Behind The Music [Todd]

One of my favorite TV shows of all time was "Behind The Music". Each episode told the story of a famous rock band, from their start to the present day.

One you watched enough episodes you noticed that, basically, the trajectory of every famous band is the same and involves these common elements:

-A humble beginning in a working class town.
-Years spent scraping a living together, getting cheated by a succession of dishonest managers.
-A single that exploded into the stratosphere and catapulted the band to superstardom, selling out arenas and stadiums around the world and introducing the band to the very thing that would start the downward slide...unlimited quantities of drugs, alcohol, and girls, girls, girls.
-An accident or an addiction that caused the band to "take stock".
-The ultimate, messy, painful breakup of the band.

And then...today:

-The lead singer successfully completed rehab!
-The lead guitarist (who replaced the guy who replaced the guy who died of a heroin overdose on the tour bus in Muncie, Indiana back in 1989) just released a successful solo project but misses the band the way it used to be!
-The semi-obscure bass player is now a Methodist minister!
-The band is back together, with short hair, clean and sober and launching a reunion tour in small clubs in the Midwest!

And, still...I never missed an episode.

All of this to announce a new series of posts on this here blog - -Next Level Church: Behind The Music.

We'll focus on aspects of our life at NLC and what really happens - the people and personalities who bring it all together.

On Monday, I'll lead off by talking about how I prepare to teach. Expect future postings from Harrison on how he plans worship and selects song and videos, Jared on exactly what goes on in the Student Center, and Rene' Gillming on how her lifelong devotion to karaoke is the very cornerstone of Kid City and Studio 45.....