My Resignation

Hey guys,

I have decided to write this because I have been getting alot of questions about leaving RLS. I suppose I should start at the beginning.

I thought God's calling for my life was for me to tour with a band. I thought that for probably seven or eight years. This past January, I was asked to be the worship leader for Fuse, the junior high ministry at The Father's House, the church that I attend. I accepted but wasn't really devoted to it. Over the summer, I did some touring with RLS and it was alot of fun and it was all I really cared about. After tour, I started going to Saturday Morning Prayer at TFH every week, and I started leading worship at Fuse every Sunday, when they split up jr. and sr. high. In this time I also started reading the Bible more and spending more time with God. Probably some time in July, I began to sense that God was telling me I needed to focus more on being a worship leader and less on being a rock star. At first I hated it, then I decided to just go with it and see what would happen. As time went on, I got more and more devoted to ministry and it started to come to the point where I was really trying to clean up any unrighteous areas of my life. I was spending alot of time in prayer asking God to reveal to me what I needed to let go of. Over the past several weeks, the band became the only clear choice. Lately, anything we have done as a band, has gotten in the way of what I do at TFH. For instance, rehearsals have been Saturday afternoons, which I usually spend getting the youth facility ready for Sunday, or Monday evenings, after I have led one rehearsal and played drums in another rehearsal and by that point I am always completely drained. Then we had recording for the acoustic e.p. The first night of recording was on an rLife night and I really didn't want to go. The next session was directly after Saturday Morning Prayer a couple Saturday's ago, and we had a show the night before so the youth facility was no where close to being set up. At our Dansville show, it was really hard for me when I realized this, but the only song I had passion to play was the Outro. The rest of our set i was just all sorts of sloppy and not passionate at all. My heart just wasn't in it. I had been battling whether or not I was supposed to leave the band, and then on Friday night, I don't know what triggered it, but I finally reached my decision. I guess I went with the band aid approach. The faster you rip it off, the less it will hurt. I had to end it there. The guys were supportive of my decision, my only regret is that I didn't let you, our fans know that Friday was going to be my last show. I know alot of you would have came out to support me but honestly, I wouldn't have wanted you to see me in the emotional state that I was in. I cried for the first time in like 2 and a half years (since my grandfather died.) Among the many factors that have led to my resignation, one is that the band is probably the place where I have compromised most in my faith over the past 2 years, and as a youth leader I cannot lead a confusing life style. As a follower of Christ I cannot lead a confusing life style. That is nothing negative about the band, I am just nit a strong enough person to be around the rock and roll scene. Luckily I have been strong enough to resist alot of the more extreme temptations. The verse that comes to my mind right now is as follows: "If anyone causes one of these little ones--those who believe in me--to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were drowned to the depths of the sea." Matthew 18:6 TNIV. I never want my life to be confusing. I never want to be living hypocrsy, I know the youth look up to me, and I don't ever want to cause them to stumble. I Wish Joel, Sean, Alex, and Adam the best of luck in their future endeavours and I hope that God continues to bless them

In Christ,

Mitchell Thomas VanDenBerghe

Listening To:
The Glorious Unseen Tonight The Stars Speak
relient k Forget and Not Slow Down
Hillsong United All The Above, a_cross//The\\earth, iHeart Revolution With Hearts as One
The Almost No Gift To Bring, Monster Monster