Well today we make history. That’s right, history! Today is the first Winter Jam Thursday of 2010! It is really exciting to start a four day weekend and see what it’s like to do four events in a row. I’m really looking foreword to it. In addition, Winter Jam is making history because we’ve never been in the city of Reading, Pennsylvania… so we weren’t sure what to expect.  read more

Well, it’s Sunday already, which means we scrambled out of bed early to make Jam Church! Nothing like having church in a locker room with Mac Powell as the worship leader! He did such a great job and it was so cool to see him in that setting. You know, not on stage with the lights and the smoke, but just crammed into a stinky locker room, worshipping God with all his heart. He actually sang an old Hank Williams song, “I saw the light.” It’s amazing to be in a worship service where every person is musical. Whatever song it is we’re singing, everyone breaks into 4 or 6 part harmony, snapping their fingers or patting their chairs as if they were drums. It is so much fun! The speaker got up and gave an amazing speech encouraging all of us to continue to live by the Spirit and put scripture into our music because that is the only thing that can change lives. Boy, is he right! But the speaker had one fault… He had recently seen the movie “The Book of Eli” and it had made a big impression on him and he kept wanting to give examples from it. So he’d be like, “and if you’ve seen the movie…” then someone would be like, “Bobby, don’t spoil the movie!” all of us would laugh quietly then move on. Everyone one on tour is going crazy about this movie. They absolutely love it! Unfortunately, Michael Tait and I have yet to see it. We just never found the time to get out and see it. Hopefully we will be able to see it next weekend.  read more

Wow, when I woke up this morning and peered out the bus window, I thought I was staring at a flying saucer! The University of Illinois’ arena is really unique… looks like it was built in the late sixties and has the appearance of an old 1950’s sci-fi thriller UFO! Did you know that it is a perfect circle? Usually arenas are ovals, so the U of I arena is really special. But what makes this arena special to me is not the make up of the structure, but history it holds for my family. Let me explain. My parents grew up in Illinois and my Dad was an all-American wrestler. In both his Junior and Senior years in high school, he won back-to-back state championships and, as it would happen, this arena is the very same arena those championships were held in! So, for my dad, it’s pretty cool to be back here again, 30 years later… only this time, cheering me on! (btw, he says the place hasn’t changed a bit. Lol.) Another awesome thing about being in Champaign is that I got to spend the entire day with my cousin, Jamie, who attends the U of I. He was kind of blown away with Winter Jam in general and couldn’t believe that a Christian concert could fill an arena this size. (If he only knew how many arenas we’ve had to turn people away because of capacity!) He was totally cheering me on and I’m so glad that he came because he isn’t saved and as cool as it was for me to have my cousin see my set, I was way more pumped about him hearing the gospel. See, at Winter Jam the gospel is clearly given every night by our speaker, Tony Nolan. I mean, Tony doesn’t hold out. It’s all about Christ! I’m just praying that the Lord would soften my cousin’s heart and show him his need for repentance through the acts and testimonies tonight.  read more