I’m at a conference for youth & kid’s workers. Things have been reasonably groovy so far. Carla shared spectacularly this morning (if she only says she did “fine” on her blog, I’ll be pouring ice cold water on her head tomorrow morning). She communicated a difficult biblical text really well, connected with all 200+ people in the room by humbly starting out in German, told some fantastic stories and made us all laugh.
gotta go….
The trip to Herrnhut was pretty amazing. Here’s why:
1. My impression of the place was that it is simply a small (very small) German village. I don’t think that there is anything impressive or inherently special about that place. I think that is what makes it an amazing place. You look around at this totally normal town and think… In the 18th century, these people changed their world completely…
I could tell you all about what the Moravians did, or you could go out and buy Pete Greig’s book (if you are one of our supporters, we already gave you one! he he he…) Red Moon Rising. Totally normal people, doing extraordinary things… A normal place, giving birth to an amazing missions movement that has touched the farthest reaches of their world… QUOD FUIT ANTE NIHIL, something coming from nothing.
2. We got a personal interview with the director of the Moravian Archives. He took out the original rings and medallion of Count Ludwig von Zinzendorf’s “Order of the Mustard Seed” and let us pore over them. Took loads of pictures, if you wanna see em, you’ll have to come visit because they can’t be reproduced in any way. For more info on the Order, buy Pete G.’s other new book, The Vision and The Vow, which came out yesterday. We were allowed to handle documents and relics that are over 250 years old. To put that in perspective… I HAD DOCUMENTS AND RELICS IN MY HANDS YESTERDAY THAT ARE OLDER THAN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! That was a first for me.
3. We visited the Count’s grave, took a walk around his old castle (we weren’t supposed to, but… well… we hadn’t come that far to stand and stare) and had some nice food, cake and coffee at a local café.
It felt like a personal pilgrimage of sorts. I can’t say that I had a fantastic spiritual experience or that I even heard God speaking to me clearly, but I did have a clearer sense of the fact that this stuff is very real.
That name might not mean anything to you, but if you’ve read Red Moon Rising (the story thus far on 24-7 prayer) then you that the missions movement that was launched out of that sleepy village is actually the inspiration behind 24-7.
I’ve been looking forward to this little day trip for a long time. I’m sitting on the train on the way to the airport in Dresden with Carla, Markus and new-found friend Chase (from San Francisco). We’ll pick up a car there and then head to Herrnhut. Its nice to be able to make this trip with friends. Almost feels like taking a trip home.
There are people that think that Herrnhut has special spiritual power. I don’t know if that is really true, that certainly isn’t why I’m going. I’m going because what happened in this place over 200 years ago has profoundly affected my life and those of a lot of my dearest friends. Its probably affected you more than you know!
We’ll see what God does while we’re there.
In case you didn’t notice, I’ve posted a few pics in a photo album on the left side… Check it out!
The Moneybrother concert the other night was absolutely fantastic. Definitely in my top 3 shows of all time. The group that opened up for them was… decent. Not great, not bad, but OK. But the comparison between the Figurines and Moneybrother is like comparing boys to men. Moneybrother had great songs, a fresh, unique sound and a fantastic show.
This got me thinking: “What makes a good concert, a good concert?” As I watched the band, a few thoughts came to mind…
1. Be Sober. At least at the beginning. People really appreciate it if you are there, you are sharp and ready to give your best. These guys were totally “there” and on top form. I noticed that for the first hour of the show, they were all drinking water.
2. You Need to Like Each Other. If there is tension or conflict in the band, the crowd can perceive it and feel uncomfortable as a result. That’s not what they paid money for and came out to see on a Monday night. These guys genuinely liked each other, were having the time of their lives and that transferred to the crowd having a whale of a time. Moneybrother were not just a good band, they were having fun, making jokes and were happy to be there.
3. Be Humble. You really aren’t that important. If people have shown up on a Monday night and paid 11€ to see you, thanks is in order. They could be at home, in bed, watching some talk show or reading a book. Instead they are there sharing your music with you. You aren’t that great, recognise it and thank people.
4. Honour One Another. This band did that really well. It was totally obvious that they respected each other, gave each other space and transferred the spotlight around the band really well.
Aside from that, the music was really good. Check them out. In five years, I’ll be able to say that I saw Moneybrother with 100 people in a smallish club in Dresden. You’ll be seeing them in a stadium!
Carla arrived this morning, had a nap this afternoon and is ready to head out with the gang tonight to see a Swedish band called Moneybrother. They sound like a pretty nice outfit, sort of rockin’ soulie type stuff. Apparently they have won loads of awards. We’ll be taking in Figurines as well. If I am able to get out of bed tomorrow, I’ll fill ya in on how the show was.