Newsletter from John

[sue d.]

John has a new newsletter out....

if you want to subscribe and receive emails directly, go to:
http://www.johnschlitt.net/Mailinglist.htm

Here's what he has to say:

Hello everybody!

Boy, the time has been going fast! It's already the end of April and I'm still sitting and waiting on God... not sitting, really, but trying every opportunity that He puts across my path.

I'm studying real estate and I've passed all my tests except one. I'm very interested in that, but on the same hand I'm excited about where God is putting me as far as ministry.

Through alot of people and what they're saying to me, and really what God is putting on my heart, I do believe that it's not time for me to quit yet. I don't want to make a move without Him but I'm not a patient person and I'm really anxious for Him to show me what I'm supposed to do.

But please keep praying so I don't make a jump in the wrong direction and get out of His plan, and that I have the patience to listen to His perfect will, because I know that's excatly what I'm supposed to do.

So pray for my family, pray for myself, and pray for the guys in the band; Paul and Greg and Bob, that they be given fantastic opportunities also.

I miss them very much; I miss being on the road with Petra and seeing all of you.

Our Fall tour was really, really a blessing for me. I enjoyed traveling all over the world so much.

And I miss it, but again, God has the next plan. I just wish that His timing was my timing! But it's not, and I'm anxious to see what's next.

So keep praying, folks, and God bless you all!

...John

Really guys.... do pray for this situation. So often we ask for prayer as a side note - but John really is asking. He's facing a whole new lifestyle, and the transition has not been easy, emotionally.

It's so hard to wait... I'm trying to do as much as I can, and I too am getting impatient. No, I'm already there.

But I DO know in my heart that the Lord has a major plan in the works... I have no idea what it is, but I'm seeing ways in which he's moving me into positions where I can be more of a help to John with it all.

So whatever it is, He's moving and shifting people and circumstances into place and when the time is right - we will ALL know The Plan.

[Shell]

That is cool...I'm glad he thinks he shouldn't give up.

[greenchili]

One thing I've found is that God is a patient God, yet we are not... Patient that is. But He knows just how long it takes for us to get spiritually, physically, and emotionally where he wants us to be before we are ready.

It's definetly an odd dynamic.

[Jonathan]

I'm pretty sure he'll make a good salesman.

[SkyCaptain]

I'm definitely also praying for John, Bob, Greg, and Paul. Since John is thinking real estate, wouldn't that be interesting if he teamed up with Rick Florian? "Saltbox Real-Estate" has a nice ring to it ...maybe not.

Mark

[executioner]

We pray for not only the individuals that made Petra what they are, but also pray for the Petra Ministry as a whole. After reading both John's & Bob's newsletters today I really don't think Petra's Ministry is just not 100% gone yet. I just have a gut feeling about this and have NOT heard anything from anyone else. Alot of the time my gut feeling is correct and I believe it comes from the Holy Spirit at times. You know the little voice we all hear.

[epdc]

God put the same feeling in my heart too

[believerindeed]

Hey I think that's great news.....I don't think God is done with Petra or John yet either.....There's just such a need for great Christian music that is bold and unrelenting in its message...no other band can do it quite like Petra......I know that their popularity had been waning in recent years but I felt like Jeckyll and Hyde was such a great album!!! And the Farewell cd and dvd just rocks!!! The last two cds have just shown that Petra hasn't lost anything!!! I know for me personally the fact that Petra called it quits was a real wake up call for me.....I had been a longtime fan since the early eighties and I now realize how much I took them for granted.....I mean I went to see them about five times altogether but like the saying goes, you don't know what ya got till it's gone....Petra we need ya back!!!!!!!

[sue d.]

After reading both John's & Bob's newsletters today

Where does Bob have a newsletter?

[executioner]

The link is on here under The collection, wrong song by petrafounder.

[gman]

You might very well be right on that. I'm inclined to believe there would still be plenty of demand for Petra.
I'm conflicted in my head on this, especially looking back at how things played out. Maybe Bob & John didn't want to do a full time gig any more. Only they know what was really in their hearts. From everything I read, it seemed like they wanted Petra to be a full time gig again, but if it didn't get there, then it was time to hang it up; in fairness to Greg & Paul. I remember reading where Bob said that there was plenty of international demand, but not enough U.S. demand. I from that statement that he would have liked to have continued on and do Petra as a full time thing, but decided to call it quits only because the demand in the U.S. wasn't high enough.
I think to myself, the new music and the live show were awesome. Why wasn't someone working to get them booked at more festivals. I realize there might be politics involved with who plays with who, but why didn't they go on tour with some other rock bands that are currently very popular? I realize they have developed lives outside of Petra in order to pay the bills, and perhaps they didn't want to do all that touring. But, from everything I've read it seems as though they would have done that touring if it were available. I can't help but think someone, or some entity, that should have been working on this just dropped the ball. With the right moves, the demand could have been huge again.

Then again, this is one of the problems you have in Christian music. The fan base isn't big enough to support a lot of older artists. In the mainstream market, older artists still have a big enough fan base that they can find a record label home and still do a lot of shows.

[lucianotaz]

Guys,

I think that Petra could have taken another way in the 1994/1995 when Bob has retired from the road and John Lawry and Ronnie went out. Indeed of search for new members they could retired of the road only or make few concerts, but they could going on recording new albuns together (John, Bob, Lawry, Ronnie and Louie). But they understood they need to go on the road, cause they are a ministery.


I believe that in that moment they could survive with the sell of their albuns.

Now I do not know, cause we have the MP3 sharing effects.

Maybe now could be the time to make the new albuns with the former band members (like the Dream Team) while the members have other jobs. It�s not very easy, but Petra has a name and if they come back with new albuns with the tradicional members, I think they would have audience, mainly in Europe and South America.

The road is very cruel for the life of the band members and their family.

[brent]

People can conjecture and say that I "would think" that Petra would still would have a following, or this or that. But in radio, where it counts towards gettig people to the shows, Petra is not welcome for the most part. Without radio, without good paying gigs, you can't do squat. So, the fact that the albums have not sold well, the fact that the gigs were going for bottom dollar and the band was getting hosed at some gigs, the fact that it costs too much to tour for nothing over seas.....well, the facts don't line up with what people would like to think is reality. If there was a way, they would do it. But the boys have a responsibility to their families.

Christian radio, by and large is lite AC. Petra is not lite AC. Never have been thank God. There are not many 24/7 rock stations. Internet radio is a plib on the screen compared to terestrial radio. I am talking the BIG radio stations, networks, etc. You cannot get on radio if you are considered old and outdated. The name Petra = old and outdated in the eyes of radio. True or not, that is the perception. Now, the PDs and MDs will tell you that Petra is in demand. But when I asked them at GMA about what songs they were hearing demand for, it was one song only, and that When Will the World See That We Need Jesus. And that was on some mom and pop in Ohio.

So, maybe there is a demand for some acoustic rock praise album with John out front. If Petra's name was to be used in marketing in the US, it would tank IMO. Overseas, it would sell like hotcakes.

Bob was tired of radio and the business (his own words), John is tired of the business, competing with the younger guys for the younger audience. I would rather see them go on, do something else that pays the bills, then struggle with something under the Petra name again.

[executioner]

Profits, revenue, and listenership is down by a whole lot on radio. Most radio stations either have flat revenue or their losing money. Even the most listeneed too CCM station in the country lost money last year and they predict losing money this year or at best breaking even. In the Dallas market the 2 most listened too radio stations are talk or sportstalk and their market share grows every quarter. I'll be honest and I tell you I really can't think of anybody off the top of my head that listens to radio; I might listen to the ticket every so often or catch a Ranger game if I'm not at home but that is about it. Radio is dying and will not exsist in this form in 4-5 years. Petra and the other artists need not care what radio thinks anymore they don't drive anything anymore. U2 is releasing all their singles (Off their latest) via internet now and not releasing them to radio and I know others will follow suit.

[Mari]

I miss them very much; I miss being on the road with Petra and seeing all of you.

Our Fall tour was really, really a blessing for me. I enjoyed traveling all over the world so much.

And I miss it, but again, God has the next plan. I just wish that His timing was my timing! But it's not, and I'm anxious to see what's next.

So keep praying, folks, and God bless you all!

...John[/b]

It was impossible for me to read this without crying. I miss Petra...No other band or singer can replace them ever!! But let's wait for the Lord, cause His plans are always the best.