The worship center at Northwest Bible Church resonated and glowed last night as 300 supporters gathered to enjoy a fundraising concert for the Bethesda Young Life group.
Bebo Norman, Christopher Williams and Dallas native Patrick Ryan Clark took the stage together in a wonderful organic collaboration that brought amazing depth and meaning to their songs. Taking turns singing, each artist shared their heart with the audience before passing the mic along to the next person in line. On some songs, the three artists functioned like a single band, joining in on percussion, guitar, and backing vocals. This "songwriters in the round" style of concert brought a special feeling to the evening that really highlighted Bethesda Young Life, a ministry to the disabled that puts all people on equal footing in the eyes of God.
Patrick Ryan Clark, a gifted local singer songwriter who has participated in the BYL in years past, moved the crowd with his song "Mercy" and the story behind it. While some performers would be overwhelmed in the presence of the National talent on the stage, Patrick held his own easily with his musical chops and his quick wit. His humorous banter kept the emotionally intense evening from collapsing under it's own weight, and made a perfect segue into the one-man-band and storyteller Christopher Williams' audience-participation-heavy set list.
Williams, the Evel Kinevel of singer-songwriters, stole the night with his bluesy gospel roots music and menagerie of instruments. With a combination of guitar-driven ballads and sing-alongs with percussion only, he had the heart of the audience captivated, at one point Patrick Ryan Clark commenting that he expected Christopher to pick up one of the candles lighting the stage and start playing it. His popular songs "God Can Do Anything" and "Deep Blue Sea" were two highlights of the night, the full weight of his heart poured into the performance. Introducing a new song written on the plane the day before, Christopher told the story of the crippled man who sat at the Temple Gate called Beautiful. "Carry me to the gate called Beautiful, let the doors swing open wide... you may see me as a broken vessel, but to this body I'm not tied." The audience and other performers sang along in a kind of musical experiment as Christopher excitedly played percussion with his hands and feet and read the verses off a crumpled paper on the nearby podium.
There was certainly no phoning it in for any of the performers, and Bebo Norman was no exception. His more reserved personality blended well with Williams' quirkiness and Clark's easygoing style. Bebo brought his friend and right hand musician Gabe Scott, who graced the evening with backup accompaniment on piano, hammered dulcimer, accordion, and guitar. Bebo's humble sharing and deep songs were the perfect finish to each round of the concert, the highlight being his hit song "Great Light of the World." With Gabe Scott on hammered dulcimer, Christopher Williams on percussion, and Patrick Ryan Clark on backing vocals and supportive guitar, Bebo's voice swelled and washed over the audience while the A/V technician ran a light show that glowed perfectly in harmonious colors that emulated a sunrise.
The whole group of performers were joined on stage by the members of the Bethesda Young Life chapter, singing and signing the simple but powerful classic "Jesus Loves Me" before leader Sean Mann shared his heart with the audience, asking for support for this important ministry effort. Bethesda reaches hundreds of young people with disabilities in the Dallas area through club meetings, visitation at schools, and Summer Camp each year.
With a modest budget and lots of sweat equity, the club is changing the dynamic for those who would not have another way to experience Jesus' love. With nearly 20 percent of the population in America having a disability, many consider the disabled an unreached people group in churches, where they are often vastly underrepresented.
To learn more about Bethesda, see their official web site or friend them on Facebook.
Purchase Bebo Norman's songs, including "Great Light of the World," on iTunes.
For a taste of his live concert, purchase Christopher Williams' CD "Something as Simple" on iTunes.
Friend Patrick Ryan Clark on his Facebook page or purchase his music on iTunes.
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