from
nathan...
Greetings,
The vision for this new album is a bit different than that of my first record. For better or worse, I really wanted to put forward a more transparent and personal album. I’m not a professional musician. Not even a blue-collar musician. I’m a guy who loves music, needs to write and play music, and needs to share it with others. I believe it to be a calling—regardless of scope of influence. It’s my vocation, though not my occupation. Music has to fit in the cracks of my life. Yet, it also shapes my life, and in proper measure, satisfies with great joy.
This album was recorded live in a living room, a den, and a basement in four separate sessions. We did minimal takes, and full, uncut and unedited takes for the vast majority of the project. Only rarely and when absolutely unavoidable has a piano, a tambourine, or vocal been tracked separately. Of course, we took the best takes we had, but the mistakes, missteps and imperfections remain.
Some of us are given one talent, some five, and some ten (Matt 25), and we each must invest them wisely and with contentment and joy. Musically and relative to the industry, I’m a one-talent guy. And to be able to put that out there without an attempt to hide it is important for me at this point in my life. And to really and truly believe the Father is as pleased with the joyful stewardship of a single talent as he is with ten is a freedom of immense peace. In addition to this, there is a ‘glue’ and energy that holds a live performance together that is not always captured in recording instruments individually. I wanted to achieve that for this project as well. And, of course, it was a joy to record with my friends.
Most importantly, I hope this album is as much an encouragement to you as it can be. It’s certainly the best I (we) could to with what was available to us. And may the glory of Christ shine through these imperfect instruments.
Pax Christi,
Nathan
As many of you may already know, my first record was only possible because of a partnership with Living Bread Ministries.
Living Bread Ministries is a ministry I believe has found a crucial role to fill in promoting the local church. LBM was started in March of 2004 with a vision for planting churches among the desperately poor of Brazil, and the hopes of beginning a church planting movement among the global poor. Since the time of the last record, they have begun branching out into Thailand and parts of Africa.
The Scriptures teach there is a special place in God’s heart for the poor. It is the sick, the downtrodden, the ostracized and maligned by society, the dejected and the “least of these”, with whom Jesus sat, took meals, visited and loved; and with whom He still sits, eats, visits and loves. Indeed, “you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for our sake he became poor, so that you, by his poverty, might become rich.” (2 Cor. 8:9) The Apostle James tells us that “religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: To visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” (James 1:27)
Living Bread Ministries has taken this calling seriously. They have planted churches where darkness reigned and enslaved people made in the very image of God, without any knowledge or hope for freedom from their shackles and slavery. With all my heart (please hear me!), I believe that the Incarnation is the answer to every single kind of evil and injustice that threatens the existence of humanity and God’s good creation. If that is true, and I believe it is, then it is the Church—because she is the very Body of Christ and has the Holy Spirit dwelling in her, making her One with him and each other—who carries on that same ministry and power. God is establishing his Rule and Reign of justice and peace right now, through his Church.
This is why I am still so thankful and consider myself blessed to be in partnership with my brothers and sisters at Living Bread Ministries. Because Christ is conquering the armies of darkness through their ministry in establishing churches who will continue to establish more churches. Christ is present in this world, brothers and sisters. He is present in his Church. And he has commissioned her to go out in His Name and to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the blessed Name of the Holy Trinity. And he is with us to the end of the age.
Much of the proceeds of the EP, He Has Made Us One, are still going to fund this Kingdom building ministry. Please take time to visit LBM at: www.livingbread.org.