Three Questions with Shaun Groves

Shaun Groves is one of my favorite Christian artists. He is a self-described "soft rock star," tongue fully in cheek; his songs are catchy without being kitchy, with deep and meaningful lyrics.

But more than his music, I like his mission: Shaun travels the country singing and storytelling for the ministry of Compassion International, casting vision in caring for the global poor through child sponsorship. He also travels outside the country a few times a year, leading groups of bloggers to tell the stories of the children at Compassion's child development centers. The purpose being to encourage people like you and me to give out of our excess to bless the less fortunate--that we might both benefit.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to ask Shaun three questions about his latest music project.

Me: what is the meaning behind the title of your latest album, Third World Symphony?

Shaun: A lot of people don't like the term "third world." It relegates millions of people to second class status...or third class, I guess. For many more the words conjure up images of starving children, flies on their faces, buzzards overhead. And I suppose I was in both these groups once. But today, after years of spending time in the third world, or developing world, I don't think this way at all. The developing world is packed with wise, beautiful, hopeful, brothers and sisters. People who've taught me, challenged me, loved me, served me, helped me, God's used to change me. This album is an attempt to connect the first world and the third world for the betterment of both - to share the gifts of these third worlders with my listeners so that they too are changed and inspired ad more alive. And I hope, in the process, the label "third world" is redeemed and becomes something beautiful to many more too.


Me: What impact do you hope its release will have for the ministry of Compassion International & beyond?

Shaun: I hope that releasing new music will allow me more opportunities to speak and sing on behalf of Compassion's children. I'm in eighty cities each year and so if this album causes just ten more people to come to every city to hear me sing and speak, well then that means 800 more people every year who could go out into the world living more simply, more generously and gratefully - partnering with God through Compassion and countless other ministries to take the gospel in word and deed to those in need of it.


Me: From reading your blog, I understand you and your wife are in the process of international adoption. Has it changed how you view yourself and your relationship with the Father?

Shaun: It hasn't. That change happened for me in college when I worked at a children's home in Waco, Texas. It was there that Romans came alive to me - there's a Spirit in us that cries Abba father, it says. I taught these verses to the children at the home and it was one of the many times I felt I got more instruction from the lesson than my students. Teaching orphans that God is their father - walking away understanding for the first time a bit of what it means that I am an orphan adopted into the family of God. What a beautiful metaphor adoption is.

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As you can tell, Shaun is the real deal, and I'm excited to hear his new music.

If you want to hear it too, You can go here to get a preview.

And you can pre-order Third World Symphony, which releases August 30th, here.

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