interlínc : Maximizing Music and Media in Youth Ministry

From Mike Donehey...
If there's anything I could say to youth pastors,
to those who have the great and awesome calling to lead students
to the feet of Jesus, I suppose that it would be this:
"Friends, preach the gospel."
and closely behind it,
"Friends, believe the gospel."
Yeah, I know, kindergarten kind of stuff right? Well maybe not.
Sadly I must confess,
that as our band has traveled around this country for the last seven years or so,
this is the one thing I have found most lacking....the gospel.
And by that I mean,
the truth that we are infinitely more sinful and conspiring than we
would ever dare admit, and transversely, at the same moment,
we are infinitely more loved and accepted than we ever dreamed,
because of what Jesus Christ has done for us.
I know it's not rocket science, but it is this simple truth that our hearts
must be soaked in every morning, every afternoon, and every night.
It is out of the fact that we are already accepted that we preach, serve, and sing,
not in attempts to be validated by our performance.
Granted, as a performer, this is the thing that I struggle with every time I take the stage.
Religion says, "I obey, therefore I am accepted by God."
But the gospel says, "I am accepted by God based upon what Jesus has done for me,
therefore I obey."
And when we preach this, when we believe this, two things happen.
One, we are humbled. Being more sinful than we had ever imagined,
we realize that it is not our services, our accomplishments, or our youth programs
that justify us before God. It is Christ's work alone that makes us right.
And it is his grace in us that enables us to do anything for Him.
"all that we have accomplished, He has done for us." -Isaiah 26
Secondly, we are given great confidence to approach the throne of grace in
our time of need, for it is not our performance that we rely upon to do so.
This means two things: great humility, great confidence.
And this is what the church needs,
and it is exactly what we have tried to communicate in our
upcoming album, "Over and Underneath."
At the heights of human achievements and purity, Christ has gone higher.
Under the depths of human failure and wickedness, Christ has gone lower.
To the successful and accomplished, recognize that you are still in need.
To the fallen and broken hearted, know that salvation is right where you fell.
This is our message.
This is our song.
This is His gospel.
Not his need for what we can do, but rather, our need for what He has done.
The result?
Great humility.
Great confidence.
May the God of grace give us both.
Peace Friends,
Mike Donehey of Tenth Avenue North