Learning along the Way

When he was 10, Jimi Ray's dad brought home two things that would change his life: a very cheap acoustic guitar and a recording of John Denver’s “Rocky Mountain High.” He would listen to that record and play his guitar until he eventually realized he could sing. He started playing and singing in public, but mostly at church.

In 1987, fresh out of college, Jimi decided to make his love of music his profession and livelihood. Along with a friend he formed an acoustic-rock band that would later be named Age of Faith. They spent many nights in church basements playing for small youth groups.

That was where I met Jimi—in a church fellowship hall when he was playing for our youth group. The band had just signed with the Benson Music Group. Jimi told me about the conversation he had with the Benson executive who had signed them. The question that had sealed the deal was, “How many times have you performed in public?” When Jimi answered, “Well, last year we did over 100 concerts,” the executive could hardly keep from falling over himself.

Most of the bands who sent this executive demo tapes had never performed in front of a live audience. They might sound great in the garage, but the big question was always how they would handle themselves when something went wrong during an actual performance. Guitar strings break. Microphones, speakers, and amplifiers fail. Sometimes you just don’t feel like singing. Would they have the ability make sure “the show goes on?” This executive knew that if Jimi and his friend had done over 100 concerts—and had dozens more already scheduled—they had the experience they needed to succeed.

Through the next 13 years AOF would go through several member changes, but would remain constant as a touring, recording and working band. The band recorded 5 nationally released projects garnering positive revues from critics. They shared the stage with some of the biggest names at the time in Christian music, like Geoff Moore, Newsboys, DC Talk, and Third Day. AOF played nearly 150 concerts a year, in nearly all 50 states and parts of Canada until the band parted ways in late 2000.

That’s when his life derailed dramatically. He has written about his struggles over the next six years in a book due to be released early next year. “There were many days when I wondered if God had turned his back, when in reality I was the one turning. God was there all the time. The amazing love, mercy, and redemption shown to me was unbelievable. I pray others who now walk in the shoes I walked in will realize the same thing.”

What you learn along the way can make all the difference in whether you succeed or fail. May you learn those things that bring life. 

The Standard Text

Since the first edition came off of Johannes Gutenberg’s printing press nearly seven billion Bibles have been printed. “The Bible is the best-selling book of the year, every year,” according to The New Yorker Magazine with estimated annual sales of around 25 million copies.

According to Guinness the whole Bible had been translated into 349 languages; 2123 languages have at least one book of the Bible in that language, which means that at least some of the Bible is available in the languages spoken by over 90 percent of the human family.

If you travel in the United States, you are likely to find a copy of the Bible in your hotel room—placed there by Gideons International; but, as their name suggests, they are working around the world. Since 1908 “Gideons have placed or distributed more than 1.7 billion complete Bibles and New Testaments in more than 190 countries around the world . . . so far.”

Not so long ago it was common to find a copy of the family Bible on the coffee table in the living room of many homes. While it may not be displayed as prominently these days, there are not many homes in the U.S. that don’t have at least one copy—even if it’s just one of those they took from the hotel on their last vacation.

Many people carry a copy of the Bible with them every day. Others make sure they have their copy with them when they head to church on Sunday. If they happen to forget their personal copy, they can usually find a stack of Bibles somewhere in their classroom and nearly always count on finding one next to the hymnal in the pew racks.

With all these copies of the Bible available, you might be surprised to learn that more than 60 percent of Americans can't name either half of the Ten Commandments or the four Gospels of the New Testament. When the Barna Group conducted a survey to explore biblical literacy a few years ago, they found “none of the four generations were particularly likely to say they aspired to read the Bible more as a means of improving their spiritual lives.”

John Wesley would be very sad to learn this. He proclaimed the centrality of scripture for doctrine and for holy living. It was the basic authority for the Christian life. Where its truths are clear there was no alternative but obedience if one desired to be a faithful Christian. The way to learn its truths is to read it—not just own it.