International Newsletter May 2016
Takehold Records, the record label I was running single-handedly without any music or business experience, was in serious financial trouble. Though I saw success in signing acts like Underoath - a well-known hardcore band - it was God’s divine mercy and intervention when Tooth and Nail Records out of Seattle agreed to buy the failing company and pull me out of a desperate situation.
As part of the purchase, I relocated my family to Seattle and took on an A&R (Artists & Repertoire) role with Tooth and Nail. It wasn’t long before I had my hands full in the A&R world. The team at Tooth and Nail continued growing, and we experienced great success as countless bands exploded to heights we did not anticipate.
But after seven years, I began to struggle with an inner turmoil over what I was experiencing as part of the “Christian” Music Industry.
I was making great money, had a nice home, wonderful family, awesome job, and very few worries. But, in the midst of it all, I felt a deep calling that I had not perceived since my college days. I grew up in a Christian family but had walked away from faith in Jesus for several years before dropping to my knees and admitting I needed help. Desperately.
Knee deep in a successful music career, I began questioning whether my first priority was genuinely to bring glory to God and to exalt the name of Jesus amongst the saved and the lost. Was I making disciples or just creating consumers?
My role in music was to help discover and develop bands. I found that I had very little time to do what I was most excited about - encouraging/challenging (on a spiritual level) the bands I was working with. I felt a strong leading to focus on living out the Great Commission of “making disciples of all nations” as my number one priority, trusting that everything else would sort itself out if I were able to keep my eyes on Jesus.
So at the height of my career with Tooth and Nail, I emailed the president of the company and let him know I felt God calling me into full-time ministry. That decision has been the best, but also the most challenging, one I could have made.
In 2009, at a convincing prompt by the Holy Spirit, I moved my family to Nashville and started Come&Live! - a Kingdom-focused creative community. Our vision was not to raise artists to a place of success defined in worldly terms but to help them consider the impact they have on every single person they encounter - that impact lasting forever, being eternal, and extending for all time. I felt if I wasn’t laboring for the Kingdom, I was wasting time. My heart’s desire was to see global, Biblical revival in the hearts of artists and youth.
For several years we continued to walk out this journey of a community, gifting over 1.5 million albums around the world. Then by the grace of God, I came into contact with members of Steiger several years ago, blown away by their hearts for the Gospel and the lost. It soon became clear we had the same God-given vision. Last year we felt Jesus calling us to join forces with Steiger International and pursue this calling together.
I am more excited than ever for the future of Come&Live! as we provoke and inspire artists to revolutionize the world for Jesus!
Chad Johnson
Founder of Come&Live!
(and Steiger missionary living in Nashville, TN)
What is Come&Live!?
Come&Live! is an invitation. We are a rallying cry, appealing artists to lay down their dreams and give everything they have to make Jesus famous. This call is a commitment to pursue the lost and boldly proclaim the name of Jesus through the gift of art. Our desire is to walk intimately with Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit to experience lives of holiness and power.
Come&Live!’s vision is to create a worldwide mission community that will provoke and inspire Christian artists to use their God-given creativity to revolutionize the world for Jesus.
Come&Live! carefully selects artists who demonstrate professionalism and dedication to their artistic craft. But rather than just another way to “make it,” C&L! artists seek to partner with us because they have committed to putting Jesus first at all costs.
Go to www.comeandlive.com for information
Provoke & Inspire
Come&Live! offers teaching and training to the Come&Live! community through the various “Provoke & Inspire” platforms (blog, podcast, events, and videos) that are designed to inspire and equip Christian artists to revolutionize the world for Jesus.
You can check out our bi-weekly podcasts and weekly blog featuring Chad Johnson, Luke Greenwood, Ben Pierce and David Pierce by following the links below:
Podcast: www.comeandlive.com/podcast
Blog: www.comeandlive.com/blog
Revolutionary Week
One week training to reach the Global Youth Culture!
13-18 June 2016
During the Steiger Mission School 2016, the first week is open to all who want to receive inspirational training on reaching the Global Youth Culture and get a taste for Steiger and our missions school.
During the Revolutionary Week 2016, you can learn principles about how to communicate Jesus to a global, urban and secularized society. The teaching and discussions take place in a contemplative environment, where you will have an opportunity to seek God in a focused and undistracted way.
Location: Steiger International Center - Krögis, Germany
Register now by emailing paige@steiger.org
or go to www.steiger.org/rweek