Maintain Consciousness

On Saturday I was fortunate enough to attend a concert headlined by Aaron Gillespie, formerly of Underoath. I helped run the merch table for my friends in the band’s Reasons Fail and Cry of the Scapegoat, who opened for Aaron.

I got to see Aaron perform with The Almost for the first time in summer 2010 at the iMatter Festival in Elmira, NY. I remember being excited to see him because he is such a big name in many parts of the Music Industry. But that night he did more than perform, he was able to lead a large group of teens and young adults in worship. 

For those who don’t know, iMatter festival is a heavier music festival featuring band’s like August Burns Red, Texas in July, Oh! Sleeper, etc. So a lot of the crowd was more rough around the edges so to speak. A lot of dark black clothing (in mid July), you get the picture. 

So after a fun, hot day of moshing and rocking out to loud loud bands, The Almost steps up and perform some of their hits, you know, the songs you’d expect at a concert. Then Aaron grabs his acoustic guitar and begins to play a few softer songs, finishing with “Amazing because it is,”  his take on Amazing Grace.

For the next 7 minutes or so I was in a state of Worship that I’ve never experienced before. I’ve participated in many events from a regular church service to a large concert where I’ve felt the power of worship, but nothing like that night. 

Aaron was able to capture a large crowd of kids and lead us into worship. The best part was that at least for me, I no longer felt like I was at a concert, instead I was experiencing worship in its basic and powerful form. 

I wasn’t just singing Amazing Grace, I was feeling the power of my God all around me. I literally did not want it to end. 

So when I learned Aaron Gillespie would be headlining a concert in Windsor, NY featuring band’s that I have friends in, I was really excited. 

The Crowd was smaller than we had hoped, but by the time Aaron stepped up to the stage it didn’t matter. This time he just used his Acoustic guitar and had a friend on stage playing a small keyboard. 

I didn’t necessarily have the same extreme experience this time, but this performance didn’t have any less of an impact. 

Those who don’t know Underoath well, should understand that when aaron was still a member, they played for Thousands of people on a nightly basis, and toured the world, so the fact that he played for a crowd of maybe 70-100 people in a park in the little town of Windsor, NY, with the same power and intensity in his worship as he would for a crowd of 1000 people, speaks volumes for his character and humility. 

But there was one part of this concert that stuck with me and led me to write this in the first place. At one point when he was telling his story, there was something he said that I don’t think I’ll ever forget. “You were made to worship God, and if you aren’t, You’re Wasting your life.”

I’ve always been confident in my faith, and truly believe that my God loves me, and sent his son to die for me, but I’ve been wasting my life.

I’ve Experienced the Power of worship in small and safe places, but I need to be more courageous and live in a state of worship One-hundred percent of the time. And now more than ever, I realize that’s a Life worth Living.