Intensity: In Four Parts

The last week of my life has been an extremely intense time. God is definitely speaking to me and opening my eyes through four very specific experiences in the last 6 days: Seattle, David Crowder, Brian McLaren, and the movie "For The Bible Tells Me So." So in an attempt to really document this, Im going to break these down. If you don't like long posts, or tire easily from reading long things... read one at a time... haha.

Seattle
What a wonderful city and what a wonderful experience. I can truly say I fell in love with the city of Seattle and with the people of Seattle. Throughout my four days there, I was overwhelmed by the sense of community and collective responsibility that seemed to spill out of every conversation and street corner I engaged. From my conversation with Frankie, a street kid in the Capitol District, to my time with an ecumenical gathering of Pastors and leaders from around the U-District... there was a thread of hope and collective love for one another that came through louder and clearer than anything else I heard. It seemed that there was a spirit of authentic compassion and desire to be connected to neighbors and people living in proximity to one another.

On top of all that, I got the chance to hear from leaders of the church that has come before my time. I saw the compassion and desire to live out the gospel in love and truth that refreshed my young soul in a different way. it let me know that I was not alone in my pursuit of love and hope. it let me know that I was connected to a heritage and tradition of love... and that the church truly has a message that is not necessarily new... but is taking on new life and new relationship to the world at large.

I have immense hope for a new kind of church in Seattle. One that contextually communicates the message of love and hope for those that so desperately need to hear it. I pray that I get to be a part of that. That Missiongathering gets to be a part of that new narrative that will be told. God taught me that my story is not new... but the way that I tell it will be new. God showed me that I am so connected and supported by those that have been there... and God refreshed me by giving me hope for a new future... not disconnected from our past...

David Crowder
What struck me most about my time at the DCB concert was the honest truth that I heard. This sums it all up for me:

"When all the love in the world
Is right here among us
And hatred too
And so we must choose
What our hands will do

Where there is pain
Let there be grace
Where there is suffering
Bring serenity
For those afraid
Help them be brave
Where there is misery
Bring expectancy
And surely we can change
Surely we can change
Something"

God pushed me to write. God told me that its okay to write this album in the truth that he is showing me. God released me to write.

Brian McLaren
One phrase: "an epistemology of love." It was great to have Brian join us this morning at Missiongathering. I felt honored to share the stage with such an influential and honest man that is trying to help us understand what it means to have faith today. Once again, I found myself soaking in what God was surrounding me with. Letting me know that It is alright to go forward in my thoughts and convictions... and to live out my epistemology of love. That my view of the world, and my view of others is rooted in the way in which I love.

As we chatted after the gathering, Brian took me aside and said, "Thank you for the music this morning. The music was just wonderful. The songs were right. And its not often that you get really good music... and a really good mix together." (Holla Erik, soundman extrodinare). Which lead me to think... that just like good music and a good mix... there can be good music written through the epistemology of love.

Again, I feel released to write. Released to communicate in my way the love that is deepening in me.

For The Bible Tells Me So
If you have not heard about this movie or have not seen it... Head to your local indie film house and sit your butt in the seat. What a great piece on what it means to love. I am still processing everything that I saw and heard tonight, but ultimately it isnt a film that is arguing for the "rightness" of homosexuality nor the "wrongness" of it. Instead, it is saying that there are marginalized people that have been segregated by a book that was never meant to segregate. That the message of Jesus... and the message that we as christ followers should be so fixated on... is a message of inclusion. And not just inclusion... but love. I am sure tomorrow I will have more thoughts on the movie...

Wrap Up
God is showing me that the purpose in my life... the purpose of my music and my creative craziness is to communicate a love for all and a love for the marginalized and outcast. That God is screaming that message through many different mediums and is asking me to join in collective voice that the world needs to hear. I know that I haven't really been able to summarize in these few paragraphs the true swelling of my heart and soul over the last few days... but its there. Pray with me.. pray for me.. journey with me as we find out what it means to love.