The year when I put down the football I picked up a pair of drumsticks changed my life.
It was that year for Christmas my parents finally gave in to all of my ceaseless cries for a drum-kit and delivered with the 5 piece instrument under the tree.
(I seriously bugged them everyday.)
Everyone in my neighborhood knew I got a drum-kit that year.
My cousin and I would jam on the weekends to 90s grudge and classic rock from the 70s. We thought we were legit. I think I played every song with the same beat, but we didn't care we weren't just weirdo high-schoolers anymore we were Rock Stars! (There is till a mix tap floating around somewhere).
In High School sometimes being in a band is just as cool as being on a sports team.
My annoying antics didn't just stop with parents I got to my Pastor too.
I wanted to play drums with the worship band. I had some miss-steps before with wanting to play drums, but only my Pastor and I know about that moment and that is all I will say about that.
But that is just the thing I loved about my Pastor growing up was that he believed in second chances but more importantly believed in me.
The up coming Youth Day that year in 97' was my second chance to prove my self.
Youth Day at Evangel left an undeniable impression on me that I will never forget, especially the Pastor’s wife waving her arm in the back of church signaling me to slow down.
I loved playing the drums!
I loved playing the drums to worship God!
Being involved with worship team helped me to become more connected to my church, to my Pastor, and to my God.
I think there is something about being involved in your local church that really enables one to grow.
Pastor and I got pretty tight during those years.
There are certain people you click with in life and Pastor was one of them.
He helped me develop a love worship music, especially Hillsong Worship. Pastor would get so excited with every new release. We were always learning new Hillsongs and working them into the set lists and we had fun playing them together too.
And for the first time in my life I was a part of something that was meaningful.
As a Youth Pastor I have had the privilege to help raise a new generation with a love for worship.
I remember being at a Winter Youth Retreat years later and the worship band was playing these songs that were absolutely brilliant. I asked who wrote these cool songs, they said it was Hillsong United, Hillsong's youth band.
The first time I heard the opening guitar riff of "Salvation Is Here" I was hooked in big way!
The arrangements Hillsong United had were great but it was lines like "The art of losing my self in bringing you praise," that really struck a chord with me.
We started learning the songs in our youth group and I saw that same sparkle of inspiration in the students eyes that I had when I was there age playing at Evangel.
Now I was the one like my pastor who couldn’t wait to share a new release by Hillsong with the students in the worship band.
Nothing was like the night when we introduced the song "Take It All" to Third Lane Youth, the students were actually singing the chorus in the church parking lot. (Funny side note a parent thought they were singing "Take Take Take It *Off" um you had to be there).
The latest effort from Hillsong was released recently.
Joel Houston (of HillsongUnited) has taken the mantle from Darlene Zschech (who wrote Shout to the Lord and other great worship hits from the 90s) to lead Hillsong into a new chapter of worship.
It reminds me of how that love of worship was passed from one generation to another, from my Pastor to me and onto my students.
I don't know where my life would be if I never got hurt and didn't play drums for Evangel.
Playing worship music helped me develop a love for Jesus and call for my life.
I will be transitioning to plant a church and August 22nd will be my last sunday with my students from Third Lane Youth in York PA.
The last Sunday during worship we had four students playing in the adult worship band that morning.
There wasn't much worshiping from me that Sunday, I just watched the students worship God with their talents and started to cry, but it was a good cry.
Maybe I am a little nostalgic.
Maybe sometimes you don't realize how blessed you are until it's time to say goodbye.
Maybe what it is all about is passing on a love of worship...of Christ, from one generation generation to another.
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