Why the change in direction for 22FIVE?
Why did you change the vision of the band?
Are you still a Christian band?
Why are you selling out?
Before anyone gets upset that we’ve changed direction in the band, let me assure you of a few things.
1. We’re still a band of Christians.
2. We’re not selling out.
3. Our goal as a band is still to be a ministry.
“But you’ve stopped doing Christian music!” you might say.
Not really.
And we’ll tell you why.
Meet the People Where They Are
Jesus told us to be salt and light in the world. Well, salt doesn’t do any good if it only hangs out in the saltshaker all the time. And light hanging out with other lights in an already well-lit room isn’t what he was talking about. He also said we’re supposed to be in the world but not of it.
So we’re taking music (and ourselves) where the people are.
Pray for us, because the danger will be to become “of” the world, which we don’t want to happen. But we can’t let that danger keep up locked up behind church doors playing to the choir, so to speak, either.
Songs That Say Something
We’ve taken special care to choose songs that have something interesting and true to say about our two most important relationships: the vertical one between us and God and the horizontal one between us and the rest of humanity.
Songs like “Higher” and “Show Me How To Live” and lots of others in our new set list highlight that vertical relationship.
Songs like “Close Enough To Perfect” and “Run To the Hills” address that vertical relationship in both a graceful (for some) and sadly truthful (“Run to the Hills”) way.
The Real Ministry Is Us
In spite of all that, the simple truth is one that is easy to forget when you’re in a “Christian band” that your music and your concerts are not your ministry; YOU are. It’s too easy to let the music speak for you and forget that real ministry comes from honest interaction with people.
Now, as we seek out people in clubs and bars and the so-called secular world, and as we play songs that can trigger conversations about the truly eternal things, we have no choice but to keep first and foremost the simple truth that WE are the ministry and we have to form real relationships and share real truth with real people.
Parting Shots
So that’s it, the reason for the change. This has been something that has been on Sean and Steve’s heart for a long time, and when God sent Frady, Lou, Stacy and Stacia their way, and with a similar vision for ministry through a mixture of cover songs and originals and getting into the world to spread the truth, it was an amazing confirmation that the time was right.
We do wish the best to the departing Brett and Paul as they continue to fulfill their calling to engage the church through worship music and worship culture. We pray for them that God would continue to use them to accomplish his will.
The same goes for the departing Brittany. We wish her and Sean well as they begin an acoustic musical endeavor called SWEET BLUE SOUL. (But more on that at a later date, and yes, Sean will be part of both 22FIVE and SWEET BLUE SOUL. You read that correctly.)
Thanks for your support and prayers thus far, and thanks for your continued love, grace and prayers.
(Source: 22five.com)
