excellent music business program . It has been a capstone honor for me . ministry , it is when you are hired and when you ask for a raise ”. Wise words indeed .
and special projects music for Maranatha ! Music , Vineyard Music , StarSong Records , Integrity Music , Worship Together , and others . I ’ ve seen the rise and fall of multiple ministry labels and personalities . I ’ ve also witnessed firsthand the market ( church ) appetite changes for each expression of worship . There ’ s always a new flavor of the month , and just like the cereal aisle at the grocery store , consumer behavior is always in a state of flux .
I ’ ve been a part of both commercial hits and misses . The category that straddles those two extremes , significants ( my term ), are the projects that I am most proud of . Some significants were commercially successful and others are acknowledged revenue failures . But those significants were somehow game changers in their impact .
10 years ago , I was asked to teach as an adjunct professor in Dallas Baptist University ’ s
As you might imagine , all this experience has afforded me some perspective .
I ’ ve been considering Micah 6:8 lately . In a way much of life , both in our vocations and daily walk , kind of all boils down to this verse .
He hath shewed thee , O man , what is good ; and what doth the Lord require of thee , but to do justly , and to love mercy , and to walk humbly with thy God ? ( KJV )
Justice . Mercy . Humility . Three words .
I wish I would have locked in on those three distinctives years ago . It would have saved me a lot of grief in working for certain labels and ministries that have honored vision over people and serving leaders who should have never been given the position of leadership . When you see a lack of common sense , erroneous Biblical ethics , or dishonest practices being spiritualized , you know that ’ s it ’ s time for you to leave . Oftentimes those ministries are really , simply family businesses . My wife once quipped , “ There are only two times a Christian music company will tell you that they are a
I ’ ve also met some wonderful people , and some have become lifelong friends . People from all over the world that are extremely gifted , generous , and normal committed Christians . I ’ ve been able to work with the finest musicians and songwriters anywhere , and travel to places that I only dreamed about as a child , all of which are enormous blessings to me .
But I retreat to those three words . Justice , mercy , and humility are three characteristics that we should be looking for consistently in our politicians , from our news sources , in our church leaders , from our worship team leaders , in our bosses , in our friends , and in ourselves . And we should be assessing our social media posts and our conversations in this same light . It will all go a bit better if we practice this .
I leave you with this : Practice your craft , dream big , and pursue excellence , and in the words of Henry Blackaby , “ Watch for where God is working and join Him in His work ”, always looking for Justice , Mercy , and Humility . Keep your focus .
Here ’ s to the future !
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