ON THE FRONTLINE - Monday Nov. 13, 2017

REWIND... CONTINENTAL SINGERS OPENING NIGHT 

JUNE 1996

“ON THE FRONTLINE”

“Faith in Motion” was the title of our new CD.  The idea taken

from James’ message, “Faith without works is dead.”  The concept was, you show me your faith without doing anything and I’ll show you my faith by my actions.”  We wanted to be aggressive in our faith and our mission.  The song choices bore that out, “On the Frontline”, “Where No Man Has Gone Before”, “Future Generations”,  and of course, “Faith in Motion”.

Josh McDowell was preaching, “If you want to reach deep into a kid’s soul, you’ve got to use music.”  TIME Magazine had just come out with the phrase, “Music is the anthem of today’s youth.”  Those phrases put us into action.  They were exactly why we believed the Continental’s music was reaching people with a positive gospel message and was the answer to America’s and the world’s social ills.  Jesus could make the difference in people’s lives.

We had just coined a new name for the regular, normal Continental Singers, we now called, “The Frontline Continentals”.  I reminded them of our 30-year history to that point of sending thousands of young musicians just like them all over the world on the frontline, carrying our music and message.  I also told them the frontline was anywhere and everywhere we would send them this summer and listed all the countries they would visit.  To remind them they were never alone, I quoted some lyrics from Andrae Crouch’s song, “I’ve Got Confidence” - “I’ve got confidence God is gonna see me through, no matter what the case may be, I know He’s gonna fix it for me….”

We ended with what I called, “The Declaration of the Frontline Continentals” taken from John Osteen’s “Declaration for the 21^st century…” I did take some liberty with his words… here was that night’s real message….

I am part of the Frontline Continentals.  I have Holy Spirit power. The dye has been cast.  I have stepped over the line, the decision has been made.  I am a disciple of Jesus.  I will not look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.  My past is forgiven, my present makes sense, my future is secure.  I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, chincey giving, dwarf goals.  I no longer need preeminence, prosperity position, prominence or popularity.  I don’t have to be right.  I don’t have to be first.  I don’t have to be tops.  I don’t have to be recognized.  I don’t have to be praised.  I don’t have to be regarded nor rewarded.  I now live in His presence, move by faith, walk with patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power. My face is set.  My pace is fast.  My goal is heaven.  My road is narrow.  My way is rough.  My companions few. My guide is reliable.  My mission is clear.  I cannot be bought.  I cannot be compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, diluted, or turned away.  I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, meander in the mace of mediocrity.  I will not give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up and performed up for the cause of Christ.  I am a servant of Jesus Christ.  I must go until He comes, give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until he stops me.  And when He comes for His own, He will have no trouble recognizing me because my motivations, intentions and colors are clear.  I have put my “Faith in Motion”.

I am on the frontline. 

I am a Frontline Continental.