Welcome back. You belong here.
The other day someone asked me if it's tough doing things differently. I said, in some ways yes and other ways things are new.
Some things have been different, not as I'm used to. But other things I've wanted to see grow are happening more quickly. I have more of my artisans involved in secular music than before. Maybe 10-12 of the team I work with are involved in music all over town, from Denver to Boulder and everything in between. No one playing at Red Rocks just yet, but there's an indie type music feel that is here.
For example, there's a band one of our percussionists is in called Mestizo Rocks. Very nice eclectic rhythmic music. Mark sings and plays percussion. So that's something pretty exciting for me.
There are also a lot of missional artisans involved in multiple ways across town. One of our bass players leads a band that plays at the Race for Cure in Denver. They play classic rock and roll while people run the 5K, marathon, etc. Others from different organizations pass out water bottles just to serve the community. Great stuff.
Another one of our young leaders is opening her own graphic design business tonight at 8pm. She's renting a gallery in downtown Denver with her friend. Another one of our leaders is doing a film festival, another one of our drummers does a drum collective which is like a clinic for young drummers all around town that brings in big drummers all year long.
Another guy is the general manager for a theatre in downtown Denver, and then we have 4-5 young worship leader types that are recording their 2nd or 3rd cd's, playing at coffee shops, etc. Another one of our guitar players is an architect involved in local missional work wit his company, has been to Nicaragua to build an orphanage, etc. Lots of good stuff like that.
So the challenge is helping the church worship, and connect the dots between the arts and God. That's a weekly task. The other task is to help people be more connected to one another and find a home, because even though they all have some connection here, they don't all feel connected here.
There are many opportunities. My hope is that I can get through the initial shock of being here, of learning a new church and culture, of working through all the internal changes within me, just trying to workout regularly again (moving is depressing), so that I can get to the fun part of the job.
The church also has around 80-90 acres of land here in Arvada, CO that it may sell or develop. The vision that is coming is to ask God for ways to use that capital to invest into Denver, into artisans, to help the poor, the serve the kingdom of God worldwide. Sometimes, I'm in meetings deciding over these things, being asked for my input and I feel humbled. I ask God for wisdom daily.
I also have a group of my two staff worship interns with whom I have a spiritual formation group. Last week we read Thomas a Kempis regarding temptation. It was uncomfortable, but I felt so thankful to be doing such work with two young lives (22 and 30) building into each other, seeking God together while leading this work.
Then the lead pastor here is a man I admire and love more each day. He is the reason God drew me all the way here. I hope to be like him more and more in all he does, from seeing his daughter be married last month, to water rafting, to leading the church from attraction to mission. I admire him and feel honored to serve under him.
If I can just figure out Boomers, and find my nitch of young leaders and be more about the city than the church, and the snow thing, I think I can do this and have a great time doing it.
And of course, someday I hope to do my music. To record an album with a great group of friends and make some great stuff together. I'm not writing much these days, not a lot of inspiration, work is hard, but I know that will come in time.
And if I can just develop 2-3 deep friendships that will carry me during my time here, again, I think I can do this. And if I can just workout again and get my body back, I think I can do this. And if our children and my wife can survive the move, I think I can do this.
Well, I think that's all the things I'm working on these days....all while trying to be more humble before God, seek Him more and become more of a giving person.
I've done some amazing things in my time, especially in music, and right now I'm not doing those things yet, but I feel all that will come and things can be even more full than before.
Have a great day,
Into the future,
davidT
