A night of Worship with John Mark and Sarah McMillan

Fifteen years ago, John Mark McMillan, Melissa and I attended a school of worship together. We were a bunch of wild and passionate teenagers who had some incredibly squeaky voices and were just stumbling into this thing called worship. The leader of our school was more than just a teacher, he was a true spiritual father.  Just like a wise gardener can see a harvest in the smallest seed, this father saw the greatness hidden in our young hearts.  I will never forget the moment when he stopped in the middle of his teaching and spoke over us, "You are going to write songs that thousands are going to sing." When I heard those words I thought it seemed too good to be true.  Here we are 15 years later and the words of this father have come to pass. I have stood on the shores of nations thousands of miles away and heard the lyrics and melodies of my friend John Mark being sung by a generation.  Join us on October 19th at the Carolina theater in Greensboro, NC as we share the stage with John Mark and his lovely wife Sarah. Not only are these two of my favorite songwriters and worship leaders in the world, they are also my very dear friends. Its going to be more than an event,  but a celebration of friendship and family.  For more information please go to www.jonathanhelser.com

The Opening Dinner

The Opening Dinner of the 18 Inch Journey (a 60 day heart school) is essential to who we are.  As a community, we spend a substantial amount of face time around the table.  From everyday dinners to birthday celebrations, we gather around the table year round. 

It’s fitting that we begin every 18 Inch Journey around the table.  

On June 1, we welcomed our 31 new students to their place at the table.  It’s always a joy to see the fresh faces as they eagerly walk up the hill to the Farmhouse.  We assign each student to a specific table and designate their place with a special name tag.  Recently, we expanded the kitchen in the Farmhouse and it is our joy to cook meals.  Jonathan and Melissa opened the night by welcoming the students.  Then the first of four small groups read their declarations over the students.  We enjoyed each course of the meal followed by declarations.  After dessert and the last group of declarations, the students introduced themselves and shared what they’re looking to get out of the 18 Inch Journey.  We ended the night by praying over each student and agreeing with the plans of the Father for this summer.

A summer in the woods can change your life.  The gluten free chocolate cake from Linda Helser can help.  Jesus made breakfast for His boys on the beach and emphasized the importance of meals with many stories in scripture centered around food.  He spent time around food and modeled family time around the dinner table.  We believe a generation will find their identity as sons and daughters when they find their place at the table.  The table is not just a place for your cup and plate.  The table is a place for stories and a place where brothers and sisters share their hearts.  So we began at the table on June 1 and we will continue to spend many more meals around the table.  The journey from the head to the heart begins with the invitation to find our place at the table.  May we taste and see that the Lord is good and in so tasting find ours identities in Him.

New Podcast: "Brave Worship"

We just released a new podcast today from a message I shared at a worship conference in Boulder, Colorado called "Resound." The "Resound Conference" was a lot of fun, but the friendships we formed there were much better than any event.  I am convinced that the best part of the kingdom of God is friendship.  Forever will never be long enough to come to the end of our friendship with God and the friendships that begin here on earth.  You can find out more about Resound crew and the amazing things they are doing at at www.resoundconference.com.  We just confirmed that we will be at the next Resound conference on Nov. 22-23, 2013.

You can download our latest podcast at by clicking here

Endless Ocean, Bottomless Sea

     This week we released our new album "Endless Ocean, Bottomless Sea."  This is a double disc album of the extended versions of "On the Shores."  If you have heard "On the Shores," you have only stood on the edge of what happened in the studio when this music was recorded.  We titled this new album, "Endless Ocean, Bottomless Sea" because these are the moments that happened when we stepped off the shores and into the much more.

     This album is more than just a new project for us; it is an invitation to step into more of God's heart.  The title "Endless Ocean, Bottomless Sea" is a phrase that encapsulates the passion of our lives.

      Fourteen years ago I had a dream that began with me standing on the shores of an ocean.  As I looked into the sea, I saw Jesus standing in the water with a smile on His face.  With an irresistible love in His eyes, he motioned for me to come into the deep with Him.  Before I stepped into the water, I looked over my shoulder and saw a generation of young people behind me on the shore.  They followed me into the water until we disappeared into the ocean of His love.

     This is our vision and the bigger dream of our music: That a generation would leave the shores of fear and religion and follow Jesus into His endless love.

     We are more than just songwriters and artists, for the last 14 years Melissa and I have been co-leading “A place for the Heart" with my Mom and Dad. We do much more than just travel and play gigs. We are leading schools, internships and doing kingdom community year-round. The band that plays with us are more than just musicians, they are full time staff with us, giving their lives to disciple this generation.  Every album that we have sold has gone to support this dream.

     Last summer students traveled from five nations and over a dozen states to take part in our school "The 18 inch Journey." This year we have already accepted students from over ten nations and have had such a flood of applications for our school, we will have had to turn away many potential students due to the lack of space. A generation is truly standing on the shores looking for more and we need more space to host them. Last year we built a new kitchen, worship space and art studio for our school. As of right now we have paid off over half of the $140,000 dollar budget and only have $60,000 left. We are believing that we can clear this debt quickly, so we can start building even more space for this coming generation. 

     We are looking for those who want to dream with us. We are a small ministry dreaming big dreams, and we need your support to make these dreams reality.  Every album that you buy and any support you give will go toward this vision:

  That a generation would leave the shores of fear and religion and follow Jesus into His endless love.

Click Here to Support this Vision

Click here to Purchase the New Album 

Jonathan David Helser

Getting Ready

     It is a wonderful thing to make music that you love.  It is even more wonderful to make that music with people you love.  Jonathan and I are releasing a new CD tomorrow called  Endless Ocean Bottomless Sea.  It is the extended versions of the album On The Shores that we released last February.  We are so excited about these songs getting into the hands of worshipers that long for the more.  As usual, we throw a big release party/night of worship.  We have been rehearsing in our studio these last weeks feeling the beautiful anticipation and excitement growing with every practice.  We are so privileged to have a band of musicians that have traveled to the deep with us and continue to long for the more.  Come join us at the Carolina Theatre tomorrow night as we get lost in the deep love of Jesus.

Cheers to Joel Case,  Jake Stevens, Molly Skaggs, Chris Miller, and Luke Skaggs we are making beautiful music that makes the Father smile.  The 1000 people coming tomorrow night have no idea whats in store for there hearts, waves of melodies saturated with love

New Album coming on March 2nd

     On March 2nd we release our new album, "Endless Ocean, Bottomless Sea" at the Carolina Theater in Greensboro, NC.  You can order tickets for the release now online. If you pre order a album/ticket combo you can be one of the few to receive the album two weeks before the release. Orders will ship by Feb. 11.  We only have 1,000 tickets available and last year we sold out at the "On the Shores Release." So you better order soon.  We also have one of my favorite bands in the world "Songs of Water" opening the evening.

Click here to Pre Order the Album and order tickets

Upcoming House Recording

     There are many moments over these last thirteen years at
"A Place for the Heart," where God's blessings have been so
incredible that it almost feels too good to be true.  One of those
is that my Dad is not only my physical father, but my spiritual
father too.  Over the years he has instilled many core values
into my life.  One in particular that has always pierced my heart
is this: “Home is where we live out what we like to preach about.” 
More than just words, my dad has dared to live it out.

     For the last 5 years Melissa and I have had the privilege of leading
schools and internships.  Out of the many students that have come
here, the Lord has chosen a handful to stay and partner with us.  More
than becoming staff, they have become family.  Four of them make up
our full time band.  They have literally traveled around the globe
with us making music.  This year we decided to take a few weeks in the
winter and record an album with this amazing community.  The unique
approach to this album is we are going to record all the music in our
home.  Our desire is to create more than just another album, in an
over saturated market of music.  We want to capture the beautiful
sound of a community worshiping together.  Richard Foster said "All
good books are written in community."  I think the same is true with
music.  We invited each member of the band to contribute a song.  The
songs that we have chosen are the melodies that have carried us into
the Lord's presence as a community.  For the last few years our staff
has been meeting in the mornings to begin the day with worship.  We
also meet every Tuesday evening in our home to worship and commune
with His presence.  I can honestly say that we have worshiped more in
the secret place than we have on the stages we played on around the
world.  The sounds and songs of this album are truly going to be an
overflow of the rhythms of worship we have cultivated as a community.
We also felt led to capture these songs in the beauty of video.
Youtube has become the radio of this culture, and we want a generation
to taste and see the love of God in these songs.  We want to open a
window and let the world see the remarkable presence of Lord that is
resting here at "A Place for the Heart."

     The core value of my parent’s journey has become the beautiful
foundation of all of us here, whom we affectionately call, “The Farm
Family.”  This place that the Father has carved out for us is where we
are getting to sing the songs of our lives.  I believe that our
ministry is really successful when it looks like family.  Remember the
words of Jesus. "I only do what I see my Father do."  Everything the
Son of God did in his ministry was an overflow of his relationship
with Father.  Please watch our website in 2013 for the release of this
new project.   ––– Jonathan David Helser