How God called me to Keynote

Music has always been a huge part of my life. I grew up playing some piano and eventually switched over to the violin. In high school, around my sophomore year, during my "rebellious days," I picked up the guitar and drums and started playing in a band with some buddies of mine.

But in college was when God really developed my musical talents and began to really open my eyes to the possibility of pursuing my dreams and doing music full-time.

In the winter of 2003 at the Urbana missions conference, I received God's confirmation to do music and missions. It was exciting to receive God’s call but I did not know where God wanted me to serve.

A few months later in April 2004, I applied and was then accepted later in May to Keynote, Campus Crusade for Christ’s full-time evangelistic music ministry, where I will be serving on staff as a drummer.

Most full-time staff make a committment of serving with Crusade for three years but as of this point I am committed to serving here for as long as God wants me, however long or short that may be!

My Personal Testimony

I became a Christian in February of 1997 at the end of my senior year of high school. Through a series of tumultuous life events, I eventually bowed the knee to Christ.

My dreams of playing college ball were shattered when I dislocated my right ankle for the second time and had a poor playing season. My dream of playing in the all-eastern and all-state orchestra festivals was also shattered when the adjudicator for my NYSSMA exam simply decided not to give me a perfect score, that which I needed to qualify for those two festivals.

And thirdly, my parents got a divorce around my sophomore year of college. That's when my life started to spiral down slowly and everything eventually came crashing down. And, of course, like every sob story, it's always about a girl.

I had a "girlfriend" my senior year of high school for about three weeks. Sad, I know. I don't even know if you could call it a relationship it was so short-lived, but it was enough of an attachment for me to be really hurt by it's abrupt end.

I recall being in tears after the phone conversation with her that broke it off and being so angry with God. Under normal circumstances I don't think I would've reacted quite as strongly as I did but along with all the other dreams that I had shattered coupled with my family problems, I had lost all composure and my grip on life completely slipped.

I shook my fists at the heavens, angry at God and cursed Him to his face, saying "I hate you, God!" From that moment on I remember setting out to do everything possible in my power to hurt God as much as He'd hurt me.

I started partying like crazy, swore a lot, drank lots of alcohol, listened to heavy metal music and just lived a very wild, rebellious lifestyle that reflected the angst and hatred I felt inside my heart. I wanted to forget my pain and indulge myself in the pleasures this world had to offer and I found myself doing unspeakable things that eventually God saved me from.

One day I remember wanting to stop the habits I was doing but felt powerless to do so. It was as if the habits had taken over my life and I wasn't living my own life, I was being ruled by the addictions I had. I literally became a "Romans 7 man."

The passage that describes the man who is unable to do the good he wants to do and keep on doing the evil instead was exactly me. It described me perfectly. At that point in my life I hadn't been to church in so long but my mother's friend told her about a church that I should maybe check out.

I knew God was there but I wasn't ready to face Him. I attended several Sunday school classes before one day a sister at the chruch invited me to their annual youth ski retreat. That was the first time in my life I felt a tug on my heart from God to go to this retreat.

It was there that I realized this was what I wanted. I missed God and I missed going to chruch and the Christian life from what I knew of it and was ready to trade in all my habits and addictions for a life of Christ's righteousness. He cleaned me up and put me on the path to salvation and sanctification.

After that, I went to college where I got plugged into Inter-Varsity Christian fellowship right away. And it was through this fellowship mainly and other experiences that I grew exponentially in my faith.

I stopped swearing, the alcohol habit dropped right away, I cleaned up my demeanor, changed my musical tastes and truly started a fresh, brand new life in Christ, which was amazing and so sweet day by day.

It's amazing to see how good the Lord has been to me and what He's done in my life. It's been a life of ups and downs, triumphs and failures, and has not been easy by any stretch. There were actually some days I recall saying to myself that it was actually easier being a non-Christian!

But all is worth it for the love of my Lord, Jesus christ. I wouldn't trade my life now for anyting in the world. Having Christ and nothing else is better than having all the riches in the world and not having Him at all. He is my true north and my all in all. He is everything. May I preach Him and preach Him crucified in my daily life. Praise the Lord!

The Challenge

“I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.” 1 Cor. 9:22

Millions of people around the world today listen to music. It is a powerful tool in the competition for the hearts and minds of people in today’s culture.

Many listeners have been so influenced by the music culture that it has become the very language they speak in. They idolize their favorite artists, following not only their songs, but their lifestyles as well. But unfortunately, many of these artists do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ nor are they using their music as a tool to influence others for Christ.

Too many Christian outreach programs today are filled with spiritual jargon that non-Christian audiences can neither relate to nor understand. People need to hear the gospel in a language that they can understand-the language of music. And ultimately, it’s going to take musicians to reach these people who can’t be reached in any other way.

My Vision

To see the lost come to Christ through the medium of music and to build up Christ-centered laborers who will use the gift of music as a redeeming influence on our culture.

My Mission

• Give every non-Christian I minister to a chance to hear and respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ
• To communicate God’s truth through personal testimonies and the language of music
• Use a wide variety of musical styles to reach people in every segment of society
• To lead and equip other Christian artists to be effective communicators of the gospel

How I will Serve

I will be serving on staff as a drummer with Keynote for at least three years, and will soon be moving out to Carmel, Indiana, where my ministry outreach will be based out of. Once I have raised my full support, I will be placed in a group and travel across the country, ministering to mostly youth, college students, and military personnel.

Keynote’s practical training in music evangelism and other spiritual formation classes will equip me musically and spiritually so that I will grow in the excellence of my craft and in my relationship with God as well.

Though I've been accepted to be on staff as a drummer, I look forward to other opportunities I may have to serve Him and am open to how He may want me to do that with Keynote.

How You Can Help

We invite others to partner with us in reaching people for Christ.

Campus Crusade has no central funds for paying salaries and ministry expenses.

Like many other mission organizations, Campus Crusade for Christ depends upon the consistent financial support of concerned individuals and churches. These contributions are used to fund the ministries of our staff members.

I must find a team of partners who will give $50, $75, $100 or some other amount in monthly support. As soon as this team is complete, I can report to my assignment

My Committment to my partners:

• To work diligently to touch the lives of people for Jesus Christ
• To regularly let you know how God is blessing the ministry
• To share prayer concerns with one another

Your partnership can make a huge difference in reaching people for Christ!

Would you make a commitment by pledging $50, $75, $100 or some other amount in monthly support?

Contributions

Your gift is an investment in reaching the world with the message of God's love and forgiveness. Let's fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) together!

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