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Chat Transcript - Eli Live
from January 6th, 2000
on ChristianityToday.com
 Eli:
Hey everyone
CO
Host: Welcome to the CO Yakety Cafe!
Eli:
Thanks for having me
CO
Host:
Glad that all of you could join us here tonight for our live chat with Eli.
I don't know about you Eli but I could use some prayer. I was sort of stuck
out there in cyberspace and my blood pressure has doubled.
Eli:
Yes, prayer is good for everything.
CO
Host:
Let's go ahead and open our chat in prayer
:::::praying::::
Father God thank you for bringing us together, and we just ask that you
might take this moment that we might be one in you and that all might
be done for your glory. May all that is said be pleasing to you! Thank
you for Eli and his heart for you. We give this time now to you, in Jesus'
Name. Amen.
Eli:
Amen
CO
Host:
Eli before we start, I'd like to tell the audience how we will do this chat.
For those of you who are here for the first time to a live chat, here's how
we do it. If you have a question for Eli when I say time for questions, you
post a ?—just press *?*. The first 5 to press ? will get queued, then we
will go through those 5. So at that point PLEASE hold all quesitons. We're only
going to take those 5, then when we've done those 5 I'll ask for another 5.
OK?
Eli:
Thank you for having me.
CO
Host:
Are you ready to get started?
Eli:
Lets rock and roll.
CO
Host:
Tonight we are pleased to welcome singer/songwriter Eli. Eli's passion comes
direct from the Maker—and much of the fabric that God has used to clothe
Eli's life has been distressed, stonewashed, and patched in places. Thus the
title of his sophomore project, Second Hand Clothing, in which Eli reflects
upon his struggles and brokeness in light of the Maker. In listening to Eli
you quickly get the impression that for Eli, being a Christian means not pretending
to be someone he isn't.
Thanks for joining us tonight Eli! Do you have any opening comments for us?
Eli:
Yes, go slow, I am scared!!!
CO
Host: LOL
—OK we'll go slow!
Eli:
Bless you.
CO
Host:
Now that we have that macro out of the way! Eli how did you get started in music?
Eli:
Did you see Forrest Gump?
CO
Host:
uhhh, yes?
Eli:
I have been coined the "Forrest" of Christian music.
CO
Host:
LOL what does that mean?
Eli:
Stumbling along with the grace of God. A lady at church walked up to me (I was
20). She said, "You should play the guitar and sing" and I said "yes, right
after I build the space shuttle."
CO
Host:
LOL
Eli:
But she was very convincing, so I took the guitar home, prayed to God to allow
me to praise Him with music. He did, I did and here I am!
CO
Host:
Amazing … you had to go and take lessons right?
Eli:
No lessons, but I could probably use some still. Just learned on my own. Chord
by chord and started writing. It still comes to me that way.
CO
Host:
That's amazing. Well I am learning the harp on my own … LOL … but it sounds
less than angelic.
Eli:
The harp?
CO
Host:
Well yes, but I don't want to steal the chat, so we will discuss that later.
Eli:
Hey, I havn't had one of those on and album yet
CO
Host:
Oh, well we can work up the contract then! LOL
Eli:
Maybe we could work something out
CO
Host:
OK let's queue five questions … Hope if you will grab them, and I'll go on with
one more question.
Eli:
I will try to find 5 answers.
CO
Host:
LOL stop it I can't laugh and type. What is theme behind your new album Second
Hand Clothing? What are you trying to communicate?
Eli:
God's ability to bring meaning to our lives, no matter where we come from.
CO
Host:
Like where we were born? Modesto?
Eli:
You know, much like a thrift store theme
CO
Host:
Yes … explain the thrift store theme.
Eli:
Whenever you walk into the thrift store, it is full of possibilities. You find
things that are barely used, and some things so tattered you dont even know
what they are. The church is like that. You know some of us are Tommy Hillfiger
pants and some of us are just plain K-mart stuff. But we all come looking for
a second chance. That is what Jesus gives us. He cleans us up, doesn't try to
make us something that we are not, and shows us that we were made the way we
were for a reason and His purpose.
CO
Host:
Amen. I appreciate what you said about second chances
Eli:
And some of us even end up at the thrift store again.
CO
Host:
Indeed … yes. Genos would like to know, "How did you feel about the whole Y2k
thing and do you think Jesus will come back in the year 2000?" (from Genos5)
Eli:
I dont think Jesus is using the same calendar we are. But of course he is coming
back. I will let you know if He e-mails me.
CO
Host:
LOL after He emails me! Were you Y2K ready, Eli?
Eli:
I have been working through a few glitches. hahahahaha I am now y2k compliant.
CO
Host:
LOL. When the lights hit the top of the Eiffel Tower, my TV went into one thin
line. It was very weird.
Eli:
It took me forever to change all the y's on my calendar to k's but I did it.
But doesn't Januark look funny to you?
CO
Host:
LOL ;;;thinks Eli is fun!;;;; Eli, is there any Scripture which sums up your
life right now? Besides "Jesus wept"?
Eli:
Yes???? YES!!!! Hahahah. Ephesians 2:8 and 9
CO
Host:
Can you quote that for us?
Eli:
Is that your fav Jan?
CO
Host:
LOL it does sum me up at times.
Eli:
Proverbs 21:13. Isnt it funny how you can read a scripture over and over and
God uses it and still speaks?
CO
Host:
Yes, can you describe those verses? I'm trying to find my Bible here.
Eli:
Ephesians changed my life in the beginning. What a great thing to discover,
that we are saved by grace and not works!
CO
Host:
Yes. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not
from yourselves, it is the gift of God . …"
Eli:
and none of us should boast.
CO
Host:
"so none of us can boast."
Eli:
A FREE gift from God!
CO
Host:
Grace is huge, huh?
Eli:
Not MCI.
CO
Host:
LOL yes. Live The life, good for you!
Eli:
In my early walk I fell in love with God, and I struggled to trust that he would
lead me into a better life. I had a wild time during my youth. I could have
never earned my way. I couldn't even earn a scout badge.
CO
Host:
LOL. Proverbs 21:13—"If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too
will cry out and not be answered." How does this one relate to you Eli?
Eli:
That is tattooed on my arm
CO
Host:
GASP =]
Its one of those lick em and stick em kind right?
Eli:
Yes, but this one lasted way longer than my superman one!
CO
Host:
hee hee
Eli::
We have to be concerned about others and that concern is carried over into actions.
See we are called to take care of each other, like Christ cared for us. Our
responsibilities go way beyond ourselves. That is something we really want to
encourage out on the road—ministries and Christians looking beyond themselves.
CO
Host:
Is there anything specific you are doing? (besides getting the tattoo?)
Eli:
Minister to your communitiy and take a low position. Serve, serve, serve your
brothers and sisters, and make disciples of men. I dont know how that tattoo
got there. … :-)
CO
Host:
I am glad you are putting your faith into action and encouraging others to do
so too. I appreciate your attitude.
Eli:
I appreciate that!
CO
Host:
Here's a question for Eli! LiveThLfe: What advice would you give to young Christians
struggling in their Christian walk?
Eli:
There is grace and mercy. Focus on Christ and not the struggle. Now, this is
easier said than done, but we walk toward whatever we focus on. Sometimes this
is 10 min at a time. You see, we all struggle—young Christian, old Christian.
The only one not struggling is a dead Christian. Now that sounded bad didnt
it! But you know what I mean.
CO
Host:
Yes, and it's important. I heard a saying once … you can't walk on water by
watching the waves. Sort of fits in with what you are saying Eli.
Eli:
You can't walk on water without getting your feet wet either.
CO
Host:
Good point! JsusFrk17: Eli, I heard you on His Radio in Greenville, SC (89.3) … Your
live performance was awesome even though guitar strings broke!!
Amen
CO
Host:
COHostBullwinkle: I want to thank Him for "Stand" its a song that motivates
me and moves me every time I hear it.
What is the message behind "Stand", Eli?
Eli:
Stand up for truth, regardless of the consequesce … even if you can't spell
consequence.
CO
Host:
But is there absolute truth?
Eli:
Of course there is.
CO
Host:
Good answer!!!
Eli:
That is where the focus is really important to stay on Jesus.
CO
Host:
I understand that in your tour right now you are extending a challenge. Does
that have something to do with what you've already been saying here tonight?
To reach out to others?
Eli:
Yes it does … … People want their lives to matter. God puts that desire in
us. He teaches us through ups and downs to trust HIM. We are trying to challenge
people to give to those who need, and to look at your own need and realize that
He knows you and your need, and accepts as you are and as you struggle to grow.
CO
Host:
Yes, thanks for saying that Eli. I know that was meant for some here tonight,
in a special way. This queston is always the most popular, so I'm combining
quite a few members question into this one. What advice would you give to a
young teen who would like to go into the music profession?
Eli:
Well it is like this. This may sound like a cliche, but trust God, desire to
serve in any way that you can, or get a day job, whatever you do. God doesn't
need rock stars. He needs people willing to help others do all for His glory.
That is the only glory that sustains.
CO
Host:
Yes, amen. Eli, I wish we could go on with this chat went by way too fast. I
hope you will come back again. And next time when you come, I promise to bring
my harp.
Eli:
Thank you for having me—oh yes, the harp. And I will bring the tattoo gun.
hahahaha
CO
Host:
ROFL oh no. God bless you.
Eli:
God bless you too.
CO
Host:
Hey all, let's join together in prayer as we close for Eli.
Eli:
Yes.
CO
Host:
::::praying:::::
Father, thank you for this man and the heart you have given to him. We just
ask that no matter what the future holds, that you will help him to rememberthat
you are in control, that you hold him in Your hand. We ask that the message
of reaching out to others will impact many, and that they might in turn reach
out to that person who is next to them, who is needy. That they might see Jesus
in each one here more by what we do in the everyday things. Thank you for this
message and this messenger. Bless him Lord, and continue to use him for your
glory. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Eli:
Amen.
CO
Host:
Thanks Eli, and thank you all for coming! God bless you.
Eli:
Thank you so much all of you.
This has
been a live chat with ELI copyright 19 … uh 2000 ChristianityToday.com =)
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