by David Dodd

      It’s only fitting that the man who portrayed Jesus in The Passion of the Christ introduce the man who has proclaimed the glory of Christ throughout his entire career.

Apostles That Rock was present when actor Jim Caviezel took the podium on April  21^st in Nashville to introduce Michael W. Smith as the first Christian musician and non-country music artist inducted in the prestigious Music City Walk of Fame. The eighty-five degree heat drenched the thousands gathered for the event. 

      What many assembled to salute their country music idols never realized was the scorching Sun shining down upon them was a  cold   comparison  to  the  moment  when

Michael W. Smith accepted his award in honor of the illuminated Light of a far more powerful force - God’s blazing Son.     

      His acceptance speech was filled with humility and grace, signaling a drastic difference between his words and the words of the country music stars who shared the platform absorbing the glory within.  Michael immediately deflected the glory to his Savior.

A few hours later, Michael joined Hillsong United leading an intimate night of worship with 2,300 people whose hands were raised in awe of the One who gave it all.  Jim Caviezel shared a story as he did at the Walk of Fame celebration of how Michael’s music inspired a life-changing experience for the accredited actor.

      While playing Jesus Christ, Caviezel spent agonizing hours as an actor on the cross suffering from hypothermia, nursing a separated shoulder, and being in a state where medical attention was required.  He lost forty pounds during the shoot   He stated the tint of his body near the end of the film was his actual shade of blue as his health spiraled toward critical condition.

      From what seemed to be a minimal submission of compassion, a crew member offered the actor a CD player to take his mind away from the current conditions between takes.

      He placed the headphones on the actor – portraying Jesus on the Cross – and when Caviezel heard one particular song, he asked to place the player on repeat, securing the tune to duplicate the prophetic and comforting words.

      The song, Above All - radiated by the vocals of Michael W., injected the actor with the belief, knowledge, and strength of his purpose.

      “My body began to warm up,“ Caviezel shared with the crowd gathered to worship.  “I was hanging on the cross overlooking a cliff desperately clinging to hope, and at one point was struck by lightning, but that song warmed me from the center of my being, it gave me the knowledge of the part I was playing.”

      And as Michael W. Smith led worship in the intimate surroundings in the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville that night, many prominent worship leaders were present, including some well recognized voices of worship.

      As Hillsong United and Michael W. Smith led worship that magical night in Nashville, raising their arms to worship were Lincoln Brewster, Chris Tomlin, and Paul Baloche, who co-wrote Above All.

      Just ten hours later on the following morning, Apostles That Rock sat down with Paul Baloche who reminisced of the previous night of worship, and in true Paul Baloche humility, his arms were raised high to worship the Lord that night.

“I wasn’t thinking, ‘this is my song or any of that,’ Baloche told us, “I was just grateful that I could worship that night.”

      And how true he was because Apostles That Rock was worshipping as well and we saw Baloche with his arms raised high with no focus at all on himself.  He let everything go to worship our Mighty Maker.  He’s an incredible example of humility in this broken world.

      As for Michael W., he’s involved in a film production company, recording his third Christmas record in June with the London Philharmonic, which will be his 20^th release, and is involved in countless projects glorifying God.

Apostles That Rock had an awesome opportunity to talk with Michael W. because we drove him to the airport after he led worship in Michigan at the end of April.  We’ll let you know more on our hour-long conversation in the very near future as we were a Cabbie for Smitty.  

      We Praise God for the opportunity to spend time with Michael W. and we’ll let you know the details very soon.