Rick and Diane Lindsley
Rick started traveling with Free Indeed in 1997
as a roady, carrying speakers, microphones, video screens,
anything that needed done behind the scenes. While
short on workers on one trip, Rick was asked to fill in on
video and Power Point, quickly developing a passion for
Video Editing. Video Editing is putting together videos that
can be used as backdrops during the concerts, mixing video
and power point slides on the fly during praise and worship times,
or just creating commercials for missions. As his passion grew, so
did his love for the Ministry.
A few years ago while goofing around with Jon,
and warming up with the Praise Team on Sunday morning, he
accidentally stumbled into the area of Vocal Percussion. (making
drum-like sounds vocally) The singers found that a few simple sounds
or noises helped keep time and added a little to their sounds. So, we slowly added more and more percussion sounds
during our concerts and Worship Services, watching carefully not to
offend anyone with our new sounds. The response of the newly added
sounds has been nothing, but good.
I have noticed that over the last few years
Vocal Percussion has really taken Acappella music to a new level.
Not only in concert style, but Praise and Worship as well.
While the desire to edit video tears at me, my main roll in Free Indeed
is to help add to the beautiful sounds of June, Julie, Todd, Darin and Jon
with simple vocal rhythms.
Rick's Testimony: Growing up in the Church, I was raised
as a Preacher's Kid. However, eternally greatful for the role my parents
played in my life, the pressures of always having to be "perfect" took
its hit in my life. Always expected to know right and wrong, knowing all
scriptures and just having to be the "good kid" because "Your Dad is the Preacher".
The pressure drove me away from the Church when I got out on my own.
Though I had truly found Christ when I was 11 years old.
I started running from HIM after about 15 years. The desire to want to try
those things my father preached so highly against kept me running.
It had been almost 10 years of this, thinking I was doing what I wanted
to do, all the time knowing HE was right beside me, reminding me of HIS
truth and love. He led me to Diane and after a couple of years
with her chasing me, I finally gave in and married her.
(All you men know how the story really goes)
While driving home one Sunday afternoon we noticed
this large green bus parked in our neighborhood, so we stopped
to see who the rich new neighbors were that could afford a coach
like this one. Little did we know that the coach was owned and
operated by Free Indeed Ministries, that the CEO was God Himself,
and that He had planned to bring me and my family back home to HIM.
Since that day when we met Jon and Julie at the bus; our two families
have become very close. As all can tell, when viewing pictures of Jon and
me, you can see I have finally found my long lost twin. *smiles*
God has planted a seed of passion in Rick for not only
music, but a desire to reach others through video as well. Although his main
role is Vocal Percussion, his true passion is video editing. The joy of knowing
that somewhere he is planting seeds of grace and love through a simple video
is awesome. Though he may not have followed his father's exact footsteps as a
preacher, he however, is following his teachings and spreading the message that
our FATHER commands: "Go yea therefore and teach all nations. Baptizing
them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."
Since the day he met Free Indeed and started working with the Ministry,
his life has truly changed. Traveling across the country and making new friends
is a joy that needs to be experienced by everyone.
Hearing the news that somewhere in South Africa, Great Britain, Australia, China, deep in the "Bush" of South America or even just on your next door neighbors radio, that Free Indeed music is being played and
that people are being lead to Christ via tape or CD,
only Christ knows the humbled peace and excitement deep inside Rick,
who has been able to be used to spread HIS gospel through song.
Receiving e-mails from people all across the world wanting to express what
Free Indeed music has meant in their lives, how it has given them
the peace to deal with the death of a spouse, divorce, or the loss of a child,
no words can explain the feeling inside. Being able to work with Churches by
bringing technology (sound, light and video) into their building for the first
time or helping them to be able to enhance the worship time with the equipment
they already have or to be able to work with Praise Teams, watching their eyes light up when they understand that its OK to show and express the joy they feel during worship time with GOD.
Please do not feel or think Rick is in any way boasting on who Free Indeed
is or what they can do. He is trying to explain that from childhood, he has had
a love for music, and it amazes him everyday to see how God can use EVERYONE and their talents somewhere to spread HIS GOOD NEWS to others. A good friend from Milwaukee once told Rick,
"If it takes spitting into a microphone to grab someone's interest long enough to have them hear the message of Love through music,
God will even use the spitters to win souls for Christ". *think about it*