Chris Tomlin

Sean and I had the awesome privilege of going to the Chris Tomlin concert last night. This was a concert like no other. There were only 300 tickets available. The tickets were rather pricey, but 100% of all sales went directly to John 3:16 Mission. That's where my husband works. Over $8,000 was raised last night! Chris Tomlin is amazing! He didn't even have his full band. Two guitars and a keyboard. We filled the Cain's Ballroom with amazing worship. When Chris came out, of course everyone clapped, but we all just began worshipping. That's the kind of presence about Chris Tomlin. He told so many stories about his new album. Everyone at the concert got his new CD for free! It doesn't even come out in stores until next week! The songs and the messages behind the songs...you just can't even imagine. Seriously. Most everyone there was in tears as he shared the story behind "God of This City," and "Love." He closed with "How Great is Our God," and he sang the chorus in a couple different languages. To think that he is leading people all over the country in that song in their native tongue gave me chills. No matter what language we sing in, God is still being glorified and worshiped.

One thing he said I can't get out of my mind. When he was talking about "God of This City," he was sharing how the band that wrote the song (Bluetree) came to write it. They were in Thailand in a brothel. A true brothel. The band was walking the streets in a city in Thailand known for its darkness and coldness spiritually. A bar owner sees them on the street and asks them to play in his bar. The band says yes. When they realize it's a brothel, they begin playing and singing anyway...worship songs. All the while they are singing, the people in the brothel are doing what people in brothel's do. Chris says there's a video of it on myspace. The lead singer in the band just began singing from his heart, and thus became the song, "God of This City." Just thinking about that song in the context it was written...wow. Singing that over a city of sin and darkness. Awesome! But one thing Chris said was, "Thank God the guys weren't 'too Christian' to not play at that bar." I don't know if he was saying that tongue-in-cheek or seriously or what. But it caught my attention. That's all I could think of for the rest of the concert.

Chris's whole message last night was about love. Basically what he was saying and sharing was, "What are we doing about the Gospel? What are we doing about hurting people in the world? What are we DOING?" That reminded me of two weeks ago when I saw those JW's on bikes. They're doing something. J316 is doing something. What am I doing? What am I physically doing to show love to others? Sadly, the only answer I can come up with is nothing. There are many opportunities and needs all around me. I was challenged last night to find a need and do something.