LOVE > REVENGE

On August 7, 1994, I met Justin Stevens for the first time. It was his 2Xth birthday and it was the beginning of my journey back to Christ. He was leading a ministry called Graceland. It was a Bible study for musicians, misfits and outcasts, people who had had bad experiences with "organized religion" and people who had simply had little or no interest in "church." The group met on Sunday nights in a warehouse about a 2-hour drive from home. My housemate/new best friend, Marci, had invited me. We were, at that time, attached at the hip. So, despite my anti-religion bias, I went along. I still remember the first time I entered that warehouse. We were late. As we opened the door I heard live music. The band was lit, but not brightly, while the rest of the warehouse was mostly dark, illuminated only the overhead projector, which was projecting the song lyrics onto the wall behind the band. We slipped in and found a spot on the floor, where there were large pillows to sit on. As I sat there, reading the lyrics projected on the wall, as the band played and the voices sang, tears began to well up in my eyes and stream down my face. I couldn't explain it. I didn't understand what was happening. God was chipping away at the cold hard armor I had built up around my heart. It was a process that took awhile--weeks, months, years. Perhaps He's still working on it. But it began that night in that warehouse called Graceland. And I continue to be grateful to Justin for his part in that--for allowing God to use him in that way. And I continue to be inspired by Justin--his faith, his passion, and how he lives that out. And I'm happy to call him friend.

Tonight, exactly eleven years after that fateful, wonderful night, Justin and his band, Tremolo, came to lead worship and share their message of "Love > Revenge" with the church community of Vintage Faith. Wow. "The world doesn't need another rock band." Justin declared. Pretty radical statement coming from the leader of a rock band, wouldn't you say? And then he went on to tell us about a really revolutionary idea...

>> "Love is the Greatest Revenge" asks the question: If you could show LOVE to your world by taking REVENGE against all that destroys it, how would you do it? Tremolo believes in this question so much that it has allotted 50% of its record royalties to the LOVE>REVENGE FUND, a benevolent fund controlled by all who purchase the album. These owners will subsequently control how this money is used; to show love by taking revenge on all that destroys (AIDS, Poverty, Racism, Slavery, et al).

Please go to loveisthegreatestrevenge.com or tremolomusic.net and get your revenge. <<

Yes, that was an unadulterated plug for one of my all-time favorite bands, but if you were paying attention, you know that it's much more than that. Check it out and see for yourself:

loveisthegreatestrevenge.com

Oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUSTIN! It's great knowing you. I look forward to the next eleven years.