“He’s like Buddy the Elf meets Forrest Gump,” says MercyMe singer Bart Millard of the fictitious namesake behind his band’s sixth studio album, The Generous Mr. Lovewell. “He sees the good in everyone and knows his neighbors enough to know their needs. Mr. Lovewell may not be the next Billy Graham, but he’s changing the world each day.”
“It’s working the way we hoped it would,” Bart admits. “People are taking the concept ten miles further down the road, trying to top each other’s random acts of generosity toward strangers, and leaving notes behind that say ‘courtesy of Mr. Lovewell.’ We want to see this become a movement that’s bigger than the record itself.”
Plans for the record first took shape last year after MercyMe returned from a poverty-stricken province in the Dominican Republic where the guys met children they sponsor through Compassion International. “We always heard ‘you come back different’ from a trip like that, and sure enough, it turned our world upside down,” Millard explains. “We came back disgusted with ourselves and what we had considered important in life. It was time to relate this to our audience—the church—and figure out how we might all do something about improving the way we love each other, at home or halfway around the globe.”
The message of committing to extravagant selflessness and faithful optimism threads its way through every song. In “Move,” Millard says he’s gonna move to a different drum no matter what life brings while his band pounds out an absolutely slamming pop arrangement reminiscent of artists from Maroon 5 and Beyonce back to the Bee Gees.
“It’s one thing to be kind to someone, to be decent,” Millard concludes. “But if we really believe we have this hope, then to stop short—to not be the hands and feet of Jesus—seems almost offensive. Our dream is for this album to inspire others to ‘pay it forward’ to the cross. It doesn’t have to be about major sacrifices. Just let your life become such that people know what you stand for.” In other words, open your eyes to others’ needs and be generous with God’s blessings.
> Don't miss MERCYME in New England next weekend for 2 shows with Phil Wickham. Friday, November 12in Lowell, MA and Sunday, November 14 in Portland, ME. <
No comments:
Post a Comment