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Saturday, November 03, 2007

Where We Want To Be



































Tonight in Santa Barbara was pretty special. God was with us on a chilly SoCal night as the only thing above us was California sky. But what made the night even better was being in The Santa Barbara Bowl, a historic little outdoor theater carved into a hillside high above lovely SB and the ocean shore below. Built in the 1930's, only a limited number of shows happen here each year because of city ordinances...and we got to be one of them. AND we were the first Christian show ever to play here. That's not so much about us, or even misplaced affection for a famed venue, but rather us bringing what we are so privileged to carry to a place where it has never been heard before.

For us, that's what the Church is supposed to be all about...taking the light of Christ into every facet of this world. That means if you play music to amplify the story of God and help people respond to Him, you want to play that music in the greatest places music is played. You want your songs (His songs) to be loud in the rooms where all the world's great songs have been sung.

Friday night Shelley and I were in Tulsa with DC*B (amazing!) and the same was true. Right there in Caines Ballroom people crammed wall to wall were going for it in worship and it was such a beautiful sight. But it's not all about the people (mostly followers) who come. Each night of that tour, and on a night like tonight at the Santa Barbara Bowl, the venue staff and crew get to see up close (maybe for the only time) what people who say they're connect to Jesus look like. They get to hear the songs we've heard over and over for the very first time and, in many cases, have a significant encounter with their Maker...one they probably didn't even know they were looking for. Sadly, the flip side can be true, as well. But we are hoping by God's grace people see something that rings true and recasts skeptical views of our Savior in ways that genuinely reflect His heart.

After tonight was finished the staff here gave Tomlin an "award" for being the first Christian band to ever hit the stage. It was a small thing....or maybe a really big thing. Maybe it was just good PR, but to me it looked like a collision of two worlds in one beautiful moment in time.

Sure, we love being in the Church and are not ashamed of it. But our songs need to lead people to encounters with Christ in this place, as the great rooms and theaters of the world become places for Church to erupt, be nurtured and embraced. Thank you SBB for an unforgettable night!

17 Comments:

  • Wow ... that is awesome!! Hopefully the Church will continue to shine in the places that no one expects.

    Thank you for sharing and may God continue to use you guys to do incredible things for Him.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11/03/2007 4:14 AM  

  • Thank You God , for the favour you are bestowing on your servants and for opening up doors for the Gospel to be spread where it hasn't been before. Father, I pray that on these tour night many,many staff and crew at these venues may hear Your Word and realise how much You love them and discover the length that you went to,so that they may re-connect with You.Amen

    By Blogger gail, at 11/03/2007 4:20 AM  

  • wow, Hanson was there on oct 3rd?? haha... (big hanson fan here ;-))

    Amazing to hear that CTB was the first christian concert there! I pray and hope that a lot of venue staff will get to know Jesus or will be pointed back towards Him. Not only that but I pray that this last part of the tour will be significant for other as well, people who attend the concerts but esp. for you mr Giglio and the bands and the rest of the staff! Love to you all.

    By Blogger Jacoline, at 11/03/2007 6:03 AM  

  • That's pretty sweet! I think it's a great witness to take Christian concerts out of churches and into clubs, bars, amphitheaters, and the like. I went to see Derek Webb play in a Birmingham bar, and then afterward, when the audience helped fold and stack the chairs, the workers were visibly stunned that we didn't mind helping them out for a couple minutes. That's the witness!

    By Blogger Morgan, at 11/03/2007 9:05 AM  

  • I think that is just cool. I am happy that there was a chance to tell His story in this particular place and time no less with the fire situations happening there. I bet many went away very changed and filled with great hope. Praise God.

    As you shared this story it reminds me of here where I live, we kind of have the same set up, maybe not as grand, what being in Cal. but we have a area called the commons right on Minnetonka lake, with a bandshell, and lots of space where they could hold a pretty big event if they really wanted to. We have had churches hold services there, but only their members would show, and all of the other events were secular. Some day it would be nice to maybe have a chance for Gods name to really be proclaimed here.


    Gods love is amazing and wants to touch all, from far and wide.

    thanks for sharing.

    By Blogger Liz, at 11/03/2007 10:31 AM  

  • That is great about Chris being the first Christian concert ever there. It is about time and nothing better to have than a worship concert too.

    By Blogger Tyler, at 11/03/2007 12:20 PM  

  • that is great!!!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11/03/2007 9:58 PM  

  • Praying... be strong in the Lord. Save, Lord in Sacramento and Salt Lake! Psalm 20

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11/04/2007 3:01 PM  

  • Wow, Taking the praises of God into these places is SO awesome! I'll never forget singing worship songs with my cousin, one night at the piano, in the middle of all the bars and casinos on a cruise ship... amazing, amazing...

    God bless you guys on the rest of the tour :)

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11/04/2007 10:55 PM  

  • ah... one more part of the story I forgot. As my cousin and I were singing, one of the girls who worked on the ship came up to us and thanked us on behalf of the "few" christians who worked on board... It was amazing to be to be used by God in that moment to encourage his people. He is so awesome!!!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11/04/2007 10:59 PM  

  • glad to see you back up and running, louie. i was at the show in tulsa and it was amazing. i brought some of the youth from my church to that show and they were floored to see all of the towels and socks piling up. thanks for all you guys do out there on the road. we're praying for you.

    By Blogger suzanne, at 11/05/2007 10:04 AM  

  • Does anyone else think the pic of the reader board from the SBB looks like a old church reader board (it just reminded me of my church i grew up in). Thank you Louie and CT for your work and reminding us about where this Gospel should go!

    By Blogger Brett, at 11/05/2007 2:15 PM  

  • I always wonder what the staff of these venues think of DC*B, CT and others coming in and playing for praising and worshipping God. Maybe next time I will just ask one of them. What a great way to share the love of Christ after all the door is open.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11/05/2007 2:41 PM  

  • LG:
    My wife and I drove down 90 miles from San Luis Obispo to hear CT (big fans), but never thought we'd get a DOUBLE blessing by your powerful, mind-blowing words describing the indescribable starbreather
    from Ps 33:6. As an elder at our church, I promptly gave this same talk to our kids in AWANA the following Tuesday nite, bringing with me a Bible, a printed picture of Laminin, a golf ball, and enough masking tape to make a 15-foot diameter circle on the floor to illustrate how big our God is. Thank you brother for your winsome gospel presentation of our great God!
    With thanks for you,
    Ted & Penny Malley
    ted@graceslo.org

    By Blogger Ted Malley, at 11/17/2007 6:00 PM  

  • LG:
    My wife and I drove down 90 miles from San Luis Obispo to hear CT (big fans), but never thought we'd get a DOUBLE blessing by your powerful, mind-blowing words describing the indescribable starbreather
    from Ps 33:6. As an elder at our church, I promptly gave this same talk to our kids in AWANA the following Tuesday nite, bringing with me a Bible, a printed picture of Laminin, a golf ball, and enough masking tape to make a 15-foot diameter circle on the floor to illustrate how big our God is. Thank you brother for your winsome gospel presentation of our great God!
    With thanks for you,
    Ted & Penny Malley
    ted@graceslo.org

    By Blogger Ted Malley, at 11/17/2007 6:00 PM  

  • The part of this blog where you mention the staff and crew for the venue seeing into how Christ followers connect with Christ... I was at the David Crowder Band show at the 9:30 club in DC and my crew was standing in the upper level near the stage and we saw a ton of crew folks watching and we even discussed this very thing among ourselves. There was a perch high in the corner where security type staff sit to monitor the crowds. Ive been to a ton of shows at 9:30 club and have always thought that this one particular perch would be the best seat in the house if you could get it, but its always security staff only. Well at DCB staff, security, and crew folks for 9:30 seemed to rotate in and out of this perch all night, much more so than I have ever seen before at a show. I dont know if any of this makes sense but the point is that my friends and I noticed the staff for the club, considered some of the same things you did in your blog, and prayed for them. I dont know that anyone had a chance to talk with any of them, but it would be cool to hear of any stories of staff at these venues meeting christian concert goers and developing relationships that lead to the ultimate relationship with Jesus. Anyway, just my ramble... finish the race and keep the faith yall!

    alw

    By Blogger Unknown, at 12/08/2007 10:07 AM  

  • I was there that night, it was a powerful night, I could feel the Holy Spirit and I was incredibly changed. It had a huge impact on me, singing songs about God's glory because two days later I found out one of my closest friends died over the weekend.
    I have this image of how he is partying up in heaven and that night of worship feels like a glimpse of what heaven will be like, so thanks so much to Chris & the band and for your talk. You all were used by the Holy Spirit to lead me into a deeper love relationship with Jesus.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2/12/2008 10:53 AM  

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