King of the Mountain

I spent some time with a group of artists this week.
All very talented. All supremely gifted.
All leaders and individualists in their own right.
But I watched with great admiration, as the leader became the follower.
And the group......became one.

Their names aren't important.
They spent the week reminding me of that.
But their God is. And boy, is He proud of them.

Seven artists, seven leaders, seven ministries....
All very capable of being the top dog....and each one accustomed to "calling the shots".
But they each chose to focus on what was best for the team.
Not "what's best for me?". But rather, "how can I serve my team members?".
I was blessed and humbled to watch it unfold.

What were the goals of the week?
3600 miles, 17 stops, 7 artists, 6.5 days, with one common focus.....
To love God, and love on people.

Venues ranged from a shopping mall, to a city park, to a coffee shop.....
from a local church, to the front porch of a radio station, to a friend's living room.
And yet one thing was constant.
It wasn't about self.
It was about others.

How can I serve you?
What can I pray for with you?
Hey, let me grab that bag.
You sounded amazing on your song.
Your story really touched me.
Man, you serve an awesome God.

Encouragement. Praise. Grace.
Imagine if we lived our lives like that.
Every day, with everyone we meet.
We could make a real difference.

A lot was accomplished for the Kingdom this week.
An artist sitting with a homeless man, simply enjoying the music.
A brother reaching out, offering hope.
A sister sharing, and healing beginning .
A team working together, shining the spotlight on Him.
Hearts changed.

Long days, short nights.
Hurried meals, restless sleep, cramped quarters.
Mornings beginning in the dark, and evenings stretching well into the morning.
Three hour nights, and twenty-one hour days.
Yet I didn't hear one single complaint.

I watched seven individual artists board a bus on Sunday.
Each one with separate goals and aspiring dreams.
In a few short hours, a worship team had formed.
They played a weeklong "King of the Mountain" game......in reverse.
And God smiled on both the effort, and the result.