Over The Rhine and Finding Your Calling In A Cup Of Coffee
Category: Food and Restaurants

I had the privilege of being the last artist to play at the huge outdoor week long event known as Lifest in Osh Kosh WI this weekend. On the heels of two demanding weeks of camp ministry Kipper and I left early saturday morning to make the 9 hour drive east making it our first ever father/son road trip. I played Saturday evening in Sturgeon Bay before jetting out to play Lifest later that night. I had the honor of having my favorite band ever - Over The Rhine - open for me at the Cafe stage. Well that's one way of looking at it, another is that my set happened to be scheduled after theirs :-)

The best thing about Lifest was Over The Rhine playing before me. It was also the worst! I mean, who wants to play after their favorite band?! A hard act to follow. That said, it was a great evening and we closed it all down at 2:00 am. They even gave me their 1 CD that I didn't already own. I gave them mine, too, but secretly hoped they wouldn't listen to it. Ahh... insecurity. But on to the matter at hand:

CMCentral has posted my monthly devotional about a recent visit to my favorite coffee shop in the world - Cafe Vivace in Seattle. While savoring an outstanding White Velvet, it brought to mind the idea of finding our purpose and the criteria we use to discern "true callings". I wondered about the traditional concepts of success and failure we often use to measure the validity of a calling. Is success a valid measuring stick for God's blessing? Does God ever call us to fail? You can read the piece here, and leave a comment if you like it! They'd be grateful to know that you're reading.

Currently listening : Surprise By Paul Simon Release date: 2006-05-09

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Jason Talks about his name at Beliefnet

Hey everybody. I was featured at Beliefnet the other day as a part of their artist trivia. Beliefnet is a pretty big site and I'm grateful that I was featured there. I had a great conversation with Joanne Brokaw during GMA week in Nashville this last April and I was glad to see that she wrote this piece about me, detailing a little about my decision to change my name and then going on to talk about the themes in my work. Check it out here

Currently watching : Brian Regan: Standing Up Release date: 2007-08-14

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Jason Talks With Soul Audio About The Future
Category: Music

I had a great conversation with my friend Matt at Soul-audio.com about my next record, writer's block, the songwriting process, and the challenges of telling the truth in the Chrisitian subculture. Here's a quote:

"MATT: He's too busy thinking. That's the reason you haven't heard from Centricity singer/songwriter Jason Gray for quite some time. You can tell in the way he meticulously crafts his responses even for us at Soul-Audio, let alone in the songs he releases as his own creations. Thus, it was interesting to hear from Jason in this time of writer's block, granting us the chance to gain brilliant insights into the mind of the songwriter..."

And another:

"JASON: Sometimes it feels like real engagement and spiritual growth are counter culture in this environment. If you really want to grow deeper, or ask the better questions it's almost like a rebellion..."

Read more at soulaudio.com and then leave a comment there to let Matt know what you thought of the article.

Currently reading : The Yellow Leaves: A Miscellany By Frederick Buechner

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Inspired To Action

The people at Inspired To Action invited me to be a part of the 40 day fast by picking a day to fast and blog about my passion for the poor and why I work with World Vision. Today (July 1st) is my day! Here's my blog entry, and if you like it, please visit www.inspiredtoaction.com and post a comment. Also, check out the other blogs for exciting and inventive ways you too can make a difference and live beautifully. Here's my blog, I hope it inspires you to action:



MINISTERING TO THE BROKEN HEART OF GOD

My name is Jason Gray and I want to tell you why I'm passionate about serving the poor and my work with World Vision. My partnership with World Vision came at a time when I knew there had to be more to Christianity than cultivating and dressing up my personal faith. I read in James where we are told that true religion is this: to look after the orphan and the widow in their distress, and I knew this was the "more" of the gospel that I'd been hungry for.

I'll share a broad overview of what I love about World Vision as well as a more personal story. If you are bored by broad overviews and just want the story, then scroll down halfway to the section that begins, "the last time I was in Africa…" But I hope you will read the whole thing and join with me in prayer today for the poorest of the poor and all those who serve them.

I'm a singer/songwriter living in the Minneapolis area and I've always believed in music and the power it has to move people, to comfort, to elucidate truth, the help us feel in a world that seems determined to leave us numb to the beauty, terror, hope, and longing all around us and even inside of us. So with a guitar and scraps of words I do my best to feel the weight of my times and hope to help others feel, too. I'm grateful for my work but it involves a lot of time away from family and friends, modest pay, and criticism or indifference with occasional moments of appreciation for my work. I don't mean to sound like I feel sorry for myself – I'm grateful for what I get to do. But I mean this to say that I began to need more than the vain promises of rock and roll glory to make the requisite sacrifices I make.

And so maybe my work with World Vision is partly selfish in that it gives me a deeper sense of purpose and reason to get out and do what I do. You see I get to share about the work of World Vision in my concerts and talk with my audiences about how through child sponsorship they insure a child will have the food, water, education, and care they need to fend off the worst kind of poverty. No matter what happens on a given night, if a child is sponsored I that the lives of both the child and the sponsor have been changed. And this is worth making sacrifices for.

At first I was hesitant to align myself with World Vision because of how big they were. I confess I was subconsciously considering the cool-factor and wondering if there was an edgier, lesser known agency with more of an indie vibe that would suit my own indie artist status at the time. I suppose it's analogous to the way we use music and bands to give us a sense of identity - the more obscure the band the better as they give us a sense of ownership since we discovered them. They become a kind of secret handshake. (God help them if they ever become successful because then we feel betrayed and accuse them of selling out while we go hunting for the next obscure band that we can use to prop up our identity! I see this same dynamic played out even in our decisions to champion certain charities, shopping for a cause the way we might a trendy pair of shoes. I'm not knocking other agencies, But I do hope that whoever we choose to partner with in serving the poor, that we do so for the right reasons.)

God as usual graciously saved me from my own narcissism and my wife and I both knew that God was directing us to work with World Vision and this work has become our passion and the driving force for nearly all that we do. I want to share a story with you about a recent trip to Africa that sums up why I am so passionate about serving the poor. But first, some quick facts: There are a lot of GREAT agencies out there, but here are reasons that initially excited about my specific partnership with World Vision:

1. World Vision is the most comprehensive humanitarian agency of its kind addressing food, clean water, medical, agricultural, educational, political, economical and emotional needs. They are a one-stop agency that touches upon nearly every issue that contributes to poverty and oppression. With World Vision we've participated in digging wells, emergency relief, micro loans to widows, we've bought girls out of prostitution, as well as provide for the basic needs of the children and families we've sponsored. They also work collaboratively with other aid agencies (like Compassion & IJM) in an effort to complement each other's strengths.

2. World Vision is staffed by some of the most amazingly competent and humble people I've met – people who inspire me to be more. One of the more interesting people I've met is Steve Reynolds, the man who first introduced Bono to the needs of Africa. Most of the time they staff their projects with nationals who best know how to read the needs of a particular community.

3. Because their aid is community based, they are able to work in countries that no other Christian organization can. Because of the excellence of their work they also have the distinction of being the only Christian humanitarian agency to be invited into Muslim countries like Iran.

4. While they are Christ-centric they don't reduce the gospel to an evangelical agenda. For instance, when they approached an aggressively atheistic country I won't name here, the government told them they could serve their poor but only if they didn't evangelize or bring bibles and only if the project was staffed with people the government selected. World Vision's reply was, "whatever you say, we just want to serve your poor." Within the first year of World Vision's presence there more than half of the nationals supplied by the country to staff the project became Christians. This is because the work World Vision does begs the question, "why do you do this?" and of course the answer is Christ. Francis of Assisi told us to preach the gospel always and use words when necessary. World Vision workers bleed and sweat the gospel.

5. World Vision also has the lowest overhead of any agency of it's kind, with almost 88% of all revenue going directly to aid. They hope to reach 90% in the coming years.

6. World Vision is leading the charge in the fight to answer the AIDs crisis in Africa. They are also the first on the scene in any major disaster you hear about in the news. They successfully lobbied congress to require diamonds be registered to help battle the blood diamond conflict.

I could go on, but you get the idea. I have personal experiences that fuel my passion, too, and if you've read this far, I'll ask you to stay with me just a while longer and let me share an experience I had recently in Africa.

The last time I was in Africa, I spent most of my time wrestling with God. Besides personal struggles and trying to process what I had seen of the abysmal poverty there, there was also the matter of our friend Carol who became severely ill the day we arrived in Lesotho and was eventually hospitalized from what appeared to be food poisoning. She and her husband had worked hard to be able to go on this trip in hopes of meeting their sponsored child and seeing the work of World Vision first hand. Though our team prayed fervently for her Carol fell deeper and deeper into the clutches of a violent sickness. "God must have a purpose in this," some said, or offered similar sentiments to the effect of this somehow being a part of God's plan.

I get that thought, and it may even be true, but I'm always troubled by how easily those words come to us and I wonder if, sometimes at least, it isn't our way of dismissing situations that we'd rather not engage, a way of avoiding the mental and spiritual wrestling matches that are troubling and notorious for leaving us re-named and with a permanent limp.

Meanwhile, the rest of us were getting our hearts broken as we ventured into the field to be witnesses to some of the worst that poverty and sickness can do to a beautiful people. I remember spending time with one mother, bed-ridden with AIDs and her husband already gone, who lay dying with the knowledge that she was leaving her 4 year old to care for her 10 month old. Her fear was a shadowy presence in the room as we gathered around her, offering our timid prayers. This is only one of many stories in a place where, if not for the grace of God made known through Word Vision and others who serve the poor, I fear there would be little hope at all.

During our drive back to the field office, I was wrestling with the suffering of those we visited that day as well as Carol's. I was angry that God would bring her all the way to Africa only to abandon her to a third world hospital room. Could He use it or otherwise incorporate it into his plan? Of course, He is the great Redeemer. But I was still frustrated that He wouldn't simply reach down and fix her now. As I wrestled with my frustration, I had a moment where I believe the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and gave me some perspective - reminding me that I'm not alone in my frustration.

We live in a fallen world where sin has disrupted the God intended order of things, where His perfect plan – though not cancelled – has been complicated. If I felt like I was frustrated, could I even begin to imagine God's frustration, He who desires so much more for us – a people bent, wounded, and run afoul by the fall?

It's difficult for me to believe that it was God's will for Carol to be sick, just as it's difficult for me to believe that it is God's will that a 4 year old be left to care for her infant sister, or most any other horror that is all too easy to imagine in our day. World Vision was founded on the prayer of Bob Pierce who prayed: "Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God." On that trip, my own heart came present again to the fact that these things surely break God's heart much more than they do mine, and the fissures in the canyons of His broken heart are deep and dark beyond measure. I repented of my anger and frustration, and my heart was broken not only for Carol, the poor, the dying and all who suffer, but also for God who perhaps suffers more than any of us; who suffers on account of us.

I'm left with the conviction that the work we do on behalf of the poor who are dying of AIDS, the orphans who are left behind, the friends holed up in hospital rooms riding out a terrible sickness, and all those who suffer is not only a ministry to them, but is ministry to God Himself. To ease their suffering is to ease the suffering of God, by caring for them we care for Him, a cup of cool water offered to the thirsty is received by God. I'm convinced that it is the closest we will ever come to giving something in return for all He's given. He says, "What you do to the least of these, you do it to me." I believe him. And because I love Him I'm eager, as unlikely as it sounds, to minister comfort to the broken heart of God.

This is why I work with World Vision.

If you would like to get involved, the best thing you can do is sponsor a child. A mere $35 a month provides the basic care that a child needs and actually impacts 5 people in that child's community. The majority of World Vision's work is driven by child sponsorship and as a sponsor you not only contribute to eliminating poverty in a region, but you get a personal relationship with the child who with your help becomes a conduit of God's grace to a poverty ravaged community.

To sponsor a child, click here

For other ways to get involved, go to www.worldvision.org and click the "get involved" tab at the top of the page.

Currently listening : Viva La Vida By Coldplay Release date: 2008-06-17

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Update On The Live Recording
Category: Music

I Just spend the last few days in Minneapolis with my friends Wayne Thomas and Matt Patrick sifting through the live performances that we think will work best for the live CD (tentatively titled: "Acoustic Storytime"). We also recorded a few new solo acoustic songs for inclusion, too, to round out the song selection.

Invariably it seemed that whenever it came time to record I was down with a cold or suffering from allergies, so I was concerned about the live performances being listenable, but in spite of my concerns I'm really pleased with the songs we have. It's always funny listening back through live recordings and hearing the "story" develop of a particular night. A couple times we'd have what felt like was obviously the best performance and then at the very end I'd awkwardly choke or get something caught in my throat, and we'd be like, "aaah no!" But thanks to Matt's editing magic we've been able for the most part to rescue those performances by masking those awkward moments and hiding them in the mix.

It's always interesting choosing a "best" live performance of a song. It's rarely about hitting the notes impeccably, perfect execution of a guitar part, having the best gear, etc. It's about the emotion, the feel, and mostly the audience. In one instance we had a performance that sounded pretty flawless and another that was pretty sketchy, but the audience excitement made that sketchy performance feel better, and so that's the one we went with. Another performance we picked even though the guitar was a little out of tune. It's more about which performance feels true, and it's a good reminder that music is more than something we just hear – it's something we feel and intuit as a community and is more about being human than perfect. And there's an abundance of humanity on these live tracks!

Matt is wrapping up the mixes as we head into camp season (I teach and lead worship at a camp in the summer for 5 weeks – this is my 12th year there!). I love going back to camp – it's always kind of a reset button. So as I'm packing I just wanted to take a moment to write a note and let you know what's happening with the live record and thank those of you who made it out to a recent show! I'll let you know as soon as it releases – thank you!

Jason Gray

Currently watching : Into the Wild Release date: 2008-03-04

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A Tale Of Two Concerts: Cyndi Lauper vs. Andrew Peterson

Check out an interesting discussion at the rabbit room over my review of a Cyndi Lauper/B-52s concert I took my wife to a couple weeks ago. The concert turned out to be a gay rights rally and proved to be an enlightening experience. You can read more about it in the Rabbit Room

Currently listening : Viva La Vida By Coldplay Release date: 2008-06-17

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Summer 08 News - Free Music & Jason Writing For New Record
Category: Music

From Jason:

Hello friends!

I hope you're enjoying your summer so far! It's been the best kind of weather where I live in MN – sunshine but cool everyday. The carnival came to our little town in MN and this was the first year I was home to enjoy it. After a couple of days of eating carnival food and riding the Gravitron with Taya and the boys, I'm swearing off cheese curds and corn-dogs for the rest of the year. But now onto more important summer news…

FREE MUSIC FROM DOWNHERE!
As you may know, I've spent the last three touring seasons with the group Downhere and they've become one of the Gray family's favorite bands, not to mention close friends. I wanted to let you know about a special opportunity for me to introduce you to their well crafted brand of pop/rock music that is deceptively intelligent and literate. They also have two of the best vocalists in CCM (one who sounds remarkably like Queen's Freddie Mercury and the other who is reminiscent of Peter Gabriel.)

Downhere is giving away their latest record "Wide Eyed & Mystified" as a FREE download for the month of June! This is Downhere at the top of their game with catchy, melodic, and smart pop/rock tunes – for free! Get the download at www.downhere.com, give it a listen, and hopefully you'll soon see why the whole Gray family are big fans. Again, they are only offering the album free for the month of June, so don't miss out (and let others know, too.) And then watch for their brand new album to release in September.

Well enough about Downhere, let's talk about me now :-)

JASON GRAY NEWS
After wrapping up the Spring tour with Shawn McDonald, I've been holed up at home writing songs for a new record that we hope to start recording later this year or early next. So far, I've written some of my most personal songs to date. I've also been collaborating with friends like Joel Hanson, Sara Groves, Andy Gullahorn, among others. If you've read my blogs recently, you know that I've been wrestling with a prolonged season of writer's block, so it's refreshing to feel the words flowing again and I'm looking forward to making a record for you soon.

In the meantime, we're also going through live performances we've recorded this past year to put together a live recording we hope to make available before the end of summer. It will include some of the stories between songs that so many of you have asked for – I'll let you know when it's available!

Looking for good summer reads, music, and conversation? Head over to my message boards to join a conversation with myself and others, and also be sure to check out the Rabbit Room where I'm honored to be a regular contributor on topics such as books, movies, music, culture and the unexpected ways they intersect with faith.

Thanks for being a part of the Jason Gray email community! Watch for news about the Fall Tour – hope to see you out there soon! Until then, be blessed,

Jason Gray

Currently reading : The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible By A. J. Jacobs

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The Carnival Comes To Town And CBN Music Features Jason
Category: Music

The carnival has come to our little mid-western town and transformed our main street for Hay Days. I'm usually on the road for this annual event, but this is the first year I got to experience it. We headed down the street with our tickets and rode all the rides. Even 4 year old Gus got himself psyched up for it. "oh man" he slapped his forehead as we handed the carny man our tickets for the Gravitron, "I'm such a dork". And then he bravely stepped in and rode his first carnival ride - but not his last.

He did well and rode every other ride that day - the Ferris Wheel, Fun House, and the Tilt-a-Whirl (or hurl-a-whirl as we like to call it). I guess it goes with the territory of being the youngest, he has to prove himself to everyone else in the family. We also ate our fill of super corn dogs and cotton candy before going home. But that wasn't the end of the excitement. The day before Gus sent everyone into a panic when he swallowed a water balloon. We called the nurse who told us we just needed to watch for it to show up when it came out the other end, which Jacob (our 11 year old) informed us that it did last night after the carnival when he was helping Gus, er, take care of business. The Gravitron must have forced it through since we weren't expecting it for a couple more days.

"Really?!" Taya exclaimed, "are you sure it came out, Jacob?"

"For-shizzle" interjected Gus (yes, that's what he said)

"Yep, it was blue," Jacob said.

Well, that may be more information than you wanted about our family, but on a more professional note... CBN music just featured yours truly with a piece called "The Virtues Of Weakness" that sums up the heart of my ministry. Check it out here http://www.cbn.com/cbnmusic/interviews/jej_jasongray121507.aspx

Currently listening : @#%&*! Smilers (Special Edition) By Aimee Mann Release date: 2008-06-03

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What’s Your Favorite Bible Story and "Banderdash"
Category: Music

What's your favorite bible story? Pete Peterson asked a few of us in the rabbit room that question recently, and to find out what mine is as well as share your own if you like, click here

AND - read Jason's review of Andrew Peterson's concert in the Twin Cities this weekend including the post show hang with Sara Groves, Andrew Peterson, Andy Gullahorn, and Ben Shive as we played Banderdash - a game that Gullahorn and Shive created (a variation of Balderdash. click here to read more about this one :-)

Currently watching : Band of Brothers Release date: 2002-11-05

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Weddings, Baptisms, and Other Trouble

CMCentral has posted a piece I wrote about a recent conspiracy of grace in my life. It's one of my favorite personal stories and I'm grateful for CMCentral posting it for me. It's the story of how an unlikely guy like me become a right Reverend.

To read it, go to http://www.cmcentral.com/devo/7886.html


Angela's baptism

Currently reading : On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness: Adventure. Peril. Lost Jewels. And the Fearsome Toothy Cows of Skree. (The Wingfeather Saga) By Andrew Peterson Release date: 2008-03-18

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