Tour Changes Everyone, Mostly Me

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I have been deeply impacted by this fall tour with Pocket Full of Rocks already. We have done two weekends, but one night each week has really devastated me. The other nights were wonderful as well, but these two really challenged me, so I wanted to share them with you.

The second night of the tour we were in Wilmington OH at Joe’s Java. We were walking in expecting a small possibly trendy coffeehouse and were quite surprised to find a full venue actually housing the best sound system we’ve had on the tour so far. But much more surprising was that the coffeehouse is really just the front for a soup kitchen. That is really who they are and what they do. They feed 200 people a day in a town that lost 8,000 jobs last year. And even more impressive is that they can really cook. They don’t just open a Sam’s size can of Campbell’s soup for some homeless people; they actually cook. They treat these people with respect and truly value them, giving them the best they have to offer. I swiped a recipe for Italian chicken soup and couldn’t quite talk my way into the recipe for the meatloaf. Seriously, it was incredible. One of their cooks, Frank, told me a story of a lady who called one day trying to reserve a table, not realizing it was a soup kitchen, because she had seen that it was the 3rd highest rated food in town. Last year Rachael Ray heard about this place, came to town, shut them down for 9 days, and completely renovated their kitchen. I think she should have stolen their meatloaf recipe. And many of the people serving came off the streets through this ministry. They understand the lives of the people they are serving and truly love them.

Then this last weekend we visited Henning TN. Henning is the poorest county in the state of Tennessee and yet they fed us like kings. We drove way out into the country and finally found Victory Baptist Church up on a hill. We pulled around back, and as I got out of the van, I smelled the most wonderful aroma coming from a huge grill. I quickly made friends with Eddie, and got to taste a rib before they were done. He had worked on them for two days. Amazing. My favorite rib place in Memphis has nothing on this guy. It was incredible. But before we could get to that food, they fed us lunch of incredible soups. Then the ribs were for dinner. And banana pudding. But more importantly as I talked to their pastor, he started sharing with me stories of the needs in their community. They believed God had put them their to love and invest in their people but they had no money. So they asked themselves, “What do we have?” And the answer was land. 19 acres of land. So they planted a 7 acre garden. To help feed their community. Incredible. So humbling. We were honored to be a part of their worship that night, just to be a bit of encouragement to them. Not nearly the encouragement they were to us.

I can’t wait until the day when Jesus looks at these people and says, “I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” And they will answer, saying, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?” And Jesus will say, “Truly I say to you, the meals you prepared, the respect you showed, the food you grew for the least of these, you did it for me.”

Todd

TODD AGNEW ANNOUNCES FALL TOUR WITH POCKET FULL OF ROCKS

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Todd Agnew announces his Fall 2010 headlining tour, “An Evening Of Worship With Todd Agnew and Pocket Full of Rocks”.  Pocket Full of Rocks is a 5-piece worship band that just released their third studio album More Than Noise in March of 2010. The tour kicks off in late September and will run through mid-November. For a list of dates, info and tickets, visit https://www.toddagnew.com/tour.

Evenings With You

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It’s a little odd to have played two shows and be halfway through a tour. But that’s where we are. We are out this week with Pocket Full of Rocks and Meredith Andrews. It has really been a special week already. Just three worship leaders leading the church. We started with a wonderful night in New Orleans. Even with the Super Bowl on the way, they showed up to worship and worship they did. They also reminded me that we need to be seriously praying because their mayoral election is Saturday, right before the Super Bowl. It will be easy for the election to be dwarfed by the football insanity. But they really need strong leadership to continue the rebuilding of their city. They are nowhere near recovered from Katrina, and yet it has long faded into the backlogs of the news. They will need a good mayor from these elections to lead their community, so let’s spend some time praying for them this weekend. Oh and the food was amazing.

We also went to Pace FL and met some great folks there. We had a great time with the folks from a new station WOW 90.9. It was an honor and a pleasure to worship with everyone.

And now we’re in Arkansas. We’ll be in Bentonville tonight, so everyone from Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, and the surround Bentonville metropolitan area, come out and worship with us. And then tommorrow in Fort Smith, AR. See you there.

Todd

DYSWIS Tour Update #3

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A great week with Rush of Fools and Meredith Andrews. We had a great time with some wonderful folks. We played a show in Hardin, KY. Church in the middle of nowhere but what a great church. Then on to Morton MS which somehow was even smaller. We actually played in a state park. But the concert was awesome. We packed the place out and really worshipped the Lord in a powerful way that night. So thanks to all who came out. Now we’re back on the bus heading to AL. See you there.

Todd

DYSWIS Tour Update #2

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Well, here we are on the bus driving across Missouri. We’ve done 1 show just the Agnew band, 2 shows with Meredith Andrews, and now two shows with Meredith and Rush of Fools. Maybe we should add an artist every two shows. In a few months we could have everyone in Christian music on the tour. Of course, then the ticket prices would be so high that no one could come to the show and then we would all starve, so maybe that’s not so good of an idea.

But this weekend has been great in Missouri. We started in Joplin and then played El Dorado Springs last night. I know you may not have heard of that town but they were wonderful and it was a really great church. It’s good to have the Rush boys back out and see how they have grown up. And Meredith may be new, but you need to check her out. She has a powerful ministry and a wonderful voice. I wish her husband Jacob could have come as well, but he is needed back at their home church. Which I understand and appreciate.

Now we are on the way to Kentucky and then on to Mississippi, I believe. This should be a great Christmas tour. We have really enjoyed it so far. Other than the bus getting stuck at midnight last night when it was 10 degrees outside. But I guess you have to have adventures. Hope to see you soon.

Todd

TODD AGNEW ANNOUNCES “DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE?” CHRISTMAS TOUR

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ToddAgnew_ChristmasPoster

Rush of Fools and Meredith Andrews to Join Agnew’s Holiday Tour

Nashville, Tenn. Dec. 2, 2009… Critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Todd Agnew is partnering with Rush of Fools and Meredith Andrews for the “Do You See What I See?” Christmas tour. The nine date tour will run from December 3 to December 17. Tour dates are listed below.

“Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year,” says Agnew. ”It’s a time we spend with family and friends. I’m very excited to spend this Christmas season celebrating the birth of Christ with Rush of Fools, Meredith Andrews and many of our friends across the country.”

The tour’s namesake comes from Agnew’s 2006 holiday album Do You See What I See? which tells the Christmas story from the personal perspectives of all the eyewitnesses of the birth of Christ. The Christmas show comes on the heels of Agnew’s 40 date “The Promise Remains” tour with Building 429 and Kimber Rising sponsored by Christian humanitarian organization World Vision. Agnew also released his fifth studio album titled Need in October.

More information on Todd Agnew:
Todd Agnew is a five-time Dove Award nominee, garnering numerous hit radio singles including two No. 1 hits, “Grace Like Rain” and “This Fragile Breath (The Thunder Song).” Agnew continues to perform over 150 dates per year and has currently sold over 500,000 units.

More information on Rush of Fools:
Premiere progressive worship band, Rush Of Fools is a four-time Dove Award nominee who won ASCAP’s Song of the Year Award in April 2008 for their hit-single “Undo.” The band performs more than 100 shows a year and will release their third full-length project in 2010.

More information on Meredith Andrews:
Billboard magazine hailed Meredith Andrews as one of 2008’s “Faces to Watch,” when she released her debut worship project, The Invitation, on Word Records last year. The album featured the hit single “You’re Not Alone,” which vaulted to No. 1 on R&R’s Inspirational Chart and became a Top 5 hit on the Christian AC Chart. The album also garnered two 2009 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards for Worship Song of the Year and Praise & Worship Album of the Year.

Tour Dates:
*All dates subject to change. For the most updated tour information, visit www.toddagnew.com

12/3/09 – Houston, TX – Berean Baptist Church *No Rush of Fools or Meredith Andrews
12/4/09 – Cleveland, TX – Calvary Baptist Church *No Rush of Fools
12/5/09 – Kilgore, TX – St. Luke’s United Methodist Church *No Rush of Fools
12/9/09 – Joplin, MO – Joplin Memorial Hall
12/10/09 – El Dorado Springs, MO – Church of God Holiness
12/12/09 – Hardin, KY – Hardin Baptist Church
12/13/09 – Morton, MS – Livingston Center
12/15/09 – Grove Hill, AL – Grove Hill Baptist Church
12/17/09 – Columbus, MS – First United Methodist Church

Promises Pt. 18

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“And people shall enter the caves of the rocks and the holes of the ground, from before the terror of the Lord, and from the splendor of His majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth,” (Isaiah 2:19 ESV).

There is a song we sang in church when I was a kid. It was called “He Is Lord,” and had a line that went, “Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” That line was obviously taken from Philippians 2:10-11. As a child, I always assumed that at the end of time, everyone who didn’t believe in Jesus would be forced to worship Him anyway. But reading this verse in Isaiah has made me wonder if that’s not quite how it will work.

This verse doesn’t say that before the majesty of the Lord, people will be forced into caves and holes. It says they shall enter. They choose to go there. This humbling, this fear, is a natural response to the presence of the splendor of the Lord. And that makes me wonder about the day which is to come. What if everyone is not forced to worship? What if God’s enemies do not honor Him that day out of compulsion? What if it is a natural response to finally coming into His presence? What if there is no other option than to respond in humility?

Either way I look forward to that day. I will gladly choose to humble myself, whether it’s a natural response or a choice. I hope I can choose to do the same today.

Your thoughts?

Todd

Promises Pt. 13

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“And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not…. And if you forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them. I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish,” (Deuteronomy 8:2, 19).

Do you remember the time…? Yes, it’s a Michael Jackson lyric but it also is from the Bible. And it’s probably more appropriate and powerful there.

Deuteronomy 8 has a beautiful passage where God reminds His people of His faithfulness. He shows them why they can trust, why they can believe, why they can obey. It’s amazing to think how good God has been to us, and it’s very strange to think how quickly we forget. We can be astounded by God’s grace and move on at the next commercial break. God warns us here that if we forget Him, we will perish. For life is found in Him, nowhere else. No matter how much we invest in it. All else will perish.

So today, let’s take time to remember. To remember that He made us – every function we have we owe to Him. To remember He made every good thing we enjoy in life –food, sex, laughter. To remember the cross – the sacrifice He made out of love for us and passion for His glory. To remember the calling – the invitation to partake in His life.

Your thoughts?

Todd

Promises Pt. 11

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Moses sent a group of spies into the land of Canaan. Out of the whole group only two came back saying this was the land God had for them, believing He would provide. The rest of the nation of Israel shook in fear of the inhabitants of the land. Caleb’s faithfulness moved the heart of God.

“But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it,” (Numbers 14:24 ESV).

God fulfills His plan for Israel in His promise to Caleb. I want God to look at me and see a different spirit. I long for Him to look at my life and say, “He has followed me fully.” It’s not that complicated a concept; it doesn’t take much blog space. But it takes a lot of life space. In fact it takes all of it.

Your thoughts?

Todd