Hi Folks!

I’ve been holding off on sending an update longer than I normally would have because there’s been some exciting news brewing, but it hasn’t been ready to share until now.  First, a bit of the backstory.

Backstory:

3.5 years ago, I resigned from my position as a pastor to begin this new itinerant ministry.  What an adventure!  It’s been a great ride.  Over the past 3.5 years I’ve travelled thousands of kilometers, visited hundreds of churches, played hundreds of concerts, and met thousands of new people (I don’t even want to guess how many times I’ve played “June” or told my dumb wrestling story).

But none of this has come without a cost.  We’ve had to endure long stretches with little or no income.  Sometimes concerts have been poorly attended and it’s actually cost me to go and play.  Making albums is expensive, and we’ve had to bear those costs personally.  In some cases, I’ve picked up work in the oilfield or mowing lawns just to be able to keep doing this.  I’ve had many moments during those lean times when I’ve had to ask myself, ” Am I fooling myself? Is this the end?”

I had a day like that this past September.  Despite having a busy summer, my fall touring schedule was looking like it wouldn’t come together.  We’d already been on a bit of a knife’s edge, financially, since we released “Rumours of Light”.  I was considering turning the lights off and closing the door.  Then in the midst of the uncertainty, the phone rang.  It was Roy Salmond (Roy, you may remember, served as executive producer on Broomtree.).  Carolyn Arends had been after him to listen to “Rumours of Light” again.  He called to say he loved what I did on “Rumours of Light” and that he wanted to do another record with me.  When I told him a new album was out of the question, given our present financial situation, he said, “I have an idea”.

The News:

I won’t bore you with all the details, but the short version of the story is that we have been brought under the banner of Incarnation Ministries. ”Incarnation Ministries is a Canadian charity that exists to help support the work of artists which reflects the truth of life within the Trinity so that it may redeem both the Church and society through the thoughtful soul-sharpening art.” Incarnation has offered to receive donations on my behalf to help me raise money for the rest of the expenses (about $15,000).  After the album is completed, Incarnation will continue to receive donations on my behalf to help subsidize the ongoing costs of touring and concert promotion so that my ministry can expand the breadth and depth of its reach.  So, depending on the level of interest and support we receive, I plan to be back in studio recording a new album as soon as January.

Over the past 3.5 years, two things have become clear. First of all, that my work as an itinerant singer/songwriter should continue, as it has value in the way it encourages and inspires people both inside and outside the church. It is making a tangible difference in people’s lives.  One concert-goer wrote to tell me how one concert had served as a catalyst to bring about healing in his marriage,

“Our marriage was in a state where … between her anger and my defensivess and shame nothing was getting dealt with.  I believe that the spirit of God joined us during Keith’s concert and remained with us the rest of the night.  We took it all on when we got home after the concert, I was amazed by grace and forgiveness…seriously I was shocked and broken.  In the end, we both knew that I needed to be a better man.  I stilldraw courage from the line, “what could I be if you had Your way with me?”…well I am beginning to learn.” (Shared with permission)

The second thing that’s become clear is that we simply can’t continue to tour and make new recordings without financial help from donors and regular supporters.

If you have benefited from my ministry, would you prayerfully consider making a one time donation toward this new album and my touring ministry?  Or would you consider becoming a regular supporter?

Incarnation Ministries will offer a tax receipt for Canadian Residents who make a donation of $50 or more, and one hundred percent of your donation will go directly toward my ministry.

To make a donation, mail your cheque to:

INCARNATION MINISTRIES,

Suite 2620, 1055 West Georgia Street

Vancouver, BC

V6E 3R5

Please make cheques payable to “Incarnation Ministries” and indicate “For Keith Kitchen” on the memo line.

Thank you for allowing me share this exciting news with you.  I feel awkward writing so personally about finances, and I appreciate you letting me share so frankly.  I don’t intend to pester people regularly with requests for money.  I have always felt that this ministry’s existence should be based largely on demand, and so our focus will still be on playing concerts and making albums.  Donations should only serve a supplemental role in the work we’re trying to do.

Thanks again for considering your part in this.

Sincerely,

Keith

They say most independent businesses fail within three years.  I’m so happy to say that, as of today, we’ve officially avoided becoming a statistic. It was three years ago, today, that I packed up my office at the church where I’d been serving as youth and worship pastor for 5 years and turned in my keys.  I’d had a growing sense for a few months that God was calling me into some new kind of  ministry, and while I believed that meant a different position within the same church, it became increasingly clear that that wasn’t the case.  So, I stepped out into the unknown and found myself working as an independent musician.

“Broomtree” had been recorded the previous summer, and while many people around me sensed I’d be taking this step, I was one of the last ones to catch on.  My intention was never to do this very long.  My thought was to book a few concerts to help pay the bills while we sought out a position at another church.  Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that 3 years, 100,000 kilometres, another album, and over 150 concerts later I’d still be doing this.  And while I’ve continued to remain open to the possibility of serving in a church again, I have to admit, this life has grown on me.  If you ask me, I’ll probably tell you that this all happened quite by accident.

Looking back, it’s easier to see God’s leading and provision at work in my ministry than it often is in the midst of it.  I’ve wondered many, many times over the years as I stared at an empty calendar whether we’d reached the end of our run.  But although we’ve had to tighten our belts sometimes and learn to live a little more simply, we’ve always managed to pay the bills and keep food on the table.  So today, I feel a renewed sense of hope and optimism for the future.  There are rumours of some new partnerships developing that would help us to grow this ministry and take it a step further, but even if those don’t pan out (they haven’t in the past), I feel freer to continue to pursue my calling, and somewhat less inclined to seek out security and stability.

I’m so thankful for the many, many people who’ve encouraged us, the people who’ve bought CD’s or come to a concert, the churches who’ve hosted, and the many folks who’ve put us up for the night.  It’s been such a joy to see so much of our country and to visit so many fine folks.

If there’s anything I’ve learned over the past three years, it’s that security and stability is an illusion.  Having a job an a pension will not protect you from hardship.  One day the boss walks into your office and says, “I’m sorry to have to tell you this…”, and everything you depended on falls apart.  What I do know, is that God will provide you with daily bread, and although you may not have everything you want, you can learn to be satisfied with only what you need.

I’ve also learned that you can never tell who’ll be an ally when you need one.  Many people who I expected to support or assist me were long gone when the time came to call in a favour.  But others have come out of the blue to offer generosity and support when we really needed it.  So you can’t give yourself to “schmoozing” or “networking”, since you never know who your supporters will be.  Put your trust in God to support you, and leave everyone else to do as they see fit.

Lastly, when you step out in faith to try to do something unique or extraordinary, some folks will admire you, while others will feel threatened or think you’re crazy.  Don’t pay any attention to either of them, lest your they deflate you or feed your ego.

But, for God’s sake  (literally, rather than as an expletive), do something exceptional with your life.  We only get one chance to do this.  How sad to pander to people or to chase after the illusion of security, when there is so much more waiting for us.

Trust God.  Do what He puts in your heart to do.  The rest will sort itself out.

God’s Peace.

Keith

I’ve been putting-off writing anything here for a few months.  Mostly because I want to reserve this space to write something encouraging or inspirational.  At the very least, I want to post updates about some of the exciting new developments on the horizon.  But lately there’s been little to report.  Only a handful of radio stations have picked up the new album, and there’s nothing brewing in terms of new partnerships.

The new record hasn’t garnered any real attention or rave reviews from anywhere.  One radio promoter recently told me it just isn’t radio friendly. Album sales have been alright, but nothing to rave about. (I’m not sure how to interpret this.  Truth be told, I’ve heard almost no feedback on the new album good or bad.  Maybe it’s just got something to do with the internet.  ;-)  )

We’ve been on thin ice , financially, since the new record came out.  Although I’ve just come off a busy month of touring, January was a slow month for us, and February was even worse.  All that to say, our circumstances look somewhat bleak.

On the other hand, there has been much to encourage us.  For instance, back in January, I had a man take me aside at a concert in Manitoba to tell me that the last time I played at his church, his marriage had been hanging by a thread.  Something about the concert that night opened up communication between him and his wife for the first time in a long time.  2 years later, they’re doing great and are working within their church to counsel other hurting couples.

A few weeks ago, I got an email from another man who’d been at one of my concerts.  He and his wife had just started attending church.  He wrote,” The things you said today were right on the money for me.  I really appreciated your take on finding beauty and God in the world (the poetic side of things).  …  Truth be told, up until two weeks ago I would have considered myself an atheist.  … The fact that I felt God speaking to me through music was certainly unexpected.  I have always been a bit of a snob about “christian music”.  For some reason, today I didn’t view your music that way.  I just saw you as a musician, that has a way with lyrics. … [And] today was the first time in a long time that I felt a bigger presence.

Finally, a few days ago I heard of how a young man, who’s been wrestling with addiction, felt God “tugging at his heart” after one of my concerts.  That night he made a decision to change is life and to invite Christ into his heart.

I don’t usually get to see the fruit of my work.  Sometimes a few people will hang around after a concert to say, “hello”, and “thanks for the evening.”  But I’m usually on the road again in a few hours, and I simply have to trust that my concerts have been meaningful.   To be honest, these are the only three stories like this I think I’ve ever heard.

That’s the way life goes, though, doesn’t it?  It would be easier to make decisions if your circumstances and your heart told you the same thing.  I’ve been ministering, through music like this for almost 3 years now.  And every time I feel like it’s time to quit, some encouragement comes my way to make me realize my heart’s still in it, even though my head says, “Get out now!”.  So, what do you do?  How do you tell the difference between faith and foolishness?  I suppose only time will tell which decisions were the right ones.

In the meantime, my schedule’s filling-up, and I have some concerts coming-up that I’m really excited for.  I’ve also begun to feel the gentle rumblings that often precede some new songs.  So, I trust that there’s still some life and some purpose in this yet.  Press on….

Keith

It’s been forever since I’ve posted any news here.  This past year has been a whirlwind of writing, touring, and recording.  I’ve been on the road just about every weekend this fall.  My travels have taken me from Toronto to Vancouver this year and to almost every major city in between.  It’s been exhausting, but it’s also been a lot of fun.

The biggest news this past year was the release of the new album, “Rumours of Light”, which you can pick up in the store here on my website or on my bandcamp page .  In June, I headed to Vancouver to work on a new album with my friend and producer, Jonathan Anderson.  We released the album in September and, since then, I’ve been busy playing concerts and trying to promote it.

It seems a strange time to release an album, though.  There’s a general feeling of doom and gloom hanging over the music industry these days.  Most of the artists I know are scaling back or downsizing in some way.  Even veteran artists, whose names you’d likely recognize.  Many are looking for other work on the side.  (I’ve had to pick up some work in the oilfield this fall to help pay down the new album.)  Some are throwing in the towel altogether.  Who’s to say what the cause is?  Whether it’s the recession, or the massive amount of new music coming at us online, or that people seem to be less interested in attending concerts.  As an independent artist, all the cost (and all the risk) of producing albums and promoting tours comes from my shallow pockets.  I’ve tried to establish partnerships with a few different organizations over the past year, and while those relationships have been encouraging, it hasn’t translated into much by way of financial help.

But I keep pressing on, despite the hardships, because  I believe that creating art contributes to an apologetic of beauty.  I think that when we hear good music or look at a flower or a sunset, something comes alive within us that begins to call out to something grander.  Scientific observation can tell you why sunlight from a certain angle, refracting off of dust particles in the air produces the various colours and hues of a sunset.  It may even explain how looking at something like this causes a release of endorphins in the brain to create a feeling of calm and pleasure, but this reductionist explanation ultimately leads to what seems to me to be an ugly view of the world.  Scientific observation, is able to tell us how a sunset is beautiful, but I don’t think it can answer the question of why it’s beautiful, why whe desire or even need beauty.

I believe there’s a real need for the Church in our day to recapture the importance of beauty for beauty’s sake.  Beauty awakens our imaginations and causes us to ask questions of meaning and purpose.  Questions whose answers are outside the realm of scientific observation.  The trouble is that as time goes on, the Church becomes more pragmatic, less inspiring, and therefore less convincing.

Rather than singing fresh, thoughtful songs written by members of our own communities, we sing the latest Top 40 worship “hits” which increasingly seem to be written by a select few artists to appeal to the lowest common denominator.  These songs seldom capture the imagination or inspire much theological reflection.

Now, I’m not presuming that my work is the answer to this problem, but my hope is to at least contribute to the solution.  So I keep working, despite the fact that it’s getting harder and harder to continue.  I believe that a Church without beauty is like a body without a soul, lifeless and dead.  I

think as we bring beauty back into the Church, Christ’s body will be filled with His Spirit.  So, good art is important in order to strengthen the Church.

One of the other facets of my work that I never anticipated has been the opportunity to sit and talk with pastors and leaders from the various churches I visit.  Having been in pastoral ministry, I understand some of the challenges and struggles that these men and women face.  Some of them face fears, loneliness and discouragement, but have no one in their church or denomination that they feel safe to talk with.  Since I come in as an outsider whose not affiliated with their denomination or local church, many pastors see me as someone who’s in the unique position of being both understanding and “safe”.  I’ve had many opportunities to listen and pray with pastors while I’ve played at their churches or even stayed in some of their homes.  Although this isn’t a formal part of my work, it is, nonetheless, a real privilege to be able to minister and help strengthen the Church in this way.

I have no idea what the future holds for us.  I’m hoping that as one year closes, and a new year dawns, there’ll be a change.  It’s getting harder to do this alone.  I hope and pray that opportunities or partnerships will present themselves in the New Year that will allow my work to advance.

Either way, I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to do this over the past few years, and so thankful to all of you who’ve contributed to my work by ordering CD’s, attending a concert, or spread the word about my music, particularly in this past year.  My sincere hope is that, in some way, you’ve found your soul strengthened through it.

God’s Peace.

Keith

I can’t believe Easter is upon us.  This seems to happen to me every year.  I was playing in a church this past weekend, and when the pastor got up to read the announcements he exclaimed, “Oh, and you know what today is?  It’s Palm Sunday.”.  There was an audible gasp from the congregation, and I had to admit I too had been taken by surprise.  It seems that every year I get worse at “doing Easter”.

It wasn’t always like this.  I remember the first two Easter weekends I experienced after I became a Christian.  Although we went to church a few times for special occasions while growing-up, most of the Easter story was a mystery to me.  First there was Good Friday.  I couldn’t see anything good about them executing that nice man I’d seen praying in a portrait on my grandmother’s wall, and I was even more confused about what the connection was between the cross and the Cadbury’s Easter Cream Eggs hidden around the house on Sunday morning.  But, when I was 16 I started going to church and reading the Bible, and it became my desire that this story, God’s story, become my story.

My most memorable Easter happened the next year.  By that time I was familiar enough with the New Testament to understand Christ’s suffering on our behalf and His victory over the grave on the third day.  At the time, I was dating a girl, who was Catholic, so I accompanied her to a number of services between her church and my own church that weekend, and even participated in a Passover meal with her family.  The result was that I was able to walk slowly from one event to another and to really soak-in their significance.  To this day, I have never had such a meaningful experience of Holy Week, and every year, I think back to that weekend and the indelible mark it left on my walk with Christ.

I suppose the thing that made the most difference was that I was able to really put on the brakes and move slowly through the weekend and experience the events, much like they would have really unfolded.  The services on Maundy Thursday and on Good Friday were solemn and sombre.  There was no mention of the resurrection.  Only sorrow over our sins, and the punishment Christ was made to bear for them.  Yet these weren’t times of morbid self-loathing, rather they had a tone of immense gratitude and reverence for our Savior.  Focussing on the “dark days” of Holy Week made Easter Sunday that much more joyful.

The other thing that was so important about celebrating Holy Week in that way, was that I learned to see the Biblical characters as broken, fickle people who were just like us.  They had no way of knowing, on Friday night what would happen Sunday morning.  A theme that would lead me to eventually write songs like “Streets of Jerusalem”, and “Fade” a song I’ve written for the upcoming album.

So this year, I want to try to recapture some of that first weekend.  Perhaps we’ll share communion with a few friends on Thursday night, as we remember the Last Supper.  Perhaps our Good Friday Service will leave out the hope of Resurrection Sunday long enough to remember what it must have been like to see the Jesus, the Light of the World snuffed-out for three days.  Perhaps, this year, we’ll be able to put the brakes on again, and re-enter the mystery that is Holy Week, and find our faith made new all over again.

K

I’m not much for exercise.  I have very little self-discipline and tend to avoid things that demand effort or cause discomfort.  The home gym in my basement sees more use as a clothesline for the shirts waiting to be ironed than as a machine for building muscles.  I’ve learned that in order to stay in something resembling good shape, I have to trick myself into exercising.  So last year, I started taking long walks at night.  Not for exercise, of course, but rather to take time alone to listen to my ipod and think.

One of the first things that struck me on these walks was how peaceful and calm our city is at night.  I can walk for over an hour and not pass a soul.  Sometimes I won’t even see a car passing by.  Most times I feel like the only person on earth.  It makes me wonder what people in this town do with their evenings, especially on the really magical nights.

Last night was just such a night.  It was cold, but calm.  We’ve had a few days of fog, and the resulting hoarfrost has made the whole landscape look as though it had been heavily dusted with icing sugar.  The street lamps gave everything a sparkle and a glow.  I followed my usual route and came to a park that looked like something out of The Chronicles of Narnia.  The kind of moment that makes your soul ache.

I continued on through the empty streets and playgrounds feeling both a sense of awe and outrage.  Awe at what I perceived to be the delicate handiwork of a great artist, and outrage that this magnificent work of art was going unnoticed and unappreciated.  Most folks were likely too enthralled by 42″ of Liquid Crystal to be bothered with suiting-up to brave the elements and engage this wonder on it’s own terms.  So there it sat.  Like an extravagant art showing that no one bothered to attend. Like a candlelight dinner going cold, waiting for a spouse who is running late.  Like an Easter Egg lying in the grass, waiting to be stumbled upon.

To be fair, I spend my fair share of nights in front of the TV too, but not last night.  It’s a shame that so much beauty seems to go to waste.  Or maybe it’s extravagance.  In which case, I think it speaks something about the author of our universe, and that is a point of particular comfort to me.  The more I try to take note of the world around me, the more I begin to see God as an artist, rather than an economist.

Lately, many people I know have begun to question and even walk away from belief in God.  I can’t blame them.  Our world is a mess, and what’s worse, the God most of us have been offered is the God whom Modernity has fashioned in its own image.  The modern God must be productive and efficient, if He is to be any kind of God at all.  He must rid the world of pain, put all the “bad guys” under a rock, and hang a neon sign in the sky pointing to Himself.  Since the world we observe is full of tragedy and what appears to be wastefulness, we reason that there is no accountant God.  If this was the only available image of God, I too would abandon the idea of God for something (or nothing) else.

But, a universe without God leads to all sorts of absurdities.  I’m not saying atheism is absurd.  Atheism makes perfect sense to me.  What I am saying is that a universe without God would be an absurd place.  For one thing, there would be no basis for the objective moral values and duties we apprehend.  (You do not have to believe in God to be a moral person.  That’s not what I’m saying.  I know many atheists who live lives that are morally exemplary.  What I do mean is that the moral values we all perceive, whether we believe in God or not, make for convincing evidence of God’s existence.)

Also, a universe that simply “is” would be one in which our lives have no reason or purpose aside from what we assign ourselves.  Sadly, this meaning would be nothing more than self-deception.  In the face of a meaningless universe, one would need to knowingly deceive one’s self, in spite of the truth.  Now I grant, it’s possible that, as a Christian, I am the one who has been deceived.  Although I’ve tried to base my conclusions about my faith on logic and good evidence, it’s possible that I may have miss-interpreted that evidence, or worse yet, someone else may have deceived me by planting false evidence.  Even if that were true, this kind of deception would be of a far more innocent sort since I would be its unwitting victim.  The earlier deception is much less honorable, since it requires one to knowingly deceive oneself in spite of the truth.

Since I find the notion of a Godless universe untenable, and since I too have rejected the idea of God as bookkeeper, I find myself staring at the handiwork of a God who is more like to an artist, an author, or a chef.

Good art is in itself extravagant and is very seldom efficient or practical.  Good stories take a long time to reach a satisfying ending, and in the middle there’s often room for a great deal of drama and heroism in the face of tragedy.  Good chocolate, is often more satisfying if there’s some bitter to offset the sweetness.  Even though, there are chapters and characters in the story that I wish had been left out, I trust that the story is reaching a climax.  The alternative is that there is no story, and all the tragedy and extravagance is senseless and pointless.

So there I stood in the snow.  Marveling at this extravagance, and feeling more comforted than bothered by it.  I’d far rather be a character in a grand story, a brush stroke in a work of art, or an ingredient in a wonderfully prepared meal, than a number in an accountant’s ledger.

“Earth’s crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God; But only he who sees takes off his shoes; The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries.”

-Elizabeth Barrett Browning

I’m back in the office after taking a few weeks holidays.  Trying to book concerts during the month leading up to Christmas was proving fruitless, so, under advice from a trusted friend, I decided to walk away from things for a bit and recharge.

Over Christmas, we took some time away to visit family, played lots of board games, went tobogganing, built a snow fort, and just generally had a good rest from things.

Upon returning home, I found an email from my friend Ken, who was moving soon, saying that they needed a new home for their tropical fish.  A few Tetras, an algae-eater, a Siamese Fighting Fish, and something called a Blue Dragon Goby.  Since our tank has seen a steady decline in population over the past few months, so I gladly agreed to take on these new refugees.

He showed up the next day with a cardboard box containing sizeable collection of plastic bags filled with all manner of aquatic life.  The Siamese Fighting Fish is one of the most stunning creatures I’ve ever seen.  Iridescent blue and crimson, it’s a majestic combination of beauty and violence.  It’s quickly become the most prized addition to the tank.  The Tetras are a plain, but pretty.  The algae-eater is ugly, but practical.  These, along with a few plants, were a welcome addition to the tank, and I was glad to accept them.

Then, Ken got a little quiet as he reached into the box to pull out the Goby.  He handed me the bag, carefully holding it at arms length with a look of apology.  He’d mentioned on the phone that is was an interesting fish with a lot of “character”.  And now, I saw exactly what he meant.  What he’d “forgotten” to mention on the phone was that it was also the ugliest thing a person could lay eyes on and still live.

The animal was more snake than fish.  Long and slithery, with beady eyes that would chill the warmest of souls.  My first instinct was, “Kill it”.

I’m not especially fond of snakelike things, and I have relatives that may never visit again, knowing it’s here.  As I looked at it, I told myself, “Wait ‘til he leaves, then flush it.”

The algae-eater I could tolerate.  It’s ugly, but at least it’s useful.  The Siamese fighting fish serves no real purpose, but at least it’s beautiful.  The goby is hideous, and serves no purpose.  So I quietly decided to send it to a better place.  But something stopped me.

I realized I was willing to end a creature’s life simply because I found it repulsive and because it had nothing to give me.  The Siamese Fighting Fish I would keep because, even though it served no purpose, it was beautiful.  The algae-eater I would keep because even though it was ugly, it was useful to me.  What I saw inside myself was something far uglier than a Blue Dragon Goby.

It made me realize that I often do the same thing with people.  I invest time and energy into people who captivate me, or who I perceive as useful to me in some way.  People who are neither beautiful nor useful are a distraction or an annoyance.  I tend to treat then as objects.

This becomes especially true during seasons when I feel that I have little to give.  Most of the time this goes unchecked, but for some reason it became crystal clear as I stared into the cold, beady eyes of the serpentine menace floating in a plastic bag, waiting to be released in either my fish tank or the sewer beneath my home.

The point is not the fish.  The point is that everything God has created has been endowed with a sense of dignity.  Not because it has value to us, necessarily, but because it has value to Him.  All of creation is God’s craftsmanship, and no artist likes to see their work defaced or devalued.  All of Creation, whether it’s people or plecostomi, has value and we will learn to value God’s works to the measure we value Him.  Or maybe it’s the other way around.  Maybe the only way to value Him is to value His creation.  It seems hypocritical to claim otherwise.

Almost paradoxically, it is the things we value least, which we often come to value the most, since it is only the ugly and the useless which can put us in touch with this reality.  So the Goby will stay.  It will be given a position of honor in the tank for teaching me a valuable lesson.  A lesson none of the other creatures could.  The humble has been exalted.  The low has been lifted high.  I think that’s the way God wants it.  And besides, I’m starting to like the little guy.

Keith

For a little over a year now, I’ve been doing music full time on my own.  I work alone. I tour alone. I perform alone. (Sometimes when I’ve been in the car a long time, I even have conversations on my own, but that’s another story.)  I don’t belong to a record label, so that means I do all my own booking and promotion.  As a result, it’s common for people to refer to me as an independent singer/songwriter.  I’ve even used that label to refer to myself from time to time.  For some reason, the title “Independent Artist” inspires fans to believe that the artist does their thing freely without being subject to pressure from marketing executives, and that somehow, their art is more pristine and genuine, which isn’t necessarily the case.  But even if that’s true, I think the title is misleading at best, and destructive to an artist’s place in the community at worst.

First of all, there’s no such thing as an independent human being.  All of us have parents, all of us belong to some kind of community, and all of us depend on others to survive.  As our society becomes more urbanized and specialized, we actually become more dependent upon others, even though we live under the growing illusion that somehow modern society has allowed us to become more independent.

For example, I don’t know a single person who grows their own food, at least not enough to survive on.  We don’t build our own homes or educate our own children.  Other people do that for us. (Ok, so some people build their own houses, but they rely on someone else to harvest the necessary materials for them.  Some people choose to educate their own children, but they usually rely on someone else to provide them with the curriculum.)  Anyways, my point in all of this is that it is a simple fact of human existence that we cannot survive alone.

Richard Wurmbrand wrote extensively about the 3 years he spent in solitary confinement under the communists in Romania.  For three years, the only time he saw another human being was when he was dragged from his cell and beaten.  He said that other inmates would regularly start screaming for no other reason than that this prolonged isolations began to rob them of their sanity.  Given time, isolation begins to strip away our humanity.  So, to consider yourself an independent anything is to delude yourself.  We are not independent.  We need others. We find health and wholeness in community.

This is the way it was intended from the beginning.  Some of the first words spoken by God to a human being, according to the Scriptures, were when He looked at Adam and said, “It is not good for the man to be alone…”  In fact, the Triune God, is the centerpiece of Christian theology, so that even God is both unity and community.  We were never meant to exist independent of others.  As God, Himself, has said, “It is not good…”.

The longer I do this the more keenly aware I become of my need for community.  I am deeply dependent on others.  I am dependent on churches to host concerts.  I am dependent on people to come to those concerts and buy CD’s.  I’m also deeply dependent on the people who go out of their way to encourage me. Sometimes, just like Moses, we need other people to come along and hold our arms up.

But it goes even further than that. We’re dependent on each other, this much is clear, but if we stop there, it can lead to nihilism and to a sense of entitlement. (I need you, so you have to help me.).  The Scriptures are also clear that each of us have been given talents and abilities to be stewards of, and those abilities are not our own, they’re given for the edification of the community.  In other words we are interdependent.  We need and we are needed.  This is far more than others simply being dependent on us.  It means we are responsible to meet the needs of others, according to the talents, gifts, and abilities we’ve been given.

Now, none of this is profound by any means, but it’s a reality that’s been helpful for me to come to terms with.  For one, it deepens my sense of gratitude toward someone who supports me in this role, whether they come to a show, or make a hefty donation toward my next album, or simply offer an encouraging word because I depend on them.  But, it also strengthens me and gives me courage to continue in this sometimes difficult ministry, because our interdependence means that my art is more than just a luxury, it’s a necessity.  If I have been given the ability to meet a need, then there must also be a corresponding need I’m responsible to meet.  So I can’t just quit when my needs aren’t being met, because my gifts are not my own.  Rather, I have a responsibility to others.  Not only am I in need, but I am needed.  And sometimes, our greatest need, is to be needed.

God’s Peace.

Keith Kitchen – Interdependent Singer/Songwriter

A few weeks ago, we celebrated the first anniversary of my new ministry of traveling and doing music full time.  When I ventured out to explore a new way of doing art, life, and ministry, I had no idea what it would be like. To tell you the truth, I thought I’d be pumping gas within six months.  But God has been good to us.  Many people have invited us into their homes and churches to play and to share and, truth be told, I feel like I’ve received more than I’ve given.

I’ve had a chance to make a lot of new friends.  I’ve driven thousands of miles, and crossed this beautiful country of ours.  I’ve been everywhere from Fernie, BC to Ottawa and I’ve had some wonderful encouragement along the way.  Last fall I was nominated for 3 Covenant Awards, and although that was tremendously gratifying for me, what’s been even more encouraging has been meeting people after a concert and hearing their stories.  It seems that my songs have become their songs.  One night, after playing a concert at a Lutheran Camp in Northern Saskatchewan, an older gentleman came up to me and said, “I really liked your songs, there, young man.  They’re good songs,… with good theology.  You know, us Lutherans like good theology.”  He patted me on the back and continued on his way.  That was far more encouraging than any award. (Incidentally, my producer, Roy Salmond, says that awards are, “pretty weird. Like cotton candy – no nutritional value, but they do taste sweet nonetheless. (As long as you know it ain’t steak)”

And now, with one year under my belt, I’m looking ahead to the future.  Sometimes I think this is the wrong time to do this.  The world is in an economic hurricane, and everyone’s trying to batten-down the hatches and wait out the storm.  Many artists, far more well-established than I am, are tightening their belts and downsizing.  Sometimes concerts are hard to book, and I wonder if we’ll make it another month.

But then I remember feeling the same way last year, when we were just starting-out.  Now, here I am.  A little older, a little wiser, a lot more at peace than I used to be.  I am a worrier by nature.  I come from a long line of worriers.  But this past year has taught me patience, and maybe… faith (Ironically, I’ve learned that it takes a lot more faith to be a musician than it did to be a pastor, but that’s another article).

All this came to a head for me, back about 5 months ago.  I’d hit a rough spot, and was wondering if it wasn’t time to pack it in.  I went to Calgary to investigate a ministry position with a local church there.  They needed a worship pastor and I needed (or thought I needed) a little more stability.  It’s a great church, and it would have been a great fit, except for the fact that I just didn’t feel right about taking the job.  One night I was lying in bed, praying about the whole situation, when I believe God spoke very clearly to me.

Now, I have to clarify here.  I don’t hear voices in my head.  I don’t assume every headache is some kind of demonic attack.  Nor do I assume every free parking spot is an act of divine intervention.  But, I have had a few rare moments in my life, when God has spoken to me.  Maybe 5 times…  Maybe.

That night, He said,”Keith…, what are you doing here?  Did you come here out of fear…, or out of faith?  My word says, “The righteous will live by faith.”.   At that moment, I knew that the situation wasn’t right.  I had to face my fears and go back home.

Over the past few months, we’ve seen God’s provision in some wonderful ways, but there’s still this nagging feeling like maybe next month will be the month we’ll have to sell all our furniture and eat peanut butter (except we can’t because my son is allergic).  Every day is a decision to live by faith rather than fear.  To keep pursuing our calling by faith, until faith shows us otherwise.  To do otherwise is to give in to fear.  Fear is the absence of Love, of Hope, and of Faith.  “The righteous will live by faith” (Habakkuk. 2:4).

I’m pleased to announce that I’ll be touring with Steve Larsen ( www.stevelarsenmusic.com ) for two weekends coming up in April.

Dates include:

Sat. April 18th – Victory Church, Lethbridge AB (Catch Keith again the following Sunday Morning)

Sun. April 19th – Community Baptist Church, Fernie BC

Fri. April 24th – Moose Jaw Alliance Church, Moose Jaw SK

Sun. April 26th – Trailview Alliance Church, Swift Current SK

Mon. April 27th – Westhill Park Baptist Church, Regina SK

All Shows begin at 7pm.  Admission: Free will Offering. 

Steve and I go way back, having played with many of the same musicians, back when we both lived in Regina.  He is a master guitar player and consummate performer.  His shows are energetic, and always sparkle with his quick wit, and sense of humor.

Hope to see you there!