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ApologetiX in Missouri, #15 on CCM Charts
Thu., Nov. 15. 2001 1:03am EST
J. Jackson, lead singer for ApologetiX (That Christian Parody Band) here.
Thanks to all of you who showed up for the taping of the two "His Place" programs we did at Cornerstone Television last week. We were blown away by how many of you crowded into the studio audience, and I could tell that the Cornerstone Television people were too! I suddenly felt overwhelmed by the compulsion to break into the chorus of "All You Need is Love" or "We Are the World." Of course, we wouldn't have sung Willie Nelson's part: "As God has shown us by turning stones to bread ..." What was that guy thinking? Last time I checked, the only person who ever suggested the idea of turning stones to bread wasn't God; it was His arch-enemy!!! Don't blame Willie, though; Michael Jackson wrote the words.
But I digress. Three of our fans, Jodie, Danielle and Kendra Whittier, flew in from Wisconsin to be at the television taping! Our friends Brandon and Beverly drove five hours across the state of Pennsylvania to take part in the festivities. I don't know why God has blessed us with such great friends and fans, but we are very honored and grateful!
1.Two Concerts in Missouri This Weekend
2.New CD Moves Up to #15 on CCM Charts
3.Upcoming Concerts
4.ApologetiX on the Mission Field in Vietnam
5.Prayer Requests
1. TWO CONCERTS IN MISSOURI THIS WEEKEND
O.K., all you ApologetiX fans and friends in the "Show Me" State! We're coming to see you this weekend ó one concert is in Union, MO, 45 minutes from St. Louis, and the other is in Poplar Bluff, which is within three hours of St. Louis, Memphis and Paducah KY! Come on out and show US your bright smiling faces! We'd love to see those of you we met the last time through Missouri (January 2001), and we'd love to meet all the rest of you ... and we can do that if you show UP!
Fri., Nov. 16 at 7:00 p.m.
FCA Benefit
Poplar Bluff High School
1300 Victory Lane
Poplar Bluff MO 63901
Contact: Jim Hoyt, Cheerful Heart Ministries
573-778-0955 jimhoyt@timeoutforfamilies.com
Sat., Nov. 17 at 7:00 p.m.
First Baptist Church
801 US Hwy 50
East Union, MO 63084
Contact: Rich Permenter 636-583-2386 oshkosh@usmo.com
2. NEW CD MOVES UP TO #15 ON CCM CHARTS
Two weeks ago, we told you that we were pleasantly surprised to discover that our new CD, "Keep the Change," had actually hit #20 on the national Christian Retail Bestsellers Rock chart published by CCM, the main source of information on Christian music.
I confess that I really thought we'd peak at #20. Then again, I always watch the games of my beloved Pittsburgh Steelers, Pirates and Penguins with the feeling that we'll probably lose. That way, I'm not disappointed when we do ó OK, yeah, I'm still disappointed ó and when we win, I'm ecstatic. It drives my wife, Lisa, crazy. She got to see it first hand in the nail-biter the Steelers played against the Browns this past Sunday. I know, I sound like Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh here. At least I can take comfort that Lisa loves Eeyore. She came into this marriage with a TON of Eeyore merchandise, including Eeyore slippers!
Well, I'm not really as pessimistic as Eeyore, but I figured that the first week after the release of "Keep the Change" would be our best week for sales, because so many people were waiting for it and bought it right away. Much to my surprise, we discovered that "Keep the Change" moved up to #16 in its second week, and was at #15 this week!
All that news is very cool, but we want to stress again that the Numbers we care about is in the fourth book in the Old Testament ó not the number of CDs sold. Yes, it does pay the bills and make it possible for us to do this full time, but we're not in a competition here with other Christian artists. We're all on the same team. The exciting thing about the CDs being sold is that people are listening to the parodies and learning stories, doctrines and concepts from the Bible. God says His word never comes back to Him void, without performing the purpose for which He sent it out (Isaiah 55:11). We know that when we make the Bible the focus of our songs, that our songs have the potential to change lives for the better.
3. UPCOMING CONCERTS
Hey, like many of you, we are deliberately setting some time aside in December to enjoy the company of friends and family and to spend some time home for the holidays! So don't be alarmed by the slow concert schedule in December ... that was by design! We'll be giving you a 2002 schedule soon, and you'll see that we already have concerts in the works all over the United States for the coming year!
Sun., Dec. 2 at 7 p.m.
Cedar Grove BIC Church
RR #4, Box 4715
Mifflintown, PA 17059
Contact: Craig Zendt 717-436-6023
Sun., Dec. 30 at 7:30 p.m. (1 song) and 9:30 p.m. (concert)
With Skillet and Reliant K
Toronto 2001
NE Area Wesleyan Youth Convention
Sheraton Hotel
123 Queen St.
West Toronto, Ont. Canada
Contact: Rob McCallum 610-767-1239
4. APOLOGETIX ON THE MISSION FIELD IN VIETNAM
A few months ago, our pal Tommy "Virginia Tom" Douthat of the Sons of God Motorcycle Club, sent us this e-mail. Apparently, some missionaries to Vietnam stayed at his house and, he gave them Apologetix CD's to take back with them. They sent him this e-mail in August:
Hey Tommy and Lolly, Guess what we did tonight? Sat in our living room in HCMC, Vietnam and played a game of scrabble and listened to Apologetix and laughed and laughed. We think of you often but tonight was a highlight. All is well, and there is one that is the same yesterday today and forever... :-) Randy, Stacy, Nate Will and Trin
Isn't that cool?
5. PRAYER REQUESTS
>From Chris Rieger, the wife of our drummer, Bill:
"For those praying for our friend Lisa, here is an update. Today, she is going to get another scan. She'll find out if the tumors have grown. If they have, she'll possibly qualify for a trial study in New York. So, oddly enough, we're praying that either they've disappeared or they've grown big enough for the study. She should find out the results sometime on Wednesday."
If you'd like to e-mail Chris, her e-mail is Chris@apologetix.com
>From Fred Behanna, ApologetiX drummer from early 1999 through early 2001, and lifetime member of the ApologetiX family:
"Just wanted to update you guys on my daughter Beth Ann (Editor's Note: Beth Ann recently had a recurrence of Hodgkin's Disease. She had the cell transplant done on Tuesday evening at 7:30pm. It took about an hour and a half to infuse about 4 million cells back into her system. The procedure was a little rougher than we all anticipated but according to the doctor, Beth handled it better than most.
Again, according to the doctors, all of Beth's indicators appear to show that she will make a complete recovery and be free of Hodgkin's once and for all. We won't know for sure until she has a c-scan in about a month or so. After that she will get a scan every six months for the next five years and if she remains "clean" she will officially be cured.
So everything is going as planned (and prayed for) so far. Please continue to keep Beth in your prayers concerning the c-scans as they are the true indicator of the effectiveness of her treatments."
If you'd like to e-mail Fred, his e-mail is frontlinefred@hotmail.com
Thanks for hanging out with us!
Apologetically,
J.
-- J. Jackson Lead Singer/Lyricist ApologetiX (That Christian Parody Band) www.apologetix.com j@apologetix.com
Isaiah 55:10-11
(God is speaking) : "As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."
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