Riverside Country

CrossCountry The Band: A New Perspective
By: Leo Johnston

per·spec·tive [per-spek-tiv] -noun  a view of things (as objects or events) as the true relationship or relative importance.

In 1992 CrossCountry ministries was born out of a desire to use the gift of music to share God’s unconditional love through His Son Jesus Christ with the world, and Christian Country music was the format God had directed us to accomplish this task. After ten years of patience and perseverance despite undesirable circumstances and opposition in many areas, much progress was made for the Kingdom. After several CD projects, making the decision to move to Nashville, giving up my job for full-time ministry, and starting an Independent music company, everything seemed to be going and growing beyond our expectations. Our perspectives of what God had called us to do had never seemed clearer. But, something was about to change in my life and nothing could have prepared me for what was to come.

If someone had asked me then about my perspective of faith and its importance regarding ministry, relationships, or life in general just a few years earlier, I would have most likely given a fairly general biblical response such as believing, applying and trusting God’s Word in regards to every situation and circumstance. At that time in my life this point of view was accurate. Sometimes life brings changes that are undesirable from our perspective. Many times the storms in our life have a way of changing not only the way we view faith but many times literally shaking the very foundations. Yet these are the very things that truly shape our perspective of ‘Real Faith,’ situations that have the potential to produce ‘Real Changes’ in the very people who cause these situations that challenge our faith. I honestly believe what is most important is our choices in response to these trials.

From 2003 through 2006, a chain of challenging events and changes took place in my personal life. My first challenge took place in dealing with the death of my mother. I had been badly burned in a freak accident and hospitalized, and my father who resides in Texas had a stroke. This meant many round trips from Nashville to Texas to take care of him. I was also experiencing a series of unexplained health issues and was forced to declare bankruptcy. In addition, I also went through a painful divorce.

These events left me questioning my purpose, my choices in life, and my calling to ministry. My faith was literally shaken in every area of my life. Overwhelming circumstances have a way of distracting and distorting our points of view of who we are.

Yet through these circumstances, I came to understand that God’s gifts and calling is without repentance and that ‘Faith’ truly is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. I began to stand on God’s Word and believe that He would work all things together for good in my life and use it for His glory.

I knew in my heart that God was not finished with me or CrossCountry Ministries. His calling was still on my life, and in the middle of 2006, we stepped out in faith to record a worship CD. What better time to worship God than in the midst of our trials?

Then the enemy sent another big blow. During the recording session, we had over thirty thousand dollars worth of PA equipment stolen. We had assembled this over a five year period. It was completely paid for and was absolutely essential to our ministry. This was undoubtedly a gut wrenching, heartbreaking, and faith shaking turn of events. This eventually turned into a lawsuit against the property owner due to some negligent circumstances surrounding the theft in hopes of forcing the insurance company to settle the claim and allow us to replace the equipment.

In December of 2006, faced with the unsettled lawsuit and the reality of our situation, I prayed that God would give me a Word for the New Year. This is something I typically do every year but this was a critical point in my personal life as well as our ministry. Almost immediately, God spoke to my heart telling me to drop the lawsuit, saying I was not to sue a brother in Christ even if he had insurance. I realized if the insurance company did not settle a judgment would come against the individual. I could not be responsible for a brother being judged and having to pay for something he did not do regardless of unknowing negligence. I immediately met with him, released him from the lawsuit in total forgiveness with no regret and we remain good friends today.

It’s been six months since that time and I cannot begin to tell you how God has blessed this ministry! Within one week of being obedient to what God had told me to do, a gentleman purchased one thousand of our worship CDs to give away. We just received a B52 Sound System that is far better than what we had and capable of reaching a crowd of five thousand or more. This is now a necessity because God has also blessed our ministry with a 48 foot self contained mobile trailer, stage complete with a generator, and a 20X 40 foot ministry tent. With the trailer came a 2003 Dodge Dually truck to pull the trailer. We have just finished wrapping the trailer with our Freedom and Family Tour graphics and are in the final stages of completing our seventh and most significant CD titled, Freedom. Our first single, “United We Stand” has been released by HMG Nashville and Terajay Music. Our sense of purpose is stronger than it has ever been. All because of what God has done and what He has brought us through.

I cannot overemphasize the significance of not letting go of what God has called us to do. I truly believe that Inspirational Country music is going to be used by God to reach thousands for the Kingdom, but we have to be willing to let go of our plans, hear His plans, and be willing to walk in obedience to His word – He says if we will acknowledge Him in all our ways, (weaknesses, desires, plans, etc.), and lean not on our own understanding, He will direct our paths.

When my son Jacob was ten years old, he had a perfectly good bike but was asking for a brand new trick bike. His birthday had passed and Christmas was months away so I simply told him to pray about it. Not long after this while in Wal-Mart I found a top of the line trick bike at an unbelievably low price. I got the bike for less than half its value! I took the bike home, stuck it in the attic, planning to wait until Christmas to give it to him. About a week later my son came to me saying he wanted to give his bike to a friend whose family had very little money and couldn’t afford to buy him one. He said that is what he believed God had told him to do. When we took his bike to his friend, my son said he knew it was the right thing to do.

I knew this was the perfect time to bless my son with the bike I had tucked away for Christmas. Two days later when Jacob came home from school, he found a brand new trick bike in the front yard. He never knew it had been tucked away in the attic! We both were blessed by this moment. He learned about obedience, giving, and letting go and let God have His way.

I am extremely grateful for God’s mercy, grace, unconditional love and faithfulness.

My perspective in faith is now stronger than it has ever been. I have learned that faith is not truly faith unless it is challenged and whether those challenges are big or small, they all require our ability to trust Him and what He has called us to do.

I pray as you have read our story that your perspective of faith and what God has for you provokes you to let go and let God.

He is not a respecter of persons, what He has done for one, He will do for anyone who is willing to trust and rely on Him.

This article has been reprinted by permission from Powersource Magazine.

[Leo Johnston is the founder and president of CrossCountry Ministries. He plays rhythm guitar and is the lead singer for the band.]