A Funny Thing Happened at the Jonny Lang Concert

Tonight was an unexpected experience. Perhaps it should not have been unexpected. After all, I find many concerts to be spiritually uplifting experiences. But tonight was different. I went with some friends to see Jonny Lang at the House of Blues. At the House of Blues, I always buy general admission tickets so that I can get up close. I was about eight feet from Jonny tonight. Standing on the floor with hundreds of other people crammed in front of stage is always interesting. You make friends with a lot of interesting people when they have had a little too much to drink. And it's amazing what they will do and say. And there I was with my new friends at the Jonny Lang concert. 

For those who do not know, Jonny Lang is a blues guitar player who has been playing professionally for almost 20 years, and he is only 32 years old! He is a phenomenal player with a unique singing voice and music that blends rock, blues, and gospel. In 2006, he wrote and recorded  a song called, "On That Great Day." This brings me to the point of this blog. He started singing "On That Great Day" and a strange thing happened at the Jonny Lang concert. The B-3 was playing. The singers were singing harmonies. And then the audience starting singing along. I closed my eyes in praise of God. I found myself raising my hands to worship. Yes, we had church! I did not expect to have church at a Jonny Lang concert, but we did. My eyes teared up as I, and a couple of thousand new friends, sang the last chorus to the song. Here are the lyrics to "On That Great Day":

"That Great Day"

We'll meet at the river

We'll be delivered of every chain

Down into the water, children

Mothers and fathers in His sweet name

To drown all our sins

And come up again forever changed

Never to return to the people we were

Before that great day

We'll patiently wait 'til we see His face

And when He appears to wipe all our tears forever away

Then we'll be together in Heaven forever

On that great day, on that great day

We'll patiently wait 'til we see His face

And when He appears to wipe all our tears forever away

Then we'll be together in Heaven forever

On that great day, on that great day

We sang that last chorus together several times until it faded to almost acapella. There Jonny was, leading the church--uh, I mean audience--in worship of his Savior Jesus. True, Jesus is not named in the song. But  who else will we see face-to-face? Who else will wipe all our tears forever away? What amazing to me was that most likely none of these people came to the concert to worship God, or to express faith in God for their futures. 

What really struck me as I worshiped God tonight was that here was a truly missional moment. At Houston Graduate School of Theology and Cypress Oaks Church, two places that I love and at which I spend a good deal of waking hours, we talk about being missional, about being incarnational in the unsuspecting world. Here was a group of people--many drunk, boisterous, and vulgar just moments before--singing praise to God. Jesus was there in our midst. I could feel God's presence. (OK, I can't prove that, but I did experience it.) Jesus was there in that unsuspecting crowd. How often to we have services of worship and struggle to find God's presence. Yet, here it was at the Jonny Lang concert. 

I felt like I was being reminded that almost everyone knows that it is a good thing for sins to be forgiven, binding chains to be removed, and lives to be turned around for better. I think that's why everyone joined it and sang. They were expressing their faith that God will wipe away tears forever. There is a great day awaiting. And all these people are waiting for us to say, "Jesus loves you." People are waiting for us to care for them as much as Jesus does. People are looking for hope, for faith, and for peace. There was a little piece of it tonight at the Jonny Lang concert. 

We'll be together in Heaven forever on that great day. Yes, we will! 

Finally, check out this video of the song. I think you'll like it! 

Experience Hendrix?

Went to a concert tonight--the Experience Hendrix tribute tour. Artists included Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Eric Johnson, Brad Whitford (of Aerosmith), Robby Krieger (of the Doors), Robert Randolph, Bootsy Collins, Bobby Cox (of the Jimi Hendrix Experience), and several others. They played over three hours of Jimi Hendrix songs. These artists range from their 30s to their 70s. I asked myself why these guys were on stage performing these songs. Well, perhaps because they were good songs. Perhaps because they enjoy playing together. Perhaps to make a living. Well, maybe all of these, except that probably none of these musicians need this gig to pay the bills, and it is a lot of work to tour with that many people and play only 3-5 songs. So, I think there is a bigger reason for the show. 


The tour is called a tribute tour, and that is exactly what it was. All of these guitar players know that they owe something of what they do to Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix was an innovator. He tried new things with the guitar. He played a different style of riff. He used different combinations of effects. Any rock or blues guitar that followed Hendrix is musically indebted to him in some ways. (Now, just for the record--to hopefully avoid some mean comments--I do know that Jimi Hendrix was not a good role model and is not a person whose lifestyle should be emulated, esteemed, or followed.) This tour, then, is a way to show their gratitude to this innovating guitar player who had such an impact on their craft, their profession, and (probably) their lives. 


This, along with my blog last night, has challenged me to ask, "How have I shown gratitude to those who impacted me?" Thinking about the Christian music influences in my life the past few days in this blog has reminded me of some people who influenced me. I came to faith in Christ at 15 years old in 1976. In the years that followed, many people helped me to become a disciple of Jesus. Jeff Rankin and Jeff Taylor took a few of us leaders in the local high schools and discipled us in a small group. Jimmy Womack hired me at United Saints Bookstore and allowed me to be his friend and partner in the store for several years. Through Jimmy's influence, I met Kemper Crabb and Ray Johnson. These three men (who were about 10 years older than me) were an invaluable influence on my life as a teenager, and I am sure that I never thanked them--and they may not even know it. 


Jimmy trusted me to run his store when he was gone. He introduced me to countless Christian leaders around Houston. He taught me to be a ethical businessperson and better Christian. Kemper let me hang out with Arkangel at Rivendell Studios. He came and spoke to our early morning Youth for Christ group at my high school. Arkangel even came and played one early morning. Ray had an impact on many people's lives--many who probably do not even know it. Through his New Earth Concerts ministry, Ray allowed me to hear Phil Keaggy, Second Chapter of Acts, Sweet Comfort Band, DeGarmo and Key, Petra, Chuck Girard, Resurrection Band, and many others. He knew most of these people personally, and introduced many of us to his friends, believing (I think) that their ministries were worth being a part of our lives. Ray and Jimmy (and others) later started Aslan's Delight, a coffeehouse in Pasadena, TX. I was 18-19 years old but was treated like a partner and friend by these men. Through this ministry, I met Randy Matthews, Resurrection Band, and Servant. All of these ministries had a profound impact on me--encouraging my faith and my desire to know and serve God. 


So, Ray, Jimmy, and Kemper: Thanks for befriending, teaching, and encouraging this young man over thirty years ago. I love you guys and appreciate what you did for me and many others! 


If you've read all the way to here, maybe you have someone to thank!