I'm often asked, "What exactly is the purpose behind what you do?" Obviously, making music is a big part of my ministry and my life. But more than that, I believe that God's calling for my life is to balance the music-making with a distinct spiritual purpose. That purpose can be broken down into five specific goals: worship, encouragement, evangelism, instruction, and entertainment.

Of all the things we do in our lives, the act of worship is, by far, the most important. We have been created to worship and honor our God (Psalm 146:1,2; Psalm 150). He has done so much for us, not only by sending his Spirit to guide us through each day (Romans 8:9-11), but also by giving us eternal life (John 3:16-17; Romans 6:1-11; Romans 8:1,2). There is no way for us to ever earn this gift. We will never be able to repay God for the sacrifice of Jesus for our sins, nor does God expect us to. But he does expect us to thank him and praise him for all he has done for us.

Through this ministry, my first goal is to emphasize this most important aspect of our spiritual lives. The music presented through this ministry is designed not only to entertain, but also to express praise, honor, and glory to the God of all creation. Not only is this ministry an expression of my faith, but it is also an attempt to direct the minds and hearts of my listeners in worship.

In addition to worshiping God through my music, my second goal is to uplift the soul. We live in a tough world, especially for Christians. Sometimes it appears that there is no hope or relief for those of us who are just trying to live our lives for God and do what's right. I believe that Christians should be about the business of building one another up (Romans 14:19), and encouraging one another (Hebrews 3:12,13). One of the best ways of accomplishing this is through music.

Studies have shown that music has an effect on people physically, mentally, and emotionally. Not only does music give us something pleasant to listen to, but it also can actually change our moods, broaden our minds, and alter physical conditions in our bodies. Something this powerful must be harnessed to assist us in lifting one another up. In other words, music can be used to present the message of God's grace and mercy, and encourage Christians to trust in God and his Holy Spirit to bring them through the difficult times in their lives.

One of our primary purposes as God's people is to actually be Christ to the world. It has often been said that we, as Christians, are the only Bible that some will ever read. It is with these thoughts in mind that I present the third goal of my ministry, which is evangelism.

Christ came to earth to "seek and save the lost" (Luke 19:10), and as a Christian, I believe that I also have that responsibility. In fact, God gave all of us that responsibility when he commissioned his apostles to "go and teach all nations" (Matthew 28:19,20). How do we do this? By simply using the talents and abilities he has given us to share his message of love with non-Christians (Philippians 2:13). I have already emphasized to you how powerful a tool music can be in encouraging one another. Let me also stress that it can also be used to bring people to Christ who have never known him.

My fourth goal is to teach both Christians and non-Christians the truth that can only be found in God's word. There is no better source of answers to life's problems than the Bible. Every song that I write is based upon an intense and detailed study of God's word, and what I do is take the results of these studies and put them in musical form, where they can be enjoyed, but also learned and applied.

My fifth and final goal is to entertain. I believe that Christians should be the happiest, most excited people in the world, and it is important that we enjoy being Christians. I'm not saying that the Christian life is easy or that Christians don't experience hard times. I'm just saying that we have every reason to rejoice, regardless of what happens to us (Romans 5:11; Philippians 4:4), because we are alive in Christ (Romans 6:11)! We have been adopted as God's children (2 Corinthians 6:18)! I want to worship God, uplift and encourage his people, reach the lost, and teach God's word through my music, but I also believe it is important to express my joy, and I want others to partake in that joy.

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