In those studies we looked at all of the many “one anothers” in the New Testament that were our guide for how to relate to each other as brothers and sisters in Christ.  They helped us forge relationships that would endure any and every situation – which we did by God’s grace.

So I hope the following “potpourri of pictures” of so many of you in concert… rehearsals… fellowship… eating… hanging out – will bring back a lot of special memories.

Finally, when you receive and open this email we will only be a week or so away from our

BIG “40th Anniversary Celebration” the first weekend of August

.  We are excited about how many of you have called or emailed to say you will be here.  It will be an exciting day and a half of singing, sharing, eating, rejoicing and renewing old friendships.  So PLEASE RSVP to me .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  or Patt .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) if you have not done so already.  We want to make sure we have plenty of snacks and food on hand – because I remember how the NDs like to eat!

In His Love,

JL

PS:  Thanks especially for those of you who have been praying for my recent “medical challenges.”  By God’s grace I am thankful to be able to say that both God and Patt have given me back my “wings” – so I can begin to travel again internationally! 

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!

HILL GROUP

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”

 

DAMASCUS ROAD

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

 

LATER DAMASCUS ROAD GROUPS

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,

please RSVP ASAP so we will better know how to plan

-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.

OUR FIRST MUSICIANS

 

 

 

OUR KEYBOARD PLAYERS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OUR GUITARISTS AND BASSISTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OUR PERCUSSION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AT CBN