbers and see how much it was going to actually cost. But then God took me once again to that scripture that says… “Write the vision…” (Hab 2:2) and reminded me that in order for me to see it clearly, I needed to write it out. So I did. As I started writing out what needed to be done, God dropped another scripture in my heart. I was reminded of when God asked Moses, “What is that in your hand?” (Ex 4:2) Moses had a rod already in his hand. God chose to use Moses’ rod to work the miracles that brought about the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt. I didn’t even know what I already had in my hand.

I looked deeply and noticed that I had a practically completed project already – one that wouldn’t take away from Bigger Than I Imagined. You see, on the night of the live recording we included some concert remixes of songs that were recorded on Worship Of A Redeemed Man. I also had a couple of tracks that were recorded but we had decided not to include on Bigger Than I Imagined. On top of that, I had another song that I recorded in demo form that made a huge impact on everyone who heard it. When I rubbed my eyes and looked at it all again I realized that I had a full project that I could release right now. I had already mixed it. We had already done background vocal overdubs. It was already tight and only needed a few tweaks. While it hadn’t gone through all the commercial fixes (band overdubs, mixing by my guru – Rob Ulsh, etc.), it was definitely something I could release and be proud of. And it would have a very low overhead.

So, I pulled the team together and we considered where we are, where we needed to go, and what it was going to cost. I shared with them the vision that God had given me for our “Capital Campaign.” Everyone jumped on board and Worship Unplugged was born.

So, on October 3rd, we will officially release Worship Unplugged. The CD Release Listening Party will be held at 7:30PM at Gethsemane Community Fellowship Baptist Church. This project is all about worship. It is designed to take you right to the face of God. This is the kind of CD that you can play when you are in your personal prayer time. It is the kind of CD that can change your life. What amazes me is that I didn’t even know that I had it in my hand.

God is so AWESOME!!!

"I've Got To Break Away!"

I decided to change the topic of my sermon for tonight. Instead of "The Power Of A Break-away" I've decided to go with "I've Got To Break Away." The sermon is about the story in Luke 17 about the 10 men with leprosy who Jesus healed. The scripture tells us that only one of the ten took the time to return to Jesus and thank him for his healing.

Using an analogy that my pastor uses, I sought to find where to "slice" the text so that the sermon would have a smooth flow. Here are the points I found. This is just a rough overview. I can't give you all the goods on my blog. You'll have to meet me in Beaufort. :-0

1. The Request of the Lepers -
They all shouted out to Jesus, in what seems like unison voices, that they wanted Him to - get this - not heal them, but to have mercy on them. That's loaded.

2. The Response of Jesus -
Jesus told them to go show themselves to the priests. He never said that he would or wouldn't heal them. He just gave them an assignment.

3. The Reaction of the Ten -
Unlike Naaman in the book of 2nd Kings, these ten men with leprosy didn't hesitate to obey the word of the Lord. It was during their completion of the assignment that they discovered that healing had taken place. But now this crowd was moving toward the priest. They were excited. They had been together for quite some time. I'm sure it was difficult for any one of them to break the peer-pressure of the group and step to the beat of a different drum.

4. The Return of the One -
One of them realized that they were moving away from Jesus instead of toward him. This one leper decided that it was more important to him to worship God than to be reaclimated with society. You see, in order for them to be released back into society, a priest had to acknowledge that they were indeed "cleansed" or healed of their conditon.

Okay, I'm about to give you too much. I've got to finish packing. Pray for me that God will move mightily tonight in Beaufort, SC.

Lessons From The Show

Recently I had the opportunity to enjoy a concert here in Hampton Roads. The event featured three of Gospel Music’s finest performers. Now, since I am an upcoming artist, I’m always observing what others are doing… especially those who are on the national stage… to see what I should (and shouldn’t) be doing.

Here are a few things I learned from this recent concert:

• When people ask you to do a concert, don’t preach – SING! I did notice a couple of the artists eating away the clock by preaching – or rather talking about what we need to do. You know, everybody has a sermon about what church folks need to do. You don’t need a text or topic for that one. But it became obvious that these artists had more time than they needed. So, rather than singing their full time, they spent about 1/3 or more of their time “preaching.” It wouldn’t been different if the “sermonettes” had something to do with the songs they were singing… but… nah.

• Be prepared for the unexpected. Travel can be tricky. Delays happen. But if you know that you are arriving at the venue very late and you need to be on stage in a matter of a few short minutes, be prepared. You may need to start changing your clothes during the ride on the way to the venue. Sometimes what you wore while you were traveling won’t be the best thing to wear on stage. Don’t let your attire kill your whole show.

• Remain humble. Enjoy the ride while you’re on it – but don’t be fooled to think that the ride is real life. Fame and fortune are all temporary. You can be the cream of the crop today – filling arenas and coliseums all by yourself. But that is temporary. You can be back at calling around trying to get someone to let you sing at their church on tomorrow. Don’t let the fame go to your head. Today’s headliners can often be tomorrow’s opening acts.

• One song can change your life. You never know what song is going to move the nations. Who knew what “Our God Is An Awesome God” would do? Who knew what “Shout To The Lord” would do? Who knew what “How Great Is Our God” would do? Who knew what “Friend Of God” would do? And, who knew what “Never Would Have Made It” would do? One song can change your life.

It's A Long Walk From The Street - A journey with a guy named "Joe" - part 12

Battling epilepsy made his life difficult. He was prone to seizures. His grandparents, being in a financial position to make sure that he never had to work, became unwitting enablers. Joe never held a job for more than a couple of months. He also has osteoporosis. Because of a couple of common falls and tumbles, Joe had broken both hips. So, he never developed the sense of responsibility that befalls most adults.

Eventually, her physician informed Joe’s mother that she had to stop drinking or she would die. But she could not break the addiction – and the doctor’s prediction came to pass. Joe and his brother were left in their home without a mother and with a traveling father.

Soon, his father married a woman from an island off the coast of Africa and brought her home. This woman now had the task of entering the life of these two young men – Joe, the older of the two, was only 8 years younger then her. She was the “stepmother.” Shortly thereafter, Joe’s father died. After realizing the difficulty of having two grown alcoholic men in her new home, the widowed stepmother told the young men that they needed to start working and help or move out on their own. The younger brother did both.

Joe, however, moved in with a friend who didn’t require him to work and pay rent. Joe was getting government assistance because of his disability and used it to contribute to the household. After a few years, he could no longer live with this friend. He moved in with a young lady. In lieu of rent, Joe helped out with watching her kids. A few years later, she was evicted. Joe moved in with another guy. A few years later this guys lost his residence. This pattern went on for the rest of Joe’s life.

Finally, at 58 years old, Joe had no one else to live with. His alcohol addiction destroyed the relationships he had with his family. His brother had become a weekend drinker – staying sober during the workweek so that he could support his own wife and kids. Joe’s brother’s children didn’t really know Joe because he didn’t spend sober time around them. Joe didn’t establish a relationship with his daughter. She knew him but didn’t have the kind of relationship where she could bring him into her home with her husband and kids. Joe’s stepmother had tried again to let Joe live with her but it didn’t last. You see, she worked the overnight shift and had come home a few mornings to find her door wide open with Joe gone from the house – and later returning in a drunken stupor. Other mornings she had come home to find Joe and some of drinking buddies from the street corner in the house. Eventually, she put Joe out.

Challenged!

That’s the only way I know how to describe how I feel right now in one word. I am challenged.

Tonight, a friend called me and told me about a service taking place tonight where a group was going to be ministering that he thought I’d want to hear. I was lying on the couch watching a movie, recuperating from a very long and busy weekend. I told him that it sounded interesting but gave him very little reason to believe that I wanted to leave my house.

Shortly thereafter, I got a text from him stating that the group was made up of about 25 young people all delivered from addictions, crime, homosexuality, etc., and their praise was on fire. I replied and asked if they were on stage already? He replied that they weren’t up yet but they were worshipping from their seats and on their knees, praising hard and being radical. That stirred me a little.

Shortly thereafter, he sent me another message to say that the group was just getting up. Okay, I was sold now. Since the venue was less than 10 minutes from my house, there was little reason for me to miss it. Besides, I was feeling that tug in my spirit that says that the Lord wanted me to see something.

What I experienced tonight was revolutionary. I saw these kids, from teenagers to early 20s, who were walking in the kind of deliverance that I grew up around. These young people sang under an intense anointing! Their music was amazing. The band was off the chain. The vocals were tight. But, the WORSHIP!!! The worship was so infectious. The songs were incredibly powerful. They spoke of the delivering power of God and the freedom that He brings.

The group was led by Eddie James. I felt pretty stupid that I hadn’t heard of him before tonight. This worship experience included a 9-piece band, more than 7 vocalists, dancers – male dancers who didn’t dance in any way that looked gay. These people brought it! The night went from amazing song to amazing song. We danced, we bowed, we wept, we shouted, we lifted our hands, we leaped, we danced some more.

Then there was a moment when Eddie let about nine of the young people who were with him share their testimonies. Each of them briefly told us what God had delivered them from. As I stood there listening, I thought about how powerful these testimonies were for the people in the audience. It made the people on the stage much more tangible. It made them human. It gave their radical worship even more credibility. But I also thought about how important it was for the young people on the stage. When you share your testimony publicly, you make a declaration that you have no intention of returning to the old lifestyle. It reaffirms your commitment to the freedom you’ve now found in Christ. Furthermore, it puts you on blast. It makes you feel obligated all over again to live the life that you are now declaring. And, finally, it backs the devil up in a corner. It reminds him and you of the fact that you have been set free by the power of Christ. Yes… the bible declares that the devil is overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.

So, the testimony time was followed by the most incredible altar call I’ve ever seen at a concert. Many people came to the altar for salvation. The singers and some of the band members came down and worked at the altar, praying with those who came up for salvation as well as those who came up for deliverance. This took me back to my days in revivals with my mother in South Carolina. This was an altar call with fervency and power. People did more than recite the sinner’s prayer. They prayed with these people until yokes were destroyed, deliverance came and people were set free.

To top it all off, the most amazing thing happened. The pastor of the church had some of their ministers and altar workers go up and prepare the baptism pool. And many people who gave their lives to Jesus went up to be immediately baptized. I am still amazed.

But the reason I was challenged is because I saw someone effectively using the tool of music to bring people beyond the veil, and not letting them leave with just a feeling or a touch. He was pulling people to the cross and compelling them to let the Savior change them. And people responded. Eddie was provoking change and deliverance. He wasn’t just being an artist. He was totally focused on worshipping until the power came and then using the power to bring change to the lives of people who needed a change.

As an artist, I can easily be drawn into the music and the art and overlook the need to be focused on the deliverance that needs to take place. My pastor preached a message a week ago that described how so many people today are demon possessed, displaying the same characteristics that demon possessed people in the bible displayed. But we can be so shallow in our spirituality that we overlook their condition and never use the power of Christ to cast those spirits out.

What am I doing? This is my challenge. Am I just making music so that people will join me in worshipping Jesus? Is that all that God wants from me? Doesn’t he want to use me to bring deliverance to his people? Jesus didn’t just provoke worship. He provoked change. Should I aspire to be like the wonderful worship leaders I see or should I aspire to be like Christ? Should we stop at the worship and the presence or should we press in until we see change?

I am challenged to stop stopping when we enter the presence. I am challenged to now press in until I hear the popping and clinking of yokes being destroyed and falling off. I am challenged to compel people to not just gaze at the cross but to grab hold of it until there is a difference. I am challenged to stop being shallow in my thinking, stop being shallow in my prayer, stop being shallow in my pursuit of God. I am challenged to reach for something fresh, something new, something different. There are enough worship leaders… I need to be exactly the thing God created me to be.

And I will know for sure that I have arrived when I get there.

It's A Long Walk From The Street - A journey with a guy named "Joe" - part 9

Our next move was getting Joe qualified for food stamps. We were told to go to the office at the Park Place Community Center. When we arrived there, we found out that they actually only give out the applications but you have to turn in the application at the Little Creek office of the Department of Human Services – which is clear on the other side of town. As we walked back to my car, we asked each other how in the world a homeless person with no car and no help would ever be able to navigate this system and go to all of these offices. It would be so easy to just give up.

We arrived at the Little Creek office. This was a huge facility where hundreds of people were seeking assistance. After asking enough questions we found out that we would not be helped that day. But our best chance was to come back on the following morning before the doors open and be one of the first people in line. That way, we would be seen that same day. Well, at least we had a game plan and knew what to expect.

So, we left there and headed to the Salvation Army shelter. With Joe’s new City ID card, he was received as a guest for the night. However, his stay at the Salvation Army would only last through Thanksgiving night. That Friday morning, he would need a new place to stay.

Joe packed what he needed for that night into his new backpack and left the rest of his belongings in my car since he didn’t need to carry the extra weight around. It was so satisfying to know that this night, Joe would not be sleeping in the bushes. As I was about to get in my car and Joe was headed into the line for the shelter, he stopped in his tracks and turned around. He put the bags down and said, “Come here.” As I walked toward him, Joe opened his arms and gave me this huge hug. I fought back the tears once again as he said, “Thank you. God bless you. I don’t know where I’d be if it wasn’t for you.” I thought to myself, “no more bushes for you, man.”

Later, I picked up my wife from work and we talked about the events of the day. She shared with me how at that Thanksgiving service at our church, Joe told her that he didn’t think he would be alive much longer. His view on his life was very pessimistic. I was so moved to know that God was using me to help this man and to change the conditions of his life. But, I was also very concerned about the rest of the week.

You see I didn’t have the opportunity to get him into the Union Mission, which offered a 30-day shelter. Also, I knew that what Joe needed was a 6-month rehabilitation facility where he could be in a different environment. The Salvation Army offered that service but the Union Mission didn’t. So, it would work toward the long-term goal to get Joe into the Salvation Army records. But the thing that made me most concerned was the fact that Sharon and I had a family trip for the Thanksgiving weekend and would be leaving town on Wednesday evening. So, Joe’s family was going to have to intervene and get him into the shelter at the Union Mission or take him into their homes. But if they hadn’t intervened to this point and had allowed him to be on the street, why would they do it now? This had me very nervous. It raised the very real possibility that Joe could end up back under those bushes on Friday night after Thanksgiving.

It's A Long Walk From The Street - A journey with a guy named "Joe" - Part 7:

Tuesday:

With renewed vigor and determination, I met Joe at the church that next morning. I had been praying for wisdom and direction. The challenges became clearer to me. But my goal was ever before me. By the time I was done, Joe wasn’t going to be living in the bushes. He’d be staying at some shelter somewhere, some housing facility, some safe place… but not the bushes.

Our first stop for the day was Hardee’s. Like the previous day, I wanted to feed Joe. I wanted to restore within him the value of starting the day with a hot breakfast. He liked the sausage biscuit with egg & cheese. He liked it with coffee – I like it with orange juice. It was a good time to talk about our lives and for me to get more acquainted with Joe. The day before, after leaving the Department of Human Services where we met with Bill, Joe and I went to Alice Mae’s Restaurant for a late lunch. While we ate (Joe couldn’t believe how much I was eating. I actually surprised myself too. I was hungry!) Joe told me about his childhood. He explained the effect epilepsy and osteoporosis had on his life. He called and spoke with his daughter and his brother. So, sitting at a meal was our time of bonding. This Tuesday morning would be no different.

After breakfast, we went to the City Hall building and waited for our escort to take us up to The Office to End Homelessness. The receptionist received us and began to gather Joe’s information. During our interaction I sensed that she was a person of faith and later discovered that she was a minister of the Gospel. Once she gathered all the information that she needed, she escorted Joe and me back to the first floor to an office where Joe was able to get a City of Norfolk ID Card.

As Joe took his ID photo, I saw the weight of hopelessness lifting from his shoulders. When the City agent handed Joe his card, it was like a wonderful Christmas gift. I saw a smile on his face that I hadn’t seen before. I was fighting back the tears. You see, without certified ID, you can’t really prove who you are. You don’t exist in the system. It’s easy to become homeless without ID. But with an ID card, Joe could get off the street. He could get in a shelter. As a matter of fact, we didn’t need an escort to go back upstairs in the City Hall building. As we walked out of the City ID office headed back up to the Office To End Homelessness, Joe kept saying “Thank You. You really came through.” I just assured him that I was doing what Jesus would want me to do.

It's A Long Walk From The Street
A journey with a guy named "Joe" - part 6

We went back to Bill’s office. We had about an hour before he would be able to see us. So we sat and waited… and waited… and waited. We read books, watched TV, talked… and waited. We talked about Joe’s family, my family, Joe’s childhood, my hometown, the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday… any and everything we could think of so that Joe wouldn’t get frustrated and say, “I give up.”

During that conversation, I discovered that Joe has a stepmother that lives right across the street from the bushes where he was sleeping. He also has a brother that lives about 15 minutes away. Joe even has a daughter who is married and lives in the neighboring city. Joe became a father at age 14. He never was able to maintain employment because he was epileptic and subject to seizures. He has a bone condition – Osteoporosis – which has led to two broken hips and a knee fracture. As a result, Joe has rods in both hips and a pin in his knee. Joe walks with a limp and doesn’t have good balance. Seeing him walk, one would easily assume that he is intoxicated.

Finally, we were called in to Bill’s office. Now, I was expecting that great and mighty things would happen. I thought that this was the place that held the keys to everything Joe needed. Bill would help Joe get into a shelter, get clothing, get food, get food stamps, get medical assistance. I was dreaming.

Bill was a kind gentleman. He gathered Joe’s information. As Bill went through his computer archives he found that Joe was already in the system. They had qualified him for food stamps before. They even had a copy of his old ID card, food stamps card and birth certificate on record. Oh, I was about to jump out of my seat and do a dance! Bill ordered a new copy of Joe’s birth certificate to be sent to Joe’s stepmother’s home. Then he told us about the City ID card – which he said would be a lot better than the temporary ID card that we were told about earlier from Julie. Bill made some calls and put a package together so that we could go the next morning and get the ID card made.

Then came the surprise. This was all that Bill was going to be able to do from his office. We would have to the several other offices to get the other things that were needed. While Bill had gotten the ball rolling, would have to run behind it to make the journey successful.

As we left his office, I started thinking about something. How could a person who doesn’t have a car do all the things that it takes to no longer be homeless?

When Joe came and met me that morning, he had his “Cadillac” with him – his shopping cart that he pushes around all the time, collecting bottles and cans – especially any bottle that had any left over alcohol in it. He also used it to collect any discarded food items so that he could eat it when he got hungry. We parked the cart behind the church when we left that Monday morning. It broke my heart that I had to bring him back to that cart on Monday evening and watch him stroll back down the street to the bushes and sleep one more night under that tent.

It's A Long Walk From The Street - A journey with a guy named Joe - Part 5

When we left the Second chances office we went directly to the Department of Human Services office. Now, Julie had spoken with that office already and told us that “Bill” was the one to see but he wasn’t available and she hadn’t been able to get him on the phone. But “Sally” would help us when we got there and she’d get us in to see Bill. Well, when we got to that office, we discovered that Sally was actually at another office, but Bill was there. However, Bill was headed to lunch and wouldn’t be able to see us until mid afternoon. It was a “hurry up and wait” kind of situation.

So Joe and I went to investigate the Salvation Army to see if Joe could spend the night there. I really didn’t want Joe to have to spend another single night in the bushes. When we got there, we were informed that Joe would have to have ID of some sort – either DMV or City ID. We also found out that Joe’s stay would only be for 3 nights. After which, he would have to relocate to another facility. They no longer offered long-term or 30-day stays. However, they did provide meals. So, a person that was staying at their shelter could receive breakfast and dinner at the facility if they came at the right times. We also found out that one of the pre-requisites for staying at their shelter was that you had to be “clean and sober.” If you came and they found that you had been drinking, you would be expelled. And they do test you to see if you had been drinking.

Now, this was a potential problem for Joe. You see, most homeless people use alcohol – not merely for recreation, but for survival. Alcohol takes the edge off their situation; it dulls the reality that they don’t have a place to sleep other than under a bridge, in an alley or in some bushes. It also dulls the senses so that they don’t feel the cold weather as acutely as they would if they were sober. Alcohol also helps them not think about the painful issues that influenced their lives and led them to the stage of homelessness. So, you see, alcohol is like a friend to the homeless. And I could tell by Joe’s distinct aroma that he indulged in alcohol.

When Joe and I got back in the car, we started talking about the importance of him abstaining from alcohol while he was staying at the Salvation Army – if we were able to get him in there. He assured me that he would be able to do it. I didn’t know if I could rest in that assurance or not – but I didn’t have a choice.

It's A Long Walk From The Street
A journey with a guy named "Joe" - Part 4

We made a date for that Monday. I would meet him at the church and take him to wherever we needed to go to get him on his feet. Chris expresses his pessimism about my offer. “Don’t be like everybody else,” he said, telling me about the several times people offered to help him and didn’t show up. I assured him that I would be there when I promised.

Monday:
I arrived at the church early because I really didn’t know what to do. I knew that my pastor’s wife – Sister Houston (yeah… I’m Pentecostal. You know we call everyone without an official ecclesiastical title “brother” or “sister”) had recently worked with a gentleman that needed assistance and may have some advice. She recommended a city agency called Second Chances. This organization is designed to give a new opportunity to people that have been incarcerated or have somehow fallen through the cracks of society. Homeless persons like Joe qualified for their assistance. We started there.

When we arrived at the City Hall Building where their office is located, we were told by the security officers that Joe and I would have to wait downstairs until someone from Second Chances’ office came down and escorted us upstairs. You see… you cannot even go upstairs to a city office without an ID card – and Joe didn’t have ID.

A nice gentleman came and escorted us to their office. When we entered, I ran into “Julie.” She and I served together in music ministry some years ago and had a good friendship. She is a great Christian who loved helping people. I didn’t realize that she worked for this city agency. And, sure enough, she was the person that took Joe’s case.

We sat in her small office and Joe began answering the interview questions. I started noticing something that I hadn’t paid attention to before. Joe was pretty sharp. I mean… when I thought of homeless people I often thought of someone of lesser intelligence; someone who wouldn’t be able to do quick math in their head; someone who wouldn’t remember a lot of details. But Joe! This dude was on in! At first Julie was asking the questions and kinda’ leaning to me for the answers. Soon we both realized that Joe had it. He remembered dates of incidences that I would’ve probably forgotten. He was doing quick math and calculating time. I started seeing a glimpse of who this man must have been before his life took the turns that it took.

Julie made some calls and connected with some other agencies. Soon, she gave us some instruction. She told us places to go and people to ask for who would give us the things we needed. Joe needed food, clothes and shelter. He also needed some way of sustaining his life. But, most importantly, he needed some ID. Julie put us on the track. It was late morning by the time we left but we felt like it was time well spent.

It's A Long Walk From The Street
A journey with a guy named "Joe" - part 3

Our church does wonderful things in the community. For Thanksgiving, like many other churches, we provide food for persons in need. Joe came to the church on the Saturday before Thanksgiving to receive the gifts we were giving and to share in the Thanksgiving service that we held. It was a GREAT service. Afterward, I got a chance to sit and talk with Joe. He shared with me that he was going to give the food he was receiving to a couple of households that help him out so that they could cook the food and give him some of it. He knew that he didn’t have any way of preparing the food himself so he needed to share it if he was going to eat any of it.

Finally, I felt comfortable enough to ask him the one question that had been bouncing around in my head. “Why aren’t you staying in a shelter?” Joe began to explain to me that all of his ID had been lost or stolen and you can’t stay in a shelter without ID. He said he tried to get his ID but found out he needed his birth certificate – and he lost that as well. So he just gave up.

This was the moment for me. This was when it became clear that I was changing. I didn’t feel a hope or wish that someone would help Joe. I felt like this man was now my responsibility. Having worked in a homeless shelter and recovery center before, I had an idea of what I was getting into. I knew that there would be a chance that I could get this guy all the help he needed and get him into a nice residence – and he would end up back on the streets. But, I also knew that this was what I had prayed for. I wanted to be the hands and feet of Jesus and reach out to someone in need. Joe was my man at that pool of Bethesda and I needed to be Jesus, motivating him to rise up and walk.

It's A Long Walk From The Street
A journey with a guy named "Joe"

This is a long story that is still in the making. So, I’m going to have to tell it to you in pieces.

Part 1

It all started one night as we were leaving church. My wonderful wife has a tremendous heart, which I covet. She is a giver to the core. She’s the kind of person who literally gives the clothes off her back, takes jewelry off her neck and wrists and food from our refrigerator. Every time I’ve wanted to get upset at how much she gives I have to consider how little I give and it makes me repentant. Having had her brother live homeless for a while caused her to become particularly sensitive to homelessness.

We were pulling into the church one evening, headed to the back parking lot and my wife noticed a person lying in a makeshift bed on the ground in the bushes near the church. Brought nearly to tears, she couldn’t dismiss the image from her mind. All that evening, she kept mentioning the person in the bushes. After service, we got in our car and she said to me, “Let’s drive around again and see if the person in the bushes is still there. If he or she is, I want to take them something to eat.” At that time, we were distributing some food from the church’s pantry to persons who were in need of immediate assistance. We circled the block and found the person still there. We didn’t stop because we didn’t want to make the person suspicious or self-conscious. Immediately returning to the church, my wife gathered a bag full of food from the pantry that could sustain this person for a few days. We got back in the car and headed back to the bushes.

Not knowing how this person would respond, I told my wife, “You stay in the car and I’ll go out.” I stepped out of the car, walked toward to makeshift bed and called out, “Excuse me. Excuse me.”

The Starving Church Musician

It’s challenging for professional musicians. Very few of us are able to make a decent living in Gospel music. Very few churches are willing to pay the kind of salary that allows you to be focused on that one ministry. As a result, you have to take on multiple responsibilities – often you end up playing for more than one church as well as in the band for a few groups, choirs or artists. This way, you can make the ends meet.

It is always interesting how many people say, “you should just give your gift to God as an offering – and not do it for the money.” My response is this… the next time your automobile needs repair, take it to a Christian auto mechanic that attends your church and ask him/her to repair your car with his/her tools and not do it for the money… just use their gift to bless you. What do you think they’d say?

Does everyone that picks up an instrument to play at church need to be paid? I don’t believe that they do. But the people that do more than come to a rehearsal and play in one or two services on the weekend… the people that put lots of time and effort in planning the music for the services… the people that develop the music ministry… the people that train and mentor the younger musicians in the church and cultivate their gifts and talents… the musicians that invest 2-3 hours per week in preparation, 6-10 hours per week in rehearsals, and 5-8 hours per week playing in church services… those kind of musicians should be compensated. That’s what I believe. Those are more hours than most of the other volunteers who serve in ministry at the church. These persons who take their gifts and use them to bless the people that congregate at a church for worship shouldn’t be ignored.

Besides… doesn’t scripture teach that you shouldn’t muzzle the ox that treads the corn? Trust me when I say… the music ministry does a lot of treading – every Sunday.

Enough for now… more to come next week.

Then, the BIG question…

I remember my visions of grandeur. We were working on Worship Of A Redeemed Man, my first album. I thought that some major record label would hear my project and just leap for joy, then come running to me with a contract. I could just see myself traveling all around the globe, singing on the big stage with the big names, leading countless thousands in worship through song. I could see it so clearly. Boy, was I wrong.

I remember my days of realization. After researching the trends in the recording industry… seeing that as many or more artists were being dropped from major labels than artists were being signed… seeing that many Gospel music labels were folding or being sold off as commodity… seeing how much more stability independent artists had… and after attending GMA Academy in Brentwood, Tennessee… I decided that it was better for me to remain independent and just rough it on my own.

I remember my days of frustration as I determined that I really couldn’t do all of this by myself. I sent out a mass text message to people I knew, asking if anyone had recommendations for a booking agent. I needed some help getting engagements. As an artist, you have to keep working if you are going to make any kind of a living. Independent artists don’t try to get rich – well the smart ones don’t – because we know that it’s an illusion. Most signed artists on major labels aren’t rich. The videos and wardrobe create the illusion. But the reality is that these artists are struggling – just like the indie artists. No… independent artists just try to keep the lights on and the bills paid. And the bills get paid a lot faster when you are working. So I started looking for a booking agent.

Then one day I get a contact from an independent record label. They are interested in releasing my second project. I’ve spoken with the owner. He seems to be a wonderful Christian family man. So, we talked about a way to make this thing work. It sounds really good. I’d been praying about how I would be able to afford the post-production work on this new project. Perhaps this is God’s plan – a partnership with an independent label that will allow me to maintain ownership of my project and control of my career… a partnership with someone that will handle much of the business that I’m trying to maintain so that I can spend more time being creative and writing the music that God is placing on my heart… a partnership with a company that will be able to help me reach the kind of audience that I believe I’m destined to reach.

But these moments are so tricky and prompt lots of questions: Is this God’s plan? Is this a test? Is it a distraction? Is it a diversion? Is it God’s answer to my prayer? Is this my destiny? Then, the BIG question… Should I SIGN?

So many questions!

I’ve been praying about it. I believe that partnering with this label is the will of the Lord. I feel peace about connecting with this company. We’ve started talking figures and logistics. I’ll be meeting with the owner in person next month. My prayer is that God will confirm His will to me by then so that when we meet I will know whether or not to proceed.

Please pray with me.