"The
theme that runs through my music is that the love of God is stronger
than anything else we will come up against. We human beings are
imperfect but God is perfect and He will complete a good work in us one
day. With my future performances and albums, I would like to point to
Jesus and His love for us. A love that is unwavering, tough, and bigger
than we are."
Peace in Christ ~ Mitch McVicker
Mitch McVicker was born in Kansas and spent his childhood and youth
with his loving family; his parents and sister, Andrea. Mitch shared with ChristianMusic.com about his early life and growing up years in Topeka, Kansas.
"My
family life was really good; a real good practical Kansas upbringing.
My parents instilled a good work ethic in me, respect for others, and
devotion to God. My parents taught me responsibility. Doing homework
and practicing music lessons and practicing athletics came before
watching Superfriends, Press Your Luck, and Three's Company."
Mitch shares his early influences as being "my parents, my uncle Greg, Bob Bodenheimer, Richard McGhee and Tom Osborne."
Mitch was blessed by being raised in a Christian home, which gave him a
solid foundation to start his evolving spiritual journey and walk with
the Lord.
Mitch explains to ChristianMusic.com:
"I
grew up in a Christian home, but it wasn't in-your-face. Like I said,
it was a very practical Kansas upbringing. Church going, Bible
reading, and prayer were instilled in me. The whole
'when-i-became-a-Christian' question is a difficult one to answer, as
it is for many people. As I grew up, there were a bunch of times when I
tried to take my faith to another level. With each instance, it seemed
like I was becoming new; it seemed like that was THE time. So, I am
not sure about how and when it happened. I am just glad it happened.
Frankly, i don't think it's much of my business, because i don't make
myself a Christian...Jesus does."
Other
people came along to help him grow and evolve as a follower of Jesus
and in developing and using his gifts. His mid-life influences were:
Jim Smith, Rich Mullins and Brennan Manning. His present influences are
his wife, Paula, his daughter, Brooklyn, Apostles Paul and John, Tom
Waits, Paul Yodis, Anne Lamott and John Piper. His mentors; past and
present are Brooklyn, Paula, his parents and Rich Mullins.
He was surrounded by music from an early age, as his mother was an
elementary school music teacher, who was the first to pick up on the
fact that Mitch had a gift for music, at age 2. Like many talented
artists, his gifts surfaced early in his life.
When asked about his first performance, Mitch recalls, "My mom entered
me in a talent show when I was 2. I sang a show tune and won an oven
mitten."
While being involved in sports, excelling in basketball, he also sang
in various choirs in church and school, and participated in talent
shows. At age 11, he was given a guitar, and had several years of
guitar lessons.
Musical
artists which influenced Mitch as a musician are Rich Mullins, Bob
Dylan, Tom Waits, Bob Schneider, Adam Duritz, '80's top 40 radio, soul
coughing and Jakob Dylan.
photo courtesy of : http://mmcvicker.com
Christianmusic.com: When did you start writing your own songs?
"My
parents put me through guitar lessons when I was 12. My mom would make
me sing in church as I was growing up. I got tired of doing songs from
books and started to make up my own."
When
he graduated from high school, he attended Friends University, playing
basketball for the college, and majoring in religion and philosophy. He
was planning on being a pro basketball player. The Lord had other plans
for him. While at Friends University, his path crossed the highly
respected Christian music artist, Rich Mullens who was attending
Friends University to earn a teaching degree in music . This friendship
between Rich and Mitch grew, and when they graduated in May 1995, Rich
invited Mitch to come work with him in his music ministry.
Mitch shares with ChristianMusic.com,
"Rich
Mullins encouraged me to become creative, to be honest, to question, to
remember that my faith is bigger than my feelings, and to hold onto the
truth that the Lord builds in us. Rich encouraged me to journal, to
practice, and to work on the skill of songwriting without taking it too
seriously."
They
started to write songs together, such as "Nothing is Beyond You" and
performed in concert from '95-'97. Rich always gave Mitch a time in
every concert to play his own music. By 1997, Rich and Mitch both
returned to the studio to record new records, though each contributed
to each other's endeavors. On the last day of recording the vocals for
Mitch's album, they were in a tragic car accident on their way back to
Kansas for a concert. Rich Mullens went home to be with the Lord, and
Mitch hung onto life by a thread, but pulled through his serious
injuries.
Mitch shares with us about this traumatic event in his life.
"The
big molding event in my life, (though each day is filled with several)
was this car crash. I survived 10 years ago. It killed Rich Mullins and
left me in a coma with broken bones, collapsed lungs, etc. The
recovery was a few years long and I had to relearn to do basic stuff
that I had taken for granted. The Lord's faithfulness, inspite of my
lack of faith, is mind-blowing;not because I have progressed and
healed, but because He continues to construct me through ALL things.
And hopefully, that event has made me more sensitive to that fact."
Going
through difficult trials and struggles can give one clarity in one's
blessings, gifts and weaknesses. For during times of trouble, a person
can discover gifts which hadn't been used or exercised in one's life
yet.
photo courtesy of http://mmcvicker.com
Mitch shares about what he realizes about the gifts the Lord blessed
Him with, and the area in his life where he has to ask for help; pray
for discernment.
"I
think our greatest gift can also be our greatest weakness. Quite
possibly the greatest gift the Lord has blessed me with is
perseverance. At times, people are inspired by my ability to just keep
going...regardless. This is absolutely no accomplishment at all.
Rather, it is nearly an unconscious response to what the Lord has
given. It's an absolute no-brainer. It's what I do...what I need to
do to be me; to be faithful to what the Lord is doing in me. So it's
cool, because my being faithful simply means living out the gift that
the Lord has placed in me. The weakness part? I am a terrible
discerner. My greatest struggle is when I come to a wall. I wonder if
the Lord has placed it there to say "stop", or, is the Lord calling me
to keep pushing on the wall until it falls."
Since the accident, Mitch McVicker has been both on the long road to a
symptom-free recovery and the path of bringing a spirit -driven music
ministry to bring the hope and love of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to
the world. As he has evolved along the way, he has passed on what he
has learned about the Lord, and being his servant in a music ministry.
His newest CD, LOVE WILL RISE, is a great example of this. Christianmusic.com asked Mitch about the goal or theme of this CD, for our upcoming music review of LOVE WILL RISE
photo courtesy of : http://mmcvicker.com
Mitch explains the main theme which is expressed so well in this collection of songs:
"I
never set out to write thematic CDs or put a mission statement to a
record, but one always seems to stand up and make itself evident; even
after the recording process has been completed. That's what happened
with LOVE WILL RISE. CDs, for me, are typically a collection of songs
that happen to be faith expressions. It is an opportunity to share my
faith experience and point people towards Jesus through quality art.
"The theme of this cd is the title. I am trying to be a balloon; in
the sense that a balloon isn't fully what it is intended to be until it
is filled with that which is lighter and less dense than everything
else around it. A balloon isn't truly a balloon until it rises. We
are the same. Love rises. The spirit of the Lord rises. So, why
don't we go ahead and be what the Lord has always intended us to be,
and let ourselves be filled with that which is rising; Love Will Rise.
"Yes, Love Will Rise, in the midst of our rough stuff and struggles.
Our troubles won't be taken away, but the lord will use them to
construct us into who he would have us become. Romans 8.32 says....and
I paraphrase...'Won't he who did not withhold his own son, but gave him
up for us, continue to give us all things?' So, I guess EVERYTHING
that comes our way; (the good, the bad, the smooth, the rough, the
light, the dark, the easy, the hard) will be used by the Lord. It
seems that many times, the Lord ESPECIALLY uses our struggles to
construct us. Yes, He will twist us and turn us and mold us and shape
us,.through every situation, because: Love Will Rise."
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