Where I'd like to be July 30 - Aug 5

...and where YOU should go, or send an arts-gifted Christian from your church:

--the conference: The Artist Unleashed: the Arts in Ministry.

--in partnership with the Gospel Music Association’s [GMA’s] “Music in the Rockies

--Click here for info and sign-up

--Featured Speaker #4: Karen Covell. Karen is a leader in profiling that Hollywood—and the film, arts & entertainment sub-culture—is a true “missions field,” and she’s right !! Karen is the Director of the Hollywood Prayer Network [www.hollywoodprayernetwork.org] . Through her job as a film and television producer she has lived her faith in the Film industry for years—while modeling and developing ministries of evangelism and discipleship within that community. Few Christians will challenge us as pragmatically as she can towards a lifestyle of ministry that is both culturally relevant and ‘ministerially’ effective. You can contact Karen directly at <>. Sign up to get her Hollywood Prayer Network updates for yourself.

A short word from Byron Spradlin: It’s time the Church wakes up to the reality that the Hollywood—Arts & Entertainment sub-culture is actually “shaping” the way Christians think about life and living; and that’s NOT a good thing. It’s also time the Church takes pro-active efforts to equip, commission and send qualified ‘ministry agents’ into that sub-culture (most of whom will be volunteer or bi-vocational). Our conference this year serves to affirm these critical “ministry agents” and equip them for more active and effective volunteer & regional ministry. Here are some of the topics: arts in missions, regional outreach strategies, personal ministry skills, biblical teaching on the “ministry” aspect of music & the arts, ministry organization, support raising for your ministry.

Our speaker list is outstanding: Karen Lafferty [missionary songwriter], myself, Dave Durham [missionary musician and culture creative specialist], Dave Bunker [music industry businessman, professor & arts specialist], Rory Noland, Scott Wesley Brown [recording artist, worship pastor, music in missions advocate], Karen Covell [Hollywood producer], Michele Suh [A.C.T. staff working in Hollywood with Hollywood Connect], Dr. Vernon Whaley [Worship & Music department chair at Liberty University], Steve Scott [pastor, arts in missions advocate, songwriter & poet], Billy Smiley [worship pastor, songwriter, recorder], Jeff Morrison [recording artist, songwriter, regional ministry specialist], Julie Branham, [worship leader with a music evangelism focus, singer & songwriter, regional ministry specialist], Larry Moshell [A.C.T. Staff Development Dir., ministry development specialist], Lee Porter [A.C.T. staff, vocal coach worship pastor].

Christ Church

Brad points us to Christ Church in Plano, Texas, one of the largest and fastest growing congregations in the Episcopal Church, USA, which has decided to disassociate itself from the denomination.

This is the church where I received training in the Alpha course and I was very impressed with the church and the people I met there.

While the collapse of the Episcopal Church is sad to observe, the reports from the Episcopal Church conference that are posted at the Christ Church site are truly inspiring - a voice of faith from within an apostate body.

Prepare a Highway

We're going to give a shot at writing our own Christmas Cantata this year and the first song I wrote (last week) is based on Isaiah 40. The melody can't be posted yet but when I can I'll record a rough version and post it here.

Prepare a Highway
From Isaiah 40:1-4 (second draft of lyric) 6/12/06

V1
Hear the words of Comfort God is sending:
To declare the time of brokenness is through,
Days of sad and wounded hearts are ending,
A tender voice of hope for me and you:

Ch
Prepare a Highway for the Lord,
A road that leads to life eternally.
Prepare a Highway for the Lord,
And let it run right through the heart of me.

V2
Let the mountains of my sin begin to crumble,
Let the valleys of my heart be filled with grace.
Make a pathway for the Savior, meek and humble,
For the road that leads to where I’ll see His face.

(Ch)

Bridge
Like the grass beneath the summer sun, we’re dying,
Like the flowers of the field we fade away.
We rely upon your grace, the forgiveness in Your face,
So let your work begin anew today.

(Ch)

© 2006 Rick Lindholtz

Various Things on June 12th...

1. END OF THE SPEAR is out on DVD tomorrow! If you missed it in the thatre, don't miss it on DVD. One of the best films I've ever seen.

Worlds collide and tragedy strikes as a missionary group journeys to the heart of the Amazon jungle in search of the Waodani, a tribe of fierce warriors on the brink of extinction due to revenge killings. When five of the missionary men are speared to death by tribesmen, their families are left husbandless and fatherless. Undeterred by their tremendous loss and spurred on by hope, the families decide to remain in Ecuador, and risk living among the Waodani. But the effects of that first encounter have yet to subside: A young boy, struggling to unlock the secret of his father’s death, must learn to accept a tragedy he cannot change in this powerful true story of sacrifice, courage, and reconciliation.

Available on DVD from Fox Home Entertainment starting tomorrow (June 13), End Of The Spear takes viewers deep into the heart of darkness to discover that faith and forgiveness can transcend the senseless acts of violence that stand in the way of cultural understanding.

Go to your local video retailer, or visit the following links to purchase End Of The Spear DVD's tomorrow: bestbuy.com , walmart.com or amazon.com !

2. JUST BACK FROM COLORADO!

ElenaClaire and I got back last night after 8 days in the Rockies with 80 teens and 13 adults. Awesome beauty. Adventure Experiences' Basecamp is at 10,000 feet. Our days were filled with hiking up to 13,000 feet to a bowl between three peaks (Our team went on the first day and we were led by 3 guides who had never done this hike before - and they started us off on the wrong trail, which led us to the wrong point - but we didn't mind - our hike was tougher than the usual one and we actually got totally off any trail - we also got lost on the way down - but we had an awesome hike and saw things no one else on the trip saw), rock climbing, high ropes challenge courses, a prayer trek, and white water rafting.

I got sick while up there - not altitude sickness, but a severe chest cold that flattened me and I missed several activities, but seeing God at work in the lives of students was worth going through a little misery.

3. MILES IS IMPROVING.

Just before I left, Miles was hospitalized overnight with diabetic complications. I would have cancelled my attendance on the trip but Alicia's sister Rachel said she's come down to stay with Alicia and Miles - which was so necessary because Miles needed constant attention - and even with Rachel there, Alicia absolutely exceeded all she is capable of. By the time I got home Alicia had not had a solid night's sleep in 13 days - Miles was needing blood checks every 2 hours, day and night, and though Rachel could take some of those, she could not make every dosing decision. Her presence also allowed Alicia to get a few things done during the day. THANK YOU RACHEL!

Da Vinci

Read a great essay and compilation of material.

See also the collection of material I've compiled for the church website.