Thoughts on Spiritual Renewal
In the words of our Confession we echo the words of the Psalmist, "create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10), and St. Paul picks up the renewal theme in Romans 12:2 with these words. "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect." A healthy spiritual life is constantly growing and renewing. This doesn’t happen by accident or osmosis, we have to take an active role to make it happen.
Here at Salem we are being blest this month, through a gift of our Endowment Fund, with the presence of John Michael Talbot, a man of faith, and song, and obedience to the will of God. He will share with us, through his music and faith, how we too might find new ways to become renewed in the spirit. From his biographer I share these words.
It was the early seventies, the height of love-ins, hippies and the dawn of the decadent disco era. Eighteen-year-old John Michael Talbot was performing across the U.S. with the rock group Mason Profit. His group was one of the forerunners of country rock and had shared the stage with some of the biggest acts of the day, including The Byrds, Poco, Pink Floyd and The Grateful Dead.
On one particular evening they were opening for the queen of rock herself, Janis Joplin. Talbot watched her backstage as she downed bottles of Southern Comfort like it was soda pop. The sight seized him deeply, and when the concert was over he walked back onto the empty stage. Looking out over the arena floor, he was shocked to see, lying before him a sea of bottles, beer cans and drug paraphernalia littered as far as he could see.
"Suddenly," he recalls, "the rock star life seemed empty and sad. It wasn't at all what I wanted my life to stand for." It was a prophetic experience for the youngster that caused him to question his whole lifestyle as he began to ask, "Isn't there something more?"
Maybe you have asked the same question, "is there something more?" John Michael is here to share the answer he received. As you avail yourself to the three evenings he is here, you may come closer to your answer and also experience a renewal of the spirit.
Peace,
Pastor Kurt
