…today’s secret…The Warm-Up Vamp.

I’m an introvert. I go to church to mainly hear the sermon. All the singing and glad-handing before is, to me, just an uncomfortable warm-up.

However, no problem, because I understand why this warm-up is needed. Here’s my reasoning…

Taylor Swift just doesn’t walk on stage and start singing. She’s the headliner.

She has a warm-up band. When the warm-up band walks off stage amidst thunderous applause, they flair their arms in anticipation of what’s coming next.

Then one of Taylor’s band members walks on stage and begins to play. Then another. Then another. Then another. When all members are on stage playing the crowd is going nuts!

Only then does Taylor Swift walk on stage.

Folks, the crowd has just been vamped!

A vamp is the one who uses their charm to seduce the listener/audience to the next key step. The vamp is the selfless promoter of someone or something other than himself. A vamp works onstage or off stage, under the lights or behind the curtain.

History is full of vamps.

Colonel Parker vamped Elvis. Don King vamped Ali. Late night TV hosts vamp for their guests. Billy Graham was just a talented minister until vamped by Randolph Hearst. Tom Clancy was just an obscure writer until Reagan vamped him. And you wanna know how Teddy Roosevelt really get on Mt. Rushmore with Lincoln, Washington, and Jefferson? He was vamped.

Even Jesus had John the Baptist. John shouted, “Get ready, get ready, he’s coming! He’s almost here. Are you ready?”

Two rules to vamping:

1. You cannot vamp yourself.
2. Never under estimate the power of a vamp.

Do you believe in someone?

Vamp for them.

Do you believe in what you are doing to help people rise above their circumstances?

Find someone to vamp for you.

I get vamped every Sunday in church. I don’t believe the sermon would be as meaningful if I weren’t.