My experience with Metro Big Band and Gospel Joy on this trip was truly life changing! Enjoy the brief recap video below.
By the Numbers
We didn’t perform in every city, but by traveling and sight seeing by my count we carried the love of Jesus to 15 cites! Żnin, Oborniki, Biskupin, Mosina, Poznań (and suburbs), Bolesławiec, Bielawa, Wałbrzych, Wrocław, Dzierżoniów, Łabiszyn, and Strzelce Krajeńskie, Środa Wielkopolska, Rogowo, Gąsawa, Try and pronounce those! Wherever the souls of our feet landed God gave us influence and His light was carried by our witness in those cities.
We were in 8 different venues, 6 concerts and 2 schools. It is estimated that we directly touched around 4000 souls who attended our performances both in the schools and at our concerts!
These kids loved America! We were able to tell them about Jesus as well as play for them.
There is something so special about returning to a mission parter after a previous visit. I was with Metro Big Band and Gospel Joy in 2018. When the opportunity came for me to go back in 2024 there wasn’t even a question in my mind. The answer was yes!
As a casual observer it might be difficult to understand and really see what all takes place on a mission like this. If you haven’t had the opportunity to be there first hand, anything I try to write or show in pictures will fall short of the true impact of these trips. But let me try.
The Power of Music
God is using His creative power resident within live music, performed by His creations to draw crowds in to convey His message to the people. People who don’t realize how deeply and badly they are in need of who He is. A healer, a savior a forgiver, a redeemer. The Healer, the Savior, the Forgiver and the Redeemer!
The power of music is a blessing on so many fronts. As a participant myself, someone who has studied, practiced and prepared my whole life to play on a professional level and to use the gift God has given me for His glory - there is no greater thrill. In the moment I can sense His presence and the anointing of the Holy Spirit all around me in me and through me as well is flowing through the team of musicians and singers all who are connecting both musically and spiritually to the One who made us.
As prepared as we can be, almost always something happens that didn’t go according to plan. God smiles and lets us know every time that He is in control and that He has a plan. And His plan is always the best plan. Team members have delayed flights, participants battle illness, a venue has issues with the sound system and so on. But then God shows up and shows Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are loyal and turned towards Him. All things truly work together for good because we are the called ones according to His purpose.
On this trip we performed traditional Polish Christmas carols and the crowds with joy and jubilance sang their hearts out. And in the same concerts we were ministering a song that said, “Jesus is the balm of Gilead that would heal their sin sick soul!” These crowds were dancing singing and shouting the name of Jesus! I’m sure most of them had no idea that the Bible says, “whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved!” What a great opportunity for Jesus to come in and move by His Spirit and have His way.
Relationship Development
At the end of the day people are people. They long for connection and exchange on a person to person level. Yes there was a language barrier. The music was a universal language for sure. But beyond that we shared meals with our Gospel Joy friends, viewed pictures of loved ones, and shared hobbies and interests. Just “doing life” with our mission partners and even with our fellow Global Mission participants from the U.S. was so invaluable.
My now life long friend who didn’t follow Jesus when I met him in 2018, but he joyfully loves and serve the Lord now!
A final group photo of a tired but fulfilled Metro Big Band and Gospel Joy team!
Learning short phrases in Polish and trying to pronounce Polish words and cities all made for hilarious interaction and fellowship. Letting my Gospel Joy friends help me find the best regional foodie finds is a beautiful and lasting memory for me. Oh the food! Oh the donuts!
Building trust. Carrying each others bags, unloading the bus, snapping silly selfies. All of it feels a whole lot to me like Jesus and his disciples going from place to place, living life, learning about the Creator and King, and loving and serving the lost all along the way.
Part of our journey always involves sharing in each others weaknesses and celebrating and being in awe of the talent God has blessed us with. I had the pleasure of hearing some of the most gifted musicians play jazz for the glory of God! And these gospel joy soloist singers, with no self aggrandizing, no pomp and circumstance - would just flat out sing and bring the house down! What a beautiful thing to experience.
Testimonies
All the while as we are ministering, God is working in hearts and in lives. We won’t know until we are in heaven all that He was able to do because we obeyed Him and answered His call to go. But it is always a delight to hear first hand through someone who has been touched by our ministry as they share and give testimony. The testimony below was from a concert goer, a young single mother, who came and met with our director in person after a concert.
Thank you for encouraging me tonight 😇 Sometimes I feel like I'm stuck in my little polish hometown and asking the Father what to do next and He has literally brought you to me, because I heard everything that I needed to hear to keep going and believing His promises. Not many will understand but I couldn't stop crying when I left the concert hall, because I was so moved by how He performed the whole thing this evening. Sometimes I cannot even find right words to explain what I feel when such coincidences happen. Someone recently gave me a prophetic word about a vision where they saw me first as a survivor floating in the ocean looking for direction and then a huge american navy ship that took me to some uknown land. While I was on the ship I felt happy sharing my stories with the crew. This is pretty much what could have happenned tonight. To God be the glory💟 May the Lord bless you and keep you.
A few Gospel Joy members shared that they had been discouraged and were planning on leaving Gospel Joy. But because of our presence (the Metro Big Band members) they had been refreshed and encouraged and the Lord was speaking to them to continue on in the group and allow the Lord to continue to move through them with Gospel Joy.
Not to be overlooked, every participant from Global Missions project has to raise the funds to pay for their trip. God uses countless faithful givers to sow their treasure into the kingdom of heaven through trips like this one! So every seed sown, every life impacted for eternity is a tremendous group effort. We must not forget the boots on the ground team from GMP that plans and coordinates every trip, sometimes 10 or more per year are heroes! What God does through them is to be greatly appreciated, and they need your constant prayers.
The Work on the Ground: EPIC Poland
Andrzej “Andrew”Gorski, the co founder of Gospel Joy with his sister Agnieszka Baca (Batza)Tomaszewska, has an incredible testimony of how God found him and changed his life. Through our tour with Gospel Joy, we were privileged to be an inspiration to help further fuel and promote what God is doing on the ground in Poland in the evangelical church. We now have a life long investment in and vital connection to this amazing work God is doing! Please take a minute to learn more about Evangelical Poland, give them prayer support and consider financially contributing to the upcoming EPIC Christian Training Center.
Thank You
Of course this post will be read by any who may stumble upon it. But it is intended for you - the faithful giver to my mission trips. Those who every time I do a mail out, send an email, post a trip to Facebook respond with a financial donation. To those who put me and the team on your prayer list and intercede for me and for the team. This is to all the church mission boards and elders, deacons, trustess, whoever you are that come together and say a financial “yes” to helping these musicians like me carry the gospel to the nations through the gift of music. I am forever grateful. I am better for it. Poland is better for it. And you have helped populate heaven for all eternity, reconnecting the lost with the lover of their souls. Thank you! To God the Father and Jesus His Son and the Holy Spirit be all glory and honor forever. Amen.