( Part 2) continued...
What really killed and sickened my heart was just how I had taken my "American blessings" for granted.
I simply just couldn't live in this American culture anymore. While I was here, my dear brothers and sisters of Europe and Russia were over there, suffering. The American dream was not me. The whole traditional American mindset of , "Go to the college of your dreams, put yourself into $40,000 or more in debt like "everyone else", and have a nice life," was something my heart could never do. I recently talked with one of my dear European friends, and I'll never forget how moved I was after our conversation. My generation of European friends, simply had NO childhood. sound a little too hard core for you? that's. reality. My dear brothers and sisters in Europe had to "grow up" alot sooner than your typical American boy or girl. I feel as if people in general in America have this false mind set of "Oh, Europe is such a wonderful and happy place!" In some aspects, it is, but reality, it's a harder life.Why else do you think my parents chose to escape Russian communism and move to America, knowing in the back of their minds that they would have to leave ALL of their family, friends, and relatives behind?
Financially, in Lithuania, reality is people live from pay check to pay check. There is no need to even open a bank account. The unemployment rate is 18% and the total population of Lithuania is 3.4 million. Everything in Lithuania costs the same as it does here, but they make twice as LESS. But the beauty of it all, is that God has confirmed in my heart that I am called to go to such a place....I believe in order to reach a a dear country, a beautiful group of unique people for Christ, you must live among them. Not you in your rich a** "missions house" but actually living THEIR way of life financially, physically, etc to really get a taste of what it's like....
What REALLY ticks me off about America's Christian music scene is that it apparently "forgot" that there is an ACTUAL world outside it's bubble. Slowly, there are a few American Christian bands who have started touring in Europe, which is SO refreshing to hear. I also do realize the perspective that if an American Christian band is called to stay in America to evangelize to American people, that's totally fine. What continues to bother me is how NON international worship leading in America is. I do realize that throughout the world there are various Hillsong churches, and music ministries that do exist in this area. Just from observing worship leading in America I feel like sometimes we get so consumed about becoming "the best worship leader" "the best music ministry" "the best church" that we forget about that sad, orphaned Albanian girl walking the the lonely dusty mountain streets....
I challenge you, dear future worship leader/Christian musician...You sing your songs about Jesus to the world. You reach people here in America for Christ. You make a good amount of money being in your cute Christian band. You become the most famous Christian band in the universe! Perfect.....?
Who is going to reach that orphaned Albanian child? Who is going to love on that young Bosnian man and bring light to his eyes? What Christian band is going to go those dark European/Russian places that otherwise would have not ever been set foot in? Refresh your memory, why exactly are you in your "Christian band?" Is it for the right reasons? I realized in my heart that I was called to go to those places with my music ministry. Let's be deathly honest, your average American Christian band will most likely never go to the darkest corners of Europe or Russia. They will be too consumed in their own musical success and lives to even bother. That's where I DREW THE LINE. I wasn't going to be part of this "average Christian band" lala. SO NOT me....An orphaned Albanian child isn't going to care if you are the greatest worship leader on earth. They just want to be LOVED....Let me repeat, THEY SIMPLY WANT TO BE LOVED! Same with that young Bosnian man, it is CHRIST'S LOVE that is going to reach the world NOT our music professionalism....This is what I believe is THE HEART of what music ministry is about. Simply loving your dear brothers and sisters for who they are, and being on the same eye level with them, and not letting your stupid musician status get in the way. Simply doing music ministry from the heart. Heart to Heart. Personal relationship to personal relationship.FORGET about the freakin stage. Just sitting on the cold dusty ground with your guitar, smiling and looking into the deep blue eyes of a young Russian girl, the sea green brown eyes of a young Montenegrin man, as you sing the song God's heart gave you....
What really killed and sickened my heart was just how I had taken my "American blessings" for granted.
I simply just couldn't live in this American culture anymore. While I was here, my dear brothers and sisters of Europe and Russia were over there, suffering. The American dream was not me. The whole traditional American mindset of , "Go to the college of your dreams, put yourself into $40,000 or more in debt like "everyone else", and have a nice life," was something my heart could never do. I recently talked with one of my dear European friends, and I'll never forget how moved I was after our conversation. My generation of European friends, simply had NO childhood. sound a little too hard core for you? that's. reality. My dear brothers and sisters in Europe had to "grow up" alot sooner than your typical American boy or girl. I feel as if people in general in America have this false mind set of "Oh, Europe is such a wonderful and happy place!" In some aspects, it is, but reality, it's a harder life.Why else do you think my parents chose to escape Russian communism and move to America, knowing in the back of their minds that they would have to leave ALL of their family, friends, and relatives behind?
Financially, in Lithuania, reality is people live from pay check to pay check. There is no need to even open a bank account. The unemployment rate is 18% and the total population of Lithuania is 3.4 million. Everything in Lithuania costs the same as it does here, but they make twice as LESS. But the beauty of it all, is that God has confirmed in my heart that I am called to go to such a place....I believe in order to reach a a dear country, a beautiful group of unique people for Christ, you must live among them. Not you in your rich a** "missions house" but actually living THEIR way of life financially, physically, etc to really get a taste of what it's like....
What REALLY ticks me off about America's Christian music scene is that it apparently "forgot" that there is an ACTUAL world outside it's bubble. Slowly, there are a few American Christian bands who have started touring in Europe, which is SO refreshing to hear. I also do realize the perspective that if an American Christian band is called to stay in America to evangelize to American people, that's totally fine. What continues to bother me is how NON international worship leading in America is. I do realize that throughout the world there are various Hillsong churches, and music ministries that do exist in this area. Just from observing worship leading in America I feel like sometimes we get so consumed about becoming "the best worship leader" "the best music ministry" "the best church" that we forget about that sad, orphaned Albanian girl walking the the lonely dusty mountain streets....
I challenge you, dear future worship leader/Christian musician...You sing your songs about Jesus to the world. You reach people here in America for Christ. You make a good amount of money being in your cute Christian band. You become the most famous Christian band in the universe! Perfect.....?
Who is going to reach that orphaned Albanian child? Who is going to love on that young Bosnian man and bring light to his eyes? What Christian band is going to go those dark European/Russian places that otherwise would have not ever been set foot in? Refresh your memory, why exactly are you in your "Christian band?" Is it for the right reasons? I realized in my heart that I was called to go to those places with my music ministry. Let's be deathly honest, your average American Christian band will most likely never go to the darkest corners of Europe or Russia. They will be too consumed in their own musical success and lives to even bother. That's where I DREW THE LINE. I wasn't going to be part of this "average Christian band" lala. SO NOT me....An orphaned Albanian child isn't going to care if you are the greatest worship leader on earth. They just want to be LOVED....Let me repeat, THEY SIMPLY WANT TO BE LOVED! Same with that young Bosnian man, it is CHRIST'S LOVE that is going to reach the world NOT our music professionalism....This is what I believe is THE HEART of what music ministry is about. Simply loving your dear brothers and sisters for who they are, and being on the same eye level with them, and not letting your stupid musician status get in the way. Simply doing music ministry from the heart. Heart to Heart. Personal relationship to personal relationship.FORGET about the freakin stage. Just sitting on the cold dusty ground with your guitar, smiling and looking into the deep blue eyes of a young Russian girl, the sea green brown eyes of a young Montenegrin man, as you sing the song God's heart gave you....
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