Big (Awesome) Changes Ahead…

What are we doing?

The wife and I, after careful consideration and preparation of our hearts by the Holy Spirit, have decided to join our friends in ministry and life Rick and Erin Morrow on their journey to start a church. As of August 1st, I will no longer be employed as Creative Director at Lebanon Family Church.

Believe me when I say we are as astonished as you. We would have never dreamed our lives would take this direction, but believe me when I say, I’m more sure of this than anything else in my entire life.

Are you crazy?

Maybe. I know we’re crazy about Jesus and spreading his hope and love to a sick generation. Maybe your actually wondering: Are you stupid?. The answer to this is no. We are very sure this is what God has called us to do and we’re in the process of getting the master plan figured out in regards to jobs, income, moving, and things of that nature.

What about LFC?

Lebanon Family Church will continue to thrive and grow as it has in the past few years. The departure of a few staff members isn’t going to rock the direction the church is in. We are not prideful, thinking that we’re irreplaceable or anything like that. We see this as an opportunity for some people to step into a new level of serving their local church, and to me that is awesome.

What About Avapor?

Avapor is alive and well. We are scheduled to play at least two more festivals this summer, one being at the popular Unity Christian Music Festival in Muskegon, Michigan on August 11-13. The other is in Centralia, Missouri at the slightly smaller Redemption Fest. We will continue to make music and we’re all praying about the direction the band will take. We are planning to release at least a new single before the year ends and we’re excited to share that with you.

Pray for us / support us

Most of all, we would appreciate your prayers and blessings as we head into this exciting new stage of life. You can pray for many things: that more-capable replacements for LFC are revealed, that God would keep his hand of blessing on this whole thing, that we would keep our emotions in check, that we would find jobs (if necessary), and that our houses would sell swiftly. We’re also believing for supernatural provision.

Thanks to everyone who has shown their support and love on this new adventure. We have been blessed to be a part of something so great at LFC, and are absolutely pumped to be a part of something great in the years ahead. We’ll keep you posted on what’s happening for us. We love you.

There is a lie going around.

Today I had the opportunity to play a song at a funeral. Traditionally funerals are very sad for family and friends. I hardly knew the person that passed on but I am still left with a sadness inside my heart.

There is a lie being spread around our Christian circles and it needs to stop. This lie is that God “takes” his people from this life, and that he makes us sick to teach us lessons. That is a lie. People say, “God just needed another angel”, which not only is unsound doctrine, but is terrible for our faith. He lacks for nothing. He has all the angels he already needs. He simply desires a relationship with you, and wishes to prosper you.

The bible says in John 10:10: “A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.” Plain as day God says in his word that he wants you to live a great, both in this world and the one to come. That’s why he sent his son Jesus, so through him, we could be restored to right-standing with him and have this life. Why have people been living this lie through to completion? This lie that God is trying to teach us a something through sickness, pain, suffering, and death?

There is a very real enemy out there who already has designs on taking your life from you. God wants life, and the enemy wants death. It’s that simple. It hurts my heart to know that pastors are spreading falsities about the one they serve and seek to please. It hurts to know that people are swallowing this as gospel, this “good news” so-to-speak, without an ounce of skepticism.

Don’t believe the lie that God is out to get us. That he wants some people to die, not realize their dreams and hopes, and leave their family in confusion and pain. He has nothing to prove through that. The world already has enough pain through sin and choices and the very real enemy who hates us.