Because we were so often “outside the box” spiritually, socially, racially and musically, we were often scorned and laughed at as “Jesus Freaks” and “Christian fools” by foe and friend alike!  Perhaps sometime it was deserved by our immaturity.  But our hearts were to “go anywhere” and “try anything” if it would advance the Gospel.

In the earliest days of the ND’s we had the “Hill Group” (short for the “Hill Billy Group”) that did a crazy interlude at some of our concerts.  Scotty Smith played guitar…Duffy Robbins played the wash tub base…brother Guy Robbins played harmonica…I played the wash board…Fuji Allen played the banjo – and did the “chicken strut!”  Talk about being “fools for Christ sake?”  We were it!

The “Hill Group” in concert at the YMCA

Scotty Smith on the 12 String Guitar

Duffy thumping away on the well-tuned wash tub!

J.L. Playing the washboard

Fuji picking the banjo before doing the “Chicken Strut”

Later on there emerged within the ND’s a group known as “Damascus Road.”  It was first build around Steve “Moose” Smith.  He too was considered a “fool for Christ” for leaving a successful rock band career in the “Peace Corps.”  But it was his testimonial song, “Walking Down The Road To Damascus,” that the group took their name from.  It was always the desire of “DR” that God would use their concerts to bring others into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ – just like Paul experienced on the Damascus Road in the First Century and Moose experienced in the Twentieth Century.  Through the years DR continued with other members after Moose moved to Nashville/Franklin, Tennessee, to be with brother Scotty at Christ Community Church – where both are still to this day.

The original “Damascus Road”

Damascus Road in Rehearsal

Damasuc Road in Concert

So I hope you enjoy these pictures of both the “Hill Group” and “Damascus Road.”  And please continue to plan to be with us for our BIG “40th Anniversary Celebration” the first weekend of August.  Also,

-especially for the cook-out on Saturday evening!       

In His Hilarious Love,

PS:  My book, A Christian Perspective On Islam has just been released.  Many of you who are monthly supporters of NDI through our “Circle of Friends” will be receiving it in the mail next week.  If you do not receive a copy and would like one, please let me know.  I also have a CD series to go with it.  It is 16 half-hour sessions with discussion guide that is perfect for your Church, Sunday School Class or Home Bible Study.

So God graced us with the opportunity of using a lot of the “good music of the world” to spread His Word.  We experimented in “cross-over music” before a lot of others did.  And these popular songs and lyrics that were so familiar to young people and individuals outside the church became great vehicles for us to establish rapport with people so we could share the Gospel with them.

And we will always be thankful for the help of converted rock musicians like Steve “Moose” Smith and Ken Helser who helped us with our “contemporary sound” – which was so crucial at our annual Easter beach outreach and our various recording sessions and TV tapings at CBN through our “Action Experience in Christian Love!”

So I hope you enjoy the following picture of some of our NDI “Children of Jubal” who backed us up instrumentally across the years.  These pictures also reflect our move from “acoustic” to “electric” and from “folk to rock.”  And the length of hair and style of our clothes represent our culture conditioning at that time! 

As you know, some of our musicians went on to have professional careers in music – and others are still hoping and praying!  Some continued their musical ministries on a more local level through their churches and communities.  We are proud of those who are still playing, singing and recording for the Lord – whether in the sacred or secular world, or both.  And many of them have passed on their musical DNA to their children, who are also involved in musical ministry.  We hope that many of them will be at our “40th Anniversary” the first weekend of August to lead us in singing and celebrating!

In the spirit of Jubal,

J.L.

PS:  We invite all of our alumni who are still involved in Musical Ministry to bring their CD’s to display and sell at our Anniversary weekend – along with any PR materials on their ministry.

I think the second two pictures are obvious: me with Robb and Lisa, and J.L. and me—and yes, J.L. had on a turquoise jacket and yellow tie!  I didn’t have any trouble keeping track of him in the crowd.

We are looking forward to seeing many of you the

.  Bring your old pictures, so we can laugh at them and reminisce together!

Love in Christ,

Patt

The next posting the days ahead will be…

• Our “ND musicians” 
• The best “concert shots” across the years
• A feature on “individual ND’s”
• Filming at “CBN”
• Some “Mission Travel” shots from Mexico, Jamaica. Haiti, Canada, the Bahamas, etc

You will enjoy seeing all of them – so “stay tuned!”

Finally, don’t forget to mark the

off to be in Burlington for our BIG “40th Anniversary Celebration.”  We have received so MANY encouraging responses from those planning to attend!  So I hope you won’t miss it…

In His Faithful Love,

JL

To graphically remind us of the high cost of freedom, many Memorial Day services are held in cemeteries where our fallen soldiers are buried.  And generally our President and Joint Chiefs of Staff lead our nation in special services at Arlington National Cemetery where a wreath is laid at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  It is always a sober experience for every patriotic American.  This annual Memorial Day is a somber “Celebration of Remembrance” so we and our children will never forget the bloody price that has been paid for the freedoms we so greatly enjoy – but so easily take for granted. 

The Bible teaches that is a “God of Remembrance.”  Since He knows how prone we are to forget all He has done for us, He gives us signposts as memorials to remind us of His love, mercy and grace.  So, He put the rainbow in the sky to remind us that He will never again judge the world through a flood.  He gave Abraham the sign of circumcision as a reminder of His sovereign grace to him and all of his descendents after him.  To keep the children of Israel from forgetting His miraculous deliverance of them from Egypt, followed by His protection and care of them in the wilderness for 40 years – and their final crossing of the Jordan into the Promised Land, He instructed them to make a monument of stones as a “…memorial to the sons of Israel forever.” 

Likewise, Jesus gave the broken bread and cup of wine of communion as a reminder of the price that He paid on the cross for us – and as a reminder of His certain coming again to receive us unto Himself.

How often we forget God’s goodness to us and His great sacrifice for us through the Lord Jesus that made it possible for us to be citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.  And how often we also forget the sacrifice others have made for us so that we can be free citizens of the United States of America.  So, we need regular “Memorial Days” spiritually and nationally to keep us from forgetting and taking for granted – which is so natural for all of us!

When I was in church this past Memorial Day weekend, I also reflected over those ND Alumni who have already died before us.  And I rejoiced over their lives of service to the Lord Jesus – especially through the ND’s.  So I am sharing the following pictures of our “fallen comrades” who are now with the Lord.  If there are others I am not aware of who have died, I hope you will let me know.  Their pictures in order of their deaths are:

•Drew Love
•Paul Smith
•Delbert Spruill (no picture available at time of posting)
•Charles Alston

Finally, I also want to give thanks to the ND Alumni who have served, or are serving in the military – along with their children.  Some, like Chaplain David Morrow, have chosen a career in the military as their place of service for their God and country.  Some of the children are Mike and (soon) Jon Rogers (Sarah Lea), Jonathan Lamm (Woody and Nancy) and (soon) David Fraser (John and Jane). 

So, as you look at the pictures of those who are already with the Lord, let’s not forget them.  Let’s remember them and the lives they lived among us.  And as we do, may each of our lives be a memorial of faith and fidelity to both God and Country…

In His Love,

J.L.

I was one of the founding Board Members of BCA almost 25 years ago.  Now my daughter April, teaches third grade there and three of my grandchildren attend BCA.  ND Alumnae, Jane Fraser, teaches K-4 there also.  So it was special to have Shaunna come do a fund-raising concert there.  While she was in the area, Jane and John lined up some gigs for her in the area.  Patt and I got to attend one at a local restaurant where she was accompanied by “Frase-Man” on bass and Danny Burnett on guitar – son of ND Alumni Sam and Alesia.  Several other ND’s were in the audience enjoying the concert and camaraderie.

For those of you who might not have been in the ND’s when she was, let me give you a sketch of her history with us.  She was the youngest member ever to travel with the New Directions in the summer of her 13th birthday.  She met the group while we were singing at her father’s church in Rittman, Ohio.  He father, Rev. David Atkinson, and mother, Sue, became great friends and followers of the New Directions.  Her sister, Cynthia followed her as a summer member of the ND’s.  So we are thankful for the long friendship we have had with the Atkinson family.

Shaunna is married and has two children.  She currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she is a professional musician and works as a singer and songwriter.  She has recorded several albums.

Finally, Shaunna will be with us at our “40th Anniversary” Aug. 1 – 2 and share some of her music.  I hope you will join her and us for that special time of reunion.  Until then, enjoy the following pictures from one of her local gigs.

In His Faithful Love,

Shaunna Bolton, John Fraser on left, Danny Burnette on right

Patt Williams and Rhonda Truitt having fun at the concert

Shaunna, J.L. and Patt

Talking with Shaunna at the break

Sam Burnette, as happy as ever!

Mary Hatley and Marie Alston enjoying supper and the music

Marie and Patt getting caught up, with Danny and Alesia Burnette in the background

Obviously, it was not our musical expertise, equipment or looks that made us successful!  It was a combination of faith, love, youthful zeal, contemporary music, interracial complexion and joy in the Lord that God so wonderfully used to bring thousands into the Kingdom of God.  While we were usually in a church service every Sunday morning and evening, the rest of the time we were “in the streets.”  And oftentimes the Sunday morning church services were just a means to the end of getting out into the market place with the Gospel.  It mattered not whether it was a street corner…shopping center…city park…prison…beach…parking lot…race track…high school auditorium or college quad – we went there with the love of Jesus!  And through the years our “uniforms” and “hair styles” changed – but not our passion!

Quite frankly, we should not have survived some of the places we went to!  Places where an interracial Christian group had never been before.  But God was gracious and always brought us back with “fruit for our labors.”  However, most of those “street ministries” were just times of seed sowing that we will only know the full results of when we get to heaven.  But God showed us enough tangible fruit to know that “His Word never returns void” (Isa. 55:10-11).

So, I hope the following pictures that I have picked from hundreds in our files will bring back some wonderful memories.  I also hope they will remind you to continue to be “radical for Jesus” – regardless of your age or sphere of influence!

Finally,

– along with other family and friends who might enjoy this “walk down memory lane” with us…

In His Faithful Love,

JL & Patt

PS:  Don’t forget to

to be with us for our exciting “40th Anniversary Celebration.” It will be Friday evening through Saturday evening with some free time in between to visit local family and friends.  So PLEASE be with us for this wonderful time of meeting old ND friends, singing, sharing, eating, laughing, crying and rejoicing over all God has done in and through our lives!  And bring your children and grandchildren!