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Human Fusion By Jenni Isaac Matt Odmark [the compass]

Charlie Lowell   Steve Mason   Dan Haseltine   Matt Odmark

Steadfast, unwavering, logical and always keeping a biblical perspective, Jars of Clay guitarist Matt Odmark carefully considers every aspect of the band to make sure it is in alignment with the overall ministry goals. He pays careful attention to when and where the band tours and how long they are away from their families. He takes mental note of decisions the band agrees to stick to, and then makes sure they comply. He also observes business and administrative practices and ensures that they are ethical and in keeping with Jars of Clay's standards of conduct.

"It's being able to recognize God's spirit in the midst of art and in the midst of the creative process," explains Steve Mason of Odmark's knack for staying grounded. "It's a tribute to his own discipline and dedication to staying in the Word."

"He's always just the bottom line," says Charlie Lowell. "'This is what I see as the right thing to do, regardless of how hard it is.'"

A guy who considers himself "normal," despite his status as a member of one of the most successful Christian bands of all time, Odmark doesn't believe that success should affect his discernment. In fact, he believes that his career choices have actually broadened his responsibilities to be accountable for his and the band's decisions.

"I think I have the ability to see what the vision is for the band," Odmark says. "I feel like I'm the guy that can measure, as we go along, how well we are doing on accomplishing what we say we want to accomplish."

That's not to say that Odmark is never involved in the band skirmishes that occur infrequently. He admits he is sometimes frustrated because he is so different from the other members. At times, the contrasts of personality bother him. But that doesn't mean that the group members don't like each other.

It's because the Jars of Clay guys are so close that they can disagree without worrying that their friendships are on the line. Over time, Odmark has come to see that, as he says, "the deeper you walk with people, the more that person challenges your view of who God is."

And the more his view of God has been challenged, the more Odmark has grown, especially in his understanding of how God has designed people to work together. Believing that 98 percent of God's interaction with us occurs through our relationships with other people, Odmark points out that our culture doesn't always encourage us to maintain them. And that the "unfortunate byproduct" is that we miss out on a lot of what God wants to teach us. But that very thought is what pushes him to continue in his relationships with the three other members of the band.

As Odmark says, "We appreciate each other's ability to not only be the accountability for one another, but also to be each other's champion."

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© 2003 Christian Music Planet

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