Next week is going to be a big week for Christy Nockels as her latest album "Into The Glorious" releases on Tuesday. Because of what I do, I get the privilege of getting projects that come out of our organization just a little ahead of the world at large. Our team gets to start listening to the final result of what God's been brewing in the heart of an artist for months before we actually hold any product in our hands. The same has been true of "Into The Glorious."
As I've listened over and over to this record leading up to its release, it has occurred to me that the day and age we live in can often present a bit of a double-edged sword for those in ministry either in word or in song. It can be a double-edged sword because there is a fine line between making Jesus famous and making yourself famous. Between trusting Him to be faithful in delivering something where it needs to go and taking matters into your own hands to get it there. Between Jesus promotion and self promotion. Even when the promotion is of a product that makes Jesus famous and is something that He's called you to and gifted you for, it's just awkward to promote it yourself. That's what promoters are for. That's what they do. They promote things. But, now that Twitter, facebook and YouTube are on the scene, it's never been easier to promote yourself...or to broadcast yourself. I mean, you're reading this blog because I promoted it! But...I'd love to see us ramp up the promotion of others.
Don't get me wrong, those three particular tools and others like them have absolutely changed the world. When you find out about things on Twitter long before you could ever see them on the news, times have most certainly changed. I'm a Twitter user and a facebook user and see the value, the reach and the impact they can and do have. Just the same, I always find it the slightest bit awkward to see worship leaders and authors have to promote themselves...and I'm sure they find it just as awkward to figure out what to say. As I've pondered the love/hate relationship I have with social media and self promotion, I'm reminded of these scriptures:
"Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips." Proverbs 27:2
Over the course of my life, I've had opportunities to be around fairly well-known people. People that other people admire and look up to. Pastors. Worship Leaders. Authors. Speakers. Singers. Athletes. Politicians. Many of these people are people that I also looked up to. When we admire people from afar, it's fairly common to think: "I wonder what he's like off stage." "I wonder if she's as personable as she seems." "I feel like I KNOW him!" "I think we'd be friends."
Most of the time, getting to know these people has been even further confirmation of the belief in Jesus that they so passionately speak or sing of. A few times, getting closer to a person I admired has resulted in a rude awakening. I mean, the closer you get to the core of an organization, the healthier or more dysfunctional it's revealed to be, right? So it goes for a person. The more you get to know them, the more the heart of who they really are is revealed. Often for me, it's caused me to be elated with how delightful they truly are...even more so than on the platform! Unfortunately, there have been a few times when I've been grieved to realize what a grand show it all is.
My relationship with Christy has been no different. Getting closer to her personally has unmistakeably revealed who she truly is. I by no means know her better than all others, we are not BFFs or some other ridiculous string of letters. What we are is women who find ourselves in ministry together, laboring alongside one another and with that, getting to know each other. So, in the spirit of Proverbs 27:2...
The more that I've gotten to know her in the last year, the more I've been thrilled to be up close to the well from which all those God-breathed lyrics effortlessly spring. The more I've gotten to know her, the more I've rejoiced that my far away admirations have not culminated in disappointment. And, the more I've gotten to know her, the more I've come to treasure the Jesus she is so desperately in love with. She speaks life, she speaks wisdom, she feels deeply and she loves well.
At this point, I'm sure you're thinking, "What's with the love-fest? Did she ask you to write this?" The answer to that is a resounding NO. Hopefully she'll still be talking to me by the end. She's been sweet to tolerate my gushy adoration of her gift for many years now. In truth, this post is timed because I DO want you to buy her record. When she tweets about it (as well she should), I want you to promote it, retweet it, facebook it and sky-write it if you feel so led. But I want you to do it knowing a little bit more about this woman from my view. Isn't it always good to hear that someone is as they seem?
Ultimately, along with promoting her record, I want to promote her. This woman has a heart of gold and inside it is the desire for each one of you to know intimately this Jesus of which she sings so beautifully and passionately. She's not making records and singing songs because people said she should...she's doing it because it's what she was made for. And in it is the desire to make much of Jesus so that in doing so,
you will be transformed by Him and make much of Him as well.
you'll draw near to Him and let Him draw near to you.
you'll come to Him with your every need and find in Him all you'll ever need.
This record is up close and deeply personal. It's meant to be that way. Stripped down, vulnerable, real. A reflection of the way she gets to minister most often...up close and personal. The songs pour forth lyrics that reveal her heart but in doing so they reflect what so many of us think at times but can't quite put words around. There's only one way to enjoy this record and that is REGULARLY.
Grab a cup of coffee or tea, a journal and some headphones. Put them in and shut out the static of the world around you. Close your eyes, push play and ask God to speak personally to you through what Christy has labored to pour out. Let her minister to you the way God has equipped her to. Up close and personal. You'll be glad you did.
PRE-ORDER "INTO THE GLORIOUS" HERE!
http://itunes.apple.com/us/preorder/into-the-glorious/id506196147
Now, I'll leave you with the question that has swirled in my head over the last few days...
"What do people discover about me the closer they get?"
