Mark 8:34
"Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.'”

“Deny himself.” “Take up his cross.” “Follow me”.
I want to start off this new section with small article about counting the cost of following Jesus. I don’t think I really need to say much more on this verse. Jesus, as usual, makes it pretty clear what the cost is in this verse. But what does it mean for us to deny ourselves, pick up our crosses and follow Him.

It was dark and raining harder by the minute. I was in the center lane of the freeway in a car that wasn’t mine. Usually I don’t mind freeway driving, but on this particular night the rain, the mist from a hundred tires and the glare from the streetlights were making it nearly impossible to see the lines on the road. This may not have been a big deal if the highway was a straight shot, but this road was curving around the edge of the city and had numerous sweeping turns to navigate. In short, driving conditions were dangerous and I was driving an unfamiliar vehicle. 

I used to chuckle at a Calvin & Hobbes comic that my mom kept on our refrigerator when I was a child. It had a picture of Calvin making a grumpy face with a caption that read, “God put us on earth to accomplish a certain number of things. At this point I am so far behind I will never die.” But somewhere along the line, one of my parents had crossed off “number of” so it read; “God put us on earth to accomplish certain things…” It was a silly little comic, but I never really forgot the concept behind it. As I began to get to know and love God on a personal level, I always kind of wondered how much truth was behind that. Did God really put us on earth to accomplish specific things? Did He really give each person only a part of the puzzle?

Shiloh. Andy Hunter. Kubiks. Uberzone.

What do you think when you hear these names? Do you think, “Man, that guy is certainly doing the work of God”? Do you think, “That is where Christians need to start being”?

A few months ago I was sitting in my church’s business class. The teacher had asked us a question – “What verse might best describe your purpose for starting a business?” As we went around the room, the answers ranged from verses on prosperity to verses on ministry to John 3:16 to the great commission. Since I was sitting near the back of the room I had a moment to think about my answer. The verse that kept coming to me was different than everyone else’s verse. I kept thinking of “Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.” (which turns out to be Proverbs 22:29). In a way, that surprised me. My purpose for starting my business was because I wanted to stand before Kings and priests?

It’s my 30th birthday today, I am sitting here at my friend’s house in Ibiza and there is not a cloud in the sky and all that has put me in a very reflective mood.  After trying several times to come up with a nice well thought out subject to share my view on, I am still stuck on finding one single subject to talk about.  It’s not that I can’t think of anything to say, it’s just that each topic seems to open up so many thoughts that I would end up writing a book instead of page or two.  So it got me thinking, how did I end up where I am today.

Ironically, I was planning on writing an article about how our scene lacks self-support and then I became apathetic about the article and the topic in general. That’s when it hit me. I realized I would just be beating a dead horse. We all are (or should be) aware that we don’t support our own artists, DJ’s websites, record labels, etc…

It's often the hole in your heart that drives you.  Some of the best artists were driven to create their greatest works out of their tragedies and some of the best music is made out of heartbreak and yearning for healing.  A person who understands the pain in others, because of what they have been through in life, are often the most qualified to communicate to others in music and in words; sharing the insights they've learned along the way, the truths that kept them here and kept them going each day, that kept them reaching for their highest aspirations and goals, and persisting against obstacles large and small all along the way.  No one is immune to problems and struggles, but those who reach for healing often find they have a voice, and something to say about the problems in the world and in the human soul, as they reach for and find answers in their own lives and in the world around them.

I wrote this article once already. It was 3 pages (unfinished) and I figured you guys and girls wouldn’t want to read every detail of what happened. So I’m just going to talk a little bit about what God did in me, through me and around me during my 10-day stay in Kenya near a place called Shimba Hills. I wanted to have some video and pictures for you, but I haven’t received everyone’s pictures and such. I’ll be posting those on the forums here at TF.com as I get them from the other members of the team.

Petra’s massive ministry could be boiled down to one simple little motto: Be focused and consistent. They never strayed from this simple live show script of opening with some fan favorites and new material, followed by praise and worship, followed by talking about World Vision and then presenting the gospel during an encore complete with an alter call. Even after 33 years, God moved at almost every concert they played and lives were changed.