The Life Behind the Music

10 Confessions Of A Weird Black Rapper

2012-01-27T18:12:00.001-06:00

I rarely listen to rap.

I like "soul food" but I don't eat it often. But I will kill a chorizo and egg at any time. Wait that's not...nevermind. 210!

My shoe game is weak...and about 80%...no, 90% of the time I'm ok with that.

I don't like wearing jewelry. I'll probably never get my ear pierced, get a gold grill, or have a huge medallion hanging from my neck. Wait, it gets worse. I don't wear watches either.

I used to like car rims...shiny ones. But I think I started un-liking them when I kept running into pot holes and I got deeper into debt trying to maintain them. Now I like thick tires.

I don't normally wear hats and accessories when I go rap. And if I had it my way, I'd be looking rough half the time (ie faded jeans and old tees). Thank God for my wife :) ps - my wife saved the day in my White Rags music video shoot. Not so much in the God Belongs in My City music video shoot. I didn't properly plan for and I straight up rebelled on the day of!

I have strong convictions about "body art" aka tatoos. I walk in grace with those who have them (and advocate them as Christians) but uh...I think it's stupid.

How do I really feel about fitteds and snapbacks? I think I have nice hair when I get it cut. So no need for them...unless my hair is waaay out of control or I'm doing a music video and wanna represent my city, state...or something else that I feel needs to be promoted. In those instances the waves would have to take a back seat :)

I don't cut my hair as often as I should, and when I go back to my barber he always says the same thing: "Hey stranger! Whooooaaa!"

I don't own 1 CD from the 116 clique (Lecrae and friends).

That was fun! Might have to do that again sometime except next time give you the really shocking ones haha!

Helping Rwanda Through Basketball

2012-01-19T10:26:00.000-06:00

In June of this year, I have the amazing opportunity of joining a missions team headed to Rwanda, Africa. We'll be preaching the gospel in many places while we're there. We also have a goal of providing 5,000 meals to the street kids when we get there! In order to do make this happen, we are doing a few fundraisers...a basketball tournament being one of them. If you know some men that would like to get in on this tournament, please have them contact me through the info on the flyer. It's a $200 entry fee per team and each team can have up to 5 players on the team! Please help spread the word....

Disconnect, and Connect (@Christologist @OB_RNM @illbehonest)

2012-01-18T08:42:00.000-06:00

An encouraging video by my bro Tawfiq and his family! With everything going on in life, I know that I've been guilty of these things. I praise God that the Lord is continuing to teach me to fully be where I am instead of having my body here...mind there. Good reminder Tawfiq! Thanks.

Blind Side (A Note To Self)

2012-01-17T19:02:00.001-06:00

Sometimes you don't know you have a pride issue until someone seemingly rises above you.
Sometimes you don't know you have an anger issue until things don't go your way.
Sometimes you don't know you're depressed until you see true happiness.
Sometimes you don't know that you need to be fixed until life reminds you that you are broken.
These reality checks often bounce around in my memory bank to remind me that I am human. I am not all-knowing. But praise God for the Holy Spirit! I have an unction from the Holy One. All things are able to be known to those who listen to His voice. I don't have live a life of being blind-sided by my flaws. I need communion with God. He will reveal to me who He is, and in that process He will reveal to me who I am.

Weekend in Review (pics)

2012-01-17T18:30:00.000-06:00

Here are a few pics of my weekend with Impact Youth at their Winter Retreat...

"Trippin" Download & What I Was Thinking (New Song)

2012-01-11T13:32:00.000-06:00

Here's a song that I recently did in the studio called "Trippin" :) I made this song because a lot of times when you stand up and speak truth, people tend to think that you're...trippin'! If you speak hard things on a consistent basis, you're pretty much written off as the guy/girl who's constantly on a soapbox. You become "that" Christian. The Christian that everyone respects because of your strong convictions, but also the person that has few friends because you're "too extreme". I kind of picture John the Baptist as this kind of guy. I kind of picture myself as that guy every now and then.

I questioned myself about the way I put the song together because I don't think I've done it this way before. Three verses of ranting about seemingly random topics...and no hook? But then I was like, "Ehh, whatever." The randomness of it adds to the whole feel of "Wow, this dude really is trippin!" And that's normally the perception of "extreme" Christians anyway so I went with it.I think the verses are pretty deep for an on-the-fly song. If I get enough requests, I guess I could break the song down verse by verse to show you all of meanings. If not...you're smart people! I'm sure you'll figure it out :)

Here's the song:

If you would like to download the other free songs, you can click HERE

Hope you enjoy!

Jarrell

Life pics

2012-01-05T17:56:00.001-06:00

Flowers family/FMG 2011 in Review

2011-12-31T18:43:00.001-06:00

Oh 2011! It was one of the hardest years of my life and yet one of the most productive. Let's review:

Here's some pretty cool stuff that happened this year:

Family - I think my daughter, wife and I have definitely learned a lot from each other! I'm amazed at how much I've grown because they've been in my life. I also loved ministering to them at home and doing ministry with them in the field of life. (Good talks with my wife, speaking blessings over her before most meals, reading Psalms 23 and teaching Nyomi to pray before she goes to bed, having Ny in my music video...those things meant a lot to me this year.)

Ministry -

1) Youth ministry took a turn for the better with God bringing an awesome team along side my wife and I! We changed the name to Forerunner Youth and it just fits now. This year marked my two passions coming together - the youth ministry and the music. It also marked a year of reaching out. This year we reached out by ministering in a nursing home, doing a backpack drive, participating in our neighborhood's National Night Out, and ending strong with heading up a church wide outreach on Christmas day. With the new team, we're now ready to put our heads together and go into 2012 strong!

2) Music - We kept pretty busy for a little indie label. God really graced us. In 2011 we were able to put out our first music video (and sell nearly 400 white rags), raise hundreds of dollars for a nonprofit during our "Rags 2 Riches" campaign, and teach kids how to write and produce music through a 3-week arts camp called "Create 2011" (which was connected with Forerunner). We were also privileged to help make the "God Belongs in My City" anthem for SA and feature in that video. This was also the year I was privileged to perform at the ATT Center for the first time! (Hopefully, there will be more times:) And one of the highlights of this year was the opportunity to build relationships with and share the stage with so many talented people at Flavorfest in Tampa, Fla. And then to get to go to Blueprint in ATL? I learned so much from that trip that will deeply affect 2012. Overall, our small record label was privileged to partner with over 20 ministries and reached over 4500 people through concerts and countless more through TV, radio, & newspaper! God is awesome. We definitely don't deserve it but He chooses to use is still.

This year also brought along with it lots of struggles. Honestly, most of the struggles were financial. I told you a while back that I had a dream that altered everything for me and my family. That dream (which I will share next year;) resulted in us choosing to allow my wife to stay home with Ny. Well this year our pockets have felt the weight of that decision. We own a home and I have been the only one bringing in income since my wife came home. You would think that my busy music schedule and selling lots of CDs and product would compensate. For a while it did. Then I hit a season where it didn't and then it got really hard. I started questioning God and asking if I was really supposed to be doing what I was doing. "Am I supposed to be doing music? Should I stop working at the church?" At one point this year we where worried that we were going to lose our house. We dont live extravagantly. We actually don't owe on anything except for our house. But it was just one of those things were the money going out was more than the money coming in. It's been really hard trying to find places to cut in our budget only to find that we can't because if we do cut something it has to be food, water/electric bill money, etc. Then, in the face of that, we have to convince ourselves that we are exactly were God wants us to be. In the face of financial struggle we hold on to the belief that we don't need to get another job because we're convinced that it's not what God wants for us right now. Some think it's crazy and not practical. Mortgage people call. As a man, it shakes me because ultimately it's my responsibility to provide. Do I take matters into my own hands or do I trust God? How do I know when I've crossed the "faith without works" line? Am I crazy for believing I heard God through a dream...and I'm actually going with it? It's been stressful.

But through it all God has been faithful. Through the high times when I was ministering to hundreds to the low times when we've feared foreclosure...God has always come through. He's kept me humble before Him and He's kept my family taken care of.

I really hope things get better in 2012. I hope that we are able to partner with more ministries and reach more people. I hope things lighten up for us financially...more for my wife and Ny's sake then for mine. But we have decided that no matter what comes in 2012 we are going to stick together and trust God...just like we have in 2011. No matter what comes our way we're running into the battle with our little slingshot and believing that God will use us mightily for his glory!

I know I'm not the only one who had highs and lows this year. Let's resolve to go harder than ever before. Let's have an unwaivering, reckless faith. Use wisdom but understand that His ways are not our ways. God won't let us down! Here's to a passion-filled, wild, Jesus-loving, people-loving 2012!

Anarchy vs Submission pt 2 (my writing process for the "Submission 101" curriculum)

2011-12-28T22:26:00.001-06:00

In my last blog (part 1), I mentioned that the word "submit" generally leaves a bad taste in a person's mouth. Why? I think it's because people have this worldly idea of what submission is. Worldly submission brings with it this idea that people or things are brought into submission through pain. The idea that someone would actually WANT to submit to another is so foreign that the very word "submission" just feels weird. It's feels like it should be grouped with words like "conquered" and "slaves".
However, the bible doesn't teach that this is what biblical submission is supposed to look like. The bible actually teaches that willful submission is possible and even expected in every relationship: God and mankind, husbands and wives, parents and children, bosses and workers, church leaders and congregation, and people and government. In fact the only time where we see unwilling submission is when the desires of the flesh are involved. (It's important to note that submission and obedience are to different things.) I think that when we see what biblical submission looks like, we will run to it instead of from it. Here's a trend I'm seeing: people buck against leadership yet they love structure and order. Some of that is definitely the person. But when I run into people who seem to fight against leadership, I find out that they are not just rebelling to rebel. It's not because they hate every form of leadership. Sometimes the person is rebelling against a perceived system of leadership that doesn't set right with them. Sometimes their perception is way off...but sometimes it's dead on. In the first DVD, I'm really going to try to lay the foundation for biblical submission. Then me and the team will explore what submission looks like in spirit, soul and body in the remaining 3 DVDs. Now...if I could only find the time to write the outlines!

"And Some Preach Out of Rivalry..."

2011-12-14T10:00:00.000-06:00

I was listening to Philippians today and I ran across Philippians 1:15-17 which reads:

"Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment."

Talk about politically incorrect. In Christian circles, it's just wrong to flat out call someone an agitator. You're supposed to believe the best, right? What gave Paul the right to say, "This person is an agitator, that one is a hater. This one has good intentions, but him over there? Nah."

There are a few keys in the above verses:

1) The latter (the ones preaching from good will) preach out of love. When another brother seems to be down, they find out why the person is down (i.e. "Paul is not there because he did something wrong. He's actually there because of Christ. Let's be more bold in our approach too!")

2) The former proclaim Christ out of rivalry. They saw Paul's downtime in prison as an opportunity to get "one up" on him and become the next well known preacher. They also knew what that could do to Paul (i.e. "Paul's gonna hear about us doing it big while he's in prison and he's gonna get frustrated that he's not free".)

I've been on both sides. I wish I couldn't relate to #2 as well as I do, but sometimes these attacks do come. When I'm about to do something that I think will be highly effective, sometimes those thoughts come. They generally start out like this: "Man, when I do this or when this comes out?? Whew! People are gonna trip!" Then it turns to: "So and so already doesn't like me too much. So and so's might be a little upset when this happens. Oh well. Let them hate." Then, if unchecked, it turns into that person coming up in your thoughts on the day of your "big event" or during your creative process. (Sorry, this is just real. And if you have ever tried creating something in a market that you share with others, you've more than likely felt the same way too.)

Here's a little curve ball though. Most people who are in the public eye (or seek to be) are very emotionally fragile. We feel like someone is always trying to outdo us, make themselves look better than us, etc. When we feel like that in a situation, how do we figure out if we're being paranoid or if the other people are trying to be a pain?

Honestly, most of the time it's us! This is what I do: I examine my heart and say, "Why is this getting on my nerves? If they're preaching the gospel, why am I mad? What's in me that has me so agitated?" After I test myself and come to the conclusion that I should be happy as long as the gospel is being preached, I move on to examine the other party according to the scriptures. In Philippians, you'll see this common thread of selfishness in those who don't have the right motives for ministry. What does this person or ministry look like on a practical level?

1) They strive to do something big and can't wait to put their name on it (either exclusively or their name is at the forefront).
2) They generally try to set themselves in positions of influence, tell you that they are there and make you feel like all hope is lost if you get on their bad side.
3) You can tell by the way they treat you and talk to you that their concern is not the interests of the Lord. They're just interested in doing something big.
4) Who comes out on top in the end? Is their name shining bright, is there a struggle to see the light of Christ due to self promotion, or does God get all of the glory? (Not glory in word only but also in deed. Remember, if we say "God gets all the glory" but we treat people like trash then God is NOT glorified.)

A quick way to identify these people is seeing how they react to real unity. As a rule of thumb, people who are only concerned with their own things will never make time to connect with you on a one-to-one basis. Why? Because they're too busy trying to be "great". You never see them unless you happen to be working with them on the same project (which is not real unity). If they are in a public setting, they carry around a "network swag" instead of being truly personable. These are huge red flags.

The bottom line is that we should be okay with Jesus and the kingdom being preached...even if we feel the vessel is somewhat tainted with wrong motives. But we should also check our motives daily AND we should have a good feel for those who labor among us. Hope this helps someone!

Anarchy vs Submission pt 1 (my writing process for the "Submission 101" curriculum)

2011-12-12T16:53:00.000-06:00

The majority of the day, I've been working on a curriculum project called "Submission 101". This is a curriculum that the record label and the church are partnering up to put out. Based off of the "White Rags" theme of submission, the idea is to bless as many pastors, youth pastors, youth workers and even students who are willing to download it and use it. I'm gearing it more towards people in the urban youth workers but the content applies to anyone. I must say that tackling the subject of biblical submission is a pretty large task. And since I'm writing this with teens in mind, I have to take into account the culture of today and present this subject in a way that they will be able to relate to.

Right now I'm working on a part of the curriculum that looks at society's push toward anarchy. (FYI - The A with the circle around it is a sign for "anarchy".) Here are some examples:

Here's Busta Rhymes CD artwork released back in 2000...

Here's something more recent: Lupe Fiasco's CD artwork released earlier this year...

About 2 years ago, Jay-Z released a song called "Run This Town". The whole feel of the video is anarchy. Here's a chorus:

Life's a game but it's not fair
I break the rules and I don't care
So I keep doing my own thing
Walkin' tall against the rain
Victory's within the mile
Almost there don't give up now
Only thing that's on my mind
Is who's gonna run this town tonight...

(And then, of course, Jay-Z comes in and says "We are"...)

Add to this the recent history of ordinary citizens feeling empowered enough to overthrow the "powers that be". The Occupy movement is just one of a few recent displays that allow us to feel the pulse of a generation tired of listening, accepting and obeying.

Lecrae and Reach Records picked up on the culture's attitude of rebellion and decided to counter with Lecrae's Rebel CD, a CD geared towards encouraging Christians to rebel against the ungodliness around us.

Also, one of Tedashii's lead singles from his last album was called "Riot".

I also just met some people a few weeks ago out of California who have a CD called "Love Riot".

Whether you are a Christian or an atheist, this "rebelling against the system" approach is everywhere. As Christians, what do we do with it? Here's my short thought and then I'm done...

To be fair, when talking about the issue of rebellion and anarchy you must identify who or what you're rebelling against. There have been good rebellions and bad ones. Generally speaking, rebellions have been labeled as good or bad based on what was being rebelled against. What "system" are you rebelling against? And how about this...after everyone is done rebelling, who decides the new "right"? The over-oppressed, under-appreciated angry mob? Or maybe the people behind the scenes who incited the riots? From a Christian's perspective, the bible is the source for identifying what to rebel against AND what that rebellion should look like as it plays out.

In my song "White Rags", I have a line that says:

Peace with the King man we ain't rebels or outlaws
Rebels aren't accepted in the kingdom with or without cause
Doing your own thing in God's kingdom is outlawed
The rebellious spirit says that I can make it without God.

It's simple. God is King. He has a kingdom. That kingdom has laws. Going against those laws makes you a rebel. And this is the rebellion that is considered sin. So when you're living in a world that is becoming increasingly lawless, how do you encourage people to "rebel" against rebellion? You explain to them what biblical submission looks like. It's counter cultural because everyone wants to riot and no one wants to submit. That word even has a bad feel coming out of the mouth for reasons we'll dive into later...

More...part 2 (@ambassador215 @factoreffects @dasouth)

2011-12-01T08:23:00.001-06:00

There's no doubt about it. There are definitely times when you have to do less in order to have more of God! And sometimes you have to do less in order to do more.This may sound crazy but I'm finding it to be pretty true in my life.

Back in 2009, I believed that God wanted me to start a record label. I just felt like God wanted me to create a canopy for artists who had a desire to use truth in their music as a means to see people set free from different struggles. Simple, right. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I quickly found out what goes into running a record label and I came to a conclusion: I can't do this by myself. But I tried. And honestly, I think God wanted me to try so that I could come to the end of myself and really see that this was something I couldn't do alone. My wife and I started everything from registering the name, setting up the bank account, starting the business plan, setting up processes (such as the artist rider, artist/label pay percentages, etc.). And of course there was stuff like the website, the blog site, keeping up with social media for personal and label, going through the process of making a CD (production, recording, mixing and mastering), creating a White Rag and a video for it...the list goes on. And this isn't even including the actual ministry side of things like trying to walk in integrity and excellence, dealing with people, guarding the ministry from people who want to attach to it just because they think you're "doin' it big", guarding our hearts from offense when people and ministries do us wrong, making sure to the best of our ability that we're not causing others to be offended because of foolishness on our part, etc. Oh yeah, and all this while doing youth ministry. Did we manage? Barely. And even that took a toll on us.

When you're trying to do everything yourself you eventually get worn out. Fore instance, by the time I was done with my CD I really didn't want to market it. I wanted to because I didn't want my work to be in vain, but seriously...I didn't want to hear about The Freedom Project for a few months. You just get tired after a while. But I had a problem. I was kind of suspicious of people who wanted to help. I've had people who I've worked with in ministry totally flip out and live like they didn't know God. (Some of them were already living reckless and I didn't know. Finding those people out produced some sad days.) My problem of being suspicious produced another problem. Since I felt like I HAD to do things myself in order to keep everything safe and in tact, my time was eaten up with doing stuff instead of being in the presence of God. And when you have little to no presence of God, you're wasting your time doing ministry. There's no fresh perspectives. Just yesterday's manna so to speak. I could see it in my ministry. I'm rushing around trying to do things before the concert and didn't set aside time to talk to the Lord about how He wanted the ministry time to flow. Fail. At best it didn't feel right. At worse I seriously contemplated giving up the music thing even though I felt like God wanted me to continue on.

My wife and I had the privilege of attending Dasouth's SXSW event in Austin, and things began to shift when I heard Ambassador talk about the roles of labels. Check out the video below (from 23:45-25:52):

When I got back to San Antonio, I got a chance to meditate on a few of the things that we learned. God began to put it in my heart to pray for a team of people who would help with the label side of things so that I could devote more time to prayer and the Word, penning those experiences, and sharing these experiences with passion.

God is faithful. Right now it seems like everything is beginning to take shape. We are beginning to identify and build relationships with people who have skills in certain areas pertaining to youth ministry and the label. We're still asking the Lord for people to come along who know more about labels than we do. We want them to pour some knowledge into us because even though we've learned a lot we still don't know what we're doing! But the point is...we are beginning to trust people. This helps us to do less (by focusing on specific things) but become exponentially stronger by empowering others who actually have a passion to plug into different areas of ministry. So when I'm seeking to have more time with the Lord, sometimes He will bring me back to this very practical aspect of ministry. Release control. Build people not programs. Be more intentional about launching new people rather than new ideas. This is real. All of this affects my relationship with God. (Insert Mary/Martha story.)

If I want to have more time with God it means that I'll have to be radical with the stewardship of my time. I have to be radical in the fight of settling for laziness or convenience. (We all know it feels more convenient to do things yourself instead of trusting others.) So please be prayerful when you think of me, Jeneil and the people that the Lord is beginning to draw into the ministry. We want to see a label that houses truth givers who are passionately in love with Jesus. However, I'm not going to do that at the cost of my own relationship with the Lord.

More...

2011-11-28T10:39:00.001-06:00

Yesterday was monumental for me. Last night I rapped at Hip Hop Sunday in Austin and for the first time in a while I felt like the old me...before the record label, the music videos, the TV and radio appearances, the constant requests to minister, booking processes, etc. Yesterday I just felt like that dude who was rapping with nothing to lose. I felt like I was speaking what God put in my heart to say - and I enjoyed it.

While I was driving up to Austin, I found myself reflecting on my ministry thus far. Recently God has put it in my heart to spend more time in preparation with him before I get up and say anything to anybody. I feel like before I say anything, me and God need to have a conversation about how the ministry time is gonna go. Even if I'm not the main person doing ministry and I'm a part of a larger schedule, I feel like God can tell me what the overall atmosphere will be like and how He wants to use me to strengthen or even change that atmosphere. If He decides to tell me, "Jarrell, just open your mouth and I'll fill it" then I will be totally fine with that. But we need to be in one accord about what ministry time is gonna look like. This requires consecration.

I remember, as recently as 7 or 8 months back, when I was so afraid to minister if I felt like the Lord wasn't with me. I remember a time before a particular concert when I said, "Lord if you're not going up there on stage with me then I refuse to go. I have no problem telling these people that I'm not prepared to minister." And in my heart I really would have cancelled. But somewhere in there I must admit...I began to believe the lie that people wanted good music with a message instead of the presence of God. God (in His grace) still showed up to concerts and people were blessed...but it wasn't the same. I felt God there but I didn't feel him taking complete control of the ministry time. I had control. It's during times of reflection like this that I have to ask myself, "What is the goal of ministry?" I had a guy prophesy over me once. He warned me never to forget why I'm doing what I'm doing. So when I get up there to minister, what exactly is it that people should experience? For me, I want people to experience the reality of God's power. I also want to speak the heart of God and watch it strike a chord with those who are in tune to His voice. I want to impact a generation with the voice of truth and a passion that reflects the reality of that truth. I know that God has called the ministry that I'm connected with to be marked by a John-the-Baptist-style of doing things (hence "Johnny's iPod", etc). Really radical and passionate. Really prophetic. But this kind of ministry demands some serious consecration. I've said this before and I'll say it again - I am not the greatest rapper. The only thing that sets me apart from other ministers has been my time with God. That's all. I've tried incorporating different styles in my rap and I've come to know my natural limitations. But there's just something about the Holy Spirit that reaches beyond the known boundaries and into the soul. By the time you're done ministering, people who don't know what happened will come up to you and say stuff like, "Your words are encouraging" "you're really good" "you, you, you". But after the concert is over and you retreat back to the quiet place to thank the Lord, you know that it was by His grace that anything good was shared through you.

That's what happened last night. I didn't want to go on stage unless God was with me...so I prayed. God gave me some direction as to what I was to say and do. I did it. I left the stage and went back to thank God. I came back out and talked with the people. I went home rejoicing over what God had done that night. One guy really encouraged me when he said, "You rapped really good. And you were really passionate and I could see in your eyes that you really believed what you were saying." That is how it should be.The moral of the story...I need more of Jesus. Yes, I need to practice my craft and do all of the label stuff. But what is the overall spirit of the organization? I'm striving for raw, passionate, Jesus-loving, people-loving ministry.

There are more things that play into me being distracted from staying before God's face! I'll talk about those distractions later and how God is solving these issues. I think that it will definitely help people put a few things in perspective. But it comes down to one thing - ferocious passion is contagious. If I devote myself to being a wildfire, then my whole ministry will catch on fire. And everyone who comes in contact with it will either catch on fire or watch me burn. It starts with me though. I have to be even more passionate about removing things that hinder me from being fully immersed in the reality of God and His power. Killing sin must be a crime of passion. At the end of the day, my goal is not good music. It's revival. It's preparing the way for the Lord. Pray that God strengthens me to guard the flame.

Explaining #SocialSuicide, Johnny's iPod & more

2011-11-18T21:54:00.000-06:00

Hope this brings clarity :)

"Johnny's iPod" Artwork!

2011-11-11T14:16:00.001-06:00

Just got this in!! This project will release November 23rd, a day before Thanksgiving! Excited!

Perfect Timing - Mali Music (music video)

2011-11-02T21:00:00.000-05:00

This is a good reminder for me right now. No matter how tough things get, I need to remember that God is always in control.

Mali Music - The Job Experience [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO] from Anthony Brooks on Vimeo.

Happy Halloween? (music by High Society)

2011-10-31T20:30:00.000-05:00

I've been keeping my eye on these guys. They've said in interviews that their goal is to shine the light into the music industry. Here's their first song called "Devil" released today...on Halloween. Stuff like this is happening in the Christian scene a lot now. Stuff that makes you go, "Huh? Is that ok?" What's cool about this is that it allows people to think about why they believe what they believe about Christians and our role in the arts. Actually there's a movement that is redefining what Christianity looks like. Not necessarily straying away from scripture but broadening the scope so to speak. That's awesome because it's a better picture of what the Christian community looks like. But for me...I don't know...I'm not really that kind of artist. You'll probably never see me getting a tattoo, drinking, getting my ears pierced, and releasing songs on Halloween. (FYI: I'm not saying that this group does all of the above. I don't know them like that.) I'm not bashing it. Not at all. It's just not me. I'm more classical I guess. But I've been wondering...if more and more people start heading this way, will I be considered one of those "legalistic" Christians in the long run? I guess it shall be what it shall be...

High Society - Devil by DaSouth.com

Nyomi's Nickel (that she passed)

2011-10-30T21:28:00.001-05:00

So if you're on Facebook you probably heard about Nyomi swallowing a coin. Turns out this thing was a nickel! How do I know? I decided to wash it off (thoroughly) and keep it as a souvenir...unless times get reeeeeaaaallllyyyy hard :) Here's the nickel...

Vandalism (pics)

2011-10-29T12:47:00.001-05:00

We swapped cars with my parents yesterday. Late last night some vandals came and actually used one of our rocks from our front yard to put a hole in the back window :/ I cut myself while cleaning up the glass. I went to put on the first Band-aid I could find. These dog gone vandals got me lookin like Paul Blart (Mall Cop)!

Passion to reach the neighborhood becomes a little more personal when your windows start getting busted.

Temptation (Video/Song)

2011-10-27T10:15:00.000-05:00

Really been feeling this song...

Joel Osteen says Mormons are Christians? (Video)

2011-10-26T15:19:00.000-05:00

One of my elders passed this video along to me. I wish the whole thing was posted so that I could hear the full context with my own two ears. Maybe I could hear how he came to this conclusion? I really try to extend as much leniency as possible to Joel but I don't know...this doesn't help him look less suspect. It's tough because the guy really is positive and encouraging.

My reason for posting this is not to start a fire storm. Believers (like me) are faced with this situation every day. It comes in a different face but the concept is the same. How much grace do you extend to a person who says and does stuff that seems (and sometimes is) contradictory to the word of God. When do you say "that's enough" and write them off as not being a part of the body? Is it our place to do that? What do you think?

#SocialSuicide Video - part 1

2011-10-20T19:06:00.000-05:00

Just in case you thought I was rapping in order to gain popularity...

"Johnny's iPod" drops NOV 23rd...and it's free.

Back in SA!

2011-10-18T20:42:00.001-05:00

Great trip! It was fun traveling with the fam, connecting with people, seeing in-laws, soaking up some good, useful knowledge, etc...but it's good to be back! Thank you for your prayers.

Blueprint Church

2011-10-16T19:28:00.001-05:00

My wife and I got a chance to check out Blueprint church! We got there late because we got stuck in traffic. There happened to be a college football game this afternoon and we didn't anticipate the crazy traffic. We got there in time for the message. It was awesome. I was amazed at how relevant the preaching was to the urban context. They were talking about conflict resolution. Then at the end, this guy is doing the announcements and says, "During this series we're offering counseling so if you want to set up a counseling session with one of our licensed counselors email us at..." That's not just identifying the problem but offering a solution. My wife and I got a chance to talk to some of the staff members there and they invited us to sit in on there staff meeting tomorrow morning and then talk to their staff afterwards. Definitely excited about that! This trip has been great. I've learned a lot of good stuff. Can't wait to get back home.

A Few More Pics of our Free Day

2011-10-12T11:20:00.001-05:00

Free Day in Tampa

2011-10-12T11:06:00.001-05:00

Here are some pics of the free day we had in Tampa on Monday. We went to Clearwater beach and had a blast...

Flavor Fest: Sunday Service...

2011-10-11T10:21:00.001-05:00

Here are some pics from the Sunday service (aka Crossover Sunday Vibe)

This is thing that tripped me out the most. When we walked in, they were doing praise and worship. They somehow mixed Misty Edwards' "You Won't Relent" with Lecrae's "Don't Waste Your Life". Plus they had a dj and break dancers the entire time of praise and worship. Sermon title? Letter from Lockdown: A study of the book of Phillipians. I've never been to a service like that before. It was cool. One thing that my wife and I did notice is that there were hardly any older people there. Maybe they couldn't get with the break dancers? Or maybe they were in another service...they did have 3 total! Great experience, though.

Flavor Fest: Day 2 & 3 (part 2)

2011-10-09T23:37:00.002-05:00

The outreach took place on the 3rd day of the conference. Great stuff! Everything was offered including haircuts, bounces for kids, clothing, food and more. I was on a street team passing out flyers about an hour before the event. Here are some pictures...

They also had a mini concert during this time. It reminded me of the back pack give away that we put together...but on a larger scale. This outreach gave was very effective and gave me some great ideas for the next Forerunner event that we do!

Flavor Fest: Day 2 & 3 (part 1)

2011-10-08T17:05:00.001-05:00

Hey!

I was on the go so I didn't get a chance to post anything yesterday. It short, it was pretty awesome! The atmosphere is great here and these breakout sessions have been very helpful for my wife and I. It's pretty surreal. I don't really listen to much rap but I'm a fan of the movement so I stay current with what's going on. That being the case, I know who most of these people are...and they don't know me lol! Seriously, it seems like everybody is here and at the same time nobody's here. What I mean is that everywhere you turn you see notable artist in the christian rap world. And for a conference like this you would think that more people would be here but...not exactly. The christian rap movement is weird. It's at that stage where it's big and small at the same time. I walk out of my hotel room and go to the lobby to get something to eat and people like Braille and the Humble Beast crew, Pettidee, Antonious (yes from Grapetree), R-Swift, JR, Brinson...like anybody you can think of is out there. These guys are so cool too. Every once and a while you'll run into an artist or someone who's a genuine jerk but it's rare.

So as you know I rapped yesterday. It was good. Even though the put my set between two Reach Records artist I think that by God's grace I wasn't a dead spot in the flow. (At least I hope I wasn't haha!) It was a good experience. I've built some good relationships since I've been here. Today was amazing too! I'll have to share some pics later on. Right now I've gotta get to a couple of interviews. Keep us in prayer. Our goal is to take what we're learning here and bring it back to SA. We need this stuff.

Flavor Fest: We made it! First day...

2011-10-06T21:52:00.001-05:00

We made it to Tampa! We flew out this morning, had a lay over in Atlanta and made it to Tampa @ 2p (which is 1p SA, TX time).

Today was registration and the host church's youth service. I must say...I've never seen anything like it! Pretty cool. Their praise and worship was lead by Team Remix, a group who remixed p&w songs by putting them to Christian rap beats. There was no "set speaker" for the night. Just testimonials, videos and a concert. It was kinda hard for me to engage (probably because it was all new to me) but the kids seemed to love it. I guess what really impressed me the most is that the church was not afraid to have a specialty. They weren't afraid of being an "overly hip hop/urban church" because that's who they are. A Christian rapper actually started this church. It would be silly for him to try to be so broad with his vision for the church so that he could avoid being labeled as "the hip hop" church. It's who he is. It's who his staff are. So I'm asking myself, "What is the natural lean of the ministry that I'm a part of? What could we naturally specialize in? Am I too scared to have a focus because I want to be considered well-rounded in many areas?" Good stuff to think about.
Well, tomorrow starts the conference breakout sessions, etc. I'll be rapping tomorrow evening. Keep us in prayer!

Jarrell

Flavor Fest: Getting Ready...

2011-10-05T16:21:00.001-05:00

So we're heading off to Tampa, FL tomorrow for Flavor Fest...bright and early at 6am. I'm very excited about the opportunity, but there is one thing that I'm not: delusional. I'm not really being cynical or anything but I'm just saying...I'm not going up there thinking that someone is going to hear my "White Rags" song and be like "Wow, I wanna help take that dude to the next level!" Now some of you may be thinking, "that's not very faith-like! Where's your expectancy brother?" Let me put things in perspective...

It that happens and God chooses to broaden my platform for His glory then GREAT! Praise God! But here's the thing: God has put a desire in me to reach my neighborhood. I'm going up there to learn how to better serve my urban community. By God's grace, I've found a treasure right in my back yard - my neighborhood! There are kids that go to the schools in my neighborhood who are broken and don't know the freedom that comes with following Christ. Those are the ones that I want to reach.

Our church just hosted our neighborhood's National Night Out! Here's a picture...

We estimate that we had close to 100 people who showed up (not all shown here, of course). Most of them were older people but we did have some children/youth come out. A lot of the kids were at the community center down the street. (Mental note for next.) They played volleyball, basketball, flag football, and soccer. A few enjoyed our game room. It was fun. More importantly the neighborhood association loved it! Check out what they emailed to the rest of the association:

"A BIG 'THANK YOU' GOES OUT TO FAITH OUTREACH FOR THEIR WONDERFUL SUPPORT AND KINDNESS COORDINATING THIS SPECIAL EVENT WITH US (NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOC) TONIGHT. KIDS HAD A WONDERFUL TIME PLAYING VOLLEYBALL, SOCCER, GAMES, COLORING PLAYGROUND, ETC. NEIGHBORS MEETING NEIGHBORS, VISITING AND ENJOYING THE BEAUTIFUL EVENING. OUR DIST. 7 COUNCILMAN CRIS MEDINA AND SAFE OFFICER MARCOS SERDA ALONG WITH MASCOT CRIME DOG MCGRUFF STOPPED BY FOR A SHORT VISIT (THANK YOU). CPS AND SAWS REPRESENTATIVES SHOWED UP WITH SOME GOODY BAGS FOR KIDS AND RESIDENTS (THANK YOU). WE EVEN HAD MUSIC DJ (THANK YOU)!
THANK'S AGAIN TO ALL FOR YOUR WONDERFUL POTLUCK AND MOST OF ALL YOUR PRESENCE. WE LOOK FORWARD TO MORE EVENTS LIKE THIS."

SINCERELY,

Sunshine Estates Neighborhood Association

AWESOME!

So here's the thing...I'm going up there focused. I will definitely see what relationships God will have me to build while I'm up there. At the same time, if something comes along that will distract me from my goal of reaching my neighborhood with the gospel then I will have to treat it as a distraction and set it aside. Ugh! It hurts just saying that lol! The funny thing is that I also feel that the Lord wants me to share with the church this word about full submission to Him. (Explaining what it looks like, etc.) And I know that something fruitful is going to come from me being at the conference because the Lord was the one that told me to go. PLUS God provided the funds when it looked like I wasn't going to be able to make it. But I don't know...I can't explain it fully but I know that I am right where I'm supposed to be. I'm supposed to be here in San Antonio. I'm supposed to see my neighborhood as a treasure. I'm supposed to invest into relationships here. I'm supposed to reach Longfellow Middle School for Christ. So I don't know what God is up to but I'm just going to trust him.

Lastly, part of being delusional is believing that someone is just going to notice you without any effort on your part. I'm very much in touch with reality. And honestly, I'm not famous. I'm on the underground line-up for a reason...people don't know me. I'm not national. And there's something that I've been noticing about these ministries/ministers that everyone wants to work with. When these noteworthy ministries look to build relationship with others, they're not looking for the next best talent. They're looking for people who are actually making a difference. What impact are you making right now? Record labels are much the same. I run a small record label. Unless the Lord says so, I'm more than likely not going to take a risk on someone with absolutely no fan base. Fans doesn't necessarily mean an artist is skilled. Fans mean that an artist has an impact in other people's lives. That's what's really important. Knowing all of this, I thank God that He has actually given me a heart for my neighborhood so that what I do will be genuine! Please keep Jeneil and I in prayer as we go. We really want to learn how to more effectively reach our community and how to become better stewards of the record label God has entrusted us with. I'll stay in touch...

Jarrell

"MY CITY" by Litarodi featuring...me (NEW MUSIC VIDEO)

2011-10-02T00:14:00.000-05:00

Hey Everybody! This just went up tonight! This song is called "My City" and was the official song for San Antonio's God Belongs In My City event. It was pretty fun working on both the song, the rallies, the video and everything else. It was definitely an honor to be featured on the song. For more info on God Belongs In My City, check out www.godbelongsinmycity.com. I'm also on a small team called reAction which basically headed up the event in San Antonio. Check us out at www.reactionnow.org. Finally, check out my bro Litarodi. This song will be featured on his next project. I've actually heard some other songs from his upcoming CD...very nice! If you'd like to visit his website, check out www.litarodi.com. Enjoy!

Working Out!

2011-09-26T20:29:00.000-05:00

I've been doing pretty good for the past few weeks now that I have people getting up with me! I'm up Tues and Thurs with my dad. Then I'm up Mon, Wed and Fri with my friend Val. If I could only get my eating in order I'd be good! I love food. What I'm really concerned about is this trip I have coming up. I'll be out of town for 12 days. I'll have to blog while I'm up there. You can be my accountability ok? Don't let me go down that road...please! Haha.

Identifying with John

2011-09-19T17:43:00.000-05:00

Lately I've been really identifying with John the Baptist and Elijah! Don't worry, I'm not on that "I am the second coming of John the Baptist" thing! But I do feel that I have a very similar call on my life. I've been studying Elijah and John the Baptist for...along time. Everything that I'm studying just makes so much sense. From the way that they that God used them to their characteristics and attitudes as described in the bible...I can identify with it all.

Now some might say that we are to model Christ and Christ only. This may come as a shock to you but I agree and disagree. I think as believers we should ultimately model Christ. However, the person of Jesus is expressed through His body in so many ways. For instance, Paul wrote to the church in Corinth "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." Paul essentially said "I'm safe to imitate because I'm imitating Christ." If you've ever seen the affects of discipleship, you know that you can look at someone and tell who's been mentoring that person. If you see Christ-like qualities in a person, it's ok to imitate those things.

Anyway, I've been really feeling the need to dive head first into this stuff and just find out where it will take me. I'm hesitant for a couple of reasons. 1) I've been afraid to dive into this because I'm afraid I'll lose my "balance". I like having a balanced, logical approach to things. Plus I've seen some crazy things happen to people who have jumped head first into something. They're not ok. Seriously, I'm not saying that because I'm not a radical Christian. They are right now living contradictory to the word of God but they thing they are dead on...and have scripture to prove it. I don't want that to be me. 2) It seems like today's Christian climate is NOT the perfect climate for a John the Baptist/Elijah type of ministry...not if you want to be relevant at least. Right now it seems that everyone is trying to reach people and build people by relating to them. And then once they've related to them, they show them to source of satisfaction and joy. The crazy thing is that it's highly effective right now. It's been working for a lot of artist like Lecrae and Reach Records...and now Da TRUTH, etc. Admirable pastors too! I'm wondering "With so many people on the same page, will going against the grain actually work against what the Spirit is doing?" I say going against the grain because the stuff I'm getting is "black and white" and I'm not trying to relate to anyone except people who know that they have a similar call. I feel like John the Baptist. I can picture him saying, "Uh...I've been in the wilderness for the past few years...unplugged from the world. I don't know what it feels like to drink, to be high, to have sex outside of marriage, and I may not have ever heard of your favorite song or TV show. I just have a message. Wanna hear it?" Sometimes I ask myself why God gave me the ability to rap. Honestly. Wouldn't the ideal "Christian rapper" be able to relate to the urban context and show them the way out? That ain't me. I'm just a guy who can rap and I love God...and hate sin. Or why am I a youth pastor? Can I relate to any of these kids? By God's grace I didn't fall into the traps of sex, drugs and alcohol. I don't think it's right to drink or to ride around listening to music that doesn't glorify God because it's "good music". I don't condemn those that do but that's not me. Maybe I'm old school.

For my 2 hesitations I've had two silencers coming up. 1) The Lord and my faith community. They won't let me fall. 2) If I regard the wind I will not sow. I don't need to worry about the climate. A forerunner's ministry is normally marked by going against the grain away. I just have to believe that God put me where I am

I'm working on another CD. I don't know if people will respond or how they will respond. Some will probably love it. A lot of people will probably hate it. Some people probably won't understand it. Some will be curious and will stand by and wait to see what happens next. Nobody will pay for it though...it'll be a free download. Pray that I minister to the youth and through the music with clarity and God's emotions on the topic and not mine. I'm writing songs now and it's pretty hard to do.

Thanks for reading and thanks for your prayers,

Jarrell

Soo...Flavor Fest!

2011-09-14T21:00:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in my blog post Monday, my next concert isn't until Flavor Fest in October! I'm really excited about this one! One day I was looking over some "CHH" (Christian Hip Hop) news and I saw the advertisement for Flavor Fest. Normally I just skip these advertisements and move on to more important stories :) But when I saw this one I felt a tug from the Lord and I knew I was supposed to be there. Registration for the conference had just begun. They also advertised that if you registered for the conference then you could register to be one of the performers at this year's conference. If I submitted my music and they liked it then I could perform. To put this into perspective, this is one of the biggest urban leadership conferences that I know of. Lots of artists are trying to get in because, honestly, there will be a lot of nationally known artists there. If you're chosen to perform, you get to personally meet these guys...etc.

Well, I was actually super excited about learning how to minister more effectively to my increasingly urban community. If you've been following this blog, you know that God has turned my heart towards trying to reach the kids in my church as well as my immediate surroundings. Getting the chance to rap at the same place I would be learning all of this cool stuff was really icing on the cake. So I applied...and they contacted me and told me that I was selected to perform! Crazy! What's more crazy is that they only chose 11 other artist that were not nationally known (out of the many that applied). More good news...the Lord actually provided money for us to make the trip!! Below is a picture of the "national" artist list. I put national in parenthesis because "national" sounds like popular but I'm quite sure that some of you may have never heard of these guys lol! Don't get me wrong, they are national. These artists travel all over the nation and 3 of them are from the UK. They're pretty well known in the Christian rap circle. That circle just happens to be a small circle right now. It's growing though. If you're interested in going with me, check out www.flavorfest.org to find out more info about Flavor Fest!

Here's the official commercial...

After this, Jeneil and I will be headed to ATL. While there, we will be checking out a church called Blueprint Church. It is a relatively new church plant located right in the heart of Atlanta. I first heard about this church because a few influential Christian rappers helped plant the church. Since then, I've heard about the church's ability to foster genuine community and their efforts in reaching out to their neighborhood. Jeneil and I will be attending a small group session and church service! Hopefully we'll learn something that can be applicable here.

Please keep us in prayer. Pray that God allow us to learn, grow and bring something back that will impact our church and neighborhood. And please pray that God will allow us to build relationships. We want to build relationships over there in Tampa but even more so here in town. I'm not concerned with national attention right now. I just want to make a kingdom dent where I am...no, not a kingdom "dent". I want to take all of my resources, aim them at our neighborhood, and fire away until the target is no longer recognizable! (Pretty graphic!)I want this neighborhood to be blown away by the power of God. I can't do it alone. We need help with the label and other stuff so pray that God sends the right people along. And when they come, pray that we recognize them.

Thanks,

Jarrell

What is Forerunner?? (part 1 - video)

2011-09-14T16:33:00.002-05:00

This is for all of the people that have questions about what Forerunner is! It's not another record label. It's not a campaign. Please watch and check us out @ www.forerunneryouth.myfoci.org

Crowd Shots of the God Belongs in My City March

2011-09-13T08:57:00.001-05:00

This was awesome!

How I'm Doing...

2011-09-12T17:08:00.000-05:00

So I was gonna go ahead and record a video instead of typing out this post...but I just popped myself in the mouth with a rubber band. In addition to me having a bruise on my top lip, that accident triggered emotions in me that only typing could mend lol! Seriously though >:-/

I've had a very interesting year so far. Pretty busy, I guess. I looked at my TuneCore account today and it told me that it has been 308 days since I've released "The Freedom Project". Crazy, I know. Here's what's funny: the CD is just now catching on to some people. My last statement from TuneCore informed me that this past July was the highest amount of downloads that I've received since the CD came out on iTunes in November. Realistically, that translates to a little over $20 from iTunes in July but...whatever. It's still an interesting fact.

So now that the video shoots, weekends jam-packed with concerts, the God Belongs In My City campaign and walk, and the "Rags 2 Riches" campaign are all behind me (well, almost with Rags 2 Riches...waiting on one more donation), I'm ready to relax. Something strange has happened, too. It's like God has cleared my calendar because I don't have another confirmed concert until FlavorFest in October. I know that the Lord has put this season in front of me for a few reasons. I had a dream a while back that actually started this faith walk about a year ago. In the dream, there were three different time frames represented. For the sake of time I'll just say that I know the second time frame was a time of rest and examination...and little to no funds coming in. We've been in that second time frame since August, and here's what I've learned since then...

I NEED PEOPLE. I know this may sound like a repeat because I've mentioned my need for community before in this blog. But since then, I hadn't taken any action to make sure I'm linking up with others for the sake of accountability and forward progress. There was a time when I was pressing hard for accountability only to find out that people talked about it but didn't really want it as bad as I did. (Maybe they did but they were afraid.) I got burned out and made sure to avoid any scenario like that. But now I really need people. These things that God has given me to do can't be done by my wife and me alone. I'm a husband, father, youth pastor and artist/owner of a record label. I can't do all of them well without help...but I've tried. And as a result, I've been slipping in my personal goals (working out), family goals, ministry goals and business goals. It's sad, really. So what have I done to remedy this situation??

Well, on the personal level, I think I did exactly what the Lord wanted me to do. And that was to intentionally sit and learn from my dad. This is fresh, too. Last week was my first week. On Tuesday and Thursday mornings we are working out and getting a bible study in before work at 8am. This somewhat takes care of my working out situation (and will definitely take care of the "being discipled" situation as the relationship develops). Health wise, if I can get another day in and partner with my wife on watching our diet then I should be good! Maybe I should start this diet-watching thing after these cookies that we ordered come in lol! (One of the kids in our youth group was selling cookies...what would you have me do?!?) As far as family goals, my wife and I still working on that with fear and trembling lol! We pray and read the word as a family but I think it's time to take it to another level. Nyomi will be starting her catechisms in a few months. This will be interesting. As far as ministry and business goals, we are praying for faithful and trustworthy people who will come alongside us to help us. He's sent us a few people on the youth ministry side. Not so much on the record label side yet. But I think the first step is confession. It's just too much for us to do alone...especially if we want to do it well.

Lastly, I started writing again yesterday. Hopefully I'll be able to release a free album download late October. It was actually pretty difficult. The content is so delicate. I've got to be careful how I say what I say on this project. And because I've been doing other things besides focusing on my craft, it was like opening an archive lol! Not good. So I'm gonna devote lots of time to relearning how to ride my bike and pray that someone who loves the business side will come along so that Freedom Music Group will stay in existence. Ok it's not that serious but yeah...pray with me. I love you all with the love of the Lord!

Thank you for your time,
Jarrell

Behind The Scenes of the White Rags Video Shoot!

2011-08-30T17:01:00.003-05:00

Here goes some behind the scene footage of the White Rags music video! This was filmed in and around the Wheatley Courts. I didn't know how much was really going on out there haha! It was definitely an awesome experience. We took advantage of the opportunity to minister to some of the residents of the community a day or two before the shoot. We were also able to lead a few to Christ on the day of the shoot as well. Praise God! Hope you enjoy...

Jarrell - Who He Is (FREE SONG DOWNLOAD!!)

2011-08-25T15:47:00.003-05:00

Sooo...since the song that Jerusha and I did isn't quite ready yet, I decided to go ahead and give this out! The song is called "Who He Is". I actually recorded this a while back. If you've been following my blog for a while, you know that as I was preparing to release my CD the Lord slimmed my project down to the songs that are on The Freedom Project. "Who He Is" was actually supposed to be on the CD with a host of other songs. I thank the Lord that He gave me the heart to obey Him in this matter! I'm happy to give you this song, and hopefully you'll enjoy it as you wait for the Jarrell/Jerusha collab! We actually did an acoustic version of my song "Memories" from The Freedom Project EP...and it's coming out nicely :) Here's something in the meantime!

HERE'S THE LINK TO DOWNLOAD THE SONG: http://www.mediafire.com/?7uidbt7iqi0pi8k

"Theology Thursday" : Meet Jerusha Klayman (video)

2011-08-25T09:41:00.007-05:00

Ok Everybody! We've come to the end of our "Theology Thursday" series. Like I mentioned last week, I wanted to end this segment with some real life stories of how the gospel has affected people's lives! We're gonna end this out with my friend Jerusha's testimony.

I met Jerusha not too long ago while she was still living here in San Antonio and working with The Pais Project. It was definitely one of those God-ordained connections. We started building a relationship. I later found out that she could sing! (She sings good:) I've been privileged to work with her on a song that you'll get for free soon. The song's not completely mixed yet but it's nice...like a coffee shop! Jerusha has recently moved back home to Cincinnati, Oh. She was gracious enough to put an abbreviated version of her testimony online so that I could feature it in my blog. You can definitely tell that God has changed her life! I hope you enjoy her video. If you do, please share it! And be on the lookout for her. God has got some great things planned...

"Theology Thursday" : Meet Litarodi (video interview included)

2011-08-18T15:30:00.003-05:00

Hey Everybody! We're now winding down our "Theology Thursday" series. We only have today and next week. Sad, I know. I wanted to take the last two weeks to introduce you to two of my good friends. I also wanted to allow these last to weeks to serve as more testimony times so that you can see that the gospel that we believe in and preach is the real deal. We don't just "blink and cure ourselves" as Charlie Sheen would say lol! The gospel and only the gospel is the power of God unto salvation.

I met Anthony Gonzales (Litarodi) by way of a project that we were working on for God Belongs In My City. (Sept 10, 2011...www.reactionnow.org) Shameless plug! When I met this dude we just clicked. I could definitely tell that God has done and continues to do a work in this man's life. Awesome. Below you will find his brief post followed by a CBN interview that he was featured on which allows you to see his testimony in greater detail. Look into his ministry at www.litarodi.com. If you're booking an event, consider him. From what I've seen, this brother is the real deal. Anthony is husband to his wife, Barbie, and father to his son Andrew. Hope you enjoy...

The Gospel's Affect

"The gospel has affected my life and outlook on relationships in many ways. In order to help you understand I will simply describe my life and outlook before and after fully committing my life to Jesus Christ. The people that grew up with me can attest to the facts that my life was centered around pleasing people and carelessly living for excitement, money, partying and music. Of course It was always business before pleasure, yet I would bend and brake even street ethics at my leisure. Living to the extreme was always a thrill worth seeking in my eyes. Selfish ambitions often ruined friendships and stirred contention between family relations. Subconsciously I knew I had a purpose in life and wanted to live out that purpose. Drugs, alcohol, sex and a super imposed ghetto fabulous lifestyle was my downfall in September of 2006. After suffering a heart attack that was related to my bad choices, it was as if God was speaking directly to me. In showing me his mercy and grace I was humbly brought to repentance. I decided that the least I could do is live my life completely for Christ and make every effort to stop sinning against God. With the mindset of the many principals found in the "Christian Bible", I have been able to restore family and friend relationships. My outlook on life is forever changed for the better by focusing on the needs of others first. I now have an actual structure to my life as well. God first, family second, ministry third and occupation last. With the new structure through the grace of God I have been able to reach and impact more lives than I could have ever imagined. I help motivate and inspire literally thousands of people every year with my story and music. Most importantly is being the priest of my home and illustrating a Godly example for others to follow as I follow my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I hope that this story finds you in good timing and encourages you to re-evaluate your lifestyle. Always remember that the biggest room in the world is the room for improvement. Grace and Peace."

- Litarodi

New Forerunner Commercial! (video)

2011-08-17T14:20:00.004-05:00

Here's to the start of something beautiful!! Trip, thanks for the instrumental :)

This week's "Theology Thursday" post!

2011-08-11T20:10:00.002-05:00

Greetings!

Thanks for taking time out to read this week's "Theology Thursday" post! I've got a couple of other people I want you to meet before this "Theology Thursday" series is all said and done...but I thought I'd take this week's post. After all, it is my blog :) Sorry it was posted so late. Talking about focus...enjoy!

"Theology Thursday" feat Jeneil Flowers is UP NOW! (part 2)

2011-08-04T11:52:00.007-05:00

I am not exactly a “kid” person. I love teenagers, but toddlers and kids…that’s a little tougher for me. Add to that I didn’t exactly have the best relationship with my mother due to her Paranoia Schizophrenia, and I was sure that my baby was going to be a baby girl . I wondered, "How am I going to communicate the truth of God and His ways with an infant as I go along my day?" The Lord knows they don’t come home from the hospital speaking or even understanding the English language! How will she comprehend my theological discussion? I believe that the answer the Lord gave me was to be an imitator of Christ.

What did Christ do in this situation when he spoke with “spiritual infants”? He spoke in parables. He communicated His teaching from God in a relevant and easy way. So I sought the Lord for the specific details on how to do that with this child I was carrying at the time. Well, the first instruction that the Lord gave me to help me in this process was choosing her name. We named her two renditions of Hebrew names that meant, "pleasant and beautiful lamb". “That’s it!” I thought. “I will teach her that she is like a lamb and she can choose to follow the One Good Shepherd. Then, as she gets older, I can teach her what the Good Shepherd says about how 'pleasant and beautiful' lambs should live. And of course every time we go to the zoo we’ll pay the extra 10 bucks to feed the sheep by hand!” (LOL, I have never even been to a petting zoo, so this may or may not ever happen!)

So there I was registering everything imaginable with a lamb on it for my baby showers. My little lamb will wake up every morning to lamb sheets, lamb blankets, lamb changing pad covers, stuffed toy lambs, and even a lamb mural painted on the wall that says, “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. Ps. 23:1 (NLT)” in the sky! Over the top, you say? Maybe. Or maybe I am just pricking her heart with a very vivid impression of my faith. Don’t worry, I am not deceived into thinking that Nyomi, my daughter, will never stray away from the way of the Lord just because we read Psalms 23 every night while she wears her lamb pj’s! But I do believe the Lord will bless the wisdom of her parents to apply the instruction of the Lord not only in their individual lives but in the life of the child He gave them. So maybe one day down the road you will hear me referring to the one true God as the God of Emmitt (my dad), Jeneil, and Nyomi.

"Theology Thursday" feat Jeneil Flowers is UP NOW! (part 1)

2011-08-04T08:58:00.004-05:00

Hey! Thanks for checking out this Thursday's post. This week I have the privilege of introducing you to my best friend, Jeneil Flowers. Jeneil and I have been married for almost 6yrs now. (Wow, time flies.) We've also got a little girl named Nyomi (almost 2yrs old). In addition to Jeneil being a full-time mom, she also serves with me in the youth ministry at our church (Forerunner Youth) and helps me run our record label, Freedom Music Group. She's pretty much amazing :) And this post? Mmm...good stuff. Let's get into it...

Toddlers and Theology

We young parents should definitely ask ourselves, “What does the application of Christianity look like in the raising of children?” Even when you think that you are finally beginning to comprehend that you must and are able to walk out the scriptures by the power of the Holy Spirit; God presents phase two: CHILDREN! Now this is a whole new level of Christianity! Parenting children is definitely a part of Christianity. Deuteronomy 4:9 instructs us not to forget the things our eyes have seen in our walk with the Lord and to teach them to our children and to their children after them. Why? Our God is a generational God. He even referred to Himself in the scripture as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It’s as if God was not satisfied with just being Abraham’s God. He wanted a covenant relationship with people following after Abraham. I wondered if Abraham was ever nervously riding along on his camel with lil’ Isaac in the back seat thinking, “How on earth will I ever get this energetic toddler to comprehend the importance of the covenant with the God that I serve? How do I guide him toward following the One true God instead of worshipping idols like the other kids in the neighborhood?” Given Abraham’s natural phlegmatic tendencies toward living in fear, I can make a pretty good assumption he thought exactly along these lines at one time or another.

Well what does the Bible say about applying our faith to our lives in the way that we raise children? No matter what denomination or depth of your religion growing up, we have all heard the scripture Proverbs 22:6 that says, Train up a child in the way he should go… Alright, now that we know we should train a child in the ways of God, now what? This is where I think most of us parents get stuck. If we stay stuck here then we will soon get discouraged and quit trying to “train” because we believe the Lord did not give us any insight on how to do what he instructed.

This is a good time to go over some things that the Lord instructed His people, the Jews, to do with their children a long time ago. This passage of scripture in the Torah (God’s teaching and instruction in the first five books of the Bible) is commonly referred to by the Jewish people as the “Shema”. They actually teach this and many other truths to their children as soon as they are able to talk. So their kids probably were not nearly as confused about Christian child raising by the time they had kids as I have been:

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 King James Version (KJV)

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

This “shema” contains a lot of great truths to apply to our task of raising children, but today let’s focus on just one action step found there. Verse 7 said to teach them diligently unto thy children… Teach them diligently is broken down even better by the Strong’s Concordance that says the original Hebrew meaning is to pierce, prick, sharpen, and inculcate. Then webster defines Inculcate as to teach and impress by frequent repetitions and admonitions. Lets take it even further. Webster defines Impress as to have an emotional or cognitive impact upon; produce or try to produce a vivid impression on. Wow! Our walk with the Lord is definitely supposed to have an impact on children, I know some of you may be thinking, “But I don’t think that it’s right to stuff religion down my kids throat”. I completely understand that concern, but we followers of Christ who are raising children have specific instructions from the God who created them to impress the commandments of God upon their hearts.

So after knowing this truth, here is the dilemma I found myself in as I looked at my positive pregnancy test in April 2009. I am not exactly a "kid" person...

(to be continued...tonight!)

"Theology Thursday" feat Rachel Gallagher is UP NOW!

2011-07-28T08:41:00.015-05:00

This week's guest blogger is non other than my friend, Rachel Gallagher!

Rachel is from Amarillo, TX and married to a pretty cool guy named Rory.

Every time I read Rachel's blogs, they are always encouraging and timely!

When I read this one, I was going through a little..."tunnel" shall we say.

This was right on time!

To keep in touch with Rachel's blog, check out www.spotlessbride.org.

You won't regret it! Here it goes:

Trust the Engineer

Corrie Ten Boom once said, "When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer."

I can't tell you how many times I find myself in a discussion around doctrine and why I'm committed to it. With all the voices of influence vying for our attention in this culture, it's imperative that we have a good understanding of what we believe and why. Theology is the anchor that holds me steady. It's what keeps me trusting even in a dark tunnel.

My spiritual walk reminds me of being on that train. There have been glorious scenes and displays of color throughout the journey. It's so much fun when I can see everything around me clearly! I have to trust that God is taking me to a destination with purpose, but it's hard to see the bigger picture when I'm in a dark tunnel.

When I can't see the plan anymore, when I have lost my sense of direction, and when it's all I can do to sit back and trust the engineer, I remind myself of three things as it relates to sound doctrine.

A) All things work together for my good

I can't always understand why I must go through this tunnel of darkness. Is there a way to skip this part of the journey? How long is this tunnel anyway? Romans 8:28 says, "And we know all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to his purpose." The scene must be magnificent just outside this tunnel, and there must not be another way to get there except by taking this path. I trust the Engineer.

B) He still has a plan

Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the thoughts I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." The tunnel may feel like punishment, or a result of poor decisions made. But I trust the Engineer knows where to take me next, because He has my best interests in mind at all times.

C) The best is yet to come

Proverbs 4:18 says, "But the path of the uncompromisingly just and righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines more and more brighter and clearer until it reaches its full strength and glory in the perfect day..." (AMP) This passage tells me two encouraging things. First, my path will become clearer if I will just stay on it. Second, my best days are still ahead because things can only get better for the righteous. As great as yesterday may have been, tomorrow will be even better if I will just hang on and not quit today. I trust the Engineer.

More Theology Thursdays & the Big Reveal! (video)

2011-07-27T22:00:00.004-05:00

Don't know why these freeze shots always be makin' a brotha look crazy! Drunk in the spirit perhaps?? haha! Whatever...thanks for watching.

Jesus Is Still Lord (pics)

2011-07-26T18:52:00.001-05:00

You know how unpleasant car troubles can be, right? Jesus is still Lord. Thank God for Bro Joe.

My Weekend (part 2)

2011-07-25T15:51:00.006-05:00

Have you ever been in a conversation and said something that you know offended someone? You just feel it, right? Well this was one of those times. Most of these people were Hispanics who didn't look like they went to church much. In San Antonio, Catholicism is huge. I think it's safe to say that most of the Hispanic population here is, has been, or is very familiar with Catholicism. To most, Catholicism is their only concept of Jesus. So to say that Jesus wasn't "catholic"? True, but not very sensitive and not prompted by the Holy Spirit. Truth can be very offensive if not given at the proper time. Needless to say, the first half of my set was rough. By God's grace, the Lord assisted me through the rest of the set.

I was feeling totally useless after the evening was done. I was at our product table thinking, "I'm not coming back here." This is an annual event that I do...and I felt like I just offended about 200 people. So get this! As I was sulking in my mind, this dude comes up to me. (He was one of the few that came to my table that night.) He comes up and says, "I really like your music." I smile and say, "Thank you! What church do you attend?" "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints", he says. In my mind I'm like, "Wow. A Mormon likes my music. What is he gonna say next?" Then he says, "I just wanted to stop by and tell you that you're doing a great job with your music. Don't ever give up. Keep doing it because you're definitely changing things and you're changing people." As strange as this may sound, I knew the Lord sent him my way to tell me that. God and His sense of humor! I was just discussing the Word with a few mormons that came to my house the other day. Those conversations always seem to go the same way. I ask questions, they can't answer, we agree to disagree, I challenge them to let the bible speak for itself, and I lead them in a prayer asking God to show us the truth. But this one was different! I knew God sent this man my way to encourage me. And I didn't say anything back except "thank you so much". (Note: This is not a Mormon promotion. I still disagree with the teachings of the Mormon church because they are contrary to the word of God. However, Jesus is Lord of all. He can use whoever he wants whenever he wants.)

Last night I learned my lesson, properly prepared and the Holy Spirit was with me. Huge difference! I did most of the same songs that I did the night before. The response was totally different though. I wasn't just ministering mind-to-mind or emotion-to-emotion. I was ministering "spirit-to-spirit" as my wife would say. This weekend was just another reminder that I'm nothing without the Lord. Christ is everything and He knows how to minister to His people better than I do. This was definitely not one of my best weekends but hey...the Lord taught me something. I'm gonna try to keep this memory in my mind and refer to it the next time I start feeling discouraged. I'm an artist and a human being. There will be a next time. Fortunately, I don't have to be ruled by emotions next time.

In closing, one other thing that helped me with my weekend was reading my friend Rachel Gallagher's blog. She's guest blogging for me this Thursday but she sent it in to me this weekend. Perfect timing, Rachel! Thank you. Make sure you come back this Thursday. You'll definitely be encouraged.

Thanks for reading,

Jarrell

My Weekend (part 1)

2011-07-25T10:15:00.005-05:00

This weekend was a very interesting one for me. Very emotional. Let me give you a little reason for my "emo-ness". I'm an artist in between projects.

One day my wife and I were having a pretty deep conversation and she said that she read something that gave her some insight into my emo personality. She read that people who are creative generally go through a rough process in order to create something. After the thing is created, the artist (or preacher, or whoever) is on a high...but then the high wears off after a while. Then the artist goes into this state of mild depression until his/her creativity is sparked again. (Of course she told me this during one of my down moments.) Just a little FYI, this doesn't HAVE TO happen to all artists. It only applies to the ones who are choosing to be led by their emotions rather than trust in God. Since Jeneil shared that with me, I've been on the lookout for the devil's trap. It's really helped me to be aware of what's going on with me. Getting to the weekend...

So on this particular weekend, I was feeling a little less than excited about ministering. I found out that a concert that I was scheduled to minister at later on this year got canceled. (And I was really looking forward to that one too.) I couldn't get in the studio last week either. Nothing seemed to be going the way I wanted it to go. I was in one of those "why-am-I-even-ministering-through-music" kinda attitudes. I was like, "There are so many other ministers out there. I'm not needed. I'm not effective here anymore." I had two day block party that I was ministering at this weekend. It started Saturday night and ended last night. It was an outdoor event so I was already drained by the time I got up to rap. I prayed before I got up there but it wasn't nearly the preparation that I should've done...because I was in my mood, remember?

I will say this as a parenthetical statement. My preparation is everything. I am not the best rapper out there. I know of local talent who can run circles around me as far as skills are concerned. I'm talented but I'm not stellar. I know the only thing that separates me from others is my preparation. I ask God that His glory be seen and not mine. And I spend time with God until I know that He's up there with me. That's where all of the passion (an even on-the-spot revelation) comes from. Unfortunately, not a lot of artists do this. Most of the time they go up there in their own strength and arrogance and depend on their skills to win people over. Every time I've done that I've failed. And it's not a good feeling.

So I get up on stage...spiritually unprepared. I start off with the a capella verse. In that verse, I make a statement about Jesus not being Catholic...

(To be continued...)

"Theology Thursday" feat Jamie Jones is UP NOW!!

2011-07-20T09:24:00.010-05:00

This week's guest blogger is my friend, Jamie Jones! She is wife to her husband Steven and mother to her two beautiful children Raleigh and Ryder. You can keep up with her blog at http://www.jamiebjones.blogspot.com/. Also if you're ever in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, please check out the church that she attends. It's called Rhema Bible Church and here's the website... http://www.rhemabiblechurch.com/. Hope you enjoy...I did! Here it goes...

"THE BOSS MAN"

Smelling of Lavender baby lotion and diaper creme, my two-year old daughter yanks a toy from her 11 month old brother's hand. "It's not time for that brudder, it's time to go nite-nite". He begins to cry and once again (for the 10th time that day), I ask my sweet, pig-tailed daughter... "Who is Ryder's boss?" With her chin resting on her chest and hesitation in her voice she softly responds, "Mommy is Ryder's boss." I then proceed with my well rehearsed speech on how mommy is Ryder's boss and her sweet-self doesn't need to rule her brother's world, that I can take care of him just fine.

The fact of the matter is the Lord has had this very conversation with me countless times.

It was a typical, way over-done conversation for us... Steven and I were tired and he responded in a way that stinkin ticked me off. I felt my anger swelling within me. Why doesn't he see it MY way? The WHOLE world would see it my way... I DESERVE to put my foot down this time. I NEED to tell him exactly what I am thinking right now. He ALWAYS gets his way. I am going to SHOW HIM this time... these thoughts were rolling around inside of me and I could sense a horrific explosion about to spew from my mouth in the form of words that I would only regret saying and try to shove back in later. At that moment... I sensed the Lord whisper to me... "Who is Jamie's boss?" With hesitation and a drop in my gut, I respond, "Jesus, you are my boss." I then sensed the Lord reminding me that His ways are higher and more effective than mine and my sweet-self doesn't need to rule my own world, that He can do that just fine.
Familiar words of how the scripture defines love as patient, kind and not rude... began to rise up in me.
Opposing words of hurt, anger, and a weak victim's cry began to rise as well.
Who would I listen to? How would I respond? Who am I going to please? Who am I going to serve?
I quietly responded aloud, "I will respond in a way which is pleasing to you, Lord."

The battle was won.

Romans 6:16, 22-23
16Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God,the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

As our scripture reference states..we have a choice to choose LIFE, righteousness and holiness or death. The easiest path is do what we want to do when we want to do it when it comes to relationships. However, God's ways are clearly higher than our ways according to isaiah 55:9. Doing things according to his blueprint gets us to the desired destination. Doing things our ways only breeds destruction and deception within us. Envision with me your marriage being full of life, vibrancy, and glorious fruit for the Lord. Think of a marriage that is fun, full of shared "God" moments and a great sex life. How about friendships where God is glorified because they exude encouragement, patience and a huge allotment for growth. These "dream" relationships are the results of choosing to respond in a way that pleases the Lord. When we choose to make Jesus boss and get ourselves off the throne... He truly can create a masterpiece in each relationship we have.

The fact of the matter is we all have a master. The scripture clearly states we are slaves to the one whom we obey. Either to sin (the fleshy way) or to obedience to the Word (God's way). Relationships are one of the many lifelines in our walk with God. Whether a spouse, sibling, friend or mentor, relationships is where our love walk begins and ends. It is SO, (and I emphatically shout from the roof-tops SOOOOOOOO) easy to be the boss of our own lives, especially when it is in response to our closest relationships. To proclaim Jesus as our Lord is more than just speaking one of His many splendid names. It's saying, "Jesus, you are the boss of me!". Choosing to respond to Jesus breeds blessings, promises and life. So, get your sticky fingers off your own life and let the Lord do His thing! The next time your friend treats you less than kindly, your spouse forgets something important to you, your boss takes credit for one of your ideas or your pastor says something that cuts deep.... take a step back and choose which master you will please.

Say it aloud.... "I will respond in a way which is pleasing to you, Lord!"

No Getting Around It...

2011-07-18T14:41:00.002-05:00

There are a lot of things that I could point out in my life that need improvement. One thing in particular that I've allowed God to hone in on is in the area of of people skills. I praise God that I'm not the same person I was even a year ago. However I do struggle with being...mmm...nice? Aah! It's sounds so bad when you type it out and read it back to yourself. I really am a very nice, very cordial person. But my natural tendency is to get upset when people don't meet my expectations. (Aah! Again, it sounds bad typed out.) And Lord forbid that they should fall into some secret sin. If I'm not careful, my kindness turns into bitterness rather quickly. The thing is, I'm already a "black or white" kind of person as it is. And if people are Christians, my natural assumption is that they should "know better" than to fall into craziness. Here's two things that have really helped change my perspective.

1) I need forgiveness.

Sometimes I have this big brother syndrome. You know...the prodigal son's big brother. One of the many things that strikes me about this story is the lack of genuine love that the big brother had for the prodigal. While their dad was looking out for and expecting the return of his younger son, the bible doesn't record the older brother doing the same. There's a certain coldness about the older brother. It's almost like the older brother is finding security in the fact that he is still being "faithful" to his father while the younger brother squandered everything. Big brother's relationship with dad was based on his own works...and that in comparison to others. And if little brother should ever repent, big brother is less than happy. When I see this in myself I realize that I'm in need of forgiveness too. It's natural to think that the "good kids" will be loved by the Father more than the "bad kids". (After all...they went out from among us to prove that they were never really one of us right? Those who read their bibles know what I'm talking about.) God's love is supernatural and is not based on works. And that, friends, is a hard pill for big brothers to swallow. I want to be a big brother that has the heart to weep for the prodigal instead of judging them. I want the heart of God. So everytime I remember that this attitude still exists in me, I realize that we're all prodigals at heart. In some area of our lives we've strayed away from the living God to follow worthless "treasures". So since we're all in the same boat surely I can rely on the power of God to forgive others.

2) Maybe they don't know better

I've used this analogy a few times at Forerunner. Pretend that you have a child and you are trying to teach them "2+2=4". As you teach them, they begin to catch on. You ask them, "What is 2+2?" They respond, "4!" You're happy! Then you take them to the grocery store. You're walking down the canned goods isle and you need 4 cans of green beans. You tell Johnny, "Go get me some green beans." "How many?" "2+2", you reply. If Johnny comes back with 3 cans of green beans then he has NOT learned how to apply 2+2 which means that he really doesn't know what 2+2 equals. Combine that analogy with this scripture in Hebrews:

Hebrews 5:14

"..But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil."

There are people who really don't know better. They may have grown up in church. They may be able to quote scriptures, speak with other tongues, and know the text book answers to every biblical question you can imagine. But there's a problem. They're not applying what they know in their heads to be true. In the Hebrew culture, a person is not considered to have learned something unless they've applied it. So here's what I've done. I'm fighting hard not to say, "Wow, you've been in church for how long and you're doing what?? You say this and say that but you're doing what??" Instead I'm judging a tree by its fruit. Not by its leaves, not by where the tree is situated...by its fruit. And often times when I do this I find that people really just don't know. So then it becomes my responsibility to walk in grace with that person as so many others have done with me.

When you make the decision to become a fruit inspector there are some things you just can't get around. Like...eh...talking to people! (You can't just be a fruit inspector without genuinely caring for someone. Then it looks like you're just waiting for them to fall.) Community. Yes. The draining conversations, the invasion of personal space, and the vanishing of other precious commodities are all prices of genuine love and fellowship...and there's no getting around it. So I'm at a crossroads now. I'm starting to get those calls again. Yeah, the calls that I know are gonna be life-invasive calls. (Honestly, I feel like I'm still burned out by the last season of life-invasion.) Why can't I just tell people what they're doing wrong and be done with it! Why? Because the great commission wasn't "Go and correct the world in My name." It was to "teach them to observe everything that I have commanded you." Teach them to observe and to do it! So yeah there's correction. But what about after that? What happens if they actually repent? Will I be like Jonah at the top of the hill? Will I look down on Ninevah and eagerly awaiting the wrath of God to descend? Or will I welcome them with open arms as the Father of the prodigal son did?

This Thursday, my friend Jamie Jones will be guest blogging for me. she's gonna be talking about relationships. Can't wait! See you back here Thursday.

"Theology Thursday" feat Pastor Flowers is UP NOW!! (Video)

2011-07-14T14:05:00.005-05:00

Hey Yall!

The second week of "Theology Thursday" is hosted by none other than Pastor Charles Flowers (aka my father)! Charles Flowers is the senior pastor of the church where I now serve. To find out more about him and our church community, please check out www.faith-outreach.org. To find out more about Forerunner Youth, check out www.forerunneryouth.myfoci.org. We got a chance to talk about this in greater detail last night at Forerunner...pretty interesting! Lastly, if you would like to take that step and sign up for the TWO-CITY TRANSFORMATION that he mentioned in the video, check out www.twocitytransformation.com. I hope you're encouraged by this!

"Theology Thursday" feat Tha Christologist is UP NOW!! (Video)

2011-07-07T11:32:00.002-05:00

My friend Tawfiq Cotman-el (aka Tha Christologist) points out three different areas of life that will be effected when you truly believe in the gospel! For more info about Tawfiq, his family and his ministry please check out www.lovegodhatesin.org. (He's also got some resources on his site that have proven themselves to be a help in my life. It's some great stuff!) Check it out and please share with a friend.

"Theology Thursdays" feat Tha Christologist! (Video) from Jarrell Flowers on Vimeo.

"Theology Thursdays" feat Tha Christologist TMRW! (Video)

2011-07-06T15:58:00.000-05:00

"Theology Thursdays" STARTS TOMORROW!! Check this out!

Good News, "Theology Thursdays" and More!!

2011-06-30T17:29:00.002-05:00

Just a quick update on some GOOD STUFF happening! This is also an introduction to "Theology Thursdays"! Free stuff anyone? Look out, here it comes!

Life Behind the Music Update (VIDEO)

2011-06-16T10:44:00.002-05:00

Here's a little update on what's going on with me, the fam and some updates on what's next...

Humble Beginnings

2011-06-11T17:40:00.000-05:00

So we're trying to get our office going...you know...be legit? Somebody gave us this e-machine so this is what we're working with. I ain't mad. As long as we're getting the job done :)

Morality vs being Christlike

2011-06-07T17:22:00.000-05:00

Here's a little thought that's been in my heart...
I'm noticing more and more that the old people become, the more keen they become to morality. When people reach different points in their lives they look back & say "Man what I did back then was dumb! I can't believe I listened to ___ or said ____! What was I thinking?" In most cases, this creates a sense of self comfort. They take comfort in the fact that they now have a better grasp on morality. (This comfort has it's root in an evolution-based worldview but I won't go into that right now.) And many people are convinced that because they have a better grasp on morality they are closer to Christ & Christlikeness. These people are as lost as when they were born.

Let's get something straight. Morality is not equal to Christlikeness. Being like Christ is equal to Christlikeness. And the first, unavoidable step in being Christlike is regeneration! To act purely as Christ acted you must be as Christ was...holy. Every other way of trying to be Christlike is rooted in man made religion.

I feel sorry for those who feel like they are closer to God because they are not as "bad" as they were before. There's only one way to the Father & trying to be moral is not it.

The End :)

Jarrell

Me and Dan Ytuarte talk about the "Rags2Riches" campaign on Say it Loud (AUDIO)

2011-06-01T10:00:00.006-05:00

Here's an interview I recently did with Dan Ytuarte of Ever Change Academy. I also threw in a surprise verse from the upcoming release of SA's God Belongs in My City anthem. (Listen to the awkward 2 second silence afterwards lol!) Don't forget to do what you can to support the campaign! Please go to www.freedommusicgroup.com and read up on the campaign. Let's change lives together!

Jarrell - White Rags (Official Music Video)

2011-05-17T23:57:00.001-05:00

Here it is...finally! The official music video :)

Life Update...

2011-05-11T14:03:00.001-05:00

So here's a little update of what's going on with me..

Spiritually:

The good things first...
I've been on a journey with the Lord & he's been gracious enough to share things with me (through His word, people, dreams etc.) My hunger for the word has definitely increased now that I've chosen not to limit myself to what the disciplines of bible reading & prayer are "supposed" to look like. There's definitely discipline involved (which I haven't quite mastered yet). However, I'm finding that there is freedom within the boundaries of those disciplines. It's awesome!

The bad things...
I've found myself becoming more dependent on me instead of on God. I didn't realize how easy it was to fall into this trap. God has really blessed me with some awesome opportunities & continues to do so. I feel myself wanting to trust in me like it was my abilities that got me where I am. At the same time I feel the need to compare myself to more successful people & become ungrateful. Uggh! I hate those feelings but it's something that I have to fight with all of the time. Funny thing is...I'm not even really that famous lol! Imagine what these big time artists must be going through.

Physically:

Ehh! Could be better. It seems like every time I try to start working out something crazy happens. I try to start creating a habit of working out or running & something happens that stops me beforw I can keep the habit going. Case in point: My sister was working me out right? (You saw the video!) It was perfect...I needed a motivator & she was doing it! We worked out for a few months. Then she says "After this week, you're on your own!" That was my worse nightmare because I neeed people to encourage me in that area. Then I started running on my own at my parents house...on their treadmill. Treadmill worked fine...then malfunctioned! Aaah! So now I'm not doing so well. Thinking about getting a gym membership or something because now that I've tasted the goodness of running on a treadmill, I hate running outside.

Social:

I'm meeting new people so that's a blessing. I'm also learning to trust people again and let go of offenses. Over the past 2 years, people that I really trusted & befriended either went somewhere into left field with their doctrine or they completely fell off from the faith. It's awesome to see God restoring some...but can I restore them? Hmm. And of course with the breach of so many relationships this made me suspicious of the relationships I still had. I was like "Is anybody living for God anymore?" Classic Elijah syndrome. So I'm just coming out of that tunnel. I'm mixing it up with more people. I'm also giving them room to make mistakes. Although we should strive for perfection, nobody's perfect. Offenses will come. Will I forgive? By God's grace, yes.

Musically:

I praise God that most of you are enjoying The Freedom Project! I'm really amazed at how the word continues to get out. We don't have an official promoter or anything...just word of mouth. God's really pushing it forward & people are beginning to take notice. People are showing love for both the message & the music quality so that's awesome. I'm currently trying my hand at a mixtape which should be out this summer. I've never done one before. I'll let you know about the title, artwork, etc soon. And yeah it'll be free! Also, I'm beginning to experiment with incorporating different genres into my music. We'll see how that goes.

Thanks for reading this! Please keep me and my family in prayer.

Jarrell

White Rags Official Video Teaser

2011-05-03T11:08:00.000-05:00

Here's a clip of the official White Rags video. You can see the whole thing now by downloading the Faith Outreach Center Intl. app at www.app.myfoci.org. We'll be watching the whole thing this Wednesday at Forerunner!

What I've Been On Lately...

2011-05-02T14:19:00.003-05:00

Here's some music and messages that I've been on lately. God's been inviting me to study the Spirit of Elijah. It's funny...this month at Forerunner we'll be talking about baptism and this just confirms a lot of what I'll be ministering on. Welcome to the movement.

Music:

Message:

Day in the Life...

2011-04-22T09:45:00.000-05:00

Wanna see the OFFICIAL WHITE RAGS VIDEO Next Tues?? THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT

2011-04-18T13:48:00.004-05:00

Yoo! Well it's been a long time coming but the date has been set an I'm excited about sharing this video with you NEXT TUESDAY! If you've been keeping up with what me and FMG have been up to lately then you know that we are in the middle of a campaign called "Rags 2 Riches"! We're using the sales of The Freedom Project and the White Rags to help Everchange Academy raise much needed funds for their organization. (Please visit www.freedommusicgroup.com for more information about how you can help change the lives of at risk kids.) The White Rags video is releasing as a part of this campaign!

So here's how it's going down...
The church where I both attend and serve recently released an app for the iPhone and Android markets! (It's pretty awesome.) My music and White Rags teaser video are currently accessible on this app. (Drum roll please...)

***NEXT TUESDAY, APRIL 26TH, THE OFFICIAL WHITE RAGS VIDEO WILL BE RELEASED EXCLUSIVELY ON THE FAITH OUTREACH CENTER APP!!*** This means that in order to see the video next Tuesday you've gotta download the app!!

Click the picture below to DOWNLOAD the FOCI iPhone APP!

Click the picture below to DOWNLOAD the FOCI Android APP!

So why exactly am I doing that?? FMG will soon be collaborating with Faith Outreach Center (more specifically with Forerunner Youth Ministries www.forerunneryouth.myfoci.org) on some crazy projects soon. You're definitely going to want to download that app to get on-the-go access to music and resources!

Sooo....I'm definitely excited about this video!! WHEN YOU SEE IT, PLEASE REMEMBER TO DONATE TO EVERCHANGE ACADEMY! Also keep the campaign in your prayers. The Lord has given us local TV and radio spots in the month of May. Pray that we walk in wisdom. Oh and one more thing...DOWNLOAD THE APP!! IT'S FREE! :)

Talk to you again soon,
Jarrell

Jarrell Has Entered the App World??

2011-04-13T15:25:00.004-05:00

Yes...kinda!! The church I attend recently put out an app for both the iPhone and Android markets!! On that app you can access some of my music...and you can even access the White Rags teaser video. Who knows? The OFFICIAL WHITE RAGS VIDEO may or may not be released on the app BEFORE it gets released anywhere else. (Just maybe:)

Click the picture below to DOWNLOAD the FOCI iPhone APP!

Click the picture below to DOWNLOAD the FOCI Android APP!

Hope your blessed by the apps,
Jarrell

Pics of the Forerunner Launch Party!!

2011-04-07T09:33:00.005-05:00

Here are some pics from last night's "Forerunner Launch Party"! Next week we start to build relationships. Discipleship is the goal. Pray that we walk in wisdom so that we can partner with God in raising up a prophetic generation that loves God and hates sin.

All That Talk About "Local First"..Well...Here It Is!

2011-04-06T11:52:00.004-05:00

Do you remember a while back when I was talking about the proper missions perspective? Acts 1:8...Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, uttermost parts of the world? Focusing primarily on having an impact where you are...starting at home, church, neighborhood, city, etc? If not, please watch this (from 40:42 on):

Biblical Missions from Faith Outreach Center on Vimeo.

IF YOU DO REMEMBER THEN I'M SURE YOU KNEW SOMETHING WAS ON THE HORIZON!! Well here it is...

(Click the picture to go to the new Forerunner Youth Ministries website!)

I'm happy to announce the launch of Forerunner Youth Ministries! Our whole goal is to impact locally and reach globally for God's glory. To put it simply 1) We love God 2) We love family 3) We love community 4) We love the arts We'll go more into detail about those things later. If you're asking "Where in the world did this come from?"...well let me tell you. I've been a youth pastor at my church for over 7 years now. To make a long story short, God recently told me to make major changes and focus on missions where I am now...at my local church. So here it is. Our aim is to build a culture of disciples. We want to partner with God in building a prophetic generation who loves God and hates sin. We also want to help raise up artists who will go and infiltrate media and the arts for the glory of God. I can't wait to see what God is going to do with this! More to come.

Jarrell

Jarrell talks about "White Rags" and "Rags 2 Riches" Campaign.mpg

2011-04-04T19:22:00.000-05:00

Check this out!! A little history behind "White Rags" and how you can be involved in the "Rags 2 Riches" Campaign.

"Rags 2 Riches" Starts TODAY!!

2011-04-04T15:40:00.000-05:00

Hey!

Just a reminder that the "Rags 2 Riches" Campaign starts TODAY!! Please visit www.freedommusicgroup.com to see how you can help change a life!!

God Belongs in my City San Antonio 2011

2011-03-21T18:24:00.000-05:00

Here's a sneek preview of what's to come! God Belongs In My City SA 2011. Be on the lookout for the official SA anthem by Lita Rodi and... me :) Please save this date on your calendar and help spread the word --- 9.10.11

What is the "Rags 2 Riches" Campaign?? (4.4.11)

2011-03-20T17:32:00.011-05:00

Hey Yall,

I want to give you some information about a collaborative effort between Freedom Music Group and Everchange Acdemy. You may have heard me mention a campaign called "Rags 2 Riches". I'm gonna briefly give you some background about what it is. Later we'll talk about how you can get involved.

First let's talk about what Everchange Academy is all about. Everchange Academy is a faith-based program that takes kids ranging from ages 12-17yrs that have been adjudicated to placement by the state. The program is based in Hondo, TX and is directed by an awesome man of God (and long time friend), Dan Ytuarte. Without going into too much detail, Everchange is a place where kids are sent when they get in trouble with the law. When a young person gets in trouble and has to serve time somewhere, the judge has the option to send them to various places. One of these places is Everchange Academy. I encourage you to check out www.everchange.org for more info about the program. Awesome stuff!

So how did I get involved?? Well I've been visiting Everchange Academy for years! I've had the opportunity to minister through teaching and through rap. (The concept for my song "White Rags" actually came from Everchange Academy! I'll talk more about that in my next video blog.) Well recently, the Lord laid it on my heart to help Everchange raise funds for the organization sooo...

Here's how you can help:

1. On April 4th, you will be able to go WWW.FREEDOMMUSICGROUP.COM and donate directly to the "Rags 2 Riches" Campaign. (All money donated directly to the campaign will go straight to Everchange Academy.) You will also be able to go to WWW.EVERCHANGE.ORG and donate directly to Everchange Academy. Please support!

2. From April 4th - June 6th, Freedom Music Group will be donating a portion of the profits from every physical copy of "The Freedom Project" EP sold during this time frame. We will also be donating a portion of the profits from every White Rag that is sold during this time frame. (At last, I finally get to put these rags on the website!!) So how can you support?? Starting April 4th, please tell your friends, aunties, uncles, cousin nem to go to WWW.FREEDOMMUSICGROUP.COM and order the physical copy of "The Freedom Project" EP & a WHITE RAG! (ITunes buyers I definitely appreciate your support. However during this time frame, I ask that you consider purchasing the physical copy INSTEAD of going to iTunes.) A portion of the profits from CD and White Rag sold at concerts will also go to support Everchange Academy. And for all of you who are wondering, "What ever happenend to the video?"...well it's being released as a part of this campaign.

3. Please pray for the success of the "Rags 2 Riches" campaign. We really want to raise as much money as possible to assist this awesome program! Because this is our goal, we plan to publicize this as much as possible. Please pray that the right connections be made so that we can do TV interviews, radio interviews and press releases in various publications in both San Antonio and Hondo, TX. In addition to the fundraising, we've also been given 3 dates to minister through rap at Everchange Acdemy. Those dates are April 10th, May 8th and May 15th. I'll be doing the April date and Freedom Music Group will be partnering with other SA artists to plug them in to the May dates. Please pray that all 3 dates are packed with Holy Ghost power and that the gospel is clearly communicated.

That's all for now! I'll be posting a follow up video blog for those who may not enjoy reading :) Thank you so much for your time. Talk to you in a couple of days...

Jarrell

Laura J - Illuminate Music Video

2011-03-16T10:19:00.000-05:00

"Yes you have declared me a city on a hill and I want to light it up in the world" - Laura J

Powerful...and just plain fun!

Jarrell

Spurs vs Kings

2011-03-11T19:13:00.001-06:00

I got invited to a Spurs game! My dad & I just had a meeting with a Spurs rep to plan some stuff that'll be going on later this summer. They gave us these awesome seats for free! Plus we're in here with some other believers! God's good. Always giving me stuff I don't deserve...& can't afford lol! Here's some pre-game pics...

Jarrell

The Delusional Artist

2011-03-10T16:22:00.007-06:00

I'm about to deal with a fear that almost every artist has deep deep down inside. It's the fear of not being accepted for who they really are. Now...nobody wants to be a delusional person. But NOBODY wants to be a delusional artist! Take these guys for instance...

Why do we laugh when we see this?? (And trust me, I did laugh!) We think it's funny because the fact that they auditioned speaks to something even more funny than the performance. Somewhere in the minds of these contestants there is a belief that they are genuinely good at singing! Although it's OBVIOUS to the rest of the world that they are not even close to being good at what they do, they get up there to audition (year after year) in hopes that they will be the next American Idol. I'm like, "Who told these people that they should audition??" And sure, there are those select few that are so outrageously funny that they become the laughing stock of the nation...and hit it big! But any true artist wouldn't settle for being a laughing stock. (Between me and you, I think that these people who make it big for being the laughing stock of the nation already have some psychological issues. Just sayin'.)

So an artist steps out for the first time with mom, dad and a few family friends in their corner. (Never underestimate the affirmation of family and friends!) The artist is scared because deep deep deep down inside they know that these particluar family members and friends would cheer them on regardless of any talent or skill! And the artist knows that he/she is gonna need a little more then "That's my baby!!" if they want to make it big lol! But they step out anyway. And when the world doesn't receive them with open arms they are crushed.

Let's take this a little deeper. Some artists REAAALLYY don't want to taste rejection. Because to most artists, when you don't like their art you don't like them. Their art is an expression of who they are. So to ensure that they are not rejected, they will copycat someone else's art. One problem: there's no need for TWO of the same artist! So with that being said, how can I make sure that I am not a delusional artist??

Here's my advice:

1. Be comfortable with being yourself. In the world of music there is no room for self-esteem issues. First, identify who you are in Christ. Artistically, identify what you like and don't like. Then be ok with that. If it's not popular...it's ok. (Find out why it's not popular though haha! If it's not popular because it's not a good idea then ummm...rethink!) The point is be comfortable being you.

2. Put it together. Once you've identified what you like, put something together. Whether it's a CD, a piece of art, photography, etc. Take your time and do it to the best of your ability. And do it just like you like it!

3. Take a risk by building a team. You've got your product. Don't go public just yet. You now need to take a risk by surrounding yourself with people who are not automatic fans of everything you do. Don't just surround yourself with auntie nem! Don't surround yourself with other artists who think that everything's all good because it's Christian work. Don't surround yourself with artists who will say, "Yeah it sounds great... now can we do a song?" Branch out and reach out to people who are willing to say "Hey bruh, I like this track but that one? No go." It might hurt but faithful are the wounds of a friend. Better him than everyone you know. Listen, people will have an opinion of your art. Whether they choose to share it with you or not is a different story. As a Christian artist, I don't live for outside opinions but I definitely do not ignore them. Consider it one of the many contributions of community.

4. Hone your skills. Once you've gotten honest opinions, hone those skills. Enhance the strong points. Improve on the weak points. I'm currently in the process of doing this with my EP. I'm aware of some strong points and some weak points. On my next project, I plan to enhance the stong areas and improve on the weak areas.

So if you want to keep from being a delusional artist you need to find yourself, put something together, take the risk and build an honest team around you, then hone your skills. Do that for every project and you'll grow!!

PS - This can apply to many more areas than artistry. (Gotta connect the dots!)

Hope this helps you,

Jarrell

Humility: Powered by ??

2011-03-07T00:39:00.001-06:00

Here's something I've been meditating on these past 3 days: What powers humility?

Now I know the Holy Ghost supernaturally enables us to be humble. But what keeps a person humble & ready to serve without constantly feeling like a doormat or a stepping stone to another's success. As an artist, I find myself trying to guard against people who want to attach themselves to me in order to access something that they think I have that may be of use to them. Run-on sentence? Probably. But I'm blogging from my phone & it's late...and it's my blog so I can do that lol! So as I was saying...as an artist I can be somewhat suspect of people. It's also true for anyone doing anything that they want to succeed in. Deep down inside we want to make it! We want to have the dream job: doing what you love & getting paid for it. And if something or someone jeopardizes that dream, we manipulate & lie & do whatever we have to do because that someone may get there in place of us. It kind of reminds me of the story in the bible where this mom comes up to Jesus & asks Him if her sons can have a place on His right & left. If that wasn't manipulation & a prayer with wrong motives then I don't know what is. So how did Jesus stay so humble? Especially when there were Pharisees, Saducees & everyone else purposefully trying to outshine him?

Check these verses out:
John 13:3-5
Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, & laid aside his garments; and took a towel and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a basin, & began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

We know that washing someone's feet is one of the most humbling acts we know of. It was especially humbling given the context of the day. How could Jesus do that? Looking at verse 3, I see 3 things: Jesus knew his level of authority, he knew his origin & he knew his destiny. Jesus was fully settled in his mind on these issues.

I think the reason we strive so hard to accomplish more & do better than the next person (and lose our humility in the process) is because we are not fully established in these 3 areas. We don't know the authority we walk in. We haven't settled in our hearts that who we are and what we're doing did originate with God & not with us. We don't know where we're going. We're out here & we have one goal: success. Funny thing is if we don't know what God's success for our life looks like, then how will we know when we've reached it? We've only got one option: chasing someone else's success. And with that selfish ambition comes manipulation, strife, envy, quarells etc.

My brother, my sister! Rest in knowing that God has given you authority. Seek God & ask him if who you are & what you are pursuing started with Him or with you. Then ask the Lord, "Where do I go from here?" "What would you have me do?" Whatever He says, be content with that. I'm learning contentment even now. God is closing doors & opening others. They're not the doors that I was hoping would catapult the ministry. They're wilderness doors. (I'll explain later.) He's cutting relationships & bringing new ones. He's helping me focus on the mission field in front of me when I want to travel & minister to every state & country all at the same time. He's building more character. At times like these I need to remember: God has given me a level of authority. I must steward it well. I didn't start this music thing. GOD DID. I know why I'm in this music thing to start with. I have a specific assignment from God & he has told me that He will make sure it happens. When I settle on these things, I can SERVE IN HUMILITY without feeling inferior to my brothers or sisters. They may treat me like a doormat or a stepping stone because they are not grounded in these truths. (If a person's not rooted in these, they will swell with pride...for no reason.) That should not sway me though. I'm gonna stay humble because I know who I am & where I'm going. And I only want to be what Jesus wants me to be. Nothing more, nothing less.

Jarrell

Pics from Acquire the Fire this weekend!

2011-03-05T14:41:00.001-06:00

The Balance Beam of Grace

2011-03-03T23:22:00.001-06:00

No video & no pics this time. (The next one will though.)

I'm about to share a thought that has been running through my mind on occasion. It's this whole idea about balance. Because I can tend to be an extreme person at times, this concept of balance is very important to me. I can talk about balance in many different areas, but I'm gonna share with you my feelings about balance when it comes to one area in particular: our attitude toward the local church. There are two extremes that I see. I see one extreme where people take was is handed from the pulpit as though it were the unflawed gospel truth of God's word. There's no checking for correct context & interpretations, no further study...just laziness. The attitude is "Well it sounds right & the guy preaching seems like a good guy so I'll believe everything he says." They've even got a scripture for it. "Obey them that have the rule over you...they must give account for your souls." Under this attitude, pastors can say & do just about anything & get away with it. On the other hand, there's the attitude that studies & studies & studies & finally comes to the realization that the church is very stupid. If only the rest of the church knew what they knew. And like the gnostics of old, their belief is "knowledge is power". If only the church knew more...then maybe they would act differently. They've even got a scripture for it. "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." These people would never say that they are frustrated with the local church but they are. They preach & teach out of frustration & pride. And people can feel it. Where's the balance?

I have somewhat of a testimony in this regard. So like I said I'm more of an extreme personality from the start. I've always been a pretty "black or white" kind of guy. Well God started me on a journey a while back to diligently search out His truth. Naturally I started revisiting everything I held to be sacred beliefs. I found out that some of my doctrinal stances where incorrect. I had believed wrongly about the operation of the church & a host of other things. Resentment started to set in because I was thinking "All this time in church & no one ever told me about..." I found myself gravitating toward the foundational truths of the Christian faith. Consequently I ran into teachers like Paul Washer, John Piper and others. I later found out about Reformed Theology. During this time I began taking Torah classes (which I intend to finish). This gave me a new look into the scriptures, opened my eyes to the existence of the sabbath & God's feast days, and sooo much more. My theology was truly being reformed...so I thought. Funny thing about reformation: when you get new knowledge your heart begins to see the old knowledge as invalid & you begin to despise the old info AND it's source. It's proper to see new knowledge as progressive revelation. Think about Paul. When he got the revelations he received in his day, some of new revelations seemed to be so contrary to the current belief system that Paul had to constantly tie both together so that he could be believed. So anyway, I found myself throwing out a lot of the things I learned & I began to despise the local church & its leadership. I began to question everything because "they" might be wrong. I also became very critical of other ministers because to me anyone could now be a false prophet. I wasn't walking in love. It was a scary time for me but by God's grace I didn't stay there.

God later put it on my heart to read Destined to Reign by Joseph Prince. I read it and it had a huge impact on me. It opened my eyes to this new world of God's amazing grace. At first I was very confused because I felt like I was getting different messages. (Sometimes I was.) But after going back & forth with the scriptures & other materials that God put in my path, I finally saw the balance between what seemed to be two opposing sides. This was also about the time that I went on the church encounter that I blogged about a while back. My eyes were further opened there. I realized that Jesus died for my critical nature. I plunged headlong into grace! I kinda went to the extreme with it but then God gave me the revelation that tied it all together. God's grace is His empowerment to obey His commands. God's grace is His influence upon the human heart & his empowerment in the human life to do what He says. THIS TOTALLY CHANGED MY ATTITUDE TOWARDS OTHERS TOO. I realized that other individuals & even the local church is on a walk with God. God changes our heart towards sin & we act accordingly. "Create in me a clean heart oh God." That's grace. And if God is patient with me then I can surely be patient with the rest of the body. (They're being patient with me too.)

So check this out: my reformed convictions haven't gone anywhere. I'm still "black & white" but I prefer my brother or sister before my own convictions. (Check the scriptures.) I also must confess...I'm growing too. In this process I'm understanding what it means to bear another's burden. I could have said "Forget yall. I'll instruct you from a distance." But that's not the law of Christ. The law of Moses instructs you from a distance. The law of Christ bears the burden with you until the heart is changed. When you love "truth" more than you love people you are walking in error. There's the balance. Love God & love others like you would love yourself. The whole law is summed up in that sentence. So how do you have a balanced attitude towards the local church? Grow in grace with them.

Thanks for reading,
Jarrell

White Rags Video Shoot (Behind the Scenes)

2011-03-01T16:13:00.008-06:00

Thank you to Factor Effects for getting these cool shot! We had a blast!

On some Hancock :)

John (Myrage) Addabbo checking out the shot angle

Ryan of Gordon Pictures getting some shots

Rockin' them White Rags

In action...

Me and the White Rag Family!

We had a great time! More pics soon to come...

Free Pancakes w/ the Staff

2011-03-01T13:29:00.000-06:00

Hanging out with some of the church staff...& eating free pancakes! This is my kind of lunch. See you tonight IHOP, see you tonight :)

On Hannah Montana...

2011-02-22T09:08:00.006-06:00

I'm almost sure that everyone has heard about what happened with Miley Cyrus & her dad. Let me update you just in case...

Miley has been making some not-so-good decisions lately. Among those bad decisions are taking racy pics of herself and the infamous bong video. While watching the news yesterday (or maybe the day before), it was reported that Miley and her dad haven't spoken since the bong video was released on the internet. In an interview with GQ magazine, Billy Ray Cyrus said that he was scared for her daughter. He was also reported as saying things like "the (Hannah Montana) show ruined my family's life" and "I didn't know the ball was out of bounds until it was up in the stands somewhere".

That ball he's referring to would be the way he's raised her. I guess this story hits close to home because I'm raising my daughter now. And my wife & I agree that she is a people person. She lights up every time she's around people...especially children her own age. Now we're nowhere near that Billy Ray/Miley status. I can only imagine the pressure. However, I do know that the danger still exists to neglect what's really important (my family) in order to pursue career goals. Actually it's a temptation that every parent has to deal with. I think it's even more of a temptation for ministers. Sometimes we expect our families to be happy about sacrificing quality time because we're doing "the Lord's work". For me, I have to constantly remind myself that the Lord's work is first and foremost the salvation and discipleship of my family. It really does require a Romans 12 mind change.

Besides the application that this story has to parents who are ministers/career oriented, I think the broader application it has on everyday parents is what really sticks out to me. Parents have this thing for keeping their kids super busy. And the general mindset is that as long as they are busy doing something productive (or something they like to do), then everything will work itself out. Who knows? They may be pursuing a "calling"? "Who are we as parents to hinder their dreams?" "My kid could be the next..." So tons of time, energy, money and emotions are spent chasing kids around as they pursue whatever it is they want to pursue at the time. All the while, the child's character is never dealt with. I imagine that this temptaion would be greater for single parents...like Billy Ray.

Being a decent and moral parent is hard work. Being a godly parent is harder. It's not something that you can just accidentally accomplish. It takes strategy and work. I will be the first to tell you that sometimes I feel like I can't do it. I don't feel like being emotionally drained. I don't feel like spanking my daughter. I don't like battling the thoughts that come afterwards. Thoughts like "Is she still gonna love me?" ( I know what the bible says but those thoughts run through my head sometimes.) It would be so much easier to just involve her in activities from now until she's 18 while I go and preach to the world out of my longing for acceptance and feelings of accomplishment. But would it be worth it? What would I do 17 years later when I find out that I've gone everywhere to preach the gospel, but my outgoing little 16month old girl has turned into one of the people I've tried to rescue: a self-worshipping teenager who cares nothing about God. (Hannah proves that she's exactly this by her lifestyle.) Imagine the horror that Billy Ray now has to live as he watches his little girl spiral downhill. And it's a horror that the majority of parents live every single day. Success in the world can be failure to God. If you're reading this, take a minute to pray for the Cyrus family. Also, pray for me and for you. Pray that we don't make the same mistake.

You're Invited

2011-02-20T15:41:00.000-06:00

Shooting my 1st music video! You're invited.

White Rags Music Video & Partnership with Everchange Academy

2011-02-14T10:39:00.000-06:00

I'm getting ready to shoot a music video for "White Rags"! This is gonna be my 1st music video ever! Yeaahhh!! We're shooting the video on Feb 26th. More details coming...prob tmrw. I'm pushing for about 100 people to show up so please get the word out & save the date. Lord willing, the video will premiere on our new & improved website.

So these rags...I think the 1st time I'll be selling them to the general public will be at "Rip da Mic" in Kyle, TX this weekend. Some of the proceeds will be going toward an organization called "Everchange Academy". We're donating proceeds from CD sales & from White Rag sales to help them fund the kids who sent to their facility. (More info on Everchange & what it's all about coming soon.) Be on the lookout for the "Rags 2 Riches" Campaign & see how you can get involved. Depending on your donation amount, you could receive copies of The Freedom Project EP, White Rags, & even NEW MUSIC! I would really love for you to participate because this project is close to my heart. I've personally seen lives changed through this program. I believe in it. Dan (Director of Everchange) & I will be sitting down and talking about Everchange, what it is & how you can help. Look out for a video, posters & promo info. Let's make a difference!

Jarrell

Simple Life

2011-02-11T17:21:00.000-06:00

For those who are thinking "Wow he sure has a lot of time on his hands to be blogging so much"...secret tip: I'm blogging from my phone! Oh, technology! Anyway, these pics are of me & my family in our back yard enjoying the sun. I get off of work early so we got a chance to do this today. Moral of the story? Relationships need time. And when you're a youth pastor/artist/everything else I do you've gotta cherish these moments. Actually, I'm finding that I need to be INTENTIONAL about creating moments like these with my family. It's all a part of that "ministry starts at home" paradigm shift. Remember that as a minister (of any sort), God won't give you more than you can handle. If your family relationships are being strained because of ministry, you've taken on too much. God's not in it. Don't sacrifice your family on the altar of ministry. If you do...then be prepared to have a dead family life on your hands. Also be prepared to be offensive to God. That's all.

Jarrell

What's Next & God Belongs In My City

2011-02-11T00:18:00.000-06:00

As you can see, I finished John Bevere's "Driven by Eternity". It's a powerful book that's basically centered around the teaching of Eternal Judgment. Definitely got me to view some aspects of my life differently. I think the things presented in that book are definitely revelations that I'm going to have to grow into. Nothing like a good challenge!

So I started reading the book on prayer (Incense & Thunder) at the same time I started "Driven by Eternity". Then I decided to stick with one book at a time. Now I've misplaced the prayer book. (Lyin' devil!) It's probably in my office. After I find & finish that one I've got "The Exemplary Husband" & "Shepherding a Child's Heart" on my radar. There's also another book that I saw at my dad's house about understanding the prophecy motivated person & understanding the pitfalls. I'm very interested in that one. I am VERY prophecy motivated. The name of the book escapes me right now.

I think I'm doing good for a person who would rather watch a movie than read a book. God's grace! One more thing...

I was at this meeting tonight with some leaders from the Hispanic Baptist community. Actually the head of the Baptist Association was also there. Do you remember that video that I posted called "God Belongs in My City" with C-Lite? (Look a few posts back for the "In My City" post.) That video was a part of a larger movement in New York called "God Belongs In My City". Guess what? The movement is coming here with the main event being held on May 21st! Check out www.GodBelongsInMyCity.com for more info. I'll go into detail later but I will say that there may be some Kingdom collabs about to go down & CHRIST is about to get some major face time in SA! Through music & media? Yeah. But God gets the most shine when we are in unity. John 17...& Jesus' prayers always get answered. God Belongs In My City. MAN I'M AMPED! Well until the details get dropped, check out the homie LitaRodi at www.litarodi.com. I heard about him tonight. As far as I can tell this dude is solid! Til next time...

Jarrell

Bible study

2011-02-09T21:15:00.001-06:00

Here's a few of the bible study peeps. The others ran off before I could take their pics. I'll post more on "Break Bread" night. Much love, Vanguard. Much love.

Community

2011-02-08T11:28:00.000-06:00

So yesterday I went to our Covenant Community Group meeting. (Ok let me back up...Covenant Community Groups are basically small group bible studies that our church. It provides for a more intimate worship setting, question & answer, discussions, etc.) So I'm at the meeting & I get an even deeper understanding that community is very very important. I'm looking around I'm basically the only one without grey hair. Not basically. I am the only one without grey hair. Now I could look at this one of two ways. I could complain because I feel like I can't relate to these guys or I could appreciate the wisdom in the room.

Since I've been going to these CCG meeting I've noticed a few obstacles to building real community. Here's a few:

1. Lack of genuine dialogue.

I've noticed that sometimes people don't really open up about themselves & engage in "real" discussion. I think a part of this is due to the fact that most of us don't really know each other well enough to start sharing struggles. This can result in super-spiritual talk that has everything to do with spiritual concepts but nothing to do with life application. The remedy: Fellowship outside of "church meetings". Real relationships require the investment of time. No time, no true relationships.

2. Getting hung up on other peoples quirks.

This one is a tough one for me. Sometimes people act a certain way that I'm really not used to seeing. I have to be mindful that people praise, worship, pray, communicate in a different ways. We've all been there so I'm not gonna spend a lot of time on this one. Let's just remember that ALL of us have quirks. Just as I'm adjusting to my group, they are adjusting to me. I also believe that God puts people around you for a reason. That reason is growth on everyone's part.

That's all for now. Pray for me and my family as we attempt to live out this concept of real community. Community is not just a good idea. It is a command from God & an evidence of the Spirit's work...especially when you're talking about multigenerational unity. I challenge you to strive for authentic unity too!

Jarrell

Sometimes I wonder...

2011-02-04T13:14:00.001-06:00

Sometimes I scroll through pictures and ask myself, "Jarrell, is your family your first missions field?" My daughter needs evangelism. My wife needs discipleship. What am I doing about it?? Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria...it's got to start at my house.

Connecting Realities

2011-02-03T22:19:00.001-06:00

Some of you may be wondering why I chose "Connecting Realities" as my tag line. I just wanted to do a little bit of explaining what "Connecting Realities" really means.

This isn't really talked about much, but I think one of the hardest thing for a Christian to do is to take the spiritual things that we learn and apply them to daily life. It's especially hard when you're taught by people who love to show you the vastness of Christ through lofty concepts. (I worded it that way on purpose:) Basically, these kind of teachers feel that simple isn't deep enough. Sometimes they just really are that deep but don't know that everyone else is has a nose bleed from trying to grasp their concepts. Getting back...it's hard enough for someone to take what they've learned in a classroom setting (which is what most churches have become) and be expected to apply it the best way they see fit (which is what most churches/church leaders expect). This is why discipleship is so important...

As Christians, I believe that we live in two realities. In one reality, we know that Jesus died and rose again to restore fellowship and to introduce kingdom lifestyle to us. In the other reality, we know that we still live in a sin contaminated world and the rain falls on the just and the unjust. There are a lot of people who never make the connection between realities and they're stuck in a state of limbo for the majority of their Christian lives. My goal for this blog was to let you see my life (outside of music and ministry) and to watch my attempt at "Connecting Realities". Maybe I'll find out that in some instances the two realities can coexist. Maybe I'll find out that in some instances they can't.

Now before you read me wrong, please understand that I believe the bible. "Let God be true"...and I know the devil is a liar. Understand that these things are easily acknowledged. However it's sometimes harder to prove that you believe something by walking it out in your lifestyle. This is my attempt to show you how I'm connecting realities. This is how I'm taking these concepts of God and walking them out. So the blog posts, pics & videos I post are not abstract. It's generally what God's dealing with me about at the time. And it's my experiences in my walk with God that will inspire the music of this next...hmm. I hope that "The Life Behind the Music: Connecting Realities" has a clearer meaning now! More soon to come.

Jarrell

In My City

2011-01-12T10:48:00.002-06:00

I think God calls us to reach out immediate surroundings before he calls us to the nations. Good stuff right here...

Check Out "The Art Column"

2011-01-07T17:44:00.000-06:00

Check out a friend of mine (Joseph Almendariz) and his new show "The Art Column"!! San Antonio is rich with artistic skills! Hope you enjoy

Ustreaming Prayer

2011-01-05T05:18:00.003-06:00

I'm up at 5am praying with my church!! Good stuff...

Video streaming by Ustream

If you want to catch any of these Wednesday morning prayer sessions at 5am or any of the services, you can catch it on Ustream. Check www.faith-outreach.org for the live streaming schedules.

The Journey Continues...

2010-12-31T11:57:00.004-06:00

2010 is almost over. Wow, that's crazy! Looking back, I think I learned a lot in the past year. If you're reading this, I don't know how long you've been keeping up with this blog. But check the archives...like I did!

Back in '09, I went on a church retreat that pretty much changed my outlook on a lot of things. One of those changes included my outlook on music. (I've been fighting to keep that outlook since late '09.) Back then, the Lord told me to release the songs I had. He showed me that I was releasing the project for the wrong reasons and that I wanted to prove something to myself by releasing a full length, high quality project. There's nothing wrong with that but my motives for doing so were all wrong. So when He told me to release everything the songs that I already mixed and mastered...well that was a stretch for me because I'm a perfectionist and very passionate about my music. (Problem #1: The music was mine.) Fast forward.

At the beginning of 2010, my wife and I both had dreams that we believed to be from the Lord. Through those dreams, we figured that God wanted Jeneil (my wife) to stop working and become a full-time mom. (Mind you, our daughter Nyomi was about 3 months and I was working part-time at the church when we had these dreams. Jeneil was making considerably more than me at the time.) We sought some counsel just to make sure the dreams meant what we thought they meant. The meanings were confirmed...and continue to be confirmed today. As far as music was concerned, the first of part of 2010 was spent finishing up graphics and in March I released the physical copy of the now 7-song, hurting-my-pride EP called "The Freedom Project". The Lord blessed that effort. People were genuinely ministered to by the songs and I stayed VERY busy doing concerts from the time I released the EP until sometime in September. Some of them paid me...most didn't.

Even though my wife and I had those dreams back in January and felt like we knew the interpretations, she didn't actually stop working until August. Part of the delay was transition time (finding and training someone to replace her). Part of the delay was fear on our part. We weren't rushing to make this leap of faith. August was just the boiling point of our divine discontent. I believe that God creates this inside of His people when they are outside of His will for their lives. Conviction of the Lord + Voddie Baucham = deadly combination. So while in August I'm thinking, "Hmmm! The busiest time of my concert schedule actually starts to die down in September. But Jeneil stops working in August...one month before my schedule starts to die down. What are we gonna do about money? God why are you putting us in this position? Did I really hear God?" All of these questions flooded my mind. And to be quite honest they still do from time to time.

During this faith leap, the Lord has really been gracious to me and my family. Money has come from places I never expected it to come from. I'll have to give you the full testimony when we make it out of this test alive and in one piece! The testimony is still taking shape. And while the Lord is being gracious, he has expressed his graciousness by exposing my lack of faith in Him. I'm not being sarcastic. He could've let me be but He wants to conform me to His image. Hold on...tear in my eye....ok I'm good. It's easy to talk about faith but it's hard to DO faith sometimes. Some of us are never put in positions where we actually have to trust God...all or nothing. And if God tries to put us in those positions we wrestle him tooth and nail. Faith is definitely one of those "easier said than done" kind of deals. Hebrews has helped tremendously. God has also taught me a thing or two about unity in this time frame. 1 Corinthians and James 4 has helped me with that. I'm trying not to get tripped up by stuff that fellow ministers/artist do that at times seems intentionally hurtful. Or what about dealing with artists who are very obviously in it for self-promotion. Good ol' Paul has helped me put these people in perspective. So what do I do? For now, let them be...the message and the mission is bigger than any of us. Besides, I have enough to deal with already. Just getting me, my family and the young people at my church to be passionate about letting the Spirit conform us into the image of Christ is work enough for me right now. That's the Acts 1:8 missional way, remember?

So here I am. I'm going into 2011 focused on my faith in Christ and believing that He is the Good Shepherd. I'm focused on leaning on Him for everything. I'm focusing on me, my family, my church community and my local mission field. I thank God for all of the deep relationships made in 2010. I cherish the fact that I can call people and chop it up about the Lord. God is so good. And now it's time to work the fields of San Antonio in 2011. No laziness. No more besetting sins. No getting annoyed with petty issues. That's not me. I was made for the "City of God". Thanks for joining me on this journey so far. The journey continues...

Jarrell

Perfect Gift

2010-12-20T12:36:00.000-06:00

Hey Yall! This is my last post of the year. Hope you all have a great holiday season. Look out for God's perfect gift(s) in your life.

Humility

2010-12-12T21:39:00.000-06:00

We all need a dose of this...

Two Books I Recommend

2010-12-07T11:36:00.001-06:00

Here are two books that I recommend you read. There are rockin' me right about now...

Prayer and living for eternity are two topics that God is using to awaken me to a new sense of urgency and a higher level of effectiveness. The books are pretty eye-opening!

In The Midst Of It All

2010-11-18T16:56:00.000-06:00

Another quick blog...

I released my EP on iTunes Nov 16th. Now I'm in the middle of pushing it and getting the word out about it. As some of you may know, we just finished a concert at Youth Fall Retreat the weekend before. About 700 people in attendance there. One thing I did notice while I was there...there were a lot of TX churches in attendance. (More on that later.)

After being out of town for two days, we finally come home to San Antonio. Home sweet home. My EP is scheduled to come out the upcoming Tuesday. Well Nyomi gets sick Monday. She starts throwing up everything we try to feed her. And these are not little kiddie-looking throw ups. This looks like the real deal. So my wife and I begin to pray and rebuke the enemy as a nice Christian family should. Well as Nyomi begins to get better, Jeneil gets sick. Last night Jeneil threw up like 3 or 4 times...which is rare because she hardly ever thows up...except when she's pregnant. But we're pretty sure this is not that.

My attention has been forced towards praying for my family. Even more so than I already do. I know that God didnt put any of this on our family but I'm starting to notice that God wants my attention to be local first. (Hence the Texas churches at YFR). Here's the pattern that I know God has placed in my heart. My personal relationship with Him should overflow into my home life. My home life should overflow into my church life. Church to community, community to city and so on. It grates against my flesh because I want as many people as possible to get The Freedom Project. But what if the EP reaches out of towners but I lose the kid coming to our youth group every Wednesday who's still not free in Christ. Or what if I get the word out about the CD but my family is sick and stays sick because I as the head of my home am not interceding on their behalf. I'm learning more and more how to define success and failure. And I believe that God has allowed reminders to remind me to grow slow. Dont blow up and blow away. Establish roots in Him. Get my family rooted and grounded. Establish roots in my community...leave a mark in my city. To everything there's a season...and with patience we inherit the promise.

A Little Nervous...

2010-11-06T14:11:00.000-05:00

As some of you may know, I will be releasing my EP "The Freedom Project" on iTunes on November 16th. I must admit...I'm a little nervous. It's crazy, I don't really know why. What I do know is that I'm learning to trust God. Through this process, God is revealing to me some things about myself. One of those things is that no matter how tempting it may be, I have to stay the course that God has entrusted to me. I can't run someone elses race. There are so many people out here ministering through the avenue of rap music. This is supposed to be a blessing right? But sometimes it can get discouraging because everyone is doing it. And if everyone is doing it, then why do I need to do it? Is my little EP really going to make a difference? Am I nervous because my EP may not do as well as somebody else's project? Is ther pride at work in me?

Here's where I find comfort. God made me unique. As long as I don't try to copy someone else then I'll be fine. Nobody can beat me at being me. I've got a calling from God on my life and He has made me to fit in a certain place in the body. One thing I'm noticing about the Body. The deeper the revelation that you have about the Body of Christ, the more you find out that there is no room for your ego. So true.

Anyway, I know I've just done a little rambling but I had to get something out. I'm watching Nyomi while my wife is out with a friend. I think Nyomi just woke up from her nap. I had to put something down though...it's therapeutic for me. So, moral of the story? When you're feeling nervous because you're about to take a leap ask yourself, "Why am I nervous?" If you're nervous because you might not have the success that you wanted or because you feel like you're gonna look crazy if you fall flat on your face...there's pride working somewhere in there. If you're nervous because you've never been to the strange new place that God is leading you into...you're learning a lesson in faith. Trust God every step of the way. I'm preaching to myself.