Why Music Is Important

Hey people - I had a great night last night rocking out to the sounds of Olympians (a very talented local band here in Indy), One Small Step (our worship band at The Journey), Quiet Science and Cool Hand Luke. I am always inspired by artists who love to make (and perform) their art. These guys and gals really did it for me last night. Quiet Science is a band I was not aware of until I started to make arrangements for this show. All I have to say is watch out for these guys. In all of the music I heard last night, there was an authentic expression of life's good and bad and the search for God and meaning in all of it. Isn't that what good music (and all art) should do: express the realities of the life we live in while creatively communicating this search for something more, something beyond us? Good music makes you tap your feet and think at the same time. Sometimes it makes you laugh and sometimes it makes you cry but mostly it makes you aware. It makes you aware that we as human beings are powerful. God has endowed us with powers to be creative which we use for both good and bad, to uplift and to hurt. It is amazing how this power can be used to motivate, inspire and change the lives of people. I was made aware of this power once more last night as I rocked out with these bands. They are all truly gifted and each desire to use those gifts in a way that glorifies and honors God, but also motivates and inspires us as people to be better human beings. Isn't that what we all want? Don't you think that is what God wants too? Why else would he have given us this great power to be co-creators with Him? God wants us to touch the hearts of each other, to use our creative power to help, to build up, to heal, to console, to comfort, to motivate, to inspire. Music is so vital to our existence and our prosperity. I was happily reminded of this again last night.

A Lot Has Happened In Five Months

Yes, that's right - I'm back, baby! And I'm back with a vengeance. My wife and I had our third child last month and I just feel like new life is teeming all around me! It's crazy because I am so darn tired yet so exhilarated at the same time. It's hard to explain unless you've been there yourself. Not only am I excited about the newest addition to my family, I'm also pumped about what is happening in my faith community, The Journey. For whatever reason, I have put myself in a position this last week where I have heard more than my fair share about vision: about how vital it is to have a vision for your life, your family, your organization, your church - and how without it you will eventually die. It is no secret why so many churches are dying. They have no vision for the future. They are not dreaming God's dreams. They are not putting themselves in a position to hear God's voice. Vision has definitely been on my mind as I've been walking around with my one-month old son late at night. Where will his life go? What will he become? Now I know that his entire destiny does not rest in my hands but I know that I will have a huge share in forming who this child will become. What kind of father will I be? Will he know he is loved? Will he see Jesus in me? Will I give him a chance to experience life without smothering him and plotting out his every step? Will I have grace for him when he fails? When he disappoints me? These are all important, tough, vital questions for me to wrestle with as he grows. What questions are you wrestling with? What do you want your life to become? What do you want your community of faith to become? I want my community of faith, The Journey, to be a place where people can come and learn the way of Jesus and see the way of Jesus lived out while not being judged for who they are or decisions they have made. At the same time, I want to be a place that motivates and inspires people to capture and live out God's dream for their lives and to be a place of grace when people fail and hurt themselves or others. In other words, I have the same kind of vision for my church as I do for myself as a parent. When you think about it, they are kind of similar. Both churches and parents have an incredible amount of power to shape, mold and direct the lives of people. Both get to choose how they use that power. I choose to use that power for good. I choose to use that power for love. I have a vision that my son, and my church, can both grow up to be very positive, significant and vital components of the context that they find themselves in. I believe that love will make this happen. The power of the love of a father for his son and the power of the love of Jesus Christ, lived through us, for his church. Love will make it happen. Love will make my vision a reality.