Chord Sheet for "It's Jesus" the Official Theme Song of "Jesus Manifesto" by Len Sweet and Frank Viola

I am getting requests for a chord sheet for my new song, "It's Jesus." So here is a link so you can download a PDF or Word doc of the basic chord sheet.

It's an easy song, but this will save you some work and/or allow you to easily put it in your own format for your band at church.

The song is stripped back in it's original form on iTunes.

Len and Frank wanted a song that was meditative and complemented the app's almost "creedal" form. You can arrange the song any way you please. We have done it at Westwinds as recorded, with just me on guitar, just Kelsey on piano, full band with moving solo (including sax), bigger band with rocking guitar . . . it's approachable and pliable.

Praying it will speak well to you and yours.

"Jesus Manifesto" -- A Book, An App, and a Song.

Over the years, you’ve heard me talk a lot about my love for Len Sweet’s writing and speaking. As a matter of fact, I credit his book, Carpe Mañana as a major part of the impetus for a new chapter in our lives where God ushered us to Michigan to be part of Westwinds Church over 6 years ago. Len has been an encourager and spiritual mentor to me. And, over the years he has become a friend.

In early March, I received a thrilling invitation—-to write a song to be the official theme song of Len Sweet and Frank Viola’s new book, Jesus Manifesto.

After reading the book galleys and taking it all in, I sent some songs I wrote (inspired by the book) to Len and Frank. We all decided on “It’s Jesus” as the song to be released in tandem with the book.

The song is available on iTunes right now! And, you can also download the free app a.k.a. the nano-manifesto from the iTunes store. The app is somewhat of a tract version of Jesus Manifesto complete with a summary, a preview of the book, helpful links, and the song for your iPhone.

Click here to buy the song from iTunes!

Click here for app!

Click here for book on sale at Amazon! ON SALE BEGINNING TUESDAY, JUNE 1st!

You can join the Facebook group here.

This has been a joy ride for me. On a personal level, I respect and admire both Len and Frank very much. I am pleased with the amount of trust they have placed in me. As an artist, I am thrilled with the final product. As a Jesus follower and pastor, I am ecstatic about the book for Jesus’ church worldwide and honored to be associated with it.

Jesus Manifesto is heartening, refreshing, and convicting. My first read through the book was timely—-right in the middle of a series we were doing in the book of Colossians. If Colossians was the melody, Jesus Manifesto was the harmony.

Here is a brief description of what you will find in, Jesus Manifesto:

“Christians have made the gospel about so many things—things other than Christ. Religious concepts, ideas, doctrines, strategies, methods, techniques, programs, and formulas have all eclipsed the beauty, the glory, and the reality of the Lord Jesus Himself. On the whole, the Christian family today is starved for a real experience of the living Christ. We know a lot about our Lord, but we don't know Him very well. We know a lot about trying to be like Jesus, but very little about living by His indwelling life. "Jesus Manifesto" presents a fresh unveiling of Jesus as not only Savior and Lord, but as so much more. It is a prophetic call to restore the supremacy and sovereignty of Christ in a world—and a church—that has lost sight of Him. Read this book and see your Lord like you've never seen Him before.”

Please, go download the song! And, wait until Tuesday, June 1st to buy the book from Amazon. Spread the word!

P.S. Some time ago, there was some talk surrounding an evangelical manifesto that was circulating. Please do not confuse this book with that movement. This book is about Jesus. Pure. Simple. It is not political. It is not militant. It is not about who is in and who is out. It is not about rules and regulations. It is not about doctrine or methodology. It is about refocusing on Jesus in the midst of many distractions.

My New L O S T Theory

I haven’t heard anyone say this but I’d like to know if anyone is thinking it.

Chew on this LOST fans. SPOILER ALERT. DON’T READ UNLESS YOU ARE ALL CAUGHT UP ON LOST.

This week on LOST, Allison Janney was introduced as the “mother” of our two twins with the black and white wardrobe.

Allison kills the real mother of the twins when she works as a midwife and bashes her head in with a rock. Dead mom appears later in the episode to reveal the true lineage to the boy in black.

Early in the episode, faux momma introduces Jacob to a tunnel with incredible light pouring forth. She guards it. One day, he will guard it.

No one can enter the light because something way worse than death would happen. That something is revealed when Jacob throws his brother into the light and * poof * out comes the smoke monster.

Could the light be coming from Eden’s forbidden tree? The knowledge of good and evil?

In Jewish folklore Lilith is the name of Adam’s first wife, who was created at the same time and same earth as Adam. She left Adam after she refused to become subservient to Adam and then would not return to the Garden of Eden. Some say she was banished. She is most often described as a demon-lady. She has even appeared as a screech owl in stories of old.

A screech owl—you know, like a giant bird that flies at night making strange noises.

Other stories say Adam had a second wife before Eve. Stories describe her as being rejected by Adam because he watched her creation out of dust and couldn’t bear to look at her. She was sent away—unnamed. She became the caretaker of rejects and outcasts.

Any of this sounding familiar?

The Lilith myth is crazy fascinating. It is also said Lilith mated with the archangel, Samael. Samael is a seducer but he is also described as both good and evil. He is also said to be the guardian of Esau. You know, Esau, the brother of . . . Jacob. He is also said to be the angel who wrestled Jacob.

Is this new character, Lilith?

Is this new character Adam's second unnamed wife?

Is the island where she was banished?

Is she forbidden to enter the light much like the edict of Eden?

Is she upset about those who have come to the island because they have been birthed of Adam and Eve?

Did she murder a daughter of Eve and claim the children as her own to get back at Eve?

Do mothers die in childbirth on the island and do babies not survive because they are born of Eden and children of Adam and Eve?

Is the only way off the island for the Man in Black to inhabit the body of a son of Adam?

Do all mothers die in childbirth because Lilith/or the second wife cursed the island after the murder of the boys’ real mom?