Year 11: Every Kind of Music and Fun

Jazz is not pop and rock is not rap, but every style of music brings a certain kind of feeling, memory, move, community, satisfaction, and sensation that you can appreciate, if you will. Visible will. We got some hot players into the college in 2010 and 2011 and welcomed every genre. Worship music abounded, but so did folk music renaissance and star power voices on rock and pop, and a new gospel influence entered the college with smooth and melodious unction. Our international students contributed home flavors as we recommitted to new ways to sponsor our 10% goal of international students annually. We began to revamp the depth of our multi-artist promo projects and event music. As a school teacher that is serious about training for all music, the challenge was set - all genres all the time.

The fun that comes along is contagious.

We had a lot of concerts this year and especially enjoyed working across the city more for public performances, conferences, short tours, recording sessions, and connection to music industry outside of Memphis. The Christmas show came as an intimate but loud and friendly romp through genres for an increasing numbers of donors and supporters across Memphis, who fell in love with the charming songwriters and jumping happy and heavy music of Visible. We somehow always found our focus in Jesus Christ as savior, God the Holy Spirit as sustainer, and Father God as instigator of worship. Be it for gathered worship times in an old Methodist church, background music for an event, or rock clubs and festival stages, we brought the heavy, the happy, and the heavenly.

Relationships grow well in creative Christian community.

The move to the city had stretched our staff and the vision sometimes weighed down the adjustment to many more students and such a wide variety of community - but we loved it! Visible was built upon every type pf person seeking Jesus of the Bible and to grow in music and discipleship. Our staff worked day and night under growing leadership as we navigated the growth of the program and student body and sought to care for everyone. Worship times were such rewarding experiences as were late night moshing rock club environments in The Abbey. We saw another round of marriages erupt under Peet Strydom’s caring leadership and female leaders growing into new church job areas with Shannon Kropf and Heather Isaac working the front lines for young women leaders. Our relationships with national and global churches, ministries, and supporters widened and deepened, giving us confidence to see the big move to Downtown and the eventual smaller communities to come.

We had solidly entered the second phase of Visible history with a temporary space, expanded staff and faculty, resilient community, and healthy growth with young leaders and creatives.