I've got to be honest, being bold for Christ isn't always easy. It's a scary notion. It's an idea that I know to some, to many, sounds completely foolish and thus the potential ridicule is intimidating. The key is coming to terms with that and not being overly concerned about not having the proper answer to every question or the most convincing defense of one's faith. There's plenty of chances I've had to share the gospel in my life. In reality, we pretty much have that chance every day. Over the past few months, I've been feeling this recurring pull towards boldness and the need for just sharing the story of how Jesus changed my life. I've made mistakes. I still make them. I am so far from being perfect it's actually comical sometimes. But I have a hope and I'd love to talk about it.
So, as you sit and read this, if you've gotten this far ha, you're probably sitting in one of a few spots.
First, you may be thinking, "I didn't know Reed felt this strongly about this" or "what a weirdo" or "great, I liked this guy and now I know he's a Christian... dang it"... Let me say. I get it. I get where your coming from. Maybe you were in church at one point and were treated wrongly. Maybe you've never felt like God was real. Maybe you're angry with the circumstances of your life and think how could a loving God do bad things. Maybe you simply think it's bogus and stupid and it's foolish to believe in it. The reality is... The struggle of self-righteousness has existed since Christianity started. Jesus' primary foe was the overtly religious people. So if you either think it's dumb or you've been completely turned off by other Christians in the past, I am sorry to hear that and really I'd love to just to talk to you about it. I am stupid too. I am selfish. I am capable of hurting people and just because I am Christian does not make me perfect and anyone who makes Christianity out to be about self improvement is wrong. As my pastor Byron often says, church is not a place where the good people go to get better and stay away from the bad.
Second, you may be right there with me. You may feel that urge to. I hope you do. If you do, then maybe my story can be an encouragement to your faith. Christ is real. His work is real. The Spirit is undeniable once you feel his presence. Where before you thought it just sounded like a familiar but truly odd story and you reasonably questioned how anyone could actually believe in it, now it's become a reality to you. What an exciting truth huh? For me, it happened with the most clarity on the back deck in a bible study with one of my buddies. At some point it breaks you down and then it just keeps breaking you down. I'm sure you can relate.
Third, maybe you believe it but feel you need to take it slow or need some direction. If that's the case, then maybe my story can help too. I won't pretend that I have some incredible wisdom. But I do know I can talk honestly about it, about the mistakes I've made and about how I've grown in my understanding of grace and my need of saving.
So... if it strikes you at all and you want to hear more. Let me know. Or if you just have a question and you'd love to just hear my opinion, I'll share that too. I'm an open book. Flip on through.
1 Peter 2:9 (ESV) - "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a
holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the
excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous
light."
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Friday, July 27, 2012
Tragedy vs. Damnation
I want to begin this post with an excerpt from "The Four Loves" by C.S. Lewis. He writes:
"There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal... lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket - safe, dark, motionless, airless - it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the danger and perturbations of love is Hell."
Let me first state that I have no intention of even attempting to add to the eloquence of Lewis' words here. What an incredible statement though. The way that he finishes the thought that we really aren't safe in vulnerability, and that is the point, we take a risk for a reward. I don't want to end up with a heart that is "irredeemable" as he puts it. What a disaster that would be! I pray often that I would remain tender towards those around me, that my love would extend beyond my family, my friends and to my enemies. I can be quick to speak, quick to pass a judgment on a situation where I don't necessarily have all the pieces in front of me. Despite this, I want to continue to learn to love well, to love freely. I don't think this excuses a need for discernment and earning of trust, but man do I want to risk tragedy over a guarantee of damnation.
We have just finished a series called "Church:Deconstructed" at The Community, a ministry I have been going to for about 5 months now that is a part of Community Bible Church here in Nashville. The main body of the series centered around learning what the church is: not a building, not a denomination, not even a small group or community group as are common terms in the post-modern church. It is, simply, the body. A network of believers. We are ALL the church, together, collectively and we are to encourage one another to become more Christ-like. A few references to this concept of a biblical body of believers are as follows: check out Ephesians 4 or 1st Corinthians 12:4-22. And how do we live it out? Look at Hebrews 13:1-6.
I would argue that at the center of all of this is love. We can become impenetrable to our spouses, our friends, our children, our co-workers and most notably to the church if we do not prioritize loving one another. Conversely, when we do, it's not always the peachiest of notions. We will expose ourselves. We will be hurt. We will be disappointed. But as Romans 5:3-5 states, we persevere through that. It builds our character. It gives us hope. Christ has not abandoned us, and if those around us are effectively living and breathing as the church, they will give us a leg to stand on. That's what we are called to do. It applies to all contexts, not just to how you treat your wife or husband or best friend, but to everyone. Love doesn't always mean mush. It doesn't always feel good. It is constructively critical at times, if it needs to be. We ought to expect that of one another that we call each other on things, on discrepancies and when one of us has drifted from the path. I need that accountability as much as the next man does.
So, take a small step. It doesn't have to be or feel life-changing. Often what we see as an insignificant act of love may be of undeniable importance to the one receiving it. Also, don't be afraid to ask difficult questions. Don't be afraid to let someone air out your dirty laundry. Let there be a push and pull. There's value in it, I promise. Do it. Risk a bit of tragedy in this life over eternal damnation in the next.
"There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal... lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket - safe, dark, motionless, airless - it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the danger and perturbations of love is Hell."
Let me first state that I have no intention of even attempting to add to the eloquence of Lewis' words here. What an incredible statement though. The way that he finishes the thought that we really aren't safe in vulnerability, and that is the point, we take a risk for a reward. I don't want to end up with a heart that is "irredeemable" as he puts it. What a disaster that would be! I pray often that I would remain tender towards those around me, that my love would extend beyond my family, my friends and to my enemies. I can be quick to speak, quick to pass a judgment on a situation where I don't necessarily have all the pieces in front of me. Despite this, I want to continue to learn to love well, to love freely. I don't think this excuses a need for discernment and earning of trust, but man do I want to risk tragedy over a guarantee of damnation.
We have just finished a series called "Church:Deconstructed" at The Community, a ministry I have been going to for about 5 months now that is a part of Community Bible Church here in Nashville. The main body of the series centered around learning what the church is: not a building, not a denomination, not even a small group or community group as are common terms in the post-modern church. It is, simply, the body. A network of believers. We are ALL the church, together, collectively and we are to encourage one another to become more Christ-like. A few references to this concept of a biblical body of believers are as follows: check out Ephesians 4 or 1st Corinthians 12:4-22. And how do we live it out? Look at Hebrews 13:1-6.
I would argue that at the center of all of this is love. We can become impenetrable to our spouses, our friends, our children, our co-workers and most notably to the church if we do not prioritize loving one another. Conversely, when we do, it's not always the peachiest of notions. We will expose ourselves. We will be hurt. We will be disappointed. But as Romans 5:3-5 states, we persevere through that. It builds our character. It gives us hope. Christ has not abandoned us, and if those around us are effectively living and breathing as the church, they will give us a leg to stand on. That's what we are called to do. It applies to all contexts, not just to how you treat your wife or husband or best friend, but to everyone. Love doesn't always mean mush. It doesn't always feel good. It is constructively critical at times, if it needs to be. We ought to expect that of one another that we call each other on things, on discrepancies and when one of us has drifted from the path. I need that accountability as much as the next man does.
So, take a small step. It doesn't have to be or feel life-changing. Often what we see as an insignificant act of love may be of undeniable importance to the one receiving it. Also, don't be afraid to ask difficult questions. Don't be afraid to let someone air out your dirty laundry. Let there be a push and pull. There's value in it, I promise. Do it. Risk a bit of tragedy in this life over eternal damnation in the next.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Fourth
What a terrific month April has been! Lots of traveling, time with family, time with friends, and some great shows with Francesca and crew on the Jeremy Camp We Cry Out tour.
April started with a two week break from the tour, so I took a week and visited one of my dear friends Richard Menear out in Denver, CO. It was an excellent trip. Got to do some cool touring in and around Denver. We visited Fort Collins, Boulder and Colorado Springs, including some hiking in the Garden of the Gods as well as up in the Rockies to the summit of Mt. Snitkau. That particular hike, up Mt. Snitkau, was both literally and figuratively breathtaking. The latter because the views from the top were simply majestic, and the former because my Nashville lungs barely conquered the change in altitude. I thought I was in good shape, until I was attempting to hike up the side of a mountain that was 13K feet and change... It took a mixture that Richard had concocted ahead of time of chia seeds (yes, THOSE chia seeds, from the goofy clay pets we all had as kids), lemon and water that, whether a placebo effect or not, seemed to give me a renewed energy to get up to the top. Before I drank it, I was curled up next to a rock getting the nasty feeling of extra saliva and a shortness of breath that triggered the feeling that my breakfast may make a reappearance. Thankfully, it did not. Apart from that moment of discomfort, the hike was worth it, and the trip as a whole couldn't have been better. We even had a bit of snow the first morning I was there, and waking up in Richard's flat to a white-capped Denver skyline was a real treat.
Lastly, I want to mention a story of a girl I saw at one of our shows last week. I believe it was in Boaz, AL. We were in the middle of the song "Angel By Your Side" and this girl in the front row, who couldn't have been more than 5 or 6 years old, started sobbing uncontrollably. She was utterly inconsolable. Her friends to her left and right were astonished at the emotion that I don't think they quite knew how to react. For me, I really felt a sense of God's presence. So much so that I had a subdued joy in it, if that makes sense. It brought a huge grin to my face. Not that this girl was crying, because I don't know the source of her tears, and there could be a story of real pain in her life that the lyric and emotion of the song triggered. I smiled not because of that potential pain, but that this girl, at her age, was so deeply moved by a song that expresses the love of her Savior to her. I got this sense through her tears that there was some healing in the moment. To see someone at her age express that type of emotion was extremely moving. We follow "Angel" with a lil intro of "somewhere over the rainbow" that leads into "This is The Stuff" (these are Francesca songs, btw, in case you are confused, except for Rainbow of course)... and in that moment, I come out to the front of the stage along with the rest of the band. I made eye contact with the girl and couldn't help but smile at her, and she returned a huge, half-toothed grin right back. In that instant, I knew that her tears, whether burdened by a deep sadness in her short history on this earth, had a tinge of happiness in them as well. That she, on at least some level, has an understanding of the love of God in her own life. What a reminder, to look on Jesus through the eyes of child. To have faith in him like a kid does, unquestioning, unflappable, with honesty... to remember, that as Jerry Bridges puts it in his book "Discipline of Grace", "Duty or guilt may motivate us for a while, but only a sense of Christ's love for us will motivate us for a lifetime." I've done the duty thing, I've felt the guilt, I am eager to know that love more deeply.
April started with a two week break from the tour, so I took a week and visited one of my dear friends Richard Menear out in Denver, CO. It was an excellent trip. Got to do some cool touring in and around Denver. We visited Fort Collins, Boulder and Colorado Springs, including some hiking in the Garden of the Gods as well as up in the Rockies to the summit of Mt. Snitkau. That particular hike, up Mt. Snitkau, was both literally and figuratively breathtaking. The latter because the views from the top were simply majestic, and the former because my Nashville lungs barely conquered the change in altitude. I thought I was in good shape, until I was attempting to hike up the side of a mountain that was 13K feet and change... It took a mixture that Richard had concocted ahead of time of chia seeds (yes, THOSE chia seeds, from the goofy clay pets we all had as kids), lemon and water that, whether a placebo effect or not, seemed to give me a renewed energy to get up to the top. Before I drank it, I was curled up next to a rock getting the nasty feeling of extra saliva and a shortness of breath that triggered the feeling that my breakfast may make a reappearance. Thankfully, it did not. Apart from that moment of discomfort, the hike was worth it, and the trip as a whole couldn't have been better. We even had a bit of snow the first morning I was there, and waking up in Richard's flat to a white-capped Denver skyline was a real treat.
When I got home on Good Friday that week, April 6, my parents and their sweet blue tick coon hound, Sadie, were already in Nashville to visit for Easter. We had a great weekend together, got to play some golf with my pops out at Harpeth Hills GC, which I found, for a municipal course, to be actually quite a good track to play. My brother Brad and his family were supposed to come up as well but could not. Continue to pray for Stephanie, Brad's wife, as she recovers from a pulmonary embolism scare that she had back in December. (A blood clot in her lungs, essentially).... Easter Sunday at Cumberland Church was great. It was good to be home at church after about a six week spell of missing my family there, and Andy Stanley gave a terrific sermon on the gospel.
Had a pretty slow week at home following Easter but now have been out on the road for the last couple of weeks on the We Cry Out tour. We have had some excellent shows, and that included a day off in NYC last Wednesday, where I visited the top of the Empire state building for the first time. Worth doing at least once in your life, trust me. Such an incredible perspective on a massive city. Also have been up in New England this weekend, which before this trip I had never been to. Maine was a beautiful state. I particularly enjoyed Portland and it's fresh lobster.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
We Cry Out
So here we are, I write you en route to the first show of the spring leg of the We Cry Out tour. It's good to be back on the bus with these folks. Hard to believe it's been about three and a half years since I played my first show with Franny, and it's been a great journey up to this point.
I write to ask you guys for prayer as we head into this string of shows. Booking wasn't easy this spring, and we didn't end up with as many shows as we had expected, but there will still be plenty of opportunities to minister and reach out to those in attendance. We've had a break since November, which gave me some really good down time, it gave me a chance to release my own record and do a bunch of writing. It was also great to be home more during the holiday season and enjoy that time of year thoroughly. The main prayer though, to get back to my point, for this tour is that I would be a good steward of what is in front of me. That all of us in the franny camp would truly use this opportunity to serve those around us. Not just the crew and the other people who we work with day in and day out, but all of the people whom we see night in and night out at these shows. Pray that we truly CONNECT with these people. It is extremely easy to get in to a routine, a touring rhythm that looks like your bunk, catering, backstage, on stage, the trailer, your bunk... repeat... But pray that we would break that rhythm as often as possible. Pray that we would not just take but seek out opportunities to be salt & light. There are going to be people every night, at every show, who need healing and a renewing hope found only in Jesus Christ. Pray that we would be a vehicle for that and that we can genuinely express that in the time that we have on stage and in all the moments in between.
More to come. Stay tuned.
I write to ask you guys for prayer as we head into this string of shows. Booking wasn't easy this spring, and we didn't end up with as many shows as we had expected, but there will still be plenty of opportunities to minister and reach out to those in attendance. We've had a break since November, which gave me some really good down time, it gave me a chance to release my own record and do a bunch of writing. It was also great to be home more during the holiday season and enjoy that time of year thoroughly. The main prayer though, to get back to my point, for this tour is that I would be a good steward of what is in front of me. That all of us in the franny camp would truly use this opportunity to serve those around us. Not just the crew and the other people who we work with day in and day out, but all of the people whom we see night in and night out at these shows. Pray that we truly CONNECT with these people. It is extremely easy to get in to a routine, a touring rhythm that looks like your bunk, catering, backstage, on stage, the trailer, your bunk... repeat... But pray that we would break that rhythm as often as possible. Pray that we would not just take but seek out opportunities to be salt & light. There are going to be people every night, at every show, who need healing and a renewing hope found only in Jesus Christ. Pray that we would be a vehicle for that and that we can genuinely express that in the time that we have on stage and in all the moments in between.
More to come. Stay tuned.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Christmas Song!
Quick note here. Need your help!
My friend Austin Adams has released a Christmas EP that has two songs that we wrote together on it. One of them, "The Holidays Are Here Again." has drawn some attention from the FISH FM. They have it on their website right now for "pre-spin." They measure the popularity of the song by how many "points" are merited from it.
If a song get enough points on the site, they will start spinning it on the radio! So this is where you come in!
1. Go to www.94fmthefish.net and click on "fish family rewards" (its the big blue box on the right side)
2. Sign up for "fish family rewards" or login with your Facebook Account!
3. Once you've signed up, click on or mouse over on "Get Points" and look for the section "Music and More"
4. Then click on the song and listen to a clip of "The Holidays Are Here Again"---Rate it (high, preferably)---- Then click:"Submit"
I hate to sign up for things, so I get it, trust me! But it really would help us out if you could!
My friend Austin Adams has released a Christmas EP that has two songs that we wrote together on it. One of them, "The Holidays Are Here Again." has drawn some attention from the FISH FM. They have it on their website right now for "pre-spin." They measure the popularity of the song by how many "points" are merited from it.
If a song get enough points on the site, they will start spinning it on the radio! So this is where you come in!
1. Go to www.94fmthefish.net and click on "fish family rewards" (its the big blue box on the right side)
2. Sign up for "fish family rewards" or login with your Facebook Account!
3. Once you've signed up, click on or mouse over on "Get Points" and look for the section "Music and More"
4. Then click on the song and listen to a clip of "The Holidays Are Here Again"---Rate it (high, preferably)---- Then click:"Submit"
I hate to sign up for things, so I get it, trust me! But it really would help us out if you could!
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Ferris Wheel
Hello,
For the curious and esteemed... I wanted to give you a description, however brief, of what I intended for this album. My last (and first) EP, Sunday Afternoon, was my first real effort at putting some of my music out into the world. I enjoyed making that record, and am still proud of how it turned out. However, as I think is a necessary part of growth as an artist, I tried to re-assess my approach on that album as I prepared to make this one and what I thought was the best approach and the best way to convey my songwriting.
So, I decided to make a trio record (with a few exceptions). There is one acoustic guitar part in one bridge of this record. The rest of the album is bass, drums, piano and other keys instruments. It's not an "acoustic" album per se, just an album where I wanted the melodies and the stories in the songs to shine, as opposed to being overwhelmed by layers and layers of sound. I love that approach as well, don't get me wrong. I can dig a track with 15 guitar parts just as much as a track that has 1. I just felt like I wanted the songwriting to shine, and the piano parts as well. So... that was my intention with it. It may not follow the lead of some of the pop stars of our current age, but I like the live, roomy feel in this album. It's warm to me, yet also melancholy. It's reflective. These are real stories inspired by things that have affected me in the past couple of years. More importantly, I hope you find something in them that speaks to you. I am glad that it is being released near the dawn of winter, it has a wintry feel to me at times, if that makes sense. It seems seasonally appropriate.
So, enough now... Thanks family, friends, colleagues for all your support in this. This is a cool, cool moment for me and I am deeply grateful for your part in it.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Invent a religion!
... It is the best way to make a million bucks, so I have heard.
I was reading a passage out of Deuteronomy this morning and began to think about the truth of God's word. Every religion, other than Christianity, has been started more or less by a person who claims they had some vision, some enlightenment, where they feel they have connected... had nirvana, etc.. with some supreme being or beings. I compared that notion to Moses and his writings.
Deuteronomy is essentially a recap of the exodus from Egypt and Israel's time spent wandering through the wilderness. As I read about the ten commandments and Moses' interaction with God, I began to think, "is it odd that a man writes his own story like this?" "why is he the author?" "what sets him apart?" Then I realized that nothing really does. His story ends with him dying... yes. dead. Moses dies at the end of this book (though I am not there yet), and never enters the land promised him and his descendants. Only Joshua and Caleb enter the promised land, due to their consistent faith in God, when others fell short.
How is this significant? Well, I zoomed out a bit and thought about the characters of the old testament. I am fairly familiar with it, certainly all the key stories. Up to this point in the Torah, we see again and again stories of men who failed. Godly men who still fall short at times. Men who make mistakes, men who deceive, men who are afraid to do God's will... So, not only are the stories about a collection of men, rather than one man's idea of religion, but the stories generally reflect poorly on the protagonist. All the way back to Adam. Love ya buddy but ya blew it. All the stories and adventures point to one thing, faith and reliance on God! We are sinners. These men were acting just like you and I do today. Messed up, screwed up, and yet God intervenes in their lives and the lives of Israel because He is completing a story that points to Christ, our savior. That's what strikes me and really gives me peace about my faith. No one is flattering themselves in this sacred book. They are telling a story, as best as they can, about their interaction with a holy God. A God who foreknew the path to redemption with his creation. Jacob deceives his father to receive a blessing. David commits adultery and has the husband killed. Rahab is a whore who's offspring, ultimately, is JESUS! To me that is exciting! Forget your flaws, forget your depravity, fall down at the cross of Jesus and know that his grace and mercy are everlasting. No author in the bible, new testament or old, claims to have it all together. They all express full awareness that they are completely reliant on God, even through their moments of being out of fellowship with Him. In every other religion, it's about self-centered striving to achieve some sense of holy living. The product of those religions is not necessarily morally corrupt, often times they, in some sense, are good to the world and the people in it. But every single one falls short by centering around people reaching up to God, to try to connect with him by personal achievement, which since we are all sinners, is an impossibility. We are all going to fall short. We are born selfish and prideful.... Only the one true God reaches down to us to have a relationship with him through his son Jesus. I don't need to invent a religion; I know my savior.
I was reading a passage out of Deuteronomy this morning and began to think about the truth of God's word. Every religion, other than Christianity, has been started more or less by a person who claims they had some vision, some enlightenment, where they feel they have connected... had nirvana, etc.. with some supreme being or beings. I compared that notion to Moses and his writings.
Deuteronomy is essentially a recap of the exodus from Egypt and Israel's time spent wandering through the wilderness. As I read about the ten commandments and Moses' interaction with God, I began to think, "is it odd that a man writes his own story like this?" "why is he the author?" "what sets him apart?" Then I realized that nothing really does. His story ends with him dying... yes. dead. Moses dies at the end of this book (though I am not there yet), and never enters the land promised him and his descendants. Only Joshua and Caleb enter the promised land, due to their consistent faith in God, when others fell short.
How is this significant? Well, I zoomed out a bit and thought about the characters of the old testament. I am fairly familiar with it, certainly all the key stories. Up to this point in the Torah, we see again and again stories of men who failed. Godly men who still fall short at times. Men who make mistakes, men who deceive, men who are afraid to do God's will... So, not only are the stories about a collection of men, rather than one man's idea of religion, but the stories generally reflect poorly on the protagonist. All the way back to Adam. Love ya buddy but ya blew it. All the stories and adventures point to one thing, faith and reliance on God! We are sinners. These men were acting just like you and I do today. Messed up, screwed up, and yet God intervenes in their lives and the lives of Israel because He is completing a story that points to Christ, our savior. That's what strikes me and really gives me peace about my faith. No one is flattering themselves in this sacred book. They are telling a story, as best as they can, about their interaction with a holy God. A God who foreknew the path to redemption with his creation. Jacob deceives his father to receive a blessing. David commits adultery and has the husband killed. Rahab is a whore who's offspring, ultimately, is JESUS! To me that is exciting! Forget your flaws, forget your depravity, fall down at the cross of Jesus and know that his grace and mercy are everlasting. No author in the bible, new testament or old, claims to have it all together. They all express full awareness that they are completely reliant on God, even through their moments of being out of fellowship with Him. In every other religion, it's about self-centered striving to achieve some sense of holy living. The product of those religions is not necessarily morally corrupt, often times they, in some sense, are good to the world and the people in it. But every single one falls short by centering around people reaching up to God, to try to connect with him by personal achievement, which since we are all sinners, is an impossibility. We are all going to fall short. We are born selfish and prideful.... Only the one true God reaches down to us to have a relationship with him through his son Jesus. I don't need to invent a religion; I know my savior.
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