Nashville

Jennifer Knapp’s album Kansas was the first Christian Contemporary album I purchased then wore out. Her song "Trinity" is still one of my favorite songs. I was a huge fan of her music, going to her shows, and always getting her album straight away because they were always great from start to finish. However, after her third, she disappeared. When I lived in Nashville I lived a stones throw from her recording studio/label. Don't be fooled, Nashville is speckled with studios that are as near as your neighbor’s basement, unassumingly mixing the musical genius of the likes of Bono with the suburban life. One day I asked a friend of mine who had worked with the label for years about her whereabouts or whatever happened to her. His response, "Wouldn't we all like to know." We had a brief talk about the details from the label's perspective and moved on.

Saturday morning I got up and turned on my laptop as I do most mornings to check my email and any updates on the wonderful world of Facebook. I was scrolling through the status updates coming across an article someone had posted from CNN. The title read, "Christian Music Artist Jennifer Knapp Comes Back and Comes Out."

I opened the article from CNN and there at the top just under the title was my beloved Jennifer Knapp, looking amazing, and answering questions about her sexuality confessing she has been in a same sex relationship for the better part of 8 years. The article made reference to the reactions of the Christian community mostly stating they are sad. The article didn't polarize too much to one side or the other, just simply told the story with some input from both opinions.

I too, am sad by this announcement. Not necessarily because I won't like her music anymore. She's still a great artist and maybe I'll embrace her more with the hopes of revelation - more sad for her. I wonder about the leadership in her life and how she has bought into a lie that is robbing her of what she was created to do. She stated this about God's opinion of her choice, "'I would rather be judged before God as being an honest human being," she said. "If I am in any way unpleasing in his sight, I can only hope and pray that he gives me the opportunity to find who I am supposed to be.'" I wonder when honesty and sinning became interchangeable? I am in no way judging her, but I do know that sin is sin and when we are bound in it we are bound – no matter our position, our popularity or limelight.

I can't wait until the time that my character has been developed in a fashion that will allow me to go back to Nashville and be bolder than I ever was when I lived there. I don't know why people, and I include myself in here, feel they can pick and choose the bits of the bible they like? I have to battle all that too. I think the difference is I have great leadership that doesn't muddle the voice of God or tell me what they think I should do. They guide me in sensitivity to hear from God on my own with my own revelation. From my experience with God I would think had she really quietly sought out God’s heartbeat on this topic her choices may have been different. Whenever I am seeking answers God is ALWAYS faithful and he’s never guided me to choose something against his word.

One day I am going back to Nashville. I will speak to Christians who have been disillusioned and lost. I will encourage those that had a great dream and vision for their lives which somehow became lost in the hurt and loneliness of Nashville. One day they will remember their dream and race after their destiny. One day there will be a church that helps guide the local church of Nashville. When that day comes mighty things will unfold and Nashville will be greater, bolder, and more kingdom focused. It will be a city on a hill and it will change generations. One day!

Until that day, I'm praying for them. I am praying for leadership, for producers, for artists, and for Jennifer Knapp.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Music/04/16/jennifer.knapp.gay/index.html?iref=allsearch

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