Perhaps you're asking, Why would Fred decide to produce a music project about sexual purity?
Believe me, I've asked myself that question about a billion times over the past three years, especially as I slogged and kicked my way through the countless hard, tight learning curves that came with producing my first record project. It got so bad that three weeks before God flung open every door to produce this CD, I'd kissed the whole thing goodbye and told the Lord I wouldn't touch the project again until He did. I wanted it very clear that He still wanted it to happen. Gratefully, He did.
After all this time, of course, I've thought up many good reasons for creating this CD, and I'm more convinced than ever before that creating Win This War was right thing to do. Still, I've never found a reason any better than the first reason that kicked off my deep passion for the idea in the first place...music is a natural, native language of the Holy Spirit.
When I'd been saved for only a year, I met my future wife Brenda at a church service in her hometown, three hours from where I lived. She immediately bought me the first Christian album produced by B.J. Thomas, a favorite secular pop star of mine who had evidently been saved about the same time I had. You see, Brenda knew how good Christian music could transform my heart as I drove that long drive back and forth to see her every couple weeks.
I can't begin to explain how that recording began to accelerate my Christian growth! It was easy for the Holy Spirit to bring a phrase or verse of those songs into my head at any time to give me wisdom, encouragement or peace. Soon I was off to buy similar music from Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Keith Green and Twila Paris, and I haven't stopped buying or growing since! Over the past ten years, the Touching the Father's Heart Series by the Vineyard Music Group transformed everything about my life and worship, and artists like Brian Doerksen, David Ruis, Terry Butler, Cindy Rethmeier and Jan L'Ecuyer have become my own personal worship leaders in my devotional times at home. In fact, two of the songs from this series appear on my own Win This War, although with new music covers: God of All Mercy and Let Your Healing Come.
Two weeks ago, an agent of a well-known Christian artist asked me why this CD project means so much to me. I told him, "It is because I can reach another level of a guy's soul with the music. The books reach his logic and intellect, but the music can reach the other half of his brain with that same message of purity."
He exclaimed, "I get it! If you can reach his emotions, it'll hit his heart and mind more completely and his mind will be more easily transformed!"
I couldn't have said it better myself, I thought. And because Christian music is so transforming, I couldn't have ignored it, either.
You see, God has given me a message about sexual purity that He has promised to bless and that He's asked me to steward. That's a big responsibility, and as I kneel to shoulder that load, my heart can't miss all that Christian music has already done to prepare me to carry this responsibility. There is simply no way to steward this message well unless I also set this message to music.
The Holy Spirit can speak so eloquently and fluently through music and can easily drive the message of His Word much deeper through song than the written page. A man's heart and courage can be accessed far more easily through his affective, emotional side than through his logic. In other words, stories and songs are the best ways to reach deeply into a guy's soul. I can demonstrate that easily with a quick story.
Recently a business associate of mine told me, "Two weeks ago, you sent me a rough cut of the Win This War CD and I put it into my car player two weeks ago and I just can't take it back out of the slot. Tracks 7 and 12 are incredible and leave me flattened by their passion. The purity message just keeps hitting me over and over again and grinds that truth into my heart every day, and I just can't seem to stop listening to it. I guess my spirit knows I need the grinding!"
Doesn't that story grab your heart? What my friend experienced is exactly what God had in mind when He gave me the idea for a music project, and this CD is already bearing fruit in exactly that way even now, before its release. God wants to reach your heart, as well, my friend. He wants these songs to strengthen you and to shore up your commitment in the fight. He wants to restore, renew and reclaim all that you've lost to your sexual sin.
Enjoy the music. Grow, and may the musical notes and phrases dog your every step, and may you soon become the man that God has always dreamed you would be!
Fred Stoeker
12-22-06
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