Displaying items by tag: benpierce

My first tour with No Longer Music was in 2008. I had been asked to play guitar - even though I’d never really played.

After a whirlwind month of preparation, we boarded a plane and many hours later we arrived in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan - the first country I ever toured in!

I was ill-equipped, young, and naive, but I got to see God transform lives on the spot. It was extraordinary, and it changed my life.

In the years that followed, I would travel to over forty countries, preaching the Gospel in some amazing places.

I got to see people kneeling in the main square of Reykjavík, Iceland; people praying to receive Jesus in Beirut, Lebanon; and many responding to the gospel in cities from Moscow to Madrid to Warsaw. I got to pray with tattooed, hardcore guys in São Paulo, Brazil, gang members in New Zealand, and thousands of “ordinary” young people all over the world.

In early 2020, no longer young, and a little less naive, I was gearing up for my 12th consecutive summer tour, when the world changed. COVID was a rumor, then it was everything, and by May it was clear the tour wouldn’t happen.

This was very jarring. Touring with No Longer Music was a constant in my life for over a decade - but what’s one summer, right? Or two?

Fast forward to today, and it’s been more than two years since I’ve played with No Longer Music.

This season has been a challenge, but God has used it to deepen my dependence on Him and refine my faith. In light of this newfound perspective, I pray boldly as before, but with deeper peace.

I pray with confidence knowing that the God of the universe hears me and can do anything and that it all ultimately rests on Him.

Character building is great (after the fact), but now it’s time to get back on the road!

We are praying and preparing for the 2022 NLM Tour with full intensity, and we expect to proclaim the Gospel all throughout Europe this summer!

All-day, every day, people are hearing lies, and they are being destroyed. This generation deserves to hear the truth, and No Longer Music will shout it from the rooftops!

This year, NLM will proclaim the message of the cross in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Serbia, Romania, Norway, Poland, and Ukraine.

In every location, Steiger works closely with local teams, ministry partners, and churches to ensure that those who respond have the opportunity to be discipled into mature followers of Jesus.

In preparation for the 2022 summer tour, we have written a brand-new show, tons of new songs, and added many exciting new visuals and special effects.

I believe this will be our most powerful show yet.

If you live in the Minneapolis area, don’t miss this chance to see the show in person. We will perform the new No Longer Music show on Sunday, May 1st at Grace Church in Eden Prairie as part of Steiger’s 2022 Summer of Impact launch event.

The world is desperate to hear the truth. We will go - will you send us?

In 1991 I went on tour in Mongolia with No Longer Music. We were the first western rock band to tour Mongolia, so all of our concerts were packed out.

I’ve been in full-time ministry for over a decade, and have experienced some incredible things. I have seen people kneeling in the main square of Reykjavík, Iceland; praying to receive Jesus in Beirut, Lebanon; and responding to the Gospel in cities from Moscow to Madrid to Warsaw. I have prayed with tattooed, hardcore guys in São Paulo, Brazil, and gang members in New Zealand.

When I was a teenager, my mom pulled out a school report from when I was six years old and held it up next to the one she had just received the day before. They both said the exact same thing, “Ben is a good kid, he just never stops talking!”

Seeing the ocean for the first time is an extraordinary experience, but if you see it every day, sadly, the sense of awe diminishes. Soon, you will barely notice it at all. This applies to almost any aspect of the human experience. Repeated exposure to anything, whether oceans, mountains, or ice cream, leads to familiarity, which over time dulls our appreciation for it.

It's critical to remember that "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:12)

Growing up, I was frequently told, "Never win the argument, but lose the friend." For someone as argumentative and competitive as myself, this was good advice. Unfortunately, I didn't always follow it.

If we are humble, we can discuss anything with anyone. It doesn't matter how hostile the person or divisive the topic. Humility leads us to listen more than speak. It gives us a genuine interest in other people and a teachable spirit. Most importantly, it frees us from the burden of needing to know everything. The truth is, no one has all the answers, not even Christians.

Followers of Jesus should be fluent in the motives, fears, and dreams of those around them. Like we talked about in the last post, we achieve this by being great listeners.