Free Mini-Concert

I was in Austin today doing some Christmas shopping with my car radio tuned to The River 102.3, a local Christian station. I was on my way home when the DJ announced that Kutless, one of my favorite bands, was in studio and would be giving a preview of tonight's concert. The DJ invited anyone in the area to come listen and meet the band—for free. I immediately changed my route home to include a stop at the radio station.

Kutless is headlining tonight at Creation Festival, a Christian rock tour with eight other bands; they weren't alone at the radio station. I was first treated to two songs by Worth Dying For, a worship band from Modesto, California. I really enjoyed their lyrics and their heart for God.

Then Jon Micah Sumrall and Nick DePartee of Kutless took the stage. They sang a total of four songs, two of which I knew and tried to sing along with. They also took questions from the audience of maybe twenty people. It was very intimate. It wasn't the whole band nor the electric sound I'm accustomed to, but I had a good time. I even got to shake their hands afterward—without a backstage pass!

I was impressed with the humility these guys displayed. I haven't been in close proximity with many celebrities but I would think star status could lead to a proud heart. The men of Kutless shared details of how their songs came to be that were pretty personal. They smiled and laughed with the crowd. They truly worshiped when they sang and gave praise to God when they talked about their success. I'm glad I got to see that side of them.

I pass along some prayer requests from Jon Micah: (1) most of the guys in the band have families and often go for long periods without seeing them (this obviously puts stress on both groups); and (2) the band members' personal walks with God since it's often difficult to get to a church service on the road.