Tauren ’ s new release , an EP entitled Let the Church Sing , features songs written specifically for the church and are rooted in faith and community . We talk with Tauren about his new songs and EP , his new book , and his new role as a lead pastor of a large church in Austin , TX .
[ Alex ] Tauren , how are you doing ? You ’ ve moved to Austin since we last spoke . Having lived in Texas , it ’ s more “ Texan ” in Austin than it is in Houston .
[ Tauren Wells ] That ’ s absolutely , right !
[ WM ] So , thanks for this time with me today . You know , it ’ s been two and a half years since you and I had a visit .
[ Tauren ] Oh , that ’ s too long !
[ WM ] And obviously a lot has happened in your life . I want to ask you about your new EP and of course your book coming out . But first
I must ask you about the big change in your life . It ’ s been just over a year now that you and your wife planted a church in the Austin area , The Church of Whitestone . Tell us about the transition that took place in your mind as you moved into this new role .
[ Tauren ] Wow ! I ’ m still trying to synthesize the experience and process everything that I felt over the last , really two years , when it started getting very serious . Us leaving Houston where my wife was born and raised and where we worked and have family and moving to Austin … and the funny thing is , I felt called to plant a church a long time ago in my early twenties . It just never really materialized . And all throughout that time , I would say I felt a sense of readiness to go do it , a preparedness to go do it until right before we were about to move . Our house was on the market , and we were about to make the move to Georgetown . And I was walking around my house thinking , “ Lord , I don ’ t think I ’ m ready for this . I really don ’ t think I ’ m ready ”.
And I told my wife , Lorna , we don ’ t have to do this . We can keep writing songs and leading worship and love people and all that kind of stuff . And I realize now sitting where I ’ m sitting , the greater risk was to not leave . The greater risk would ’ ve been staying , and it would ’ ve been at the risk of never actually stepping into the fullness of what God had called , not just me , but our family too .
And so , our lives don ’ t look anything like what they looked like in Houston . God has tremendously blessed what has happened here . We are saying , honestly , we don ’ t feel like we planted this church . We feel like God planted this church . We had unbelievable first day attendance , but we ’ ve really beat the statistics in that our current regular attendance is over 2,000 people weekly . And that just doesn ’ t happen . And we ’ re so grateful , so grateful for that . But it has taken a different level of faith . Honestly , I ’ ve told people I thought I needed faith for other things in my life , other
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