In 2006 we went to Chicago, with about 40 students and sponsors.
in 2007 we took around 60 total and ministered in Miami,
in 2008 we were in Dallas, 80 strong,
2009 found us working in Washington, D. C. with 85 students and sponsors
and just last year in 2010 we worked in New Orleans with 109 students and sponsors.
This year 116 students and sponsors are headed to Minnesota and with bunch of newbies we thought some advice would be needed! The below advice was given from graduates and former SWAT choir tour attendees. You will find behind their names the tour(s) that they attended. I believe they have some great tips and hope that in our last few days of frenzied preperation and high anticipation that these messages will be inspirational and taken to heart. Enjoy!
Andrew Calvert: (Chicago, Miami, Dallas) "When I was in Highschool I had the opportunity to go on choir tour several times! It was phenomenal, exciting and fun, and I really enjoyed it every year I went. Tour is possibly going to be all of those things for you but I don’t want you to miss the point. I don’t want you to JUST go on tour and have a great time because all the fun you could and possibly will have on tour will not count for anything if the name of Jesus is not carried wherever you go. If Jesus is not the core focus and reason you have for each and every concert then what is the point? My prayer for each and every one of you going on tour is that you focus on the name that is above every name Phil 2:9-12"
Ginny Lou Henley: (Chicago) "Don’t use the bathroom on the bus unless it is a last resort. Also, remember that its not about you but its bringing glory to Jesus Christ and keeping the body unified. And remember, ‘they will know you by your love’”.
Katie Dye: (Miami, Dallas, D.C. & New Orleans) "Choir Tour will end up being possibly the hardest most incredible week of your life! Here’s a little advice… Don’t get discouraged on the bad days, those will be the ones that God will move the most and you will remember the longest. Don’t let petty friendship rifts destroy your attitude. Work it out and move on and remember your purpose. Don’t talk to Matt in the morning. Stay in the Word EVERYDAY of this trip. It is your weapon. Don’t leave it in the room, take it out with you and use it! Don’t complain. It’ll bring you and those around you down. Be an encouragement. Someone else’s day might be worse than yours and you might have the words they need to hear. Respect your sponsors. They paid to be there too. Pray without ceasing. Be bold. Worship at all times. Have fun. Come back changed!!"
Kelly Vance: (Dallas, D.C. New Orleans) "Watch out for puddles! Be patient and don’t stress before a concert even when NOTHING is going right. Those are always the best concerts in the end because you rely on God and not on yourself. Also, If you have anything against anyone going on tour, fix it before hand. If you don’t you will never be able to truly worship God on the trip."
Laura Kay Richardson: (Miami, Dallas, D.C., & New Orleans) "Watch out for crazy toilets and don’t lean on the bus windows!!! Remember why you are on this trip, and let your life be a reflection of Christ at all times."
Lizzie Griffith: (Dallas) "3 things you need is patience, flexibility, and a good attitude. You live with so many people in close quarters so patience is needed for others, especially towards the end of the trip. Second is flexibility, not all things go as planned, be able to adjust to situations and step up and lead. Lastly a good attitude. You will get tired and cranky at points but rely on strength from the Lord. Make sure to always be optimistic and encouraging to keep the team on good spirits and to exemplify the Love of Christ. Oh and lastly, pray without ceasing all week long for you and your team!"
Matthew Chandler: (New Orleans) "Go into the trip with an open mind and an open heart. Go into the trip knowing you’re going to have a great time with your friends but know that God will use you for awesome things if you allow Him to work through you. Pray daily for opportunity to share the gospel with someone."
Paul Henley: (Chicago, Miami, Dallas,) "Complaining gets you nowhere! Anytime you want to complain think of these verses. Phil 2:14-15, Instead of complaining seek to build up your fellow believers and do whatever you can to help the team! As you go out remember you are “lights in the world” SHINE BRIGHTLY! If you are tired and bored on the bus ride the solution is simple! Play a game, read your Bible! Eat a snack, find a new friend! Write out your multiplication tables all the way through 21, sing mary had a little lamb backwards! Eat another snack, randomly yell the word “halt” followed by a name of a tree, bush or shrub, text the words YOU DON’T FAIL to a random friend, see if you can get the whole bus to play mafia! See the Solution is simple!"
Rachel Jackson: (Chicago, Miami, Dallas, D.C.) "Avoid the silly distractions".
Rebekah Clements: (Chicago, Miami, Dallas) "Put your name on your water bottle and always have it close. Viitamin C and plenty of scripture and prayer. Both individually and in small groups."
Robby Baker: (Dallas, D.C., New Orleans) "I have noticed it is easy to be discoraged if only a small amount of people show up to any one concert... and yet almost every time its those times when I felt like God showed up for us and reminded us that its about Him anyway. It was always a good reminder to me that we're not supposed to praise Him for the crowd. It should be legit no matter who is watching."
Sara Dye: (Miami, Dallas, DC) "Try to talk to Matt as little as possible until after 10am . Haha just kidding. Ok, my advice would be to remember to fix your eyes on the Reason for the trip. Its so easy to get distracted with friends fun and even the music, drama and stomp that you forget why you are on tour-that reason is to make His Name famous, to extend His glory. Hebrews 12:1-3 is a great passage for tour. Also, remember that our God is a God of order and unity. Your unity as a body and your love for those you minister to is to be Christ’s Love. Read 1 Corinthians 13 remembering that God is Love, so replace the word love with the word God . God is patient, God is kind, etc and then remember that we are called to be more like Him everyday! Those are the characteristics we should be asking Him to cultivate in us! On a humorous note-be flexible and patient. It’s a trip with Matt allow for a lot of bathroom breaks… he will take them."
Sharon Spikes: (Chicago, Dallas, D.C., New Orleans) "Remember Whose you are and why you are doing this at all. Do ALL to honor and glorify Him. Stay above any drama, focus and sing for Him. Let your face match the lyrics. Have a blast sharing the most important person in your life! I love you all!"
Taylor James (Miami) "Ode de Toilet. So on Choir Tour 2007 we had stopped to stay at a hotel for the night and the lobby of that hotel's bathrooms were already stopped up so when one of the guys I was rooming with had to use the toilet it got stopped up, then another guy had to use it too and the nearest restroom was a mile down the road, but this guy couldn't hold it in any longer and so he just went and did his duty anyways...and flushed, and flushed, and as the waters began to rise we began to laugh-then freak as it started to come into the room. The funniest and worst part of this story was the next morning we discovered our toilet in our room had run down to the room right below ours and into a Senior girl's suitcase!
The moral of this story, is that no matter how bad you have to go, always make sure the toilet flushes before you use it."
And last but not least, someone who has not physically been on a choir tour but has been partnered with each of them in prayer and is doing so for this one as well:
“Walk humbly with your God; and I would add, speak boldly in His Name!” –Bro. Jimmy
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