New Blood
Dave Andrews • July 19, 2021
Regain your passion for ministry.
A few days ago on Insight for Living, Chuck Swindoll mentioned, what he believes, is a very real and sad travesty which sometimes occurs to people in ministry. It's burn-out. They no longer have a passion for ministry. They are tired, They spend their days going through the motions, perhaps concentrating on the business side of operations to the neglect of Kingdom work. It goes beyond a need for a good nap. They have lost the passion in what they do.
As a fellow minister of Christ, this should greatly concern us both. Swindoll’s message on burn-out hits home for several reasons. As someone who has grown up traveling to many churches around the Western Slope, and as someone who is often in various local churches to this day, it is a clear problem here.
Actually, some churches and ministries are anything but tired. A few are vibrant, excited, colorful, working for the Kingdom, full of the Gospel and the Word, friendly, places of innovation, and as the body of Christ was intended. Others…some very good churches and people…are beat down. They are clearly tired. "Grey" around the gills. Their pews are empty. Their messages are stale. COVID hit them too
hard. They haven't been outside their four walls in years. That can go for some ministries too. Those same ministries and churches were most likely launched in a much different state than the shadows they have become. They are hanging on by a thread and the thread is about to snap. But if we want our churches and ministries to turn around, hope is not
lost.
A New Heart
Oftentimes the spiritual battle rages simply inside of us. If we are burned out, we need to first and foremost ask God for a new beginning. Then we also work hard toward that. We should fortify our hearts by the renewing of our mind, realigning with Him in heart and purpose. That is one of the great challenges for every believer, and certainly for each of us in ministry inside and outside of the church. Then we need to get back to work. Not just business as usual…not just “good enough for God’s work” kind of work…let give our best
for our King.
New Blood
I also want to pose another thought to you. If we are not willing to do the work, if God has not yet granted us a new heart, it could be better to step aside and be replaced in our position than it would be for the ministry to come crashing down in 5-10 years. If my presence is keeping someone else from fulfilling the serious mission of the Gospel, or of an impending revival, would it not be my duty to get out of the way?
I have seen with my own eyes pastors and ministry leaders do this selflessly, and I commend them for it. I know of one ministry in particular that has replacements already in place for when its founders go on to glory, even though that is expected no time soon.
Stepping aside in ministry is not quitting, and we should never treat it as such. God very well may be calling somewhere else. Case in point, is KJOL’s very own station manager emeritus, my father Ken Andrews. About 5 to 6 years ago, he was tired and expressed his desire to find a replacement. HE put that into motion. The board then decided that I would be his replacement. So I have been trying to fill his shoes for about the last 3 ½ years. Turns out the fat boy they chose to replace him has a lot of drive! And it has come in quite handy during some recent tough times too. And Ken now has a new drive for radio ministry, without all the stress. Along with that, he has a brand new ministry at his church, and a voice outside of it. He just needed a change in scenery!
Are you passionate about your personal ministry? It’s time to make that happen. Be a good steward with the Lord’s work. Seek a new heart. Work hard. Don’t simply give up to business as usual. At times, a change of scenery may be in order.
“ Never let the fire in your heart go out. Keep it alive. Serve the Lord.”
-Romans 12:11 New International Readers Version
-Dave Andrews
KJOL Station Manager
Recently I played a KJOL classic, “ Almighty ” by Wayne Watson . For those who don’t remember Watson, he had a string of hits during the 80s and 90s, including: Celebrate Friend of a Wounded Heart For Such A Time as This Home Free Another Time, Another Place (with Sandi Patti) Touch of the Master’s Hand As for “Almighty,” I found an article that explains the back story. In 1990, when Wayne was 36, a close family friend became ill and died, leaving behind her four young daughters. As Wayne struggled to understand how God could allow this tragedy, he sat at his piano and began to write a song that reaffirmed the sovereignty of God. Well time marches on, with the innocence gone, And a darkness has covered the earth But His Spirit still dwells, He speaks, "it is well, " And the hopeless still offered new birth He will break the leash of death, it will have no sting Let the prisoner go free, join the dance and sing Almighty (almighty) Most holy God Faithful through the ages Almighty, Most holy Lord Glorious, Almighty... When his friends heard the song, they told him he should record it. Wayne was reluctant, thinking it didn’t really match his typical style. Eventually he started singing it in his concerts, and the response was so strong, he included it on “ Home Free ” in 1991 and it became a No. 1 hit.
CeCe Winans was a guest at NPR (National Public Radio) this week, and took them to church. She performed a half-hour concert, called a “ Tiny Desk Concert , ” before a small friendly audience in the NPR building. Between the songs, she shared her faith: “God is faithful, and what I love about him, he stays the same. It doesn’t matter what we’ve done or where we’ve been, I just want everybody to know that God loves you with an everlasting love. And because He never changes, we can always run to Him. Just know that if God be for you, who can be against you!” She also appeared in an 8 minute interview on the NPR news program. The host said she had listened to Cece’s song “Alone In His Presence” when the host was a child. CeCe said, “Yep, his presence is definitely my hiding place, being in the spirit of God. And I live a life to please him, and that has brought me good success, you know?” She added, “I don't have to fear about what's going to happen because I serve a God who knows the end from the beginning. So I can actually experience true peace of mind and heart because of that relationship. So my hope is in him. You can hear CeCe’s latest song, “ Come Jesus Come ,” on KJOL right now. It was written and originally recorded by Stephen McWhirter in 2023. CeCe performed it for the American Idol Easter special in April.
The Newsboys were supposed to be touring Canada starting May 31. But the tour was abruptly canceled last week. Both the Newsboys and the promoter are claiming the other side is at fault. The Canadian promoter said it canceled the tour because there were too many unanswered questions about why Michael Tait abruptly left the band in January, just days before the Newsboys started their world tour. The Newsboys said the promoter breached the contract so the band canceled the tour. Neither Tait nor the Newsboys have given a clear explanation for Tait’s sudden departure . Band member Adam Agee took over as lead singer and the band quickly re-recorded their new single with Agee on lead vocals instead of Tait. The concert promoter said fans in Canada were confused about who the new lead singer was, wondering if this was the same Newsboys band they were expecting. Then on May 26, the promoter announced that Sanctus Real had agreed to be the last-minute replacement for the Newsboys. Sanctus Real had to hurry, because their first concert was just six days later in Canada! The timing works well for Sanctus Real, which just released their new single, The Difference , on May 29. Listen for it on KJOL in the coming days and weeks.
Every week, an estimated 30 million worshippers sing the most popular worship song of our generation, “Shout To The Lord” by Darlene Zschech and Hillsongs Australia. You’ve probably heard (and sung) it. But do you know the story behind the song ? Darlene Zschech wrote “ Shout to the Lord ” 30 years ago. She says the song was born out of a low point in her life. She had married at age 19 and moved to Sydney, where she began singing at the Hills Christian Centre. But at home her husband’s business was failing and times were tough One day she sat down at her daughter’s piano and started singing some words she’d been thinking about. She turned it into a song but was too shy to tell anyone. Finally she sang it for the worship director (but she made him turn around and not look at her!). He convinced her to sing it at church. By the end of the first chorus, people were standing to their feet and singing along! In 1994, the Hills Christian Centre recorded it, and in 1996, Hosanna Music released “Shout to the Lord” in the U.S. under the name Hillsongs Australia. It went straight to the top of the praise & worship charts. It has had more than 160 million views on YouTube just in the last 10 years.
We like to say around here that our Secretary Martha is the most famous person at KJOL. We mean it too! With a naturally likable personality, and an active disposition, a lot of people know her.
Tenth Avenue North is back with a new album Back in 2019, Tenth Avenue North announced they were retiring. They had formed in 2000 in Florida. Founder Mike Donehey said the name came “Tenth Avenue North” was supposed to be temporary. They had been scheduled to play at a conference and could not agree on a name for their band. So they chose the name of the street where they lived in West Palm Beach. And the name stuck for 25 years! In 2019, they released “ Greater Than All My Regrets .” And then they announced plans to retire, with a farewell tour in 2020. However, COVID interrupted that. In 2021, they finally played two farewell concerts. But four years after the break “sharpened the band’s focus and God used what they thought was an end to create room for them to experience Him in a new way.” So in 2024 they started recording new music , and the full-length album is being released on May 30. The Archers return! Fifty years after the Archers (siblings Tim, Steve, and Janice) made their debut in contemporary Christian music, they are back with a new album called “Legacy Medley.” It contains new versions of five of their previous hits: Give Us This Day 1980 It Won’t Be Long (Andrae Crouch) 1972 Make Me An Instrument 1977 I Never Knew Love 1991 (from their hit album “Spreadin’ Like Wildfire”) Pickin’ Up The Pieces 1979 The Archers debuted at Jesus festivals during the height of the Jesus Movement in 1971. They came to the attention of Andrae Crouch, Ralph Carmichael, and Pat Boone among others. (They were the first to record Crouch’s “Jesus Is The Answer.”) In 1975, they released their first major label album on Light Records. In 1994, they disbanded.
