Travel Day #2

I woke up on the plane and saw the beginning of a gorgeous sunrise. The edges of the horizon were painted with blue, purple, red, orange and yellow… such a beautiful spectrum. A few minutes later I could see the outline of something amazing. It didn’t take long for the outline to become a full portrait of mountainous grandeur. I think we were flying over the French Alps. As the plane turned slightly north, we exited that mountain range but you could see another range of mountains north of us. We were entering Northern Italy and I was now looking at the Swiss Alps. What a beautifully creative artist our God is!

We landed in Milan. Once we got in the terminal, “Chicken on Bikes” realized that she’d left her phone on the plane. Wow! That’s a real dilemma for her. This girl is a text-messaging addict. So, she and “The Well” waited where we were while “Red Bird” and “Running Feather” went ahead with “The Diva” – since “Diva” had to make a mad dash. I went to the info desk to ask if they could have someone look for “Chicken on Bikes’” phone. And, what do you know… they found it. Can somebody say GRACE!!

We all met back up at baggage claim. Once we retrieved all of our luggage, we went out to the greeting area where we were met by our super cool driver – I’ll call him “John.” When we got to the parking lot we had to stop and sigh at the lovely backdrop of the Swiss Alps. We boarded our tour van and started heading south to Rome.

“John” stopped at a small “fast food” place where we got some of Italy’s delicious pastries. A few people tried the coffee – unsuccessfully. They weren’t ready. We got back on the van and started again on our road trip – listening to a variety of music on the radio. Although we had no idea what they were saying, the music was beautiful. Music is such a universal thing.

As we rode through the country of Italy, we eventually found ourselves riding through snow. Soon after that, we were in mountains again. “John” informed us that there is also a mountain range that runs vertically through the country – and this was the range we were traveling through. What a gorgeous sight!

We made a pit stop at a service center. When I got out of the van I heard what sounded like a group of children all crying at the same time. Upon closer examination, I realized that I was hearing a trailer full of sheep – all bleating at the same time. As many times as I’d heard that sound on TV – it really doesn’t compare to the real thing. I wanted to hook up a microphone and record the sound so I could sample it in a song. Perhaps something about God’s sheep knowing his voice; or about the Lord being our shepherd.

As night began to fall, we still hadn’t arrived at our destination. Eventually we discovered that “John” had never been to Rome so he didn’t really know where he was going. We were the new characters on that hit ABC show – “LOST!” But we all decided that it was perfectly fine – since we were all in a country we hadn’t visited before… and since “John” was paying for dinner.

We finally arrived at the hotel. John gave me the money for our meal and we went to our rooms to shower and change. We went to dinner at a quaint little restaurant and got to taste what real Italian pasta is like. WOW!! It was fantastic! The food and service were excellent. Now, it’s time to sleep. We’ve been traveling for 36 hours. It’s time to sleep and get ready to take another flight in the morning.

I’ll tell you about that one tomorrow night.

Buona Notte!

Travel day!!

My wife and I were the last ones to arrive at the airport. The rest of the gang was there. There was “Redbird” with her “friend.” How cute! There was “Running Feather” with her mom and her boyfriend, “the Rev.” There was also “Chicken on Bikes” with her fresh new haircut. Nice! “The Diva” came walking up with her brother and nephew. She had baggage issues to resolve. BTW… Her brother (my bass player) and his wife just had a new baby. Congrats!! Then, of course, there was “The Well.” I’ll call him that because he’s so deep. Seriously, he really is a deep brother. But you wouldn’t believe it unless you get to know him. Besides, his musical skills run very, very deep. I am still amazed that this fantastic drummer and percussionist is traveling with me as a vocalist. WOW!!

As we were getting ready to head to the concourse, I predicted that 4 people would shed tears before we got to the plane. I was really close. By the time we were parting company, “Running Feather,” her mom and my wife were all dropping tears.

We landed in Philly for a six-hour layover. A wonderful friend who has connections with the airline we were traveling met us with a long-distance flight package. Nice stuff!! Thank God for wonderful Christians all over the world. We went to TGI Friday’s for lunch. Then headed to the gate for a four-hour wait for our departure. Good time to take a nap!

The music industry can be so enticing and deceptive. As an artist it is easy to become consumed with ensuring that the performance is right… making sure that your next outing is better than the last… improving your skill. But, without realizing it, this can crowd out what the focus really should be.

First, I need to be focused on my relationship with God. I have to maintain a clear and growing relationship with God. When I step on stage, what the audience should actually see is the result of my relationship with God. If the image I present on stage is the image of a very spiritual, Godly person but my life doesn’t truly match it, then I am a hypocrite. Of all the things that God dislikes, scripture implies that hypocrisy is at the top of that list. Hypocrites actually end up in Hell – and I do mean the literal “Hell.” So, my relationship with God has to be in tact so that what comes across on stage is the natural offshoot of that relationship.

Secondly, I need to be focused on shining a light, spreading some salt, sharing a testimony and modeling a love that will draw people into the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. It is important that I remember that I am a worship leader first and foremost. While I have the privilege of being an artist, my greatest artistic ability is leading people into the presence of the Lord through the tool of music.

Now, “Running Feather” is knocked out in her seat with her pink blanket. “Red Bird” and “The Well” are stretched out on the floor – dead to the world. “Chicken On Bikes” and “The Diva” are in one of the restaurants chatting and laughing. They can’t sleep for some reason. That’s not my testimony.

While we are waiting for the plane… I think I’ll spend some time reading my bible – getting a fresh word from the Lord… then, I’ll take a nice long nap!

Next post will be from Europe.

Finally… A tentative date for INSP!

There are several wonderful things you can do with MySpace – such as contact hard-to-reach people. Well, I guess that really doesn’t fit this situation. I just lost the email address for the contact person at INSP.

Okay, let me slow down and make some sense…

Back in July 2007, I was a contestant on C.A.T.S. (Christian Artist Talent Search). The show is aired on INSP – The Inspiration Network. While the show was taped in July, the airdate was tentatively end-of-the-year or a little later. The contestants are to receive a letter announcing the airdate as well as a DVD of the show on which we appeared. I’ve been waiting expectantly on a letter from INSP. Being the pro-active/hyper-active person that I am, I took matters into my own hands (don’t we do that too often?). I used my MySpace contacts to get updated information from the associate producer of the show. You see, MySpace CAN be used for great, positive things.

Tentatively, the 2007/2008 season of the show will be aired in February 2008. I recommend that you check out each episode of the show. You will be introduced to some wonderful artists from all across this country. I had the privilege of meeting many of these artists and, let me tell you, I was so blessed and inspired by them. You will see some of America’s greatest worship leaders and most amazing bands. Oh yeah… you’ll get to see me, too. I get to share a few songs from Worship Of A Redeemed Man on international television. Wow! What an opportunity.

God is Great!!

The first set of tour stops are in!!

The booking agent for my tour informed me today that our tickets are purchased. I am so excited!! I put the confirmed stops on my calendar today. You can check it out. I thought we were going to be in Sicily. I had the wrong island, y’all!! It’s Sardinia. Anyway, we do get to go to Switzerland – up in the mountains. Someone told me that I should pick up a Swiss watch while I’m there. Cute!

Today was my last day holding piano lessons. I had been providing piano lessons since I left my corporate job in 2004. It’s been wonderful watching these students grow and learn. They all pushed me to grow and get better as well. I’ve learned to sight-read – something I’ve always struggled with. I’m still not fluid like I want to be but I am sooo much better than I was.

Since I’m going to be out of the country for the last part of December, I’m working feverishly on getting all of the end-of-the-year stuff done at church. We have a Christmas production to do – but I won’t be here to direct it. So, I’ve got to make sure everything is set before I leave. But I have to say… I have some of the best ministry leaders in the world at Gethsemane. These young people are on top of things. I am so blessed to know that things will flow smoothly while I’m gone. And the praise team is tearing it up!

Lately, the songwriter in me has come alive. I get to spend some concentrated time tomorrow finishing some songs I’m working on. I can’t wait to record them and share them with you. I may do a limited release of the songs in demo version so you can hear them and tell me what you think. Let me know if you’d be interested in a sneak peak.

Arrivederci!

Michael

I’m headed back to the studio! Today I’m mixing a few tracks that I produced for a new artist names Irreka. Her project will be coming out early 2008. Working with her has been a wonderful learning experience for me. When I produced my first solo project, Worship Of A Redeemed Man, it was my first time producing a full project. Using God’s wisdom, I surrounded myself with people that understood the process and who would keep me on course. With their counsel, things came out pretty well.

Advice for independent artists… We are not all gifted to produce music. Many of us can create the music, but our music would be better prepared if we had someone else produce us who has the experience and the gift for production. Don’t let your music suffer because of your inexperience or your pride. Even if you feel you do have the gift to produce yourself, surround yourself with people that have even more experience and expertise that yourself; people that won’t mind telling you the truth about your production; people that won’t feel obligated to appease your ego. Those are the people that I surrounded myself with and they guided me to a successful product.

So, I am getting ready for Italy. This is very exciting. The promoter wants a piano, acoustic tour so I can’t take my band. I can, however, bring 5 singers. So, I’m taking my four background singers and my drummer – who happens to be a great singer as well. The blend is wonderful! Next week I’ll be finalizing the set list and the arrangements. We fly out on the 15^th. Our scheduled return is December 31^st. I’m hoping we get back in time for New Years Eve service.

Look out for blogs much more often. You will be hearing from me a lot more. If you ever want to communicate with me, feel free to email me at hayahsounds@cox.net. I’d love to hear from you. If you have any Italy stories or production stories to share, please email me. I’d love to hear what you have to say.

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday. It’s time to get ready for Christmas. Happy Birthday, Jesus!!

Mad Love for GMA

Some months ago I joined the Gospel Music Association – the GMA. Now, let me explain a little bit about the music industry. Many, many moons ago, someone founded the GMA – and organization dedicated to promoting “Gospel” music. However, this organization was designed before “Gospel Music” meant “Black Gospel Music” and wasn’t founded by African-Americans. It was very popular among persons in the Southern Gospel and Contemporary Christian community. Sometime after that, Rev. James Cleveland founded the Gospel Music Workshop of America, which caters to “Black Gospel Music.” Today, among the black, independent Gospel music community, many of us don’t even know about the GMA. However, it is a powerful, wonderful organization that is connected to probably everything related to Gospel music – and by “Gospel” music I mean all categories of music that spreads the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

This past weekend I attended my first GMA event – GMA Academy. This two-day event was dedicated to educating and empowering unsigned artists and songwriters. I didn’t really know what to expect, but I was hopeful. Oh my God… I was certainly not disappointed.

It was so amazing having the opportunity to sit in a room and pick the brains of some of Gospel music’s biggest stars and greatest songwriters. I sat in sessions with Geron Davis, Mark Harris, Dave Clark, Ahmande Grimes, Brandon Eggerton, Shaun Groves and Nicole C. Mullen. I learned so much about songwriting – much better methods than I was using. One thing that was a pretty recurring theme was that being an “independent artist” or “independent songwriter” is a very good thing right now. It was explained how the music industry is changing and we are entering the era of the independent.

Another thing that I gained from this experience is confirmation. Confirmation is a wonderful thing. When I went to Charlotte and did C.A.T.S. – the Christian Artist Talent Search – it was such a tremendous blessing to have so many industry professionals confirm my ministry and state, “you are doing exactly what you’re supposed to be doing.” As an independent artist, it’s easy to look for the next thing that I’m supposed to do. But when you know you’re doing exactly what God wants you to do, you don’t have to look for the next thing… just keep doing this thing. While at GMA, I submitted some music from my CD for critique… another great thing offered at GMA. I sat in a room with about 8 other independent songwriters and artists and had an industry professional – first a producer, then an A&R rep – listen to some of my music. Their comments and compliments reaffirmed that I am doing what I should be doing. When the A&R guys saw my promo kit he said, “I’m going to make you the poster child.” Then he said to the group, “See, this guys gets it. All the stuff I was telling you guys to do, he’s doing it.” Then the producer said something that I think will forever be etched in my brain. He said, “For me it always boils down to one question… would I buy it. And, yes, I would by this CD. Just based on the partial of the two cuts I heard, I would buy this guys CD.”

Sometimes we say that we don’t need man to reaffirm us or confirm what we are doing. And I guess that’s true. But when God does use man to reaffirm what you’re doing, it sure feels good.

So, to all my fellow independent artists, I highly recommend GMA. And, to Mondo and Brandon… thanks, guys, for being my new mentors.

Seasons Change!

December 2003 was my last month of employment with corporate America. I remember that season. It was scary. I had a nice job with a pretty solid company. My position was Recruiter and Trainer for the region, covering Hampton Roads, Richmond and Raleigh. I spent a lot of time on the road between the cities, recruiting employees and training them to work for our company. It was a season of testing for me. My manager was in Connecticut so I had to work autonomously. My integrity was tested. Of course, when no one is there to watch you it can be very easy to come to work late and leave early. It can be easy to cheat and find shortcuts. But by the grace of God I made it through those testing times. It all proved to have a lot to do with my future.

Anyway, as that December rolled around I had made the decision to launch out into the deep water of self-employment. I decided to start giving private piano lessons. That January, I started with just a handful of students. By that March, I had as many as I could handle. That was the beginning of a new season - the birth of Hayah Sounds. Having never studied music myself, I was only proficient in playing by ear. So my curriculum was based on what I knew. After the first few months of teaching, I saw the need to expand the curriculum. So, I picked up a few books by which to study the fundamentals of music theory. Shortly thereafter, I started including some music theory in my curriculum. The more I taught it, the more I learned it.

In March of 2004 when I knew that it was time for me to record my first project, I was well on my way to understanding music theory. As we got closer to the recording date, I saw how that theory was necessary in my communication with the band. After the recording session was done and we got into the post-production studio work, there was even more need for my understanding of music theory. I had no idea that I would need to understand tempo, time signatures, scales, accidentals, etc., while mixing the project. But working with one of the greatest engineers in the country taught me a whole lot! Thank God for Robert Ulsh.

Enter the next season – the marketing of the project. We started pulling together a group of singers and musicians that would travel with me to do engagements. The band has been consistent since the live recording session, with the addition of one more keyboardist. They are very tight!! But it took a while to get the singers I needed. I started with an audition session that produced a nice group of nine singers. Over the course of the next two years that group has changed faces and sounds a few times. But I believe I’ve got the right mix now. The group of singers that God has blessed me to work with now is amazing! We’ve gone in the studio a few times to work on some of the projects I’ve produced for other artists. They sound really good together. The vocal quality is fantastic. So we’ve done several concerts – long and short – near and far.

But I see a new season unfolding before my eyes. I believe that this is the season of open doors. The precursor of this season was the placement of my wife and I into a church where we could serve and grow. Now that we are planted it appears that we are starting to bloom. She’d have to tell you about all of her new wonderful ministry opportunities. But as for me, I’ve been blessed with the chance to minister on INSP (look for it on your TV in December). I’ll be headed to Nashville, TN in October to study with some of the nations greatest songwriters. This past Sunday I had my first engagement as director of Ebony Impact Gospel Choir of Old Dominion University. And – now get this – in December, my singers and I will be performing on a 10-city tour in Italy. And, I don’t mean opening for someone else’s tour. We will be the headliners in 10 cities in Europe with possible stops in Sicily and France. WOW!!

So, regardless of how long one season lasts… just remember that seasons change.

Today, I’m back home in Virginia Beach.

Oh my God!! What a fantastic trip. We had so much fun doing the Christian Artist Talent Search. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment I spent at the facility. The judges were so amazing! And the contestants… I just love all of them.

World, get ready for Radial Flight, Serenity, Brii and Emma! They are going to blow you away. I’m sorry that you have to wait until January before you get to see the show but trust me, you will love these artists.

What blessed me so much was receiving confirmation that I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing. When I took the stage on Wednesday evening, I really sensed the power and presence of the Lord. The reaction of the audience and the response from the judges confirmed what I felt.

After we wrapped up taping, I had the opportunity to speak with all of the judges. God gave me great favor! The purpose of the trip was really wrapped up in the events that took place on Wednesday night. Great doors were opened. When Sharon and I left that night we were so happy with God. His favor is better than life.

I wish I could tell you more about what happened but I can’t. Just know that the show will be great to watch. I’ll remind you as we get closer to January.

Well, I’m still in Charlotte!!!

So far this today, I’ve been going through my music… listening to my tracks and planning out the rest of my performances. Oops, I may have said too much already. Let me go to another subject.

My niece is a hair stylist with her own salon in Charlotte – D’Paul’s. My wife is there to get her hair styled – or as we like to say it, "to get her hair did." Jinel’s been styling hair for many years and is quite good at it.

I’ve met some wonderful people at the CATS competition. I met a young lady from North Pole, Alaska who is a wonderful singer and songwriter. You will love her when you see the show. By the way, the show won’t air until January 2008. Sorry! But you will definitely appreciate the artists. I met another young lady from Florida who is so much the Christian version of Christina Aguilera. And she is a sweetheart with a great testimony. I’ve met some wonderful worship leaders who really love God. It is great being around so many people who share the passion that I have.

Thank God for my prayer posse!! There are so many people praying for me through this competition. It’s wonderful having so many great friends "texting" me to let me know that they’re praying for me. Keep praying. I’m still here.

Today is the big day!!

How do I feel? Nervous! Excited and nervous. Sometimes people think that I’m kidding when I say that I get nervous when it’s time to sing. But, I really do. For me, it’s reassuring that I still get nervous. I don’t want to ever get to the point that I am so self-confident that I don’t get nervous. My nervousness tells me that I still realize that my sufficiency is not in me. It tells me that I need to rely on someone greater then myself to do what I am about to do. It tells me that I have not taken on the position of being a star. I am only a moon. I don’t shine a light of my own. I reflect the light of Christ. And if He doesn’t shine at this moment, I won’t shine at all. So I need God. The nervousness reminds me to pray and seek God for direction. So, I’m glad that I’m nervous.

It’s been an interesting few weeks. My wife and I are hosting our family reunion in Virginia Beach beginning this Friday but I am in Charlotte today for the INSP Christian Artist Talent Search. So, I’ve had to split my attention between preparing for the reunion and preparing for the competition.

I don’t like music competitions anyway! They can bring out the best and the worst in Christians. Often they cause artists to leave the ministry in music and move completely into the performance of it. It’s important to me to remain focused on ministering the music. If there is any way in which I stand out in the industry I would say it is my passion for leading people into worship through effectively ministering the music. So, pray for me that I won’t minimize my role to singing or competing but that I will be the worship leader that I’ve been designed to be. Pray that I will effectively minister to the people that will be in the studio audience as well as the thousands that will be watching on TV.

The taping of the competition takes place over a 4-day period. I started yesterday. If you make it through a round, you get to stay in Charlotte another day for the next round. However, we cannot divulge the results of the show until the show is aired. And the show won’t be aired until probably November. So I can’t tell you whether I win a round or not. But, I can tell you which city I’m in. So, as long as I’m in Charlotte, you know the deal!

Speaking of Charlotte… this is our first time visiting the new home of my niece and nephew. It’s beautiful! Way to go, Paul & Jinel! They are wonderful Christians with a heart for ministry. And Paul is a real sports buff… my kind of guy!

Okay… I’m going to get ready to leave for the studio now. If I’m still in Charlotte tomorrow… you’ll know why.

The Alabaster Box was broken!!!

This was one of the most enjoyable concerts I’ve ever done. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think one factor was that my focus was clear. My aim was just to lead people into worship. And by leading, I don’t mean directing. Sometimes we get those two mixed up. But I believe that the best worship leaders are not those who direct the worship but, rather, those who demonstrate worship. There are those who respond well to someone telling them how to worship. But I’ve found that even more respond well to someone that demonstrates how to worship. So when I say that my aim was to lead people into worship, I mean that I wanted to go hard after God in such a way that everyone could see what worship looks like. As an individual Christian, I’d much rather just worship inconspicuously so as not to draw attention to my worship or myself. But, as a worship leader, my duty is to be conspicuous with my worship; to draw attention to the worship for the purpose of demonstration; and to draw attention to God, as He is the recipient of the worship. As a worship leader, I worship extravagantly! I worship hard! I worship loud! For there can be no mistaking my conviction that the God that I worship deserves everything that I have to offer. My hands, my arms, my back, my legs, my feet, my voice, my thoughts, every fiber of my being joins together in chorus to celebrate the matchless love and grace of my precious King.

So, Tuesday night was a night of worship. I’ve heard my singers sing and my band play several times. But I don’t ever recall feeling such intense worship when we’ve been on stage before. It was as if everyone took their alabaster boxes and broke them open before the Lord. I don’t mean popping the top off, pouring some ointment out, then putting the top back on. No, I mean breaking the jar! We went to the point of no return. The worship was thick! The presence of the Lord rested in the place as we presented our offering of music and worship. It was beautiful to feel God moving in the room. The music was great! The vocals were great! The performance was great! But the worship was amazing!!

Mount Lebanon is such a cool church! They treated us as royalty – like we were guests from another state or country. It wasn’t at all like we were from just across the bridge. The hospitality was wonderful! It was also great getting to meet and greet Bishop B. Courtney McBath & Pastor Janeen McBath (Calvary Revival Center – Norfolk, VA) and Bishop Gary Hawkins (Voices of Faith – Stone Mtn, GA). They were all so cool and cordial. They entreated my wife and me the way Christian leaders should entreat everyone. We felt loved and welcomed in their presence.

And, I can’t way enough about Drs. Kim and Valerie Brown. They are some of the greatest leaders in the body of Christ today. Their love and hospitality was just fantastic! This is the second time we’ve been invited to minister at their conference and they always show us such amazing love and respect. It’s admirable. It’s the model to be followed.

Now, it’s time to start getting ready for C.A.T.S. It was a challenge getting my songs condensed into a 3-minute format, but it’s done. Now, I just have to practice, and practice, and practice so that when I take the stage, I can relax and just worship God.

Getting ready for the Issachar Conference…

Tonight is the big night. I don’t get as nervous as I used to about concerts. I wonder if that’s a good thing or not. I’d almost rather be nervous… that way I know that I’m not over-confident or cocky. But, then on the other hand, being more relaxed allows me to focus more and be more deliberate in what I do.

Going into a concert, there are so many technical things that you think about. Sound, lighting, staging, the set list (songs that will be sung during the concert), communication on the stage… all of these things is important. Then there are the intangible but most critical elements such as spiritual preparation, the anointing of God, the flow of the Holy Spirit, the flexibility of the persons on the stage to follow the flow if it changes what we planned to do.

I’ve had to take the stage with little notice for two big events this weekend. On Saturday morning at about 10:00 I was asked to open a concert in Hampton, VA that was featuring national recording artists Lexi and Richard Smallwood. I had to be at the venue by 1:15 and on the stage at 2:05. With such short notice, I had to do it by my self with no BGVs… just the track and me. I did my two sets and the Lord truly blessed. So, Lexi took the stage and did a great job. Not long after she was finished, the gentleman responsible for the event came and asked if I could to two more songs right away because the next person wasn’t quite ready to take the stage and they needed a “filler.” So, I took the stage and did two more songs. And, again, God showed up and blessed. After it was all over, I had the opportunity to talk with Lexi. She was so encouraging. She shared some great industry insight with me. I made a great contact there.

So, Sunday evening we had a special event planned at my church. I invited a few friends to perform who are both recording artists. I got a call at 5:15 pm (the event started at 6:00) from one of my friends to inform me that he would not make the 5:00 sound check and would be a little late to the event. Then he called back at 5:55 to inform me that he wouldn’t be able to make it at all. He had a legitimate excuse but it still left us in a bind. Of course, I wasn’t about to let my home church suffer because of it. So, I pulled up out the tracks and took the stage – again by my self – and God again showed up and blessed!

So, maybe that’s why I’m not that nervous today. God has been proving himself all weekend. His presence had been there each time I took the stage. I’ll be presenting myself before him for the rest of the day – getting spiritually prepared for the event. I trust that he will move freely tonight.

It’s pretty exciting. I see it like giving someone a gift that is made of brass. Before you give it to them, you put some “elbow grease” into polishing the item so that it will shine. We’ve spent the past few weeks polishing what we are doing tonight… making sure that it shines. Tonight, we will present this offering of music to the Lord. We trust that he will take it and use it to bless his people.

Lots of great things going on…

It’s been a minute since I said anything. I’ll take a few minutes and share a little with you.

I was invited to sing at the Afr’Am Festival in Norfolk, VA. Last year they invited me to sing but it didn’t go so well. We didn’t get to do a sound check before we took the stage so it was a very uncomfortable set. Our mics sounded horrible on the stage. We were told that the sound was very unbalanced in the audience. The crowd sorta got with us but they couldn’t really hear the singers. So, it was challenging. This year was totally different. Ike Owens (my friend and brother) and the sound company for the event conducted a solid sound check right before we took the stage. I also wrote out (actually I created a diagram for) exactly what I wanted out of each mic and gave it to the FOH engineer as well as the monitor engineer. They gave us exactly what we wanted and we were very happy. The performance was seamless and very comfortable.

This week I attended the Hampton University Ministers’ Conference for my first time. I’d heard about it ever since moving to Virginia. It was a tremendous experience. It was so awesome being in an auditorium with over 5000 preachers and ministers, listening to lectures on ministry from some of the greatest ministry minds in the country. It was also amazing being preached to by some of the greatest preachers in the country. It was a revival for my soul. Ironically, it made me want to write better songs. Wow!

While at the conference I had the privilege of speaking with Micah Stampley before he performed in concert. I’d already been an admirer of his gift and anointing. Now that I’ve spent some time around him and his wife, I am a total fan. He is very real about his relationship with Christ. Unfortunately, I can’t say that about every artist in the Gospel music industry. But I can vouch for him. When Micah sings about “Holiness” being what he longs for, he’s not just singing a melody. This is his conviction. And it comes across very clearly. I LOVE IT!! God used him to answer a big question I had in my head and to give me direction in an area that was very puzzling. It was providence.

While backstage, I had the opportunity to meet and service an officer of one of the largest Christian music distribution companies in the world. Who knows what God is doing?

This is just a little of what’s going on. I’ll share more later.

From the Workaholic in me...

My gorgeous wife and I just spent the past week in a beautiful chalet on Blue Mountain, overlooking the Shenandoah Valley. This has been such an amazing, wonderful week of rest and relaxation. We brought the dogs, Rocky & Cain, with us. It was their first opportunity to hang out in the woods. We all had a wonderful time.

I think the best thing about this vacation is the fact that – being up on top of a mountain in the woods – we were surrounded by nature, which caused us to really relax. We spent the first two days decompressing – paying our “sleep debt.” We took a drive up Skyline Drive and took in the sights overlooking the valley. It was truly gorgeous. Even with overcast skies, it was so beautiful!

This vacation was in celebration of our thirteenth wedding anniversary. I’ve been so wonderfully blessed to have spent the past thirteen years in love with this amazing woman. It was fun spending this past week reminding ourselves of the reasons we love each other so much. Everyone should be so blessed as to experience the kind of love we share. I love my wife!!

Today is our checkout day. So, we’re packing up and getting ready to go. Oddly, today my mind is racing with what I need to do when I get back. I confess… when it comes to ministry, I am a workaholic. I love working in the kingdom of God. But sometimes I overdo it. I came from ministry workaholic parents. But they did teach me that it is important to build in breaks so that you can spend time together. Otherwise, you can wreck your life.

Thank God for the break. It feels good getting back to work AND knowing that the most important relationship I have on earth is whole and in tact.

To all my fellow workaholics… take a break every now and then.

Shalom!

Knowing your Role in God’s Scheme…

Let me open this post by saying that there is a difference between being ANOINTED and being HOLY. Being anointed allows you to be used by God. Being holy gets you into heaven. You can be anointed without being holy. And you can go to HELL while being anointed.

As a musician and a facilitator of Gospel/Christian music I have the opportunity to work with a lot of people. There are so many wonderful things about the Gospel/Christian music industry. There are so many wonderful things about music ministry. We have so many talented people that God uses in this area of the body of Christ. I could spend several paragraphs on testimonies and accolades for music ministry.

However, this entry is of a different tone and texture.

There was a time when God was a lot less tolerant of sin. Priests that went into the temple who were not sanctified were slain in the temple. Persons that served in music ministry in the tabernacle or the temple of the Old Testament had to be sanctified before they entered service. If God found sin in them they would be slain. And God was the one doing the killing. This caused people to attempt to live holy lives based on fear and reverence. This kept them alive but was not conducive to a thriving relationship between them and God.

So, God changed things. With the sacrifice of Christ, our final lamb, we no longer have to face the penalty of sin. People aren’t slain if they enter Christian service with sin in their lives. God doesn’t want us to live holy because we are afraid to die. He wants us to live holy because we love Him so much that we don’t want to hurt His heart.

This opens the door to a lot of shadiness. Since God isn’t killing folks, churches are excusing folks. Churches are extremely passive about the open and public sins of persons in the pulpit and in the choir stand. Musicians, preachers and singers can get drunk, “shack up” (that’s what we called it back in the day. Now it’s so common that there is no real name for it), be flamboyantly gay, curse, lie, cheat on their spouses, not attend bible study, exemplify no real conviction – except while they are performing, and the church just looks the other way. What in the world are we doing?!! And we wonder why there is no POWER in the church today. It’s because we have so much sin in the camp and no body is saying anything.

Saul was king of Israel. But he sinned and the presence of the Lord had departed from him. Still, everyone gave him respect because he was still anointed. I don’t know if he made it to Heaven. Samson was a judge of Israel who was feared and admired. But, because of his disobedience, the presence of the Lord departed from him and he did not know it. He still knew how to shake. And when he shook, everyone got excited because they knew something awesome was about to happen. But there came that day when Samson’s shake had no power. Still, after being blinded by his adversaries, God used him once more to kill thousands. But, I don’t know if Samson made it to Heaven. There was a pharaoh whose heart God hardened so that He could perform all twelve plagues against Egypt. I don’t think the pharaoh went to Heaven. There was an evil spirit sent from God to torment King Saul. I don’t think that evil spirit went to Heaven. There was a donkey used to keep Balaam from being killed by an angel. I don’t think the donkey went to Heaven. There was a rooster used to announce Peter’s denial of Christ. I don’t think the rooster went to Heaven. Do you get my point? The fact that you are anointed or that God chooses to use you doesn’t mean that you are going to Heaven. It means that you are anointed for that time. Don’t get it twisted.

And for those that say, “Well, I gave my life to God so the blood of Jesus covers all my sins,” tell me what kind of relationship do you have with God? There are several people that come to a service and walk up to the altar and say that they are giving their lives to God but their lives never change. I believe that the true evidence of salvation is the demonstration of Christ in the life of the believer. If your life isn’t demonstrating Jesus then are you really saved?

To my fellow Christians, the New Testament epistles teach us that the church is responsible for holding each other accountable to holy living. When we see someone living an ungodly life we should approach that brother or sister with the love of Jesus and find a way to motivate him or her to live holy. We need to stop the practices of silent consent and overlooking blatant disregard for Godly living. We are our brother’s keeper. God is holding us responsible.

When I was much younger I joined a church under a powerful preacher. He was an amazingly anointed man of God. Over the course of the years I spent under his ministry I watched him become trapped by his weaknesses. I watched in silence as he abused alcohol. I watched in silence as my married pastor practiced promiscuity with women in the church. My silence gave consent and my consent became acceptance and my acceptance eventually became participation. I found myself doing all the things my pastor was doing. As you could imagine, that church started dying and several lives were severely damaged and souls were lost. Eventually, God delivered me and pulled me away from that pastor. I don’t know if that pastor ever got back on track. And I often wonder if the lives that were damaged and souls that were lost could have been saved if I had just spoken up.

Finding my place in MINISTRY…

So my wife and I joined this wonderful church, Gethsemane Community Fellowship Baptist Church. It is so fulfilling to be a part of a healthy, wholesome ministry. What I’ve lately found challenging is the fact that I grew up in church. My parents were in ministry since I was like 8 years old. I started preaching when I was about 13 years old. The word of God is very important to me and I’ve spent many hours studying it… especially since the days that I found myself caught up in some very unhealthy and erroneous doctrinal teaching. Today, I have a voracious appetite for rich, solid teaching and preaching. My tolerance is very low for unstudied preaching and unfounded teaching. So I needed a pastor that could unpack things in the scripture that I hadn’t already heard but things that were textually and contextually correct. My heart’s cry was for a leader that could lead me to new depths in God’s word. I found that in Rev. Dr. Kirk T. Houston, Sr. Hallelujah!!!

One of the things that I loved doing when we lived in Atlanta was ministering at the Atlanta Union Mission. I had the opportunity to serve as a chaplain for the Women’s Division and subsequently the Men’s Division. This afforded me the chance to work one-on-one with several persons making the transition from incarceration back into society. It also allowed me a chance to minister to several persons who were homeless and finding shelter from the elements.

When we were invited to sing at Rock Church of Virginia Beach I met a wonderful family. The two children in this family have amazing stories. The fact that they are still alive is a testimony of the grace of God. For anonymity, I will use a fictitious name. The little boy, “Mikey,” just stole my heart. He loves God and is captivated by drums. Although confined to a wheelchair, he sits in the service and plays “air drums” during each song. He says that when he grows up he wants to be a preacher. Weeks after we performed at Rock Church, Mikey’s mom contacted me. She said that while planning for Mikey’s birthday party she asked him what he wanted for his party. Expecting him to request a clown or something of the sort, she was surprised when he said that he wanted “Michael M. Smith” to come to his house for his birthday. He said that he wanted to sit down with me and talk about the Lord. WOW!! I was so deeply touched by this request. My wife and I spent a wonderful evening with Mikey and his family. He and I sang, laughed and played together. He preached to me and demanded that I preach to him. It was so much fun.

As I left there, I was reminded of Jesus’ ministerial practices. He spent most of His time with people that needed encouragement and love. It felt as though spending a few hours with a physically challenged young boy was just what Jesus would have done. If only I had the power within myself to heal him. If only I were Jesus…

So with renewed passion, I was so excited when I received a call from one of the largest Gospel Music radio stations in the area (WXEZ Star 94.1) with an invitation to sing at a Thanksgiving dinner they were holding for homeless and less fortunate persons in the Newport News, Virginia area. Once again, I was ministering to persons that were in desperate need of encouragement and strength. A few weeks later, immediately after returning from our two-city tour in South Carolina, we went to the Union Mission in downtown Norfolk, Virginia and spent an evening singing and ministering to homeless men. That evening the presence of the Lord was very heavy in the room as several men gave themselves in worship and several received the Lord Jesus as savior and Lord. It was a powerful night.

It is my belief that every artist should discover your assigned audience. Some of us are called to minister to the world, some to minister to the church, some to minister to the youth, some to minister to older persons. But we are most successful when we are ministering to the people to whom we were designed to minister. I believe that I’ve been designed to minister to the body of Christ and to persons like “Mikey” and the men at the Union Mission, seeking hope and encouragement.

There is so much more for me to tell you about… like the SC tour… like my new production venture with a new up and coming artist… like the new opportunity God is giving me to work with my local church. So stay tuned.

Have a wonderful Christmas and Holiday Season. Don’t forget to take specific time out to worship Jesus Christ. He is God’s gift to us all. He is the Savior of the world.

Finding my PLACE in the Kingdom...

The past three months have been very interesting. It’s been a time of transition, change and learning. Here is the short version of some of the past events...

For the past three years I had been serving and employed as Minister of Music at a wonderful church in Portsmouth, Virginia. This position afforded me the privilege of serving one of the kindest pastors I’d ever met. He is a man with a heart for his community and a passion to see people’s lives become better. I woke up one morning to the voice of the Lord telling me that my assignment at that church was complete and it was time to go. Of course, it shocked me. I was happy there. It was a nearly drama free church – and after all the drama that I’d endured in churches in the past, that was a welcomed change. We always experienced the presence of the Lord in the services. The worship was rich! I didn’t want to leave this place. So, I told my wife and we spent the following three weeks in prayer and fasting for confirmation and affirmation. God did confirm it. So we submitted a letter of resignation and offered a six-week notice so that the church would have time to make a smooth transition and the ministry wouldn’t be hindered.

Upon my resignation I started working with a wonderful church in Norfolk in an advisory and coaching role. This church has a full band, multiple choirs and worship leaders and a minister of music. My task was to help troubleshoot the ministry and offer suggestions while modeling a standard to which the music ministry could aspire. This was a part-time role.

Meanwhile, I was looking for a full-time Minister of Music position. I submitted my resume to over 40 churches in the Hampton Roads area – targeting Virginia Beach. As a result, I had some wonderful interviews with some great ministries. It was all very enticing. But, as I worked with this much smaller church in Norfolk (smaller than the churches that were interviewing me and making offers) I found my wife and me falling in love with the ministry. As if that wasn’t enough, each offer I received was followed by the voice of the Lord telling me that it wasn’t my place.

This drove me to my knees. I needed to know what was going on. Had I missed God somewhere? Then God spoke… loudly! “Stop trivializing what I’ve called you to do. This is more than a job. This is ministry. Many lives will be affected by what you do. It’s not a gig!” By now, tears were flowing as I repented of my wrong. I had taken the approach of so many musicians who see this as a job or a gig and had lost focus of the MINISTRY. Because of this, I was just looking for a job, not looking for my place. I was ready to join the place that was going to pay my bills. The priority was completely out of order. Thank God for the Holy Spirit that convicts us when we get out of line!

A few weeks later, my wife and I knew that we were ready to become a part of the Gethsemane Community Fellowship Baptist Church family and serve under Rev. Dr. Kirk T. Houston, Sr. Without any condition or promise of position, we joined a church where we both felt the Holy Spirit leading us. We found our place.

As for employment and other such matters, God has been supplying our needs. He is indeed the source. It’s amazing how firm a foundation you find once you take the leap of faith.

So, my encouragement to you is to know that you are in your place. Don’t keep wandering around, giving God contingencies. Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and find your place.

There is more to this. Watch out for the next post.

Define "Ministry"...

Webster's Dictionary defines ministry as "the service, functions, or profession of a minister of religion. Simple, right? So let's dig deeper. Richard's Expository Dictionary of Bible Words, a source that I deeply enjoy, has this to say. The Hebrew word translated for minister in the Old Testament "is used of persons who give personal service to a ruler, particularly of those who are set aside to perform some special service in the worship of God." In the New Testament, "in most instances where 'minister' or 'ministering' is found in English versions, the Greek has some form of diakonia ('service' or 'ministry'), which occurs thirty-four times. A related noun, diakonos ('servant,' 'minister,' or 'deacon'), occurs thirty times. The verb diakoneo ('to serve' or 'to serve as a deacon') is used thirty-seven times.

"These words are distinctive in that their focus is squarely on loving action on behalf of a brother or sister or a neighbor. A similar word, doulos (127 times in the NT) can mean either 'slave' or 'servant,' and it focuses attention on our subjection to Jesus. But these ministry words call us to look at our fellow human beings as objects of the loving services we extend to them for Jesus' sake.

"It was Jesus himself who set both the tone and the example for such Christian ministry. He called his disciples to find greatness through servanthood, '...just as the Son of man did not come to be served (diakoneo) but to serve (diakoneo), and to give his life as a ransom for many' (Mt 20:28)."

With this in mind, I am better able to understand my purpose as a minister of music and as a recording artist. It's interesting how the mind works. When you are carrying the title "Minister of Music," it is pretty easy to remember that you are in place to serve the body of Christ. You are automatically reminded that you are a person under the authority of a God-appointed leader, assigned to the task of helping that leader carry out their God-given mission. But when the title "Recording Artist" is attached or added, somehow we can easily forget who we are.

What the Lord is teaching me is that the only thing that should change when a person moves from minister of music to recording artist is the number of pastors that you are responsible to and the number of lives you are responsible for. As a recording artist, I am called to be a servant of the Body of Christ. I am not called to be a pastor or evangelist. I am called to be a servant. If my arrival at this new title is because the Lord appointed it, then it means that there is something in me that the Lord wants spread throughout the entire Body of Christ. But the recording artists is still a minister of music - therefore, still in place to serve the Body of Christ, under the authority of a God-appointed leader but now assigned to the task of helping that leader as well as all other God-appointed leaders carry out their God-given mission. In other words, it means more responsibility.

One of the reasons it is so easy to mess this up is because we see the celebrity of many secular recording artists and even many Christian or Gospel recording artists. Wow - what a mirage! So easily we start chasing the celebrity, wealth and fame of others not realizing that: a) many of them paid a dear price for what they have accomplished, b) most of them have been at it for several years before you've ever heard of them, c) there are many more artist that have been at it much longer they you that have not reached recognition status, let alone celebrity, d) it is incredibly easy and enticing to lose your integrity and your spiritual purity in pursuit of this temporal stuff, and e) promotion comes from God!

If we could just keep our eyes on God and not on this world we would be much less inclined to pursue passions that can destroy us. As servants of the kingdom, deacons of music, we must remember that secular artists can easily reach platinum sales because the world loves its own. But Christian/Gospel artists weren't necessarily called to minister to the world. Most of us were called to minister to God or to minister to the church. We are not of the world and shouldn't expect the world to love us. So the numbers are automatically different. Still, we don't have to sell out to the world for the sake of record sales. God has already orchestrated fantastic ways for our craft to be sustained within the dimensions of our God-given assignment. In other words, there are great, legitimate, honest ways to make a great living with Gospel/Christian music while retaining your integrity. It just requires that we trust and obey God.

I know I haven't written much lately. It's been an interesting few months. I've been going through an amazing transition and learning some powerful lessons. It hasn't all been comfortable. But I am closer to the Lord than I've ever been and I understand His word more clearly than ever. I've still got a lot to learn - but at least the classes are fun!!

"Boy, don't blow all up and get the big head," they said.

Fat chance of that!! My wife loves me too much to let me get a big head about things. She brings me back in quickly. She's making sure that I don't miss Heaven over pride. I appreciate that.

So, in case there was any doubt, let me give credit to whom true credit is due. I am who I am because of the woman that stands with me. I have accomplished what I've accomplished because of the woman that stands with me. I know that I've talked about her in many of my previous posts - about how wonderful, beautiful, helpful, giving, fantastic... she is. While I prayed and asked God for the studio equipment that I needed, God used my wife to make it all happen. How cool is that?

Sharon's a wonderful wife. Any man would be very blessed to have a woman like her at his side. I'm glad that she doesn't take me too seriously. Sometimes, when everyone's singing your praises, you need someone to remind you that your breath still stinks in the morning and you still need a shower. I'm grateful. Who knows what I might think without her.

Technology is wonderful when it works.

I know it's been a month since my last post. That's just pathetic. I'm very sorry. But it also means that I've been very busy. Since my last post I've been blessed to do a number of things. I've resigned my position at my home church - which went a little differently from the way I saw it in my head. But, I followed God's explicit instructions and I'm so very glad that I did. I've interviewed with a couple of churches for a new position and I'm waiting to see where God wants me to serve now.

Let's see...

Oh - I purchased a bunch of new equipment. I purchased a Motif ES7. I'm so happy and excited about this keyboard. It came with the mLAN expansion card already in it - and I didn't have to pay for it. It was an oversight by the store and a blessing from the Lord!! I also purchased the Lexicon Omega audio interface, which came with Cubase LE. It's pretty cool recording software - not the heavy-duty stuff like Logic or ProTools but it's good enough to get the songs from my head to a CD. That's what I needed. Oh yeah - I bought the AT4040 microphone. This thing has a wonderful sound. It makes the voice sound so warm and natural. I never knew how much difference a mic could make. WOW!! My geek side is coming out.

Cain is outside barking at his water bowl, which he just turned over. He's more then 78 pounds now and definitely taller than Rocky. But Rocky retains dominance. It's interesting watching the instinctive territorial actions of mammals. When Cain goes somewhere in the yard to urinate, Rocky follows him. As soon as Cain finishes, Rocky finds the exact spot and urinates right in that spot. I guess that's his way of making it plain that he is still the Alpha Male and Cain is still a child or something. It's crazy. Now, Cain is out there rolling his metal bowl around - clanging and banging it while barking and howling. It's a very funny noise.

I opened a myspace website. That thing is addictive. If you're not careful you can lose hours of your day just checking out people's pages and getting new friends. But check this out... my beautiful daughter has become one of my friends on myspace. It's the coolest thing. She's the Spanish speaking chica on my page. By the way, you can visit at www.myspace.com/michaelmsmith.

Well there is a lot more going on but I'll have to fill you in on that later. Gotta run.

Agape!