Toronto: Part II

During my week at Toronto, I kept running into blues music every where I went. I also found out that Bryn Haworth (one of the worship leaders for the week at the conference) had just released a blues CD entitled Slide Don't Fret. I picked up several copies of it at the bookstore there at the conference. Little did I know that God would use this CD to confirm the direction he was taking me in.

One of the things I did early on in my time at Rapha was when ever I taught, I would begin the meeting by playing some worship music. I would put on a CD and ask the guys to just close their eyes and listen to the music. Each time I did this, there was no response from the men. I kept asking myself, "Does this music really speak to them. I know the words do, but the musical style really doesn't." Upon my return from Toronto, I was at Rapha to teach, and I had brought with me a worship CD. As I played it, it was met with the same response. It just didn't click with the men. Ahhhh! I remembered that I had put the Bryn Haworth CD in my bag, so I took it out and put it on. The song was called Judgement Blues". As the music started, low and behold something happened. There were 12 men in the room that day for my class and they began to weep. Not one or two, but all twelve were crying. Heads began to hang down and hands move to eyes to wipe away tears. This music had connected. It went beyond the mind and the heart and went straight into the spirit. God was now talking to these men through this music. Incredible! This took place in October of 1998 and for the next 10 months, I combed the Internet looking for any Christian blues I could find. Glenn Kaiser of Rez Band and Darryl Manfield had released a CD ---Slow Burn. On it was a song called Long, Long Way From My Home. It quickly became a favorite with the guys. Vineyard Music released a Winds Of Worship From London CD which included a fantastic song The Lord Is Gracious. Each one of these selections seem to speak to the men who were coming through the program.

In June of 1999, I began to feel the leading of the Spirit to have a meeting at the Vineyard that was designed to speak to those in addiction. It would continue the thought that the worship music would have a blues feel to it. After many failed attempts for a name, we came up with House of Blue. The color blue represents an open heaven and open communication between God and us. I wanted it to be a place that the word of God could be taught, worship would happen and ministry would bring healing and hope to those who came.

God was gracious during the years that we hosted House of Blue and Gadsden Vineyard was wonderful to give me a place where I could learn how to minister. I was surrounded by some incredible musicians who loved the music as much as I did. Bruce Cornutt, Jose Rodriguez, Chad Bynum, Zach and Kristie Abercrombie, Liz Wood, Brook and David Finlayson, Wayne Wimpee, Debbie Handy, Chris Connor, Todd and LeNola Bagley, Tim Rolf, Nori and Barbie Kelley, Jim Pollard, Rob Bradley, Walt Muller, Rick and Beckie Trussell, and a host of others all gave of their time and talent to bring the music to House of Blue.

So you see, there is no doubt in my mind that God lead me to Toronto at the specific time so I could meet Bryn Haworth and Dave Markee.  He lead me there to confirm in me that blues music would be a vehicle He would use to speak to the people in addiction. As far as I know, there had not been any other blues worship at the Toronto meetings since that time in October of 1998. That is why you'll never convince me that God had not orchestrated this whole thing because he wanted a new work in Gadsden Alabama that was going to impact the lives of people trapped in addiction.

God was....
and is....
and continues to be.......Good!

God on you...
mb