Monday, March 12, 2007

Super What?

Volume 2 - Issue 3
Super What?

Last month while in Peoria for a support trip my sister-in-law, niece and I (Leslie) had a girl’s night out. We attended a minor league hockey game with a Post-game concert, Superchic[k]. I want to share with you my experience at this rock concert , as I think it will give you perspective about Keynote bands. Oh yes, I need to add that Superchic[k] is a Christian band. My niece was ecstatic as she stood among all the teens jumping up and down waving their lighted cell phones in the dark arena. Wow, to think these teens were having clean-fun at a Christian rock concert!

The 5 member band was authentic- in that clothes they wore- the fans could identify with then, as well as the aggressive style rock music. One of Keynote’s values is authenticity. An audience is quick to pick up on if the artists are real or faking it. (As Mike would say he can’t pull off wearing an earring.)

Although, a gospel presentation was not given at the Superchic[k] concert, the lead singer, Trisha, did share from her heart. Keynote offers 2 styles of concerts, Pre-evangelist and Evangelistic. Pre-evangelistic is where the band does a concert sharing personal stories from stage about life. In an Evangelistic concert a personal story is shared but it doesn’t stop there, the full gospel presentation is then given.

Prior to Superchic[k]’s encore song, “Stand in the Rain” the singer explained how the song represents the culminating events (struggles, trials, heartache, death of loved ones, brokenness) in the bands lives over the last few years. Trisha put it so succinctly, “This song resembles journal entries of our experiences.” As the stadium stood in silence she continued, saying in the “hard stuff, God is what kept them going. We have hope in our faith and in God.” How incredible admist this rock concert the musicians proclaimed their hope in God.

Sidelined & Sanctified

Our hearts were struck by a sermon we recently heard “Sidelined Saints.” We want to share this with you. The idea of sidelined is best seen in an injured football player who sits on the sideline for the season. That player might not be on the field, but they can encourage their team and play a valuable part of the team.

As we have been raising support together since getting married, it’s been a time of challenges, growth, disappointments as well as blessings. Our main focus and responsibility at this time is to raise our financial needs goal as a couple. Why you may ask? Campus Crusade for Christ desires/values to see that their staff are fully-funded laborers sent to the field so they can fully focus on the ministry.

In the same way as the football player, we may feel like we have been sidelined during this time, but this is the ministry that God has called us to. We have not been sidelined. God has us right where we are. We are grateful for this gift of time to grow and minister to each other as a newly married couple.

We have seen God work on our character- transforming us in our spiritual walk with Him. We believe God is just beginning something amazing in ministry as we raise our support together right now! The Lord has blessed our first 7 months of being newlyweds.


Mike spoke at the Bradley University, Campus Crusade meeting.










While visiting our sending church, we had the opportunity to share prayer requests and give a ministry update at a Sunday evening service.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I don't know any tags. But I must say that I know it was a frustrating time with the racoon. And so I don't mean to make fun of the experience, but I found myself laughing as I read through it. To paraphrase something written on an ornament in someone's home, "Life has its "moments," but God is never surprised." (: