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by Jennifer Walker
"I need to remember this show is not about me; it's a worship night with worship songs."
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Forgivenmuch plays
before a crowd
On Nov. 2, Forgivenmuch was one of the opening bands in a Matt Brouwer concert at Rolling Hills Community Church in Tualatin, Ore. Jennifer Walker followed them throughout the evening.
The last chord of "Nothing but the Blood" hung in the air and echoed back from rows of empty chairs.
"Can we have a sound check?" acoustic guitarist John Ross asked the sound technician.
The other members stood on the stage with Ross. They included alto Sheri Stafford, electric guitarist Scott Olsen, bassist Chuck Larson, pianist Brian Cheney, B-3 player Kevin Kruse and drummer Colin Wyenberg.
The band members had arrived at Rolling Hills Community Church at 2:40 p.m. They had been practicing for over an hour. Tonight they played in a concert with Matt Brouwer. The second of three bands to perform, Forgivenmuch wanted to make sure the audience got its money's worth.
"I feel slightly more relaxed about this show because we don't have to set up any equipment," Wyenberg commented, "but I'm more nervous about the music because people are paying."
And because of the monetary aspect, the band members dwelled on one question: Was this concert a performance or a worship service?
"In worship leadership class, we [talked] about the difference between performing and leading worship," Scott Olsen said. "I'm trying to decide what this gig is. It's confusing, but I'm not anxious about it. I'm excited."
Sheri Stafford, however, was more nervous. "I have to keep giving my heart to the Lord. I need to remember this show is not about me; it's a worship night with worship songs."
The band members stopped their sound check to allow the first band to start theirs. While listening to the band, led by Tim McDonald, Forgivenmuch members kept themselves entertained. Stafford and
Wyenberg hopped up and down the steps leading to the stage. Ross sat by a piano player from another band and others talked among themselves.
McDonald and his band didn't spend a lot of time with the sound check, and once they moved off stage, the Forgivenmuch members returned to rehearse until the dinner break.
All three bands ate together in the church youth room. After they finished their Baja Fresh sandwiches, they prayed before the start of the show.
At 7:20 p.m. the first band stepped up to the microphone. At 8:15 p.m., the sounds of Forgivenmuch blared from the speakers into an audience of 250. Energy flowed from the band exceeding that of Tim McDonald's band and what Multnomah Bible College students see in chapel.
The band set the stage like they normally do in chapel with Ross and Stafford in the front, Kruse and Olsen to one side, with Larson and Cheney to the other, and Wyenberg in the back. A Powerpoint presentation displayed the lyrics, and the audience sang along. Forgivenmuch played songs the band members had written themselves, but the band included several traditional worship songs.
After the first song, Ross paused to
pray "not that more bands would play and [that more] be performed, but that
God would be worshiped."
Brian Cheney took center to sing "Without the Blood."
"I grew up in a Christian bubble," he explained to the audience, "which was a good thing, but it warped my mind. I always thought that I had to be perfect, be the good boy. But our [flesh] doesn't allow for perfection because of our fallen nature. We're nothing without the blood of Jesus."
"Praise the Lord!" Stafford exclaimed once Forgivenmuch had left the stage. "I sensed the Lord's presence in the group tonight. [We] give more when we sense Him. Then we know our hearts are in the right place, and we can just let go and worship."
"I feel real good," Ross said. "It's a tough line to walk between being a band and a worship team. People pay to see a band, but we need to bring them into worship. I feel we did a pretty good job at that."
Wyenberg said he also felt the night went well. "God has been teaching and reminding me worship is all about Him. I need to pray 'I just want to worship you.' It's about finding that balance between worshiping and playing well."
MBC students dotted the audience that the bands played for. During the time that Forgivenmuch played, the students raised their hands in worship to the Lord.
"God was totally with them tonight," sophomore Amy Heitz said. "It was definitely different from what is in chapel; they had more energy. Out of all three bands, I feel that they drew me deeper into worship."
"They put on a solid show--more aggressive than chapel. I can see how easy it can be to get burned out," sophomore Ty Watilo said. "But true worship comes out of personal worship with the Lord and how you're living for Him at the time."
Who are They?
Forgivenmuch, Multnomah Bible College's worship band, consists of leader John Ross (acoustic guitar), lead guitarist Scott Olsen, bassist Chuck Larson, pianist Brian Cheney, B-3 player Kevin Kruse, vocalist Sheri Stafford, and drummer Colin Wyenberg.
History
Professor Miriam Gibby selected John to lead a worship team in 1999. The leaders pick their own teams. Forgivenmuch started out as "John Ross' Worship Team," and consisted of Cheney, Stafford, Larson and Ross. Kruse and Wyenberg joined later.
Ross Describes the Members:
Ross said Larson is laid back and the group's father figure. He usually watches and is quiet.
Cheney is similar but passive-aggressive. He makes the world a better place.
Ross described himself as a perfectionist.
Olsen is funny.
Stafford is one of the boys and proud of it.
Kruse is constantly crazy--and he gets stuck in his keyboard stand repeatedly.
Wyenberg is laid back with a balanced personality. He's also the only single guy in the group.
Their Ministry
Forgivenmuch plays at churches such as the Calvary Community Church youth group's outreach event. Their CD is ministering to people around the world. The group also ministers- to the student body.
Looking Ahead
John Ross said he'd like to do another summer tour after he graduates this year. Next year, he would like to "get the band up to being self-supporting so that the members wouldn't have to work other jobs on the side. Full-time would be cool if we so felt led by God," he said.
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