Bart - a friend from my past

Irving, TX 1986 (Bart, David, Steve)

Steve states:

I have played in bands most of my life. Not so much in the last 10 years but I still have played some reunion shows with one of my first bands called Rotting Corpse that dates back to the 80s. We played a primitive style of metal called thrash. It amazes me that the younger generation is getting to this but everything seems to come around again in fashion. One thing about playing in bands is that you meet a lot of people and with the Internet (Rotting Corpse webpage), I’ve been able to reconnect with several people I knew back in the day.

One of those is a fellow named Bart Blair. We played in a band called Eldritch Rite together for maybe a week in 1986. He was slotted to be the replacement singer but the band broke up instead of going on. I have a band photo taken behind Pipedream Records by Stu Taylor with Bart posing with us (he has the glasses on). He went on with the guitarist David of ER to form The Answer doing music in a similar vein as Eldritch for a year or so. I had lost touch with Bart since seeing him one time quite on accident at a grocery store in northern Austin (maybe in the early 90s?) while I was visiting a friend. I had heard that he had gotten into government work and didn’t want to be associated with his metal roots or friends. So I was quite surprised when I got a myspace friend invitation from him. He is now a worship leader for Grace Community Church in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. I’ve put in a video clip of his testimony and how he wound up from Northern Texas to frozen Canada. He has a much cooler conversion story than mine.

- www.myspace.com/bartblair

- www.bartblair.com

- www.grace-church.ca

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

The conversion of Charles H. Spurgeon

This is the story of Charles Spurgeon's conversion, in his own words. The preacher whom Spurgeon describes was the Rev. Robert Eaglen. Taken from Charles H. Spurgeon: His Faith and Works, H.L. Wayland, 1892.

I was miserable, I could do scarcely anything. My heart was broken to pieces. Six months did I pray, prayed agonizingly with all my heart, and never had an answer. I resolved that in the town where I lived I would visit every place of worship, in order to find the way of salvation. I felt I was willing to do anything if God would only forgive me. I set off determined to visit all the chapels, and though I deeply venerate the men who occupy those pulpits now, and did so then, I am bound to say, that I never heard them once fully preach the gospel. ... At last, one snowy day, I found rather an obscure street and turned down a court, and there was a little chapel. I wanted to go somewhere, but I did not know this street. It was the Primitive Methodists' chapel. I had heard of this people from many, and how they sang so loudly that they made people's heads ache; but that did not matter. I wanted to know how I might be saved, and if they made my head ache ever so much, I did not care. So sitting down, the service went on, but no minister came. At last a very thin-looking man came into the pulpit. He opened the Bible and read these words: "Look unto me and be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth." Just setting his eyes upon me, as if he knew me all by heart, he said: "Young man, you are in trouble!" Well, I was, sure enough. Says he: "You will never get out of it unless you look to Christ." Then, lifting his eyes, he cried, as only a Primitive Methodist could do, "Look, look, look!" I saw at once the way of salvation. O, how I did leap for joy at that moment! I know not what else he said, I was so possessed with that one thought. ... I looked until I could almost have looked my eyes away, and in heaven I will look on still, in my joy unspeakable.

Steve notes:
I am always fascinated with conversion stories. Mine isn't very exciting- I didn't see any major flashes of light or have some unusual happenings that pointed me toward Jesus that I can remember. I was just fed up with the world. Even after I prayed my prayer, I continued to make sinful mistakes in areas I probably should have known better. I still struggle with sin and can only resolve it by getting on my knees in prayer and turning from my sins.

I believe some people have the perception of Christians that we think we're better than others. I admit there are some legalistic Phariseetic believers that are unduly judgmental of nonbelievers. But if Christians truly live, believe what's written in the Bible, we fully realize we are sinful wretches that are only pulled from death by the grace of Jesus Christ.

Romans 3:10
As it is written:
"There is no one righteous, not even one;

Revival 2008

Leonard Ravenhill in the video above.

Steve notes:
We live in a world that largely due to humanism and political correctness feels that being a Christian excludes the need to share our faith with people in our life as well as putting much time in the other activities that feed the soul. The majority of Christians in America have become like the Laodicea church, fat and comfortable waiting for heaven. I've been guilty of this myself.

In my opinion the key to making some kind of headway to revival in the US starts with ourselves. We must give up something in our lives that takes up time and dedicate the gained time to praying, spreading the gospel, helping the poor, reading your Bible, etc. I know an obvious one for me is to cut out is watching nightly TV shows.


Revelation 3:14-22

14 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 21 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."