Justin: 0:00

You know that I'm gonna view that holy city. Oh, I'm gonna view that holy city one of these days. Hallelujah, I'm gonna view that holy city. I'm gonna view that holy city one of these days. One of these days.

Micah Solomon: 0:19

You know, guys, we had talked about our upbringing during high school, all the incredible services that we had. None of that was by chance right. God does this and builds our faith, and these moments we are able to reach back. I have never felt stronger than in the presence of God. I've never felt more wisdom and more peace, and when you're in the presence of God, that's what it does, and so it was easier for me praise God, maybe because of how I was raised. I mean, when problems came up, I remember dad saying go cut the grass and go worship and I had a walkman and I would pop my walkman in and he really taught me where to go from my source of strength.

Rhett : 1:11

What's going on, friends? Welcome back to Armchair Authentic, a podcast with Rhett and Justin. Hey guys, today we are continuing a conversation we started last week with our dear friend of over 26 years, where we were reminiscing and even rekindling some of the friendship. That was our conversation with Micah Solomon. Hey, before we jump into it, though, we always want to take the time to say thank you to every single one of you who have taken the time to follow us on social media. If you're new and today's your first episode, man, welcome to the friend zone. It's so good to have you with us. Could you do us a favor at some point? Go to Instagram or Facebook and look us up. You can find us at Armchair Authentic. That's at Armchair Authentic. Click the follow button and follow along. Now, if you're over on X, formerly known as Twitter, we're there too. You can find us at Armchair Off Pod. That's at Armchair Off A-U-T-H-P-O-D.

Rhett : 2:11

Now, our hope on this podcast is truly to steward our stories in a way that serve you. Justin and I have known each other for over 39 years, and today we're sitting down again with our friend, micah Solomon, finishing out a conversation we started last week. We hope it serves you in a way that blesses you and if it does, could you do us a huge favor. Would you take the time to copy the link from your podcast platform and text it to a friend man? That would mean so much to us, thank you, okay, guys, without further ado, back to our conversation with Micah Solomon. You guys ready?

Rhett : 2:47

Here we go. I know we talked beforehand kind of what you know, maybe some directions this conversation could go in. And your family man they were so dynamic and huge part and will always be part of their legacy, will always live through me and how I love my wife and how I love my son and how I love my son and how I love other people and how I help develop other people. And your parents were a huge part of that. And I don't know. I only want to go at your comfort level, but you have a tremendous testimony and I hate that it's your testimony and I hate that it's a part of what you've had to go through, but your parents were such a huge part of our life, your life and so many others you know they went to be with Jesus in a very young, young age and do you want to or you?

Rhett : 3:35

you feel comfortable to talk about that and kind of open up a little bit more about your testimony, cause that was such a huge law, a huge gain for heaven but a huge loss for my heart and I know you and Danielle and your family. But I think it would help inspire and encourage people who who may be going through the same thing or or you know, I don't know wherever somebody is, I just know it can encourage somebody.

Micah Solomon: 3:51

Yeah, so, uh, my dad was a pastor, um, a fourth generational pastor. So, like my grandparents, everything I ever knew was church and pastoring, and and dad was phenomenal and mom was great, and one of the biggest legacies they left, which you guys got to experience that now, being in ministry so long and helping and loving on some of my brothers that are in ministry and sisters, is that not everyone is the same pastor at home as they are on the pulpit or away from the church, and I always felt like, still this day, my parents were. The greatest thing about them was they were authentic, they were true, they truly loved God and no one's perfect and so. But I did experience a great home, life and man. It was like Mayberry. I had the greatest friends.

Micah Solomon: 4:45

We had an incredible youth group and Pastor Scott you talked about him how. I don't even remember the days of 12. All I remember is like it seemed like hundreds, which, towards the end, we had so many kids coming to know Christ and my God, our services were just filled with. You couldn't fit everybody, you couldn't. It's such anointing that we have stories, amazing stories, so many, where we saw God move and we were right there in the middle of all that we were on state.

Micah Solomon: 5:14

We got to lead our peers and our friends.

Justin: 5:18

Pastor Scott was a secure leader. And number one. He was great at loving people and shepherding them. He could have got up and said whatever he wanted to. It didn't have to be detailed. He could have rabbit trailed all day long if he wants to, and people saw the love he had and he was secure enough. He gave us three, and you even talked about Ryan Jennings earlier and Ryan Jennings us four would rotate leading worship and you're right it was busting at the seams, standing room only.

Rhett : 5:45

A couple hundred yeah we felt that place up, I mean like filled it up.

Micah Solomon: 5:54

Yeah, it was amazing, and the hours of prayer would intercede before services and we really had a great upbringing and my entire life is filled with that. I was so privileged from a young child all the way up and so, yeah, dad was the worship pastor, slash executive at Parkway, where you guys got saved, and we all grew up in high school there. So, yeah, and that was in Birmingham, alabama. Of course, my family my mom originated from Kentucky. My dad was in Ohio, so every year, no matter where we were at, we'd move around different churches right in ministry. Growing up, we would drive home for Christmas and so in 1998, we had had a church.

Micah Solomon: 6:36

Actually, I remember a really great church service and part of this whole story I don't know how much you guys remember I think I maybe told you a little bit, justin, in that car ride, but two different people had told me in that service that night that your father's mantle was about to come upon you with a double portion of anointing and of course I was like really frustrated because dad was. You know, he was incredible in my eyes. He was my hero right on so many levels and I loved ministering with him, and you guys did too. We loved just doing church with him and we got to go to a lot of places with dad and so it was just fun and I'm like this doesn't make a whole lot of sense and so frustrated. But we go home after great service and we actually would always open Christmas presents after we got back from doing Christmas with my family. But that year was the only year I can ever remember we came home and dad goes. You know what? Let's open Christmas.

Micah Solomon: 7:44

Oh wow Guys, it was crazy. And so we all opened Christmas presents and turned on music and mom even cooked and we normally Sunday nights we're so tired. We never did that. If anything, we'd go to Taco Bell or something, right, grab something on the way home. And she cooked and we ate and we did everything. And then I remember him saying hey, tomorrow morning we'll leave early and we'll go to Ohio where we're going to visit our family. And at that time I believe I was 18 years old in 93, 18 or 19 years old. So I remember looking at dad saying 1998.

Rhett : 8:20

1998. You said 93. 98. Oh, I'm so sorry. Sorry, we came to Parkway in 93, I 98.

Micah Solomon: 8:25

1998. You said 93. 98. Oh, I'm so sorry, it's all right, we came to Parkway in 93, I think. Yeah. So anyways, yeah, I was 18 years old and roundabout. And so I looked at dad and I just said, hey, why don't I drive the first few hours? You get some sleep? It's been a long day, right? This is back Sunday morning, sunday night church. Right? This is back Sunday morning, sunday night church. Right, crazy town. And so I'll drive and then you'll pick up the rest of the way. And he liked that plan. So we packed up the car and started driving.

Micah Solomon: 8:53

And of course the weather can turn quickly when you go from the south to the north, and almost every year it would be snowing or something up north, which is really cool to see during Christmas. So, yeah, somewhere around the tennessee border, I believe. Um, the weather did turn, but it wasn't. There was no precipitation and so there was no rain or nothing. But the roads were icy and of course, as a younger driver, I couldn't. I couldn't tell, and so there was black eyes. So we hit black eyes and car starts spinning, and then we hit the side of the road and it flipped um seven or eight times and um, I just remember it flipping and flipping and flipping, almost like I remember every flip, and we we landed and um, looked, looked over and saw that, um, my dad did not make this accident. And then looked in the back and could not find my sister or my mom, so busted out the window, jumped out the window and was looking for them and found my mom first and saw that she didn't make it, there's no doubt. And then found my sister and, long story short, she was coming in and out, just kind of blacking out from pain, and she had had a broken hip and so I felt like God was telling me you're going to need to get help fast. And later I'd learned she had internal bleeding. So it was a time situation Critical. So it was a time situation critical. And so, yeah, so I waved down a truck driver after many, many attempts of trying to get someone to stop, and we go to the hospital and had some time to reflect there in the hospital and really shaped probably the rest of my life.

Micah Solomon: 10:42

At that moment I really began to just ask God questions. My parents were incredible people and why would they have to go to heaven? There's so many bad people in this world is where my mind was at. Why would they have to go? And then, why would you leave my sister and I here alone? And I'm thinking, I'm starting to think like cause I'm that thinker, I'm always thinking ahead and I'm thinking, man, I do not have parents, I don't have. What is my future? What is so?

Micah Solomon: 11:13

I started getting really frustrated and aggravated with God, and so I asked him a bunch of questions and I literally said to God in that moment in that room you answer these questions right now, now, or you just don't exist in my life. Everything I've ever lived, for all that I've done, it doesn't make sense, right? And I think God's okay with you being frustrated and His grace and His mercy, and he's so amazing and he's so amazing. And so he began to speak to me and he started answering all these questions that I had asked, in the order that I had asked him in, and one was like is my sister going to be okay? And he was like, yeah, she's going to be great. And not only is she going to be great, it's going to be like nothing ever happened, right?

Micah Solomon: 12:00

Because I was worried.

Micah Solomon: 12:01

Even if she was going to make it, what would that look like, because she was kind of at that time.

Micah Solomon: 12:10

It seemed like she was paralyzed from the waist down and of course. So then they came back and they were telling me hey, you know, your parents passed away, they didn't make it and your sister's going into surgery and most likely she's not going to make it. So all these things run through my head. So after the prayer and moment with God, doctor comes back in kind of rushing, pulls the mask down, he goes hey, she made it through the surgery. She'll never walk, but she made it. And so I remember in my head, even in telling him after this incredible encounter with God, looking at him and saying, no, she's going to be fine, she's going to be fine. And so, yeah, fast tracking from that accident. That was a big crush, a big blow, I think, to our entire church. Dad was an incredible shepherd. There's pastors that have different gifts and I think one of the greatest gifts my dad had was he really was a spiritual father to a lot of people.

Rhett : 13:06

Yeah.

Micah Solomon: 13:07

And he was a great friend and so it was a big loss. And of course my mom was at the time the children's pastor also, and so you kind of had two high level pastors that just we just lost in the church, and so that was really hard to handle. But I remember the first couple services that we had after that were really powerful. They were powerful for me and I remember us getting back on stage leading worship and in my mind and in my eyes I don't know how it played out in everyone else's eyes, but I remember making the decision that this loss would not define me and that I would take my father's mantle, whether it was given to me or not, and I'm going to run with this and I'm going to try to influence as many people for the rest of my life for God and use my story and, um, if, if, if, all possible.

Micah Solomon: 13:59

And, uh, you know I had incredible opportunities in college. I joined a group that, um, every time we were in a service I mean almost every time I don't ever remember a time where the director didn't ask me to give my testimony and then there was an altar call and then we would sing these songs and God would move and it was powerful and I even had an opportunity where, just looking back, isn't it wild how God will use what the enemy meant for evil? But I remember a Colosseum is the University of Tennessee. It's a pretty big indoor university. I'm sure Justin will tell you exactly how many seats and how big it is, but we won't go there.

Micah Solomon: 14:38

But it was one of the largest crowds we'd ever got to sing for and it was actually our uh, the university of um, lee university. The music program did a big thing. There was a real honor. They'd pick five or six people to um highlight or sing a solo on songs. So that day, um Casey Bernard I'm sure Justin may remember her she's the first girl that someone put a gun up to her head and said may remember her.

Micah Solomon: 15:04

She's the first girl that someone put a gun up to her head and said do you believe in God? And she died. And her parents came to this event that we were doing and I walked out on stage and sang the Battle Hymn of the Republic, with the Lee University Choir behind me, and we sang and I remember them sitting in chairs and I sang to her parents and, um, it was like I was just my entire life flashing before me singing this and I was just singing this over them like you can make it, you can make it, and it was. It was incredible. It was like a spiritual moment where they didn't know my story or at least I don't think they did, they were just bawling, but I'm sure that I had maybe an anointing to sing that song with what all that I had been through and God used that, you know, and even in that moment with them and so many other times after that.

Micah Solomon: 15:55

But, yeah, I've been in ministry ever since and loved it, and God has just worked miracle after miracle in my life and, yeah, it's my story.

Speaker 4: 16:06

When that happened, that was something that even the church in that moment never recovered from, because of the impact that your mom and dad met. It was a huge gap. You know how you don't realize what you have until you lose it.

Justin: 16:24

That statement huge gap.

Speaker 4: 16:24

You know, you don't realize what you have till you lose it. Oh, yeah, that statement, yeah, I don't think the church realized the glue. Yeah, that your parents were to the, as we talked about small groups that we didn't know existed. Yeah, that was the small group and it really was the thriving community for our church, and so the hole that that left, um, I mean, it made maximum. Obviously, it made a maximum impact, man, yeah, so special.

Rhett : 16:50

You know, my mom committed suicide when I was seven, and so that was a major loss for me.

Justin: 16:56

Yeah.

Rhett : 16:56

And then to see God restore what the enemy tried to steal in my life, you know, with your dad and mom as spiritual father and a mother to me, you know, to get that call. I remember getting the call that night. It was like two or three am I, I think I lost it, you know. And then, uh, by the grace of the lord, pulled myself together, we got in the car and we drove up that night I don't know if you remember any, I don't expect you to remember any of this and uh, just being there with you and and danielle and yeah, and um, and just just being there with you and Danielle, and just being there.

Micah Solomon: 17:27

Actually something I never got to say to your dad and, of course, you. I remember that in the hospital and you guys coming up and where Danielle was at, your dad was a really big guy, my dad was a really big guy and your dad gave me the biggest hug and I sunk into him and that was one of the losses. I remember sitting there just thinking after god had really done a healing on me that fast in that room, that that hospital room. I remember thinking I will never get another hug from my dad. Yeah, I'll never get another meal with my mom, and just the loss and the pain is very painful. But your dad came and really probably so many times after that during my healing in that first year your dad really became something special for me, man. So love you guys.

Rhett : 18:25

Well, that's awesome.

Rhett : 18:26

I know my dad loves you guys so much and that'll mean the world to him just to hear that. You know, I appreciate your honesty and your openness to say, hey, I'm mad at God, you know, and not to over-spiritualize those moments, but I'm sure there's people listening going, how in the world did you just? I mean, yeah, you had that moment with the Lord, but like it's one thing to have that moment, it's another thing to walk it out and the choices you've made along the way to shut the mouth of the enemy and continue to declare praises to God, where somebody would blame God and hold God accountable for the rest of their life and live in misery. You've chosen the opposite. You've chosen to relinquish, to surrender, and I'm sure that wasn't easy and surely that was a battle and maybe daily choices you've had to make over through the years.

Rhett : 19:15

But how in the world, if I'm listening to this for the first time, hearing this, whether I'm a Christian or non-Christian, I'm like you know how in the world? Like I'm asking how do you, how do you do that? How do you get through that? Like, where, where's that source of strength come from, that you actually are leading worship and giving praise to God through hell. Yeah, I mean, where does that come from?

Micah Solomon: 19:37

Well, you know, guys, we had talked about our upbringing and even during high school, all the incredible services that we had. None of that was by chance right. God does this and builds our faith and these moments we are able to reach back, and I have never felt stronger than in the presence of God. I've never felt more wisdom and more peace, and when you're in the presence of God, that's what it does, and so it was easier for me praise God, maybe because of how I was raised. I mean, when problems came up, I remember dad saying go and cut the grass Literally, I'm not lying Go, cut the grass and go worship.

Micah Solomon: 20:20

And I had a Walkman and I would pop my Walkman in and he really taught me where to go for my source of strength on probably dumb, medial little issues right in my life. But then when the big stuff hit the fan, that's where I went, and so when I was hurting the most, I longed for church or an experience with God, and so I never ran from those experiences. It was more I don't want to say more, but it was as much healing for me leading worship times. After that, right, and even now, even today, I can release everything, which is what God wants us to do. When I go to lead worship, I'm able to just disconnect all that's going around me and let God come in and fill these voids Right, and so there is no doubt in my mind.

Speaker 4: 21:14

That's the, that that's well, it reminds me of when Jesus gave the sermon and many followers left.

Rhett : 21:21

Yeah.

Speaker 4: 21:22

Because he says some hard words hey, eat my flesh, drink my blood. And they're like, yeah, symbolic, right? He's like no, literally. And they're like, yeah, it's symbolic right, he's like no, literally, eat my flesh drink my blood. They couldn't stand the message and they left. And he looks at his direct, his executive team, if you will, and he said you guys leaving too, and their response was where else can we go?

Speaker 4: 21:43

Yeah, that's right. And when you're saying that, that's what I hear, it's been a where else can I go but to your house, god? That's what I've been brought up, way before this happened. I mean when I'm mowing lawns to when I'm at school, to where I'm, wherever, you are my hiding place, you're my shelter, and I do remember the neighbors. Do you remember this, rhett? The neighbors talked about Micah. They called him the singing lawn guy.

Speaker 4: 22:09

Oh yeah, yeah, he had a reputation because he would put on the Walkman and worship so loud as he would cut, and he had a reputation for that, and that's one of the things I've admired most about you. Like, when I look at you, you have that heart of David where you're just such a worshiper. You have never backed down from that and you're never going to say this about yourself. But I got to the talent that Micah has. He could go do anything in the music industry and someone would have grabbed him up in a minute because of the ability that you have. I don't want you to respond to this, I'm just saying it like it is.

Speaker 4: 22:47

And you have turned down so much that would have led to earthly fortune, if you will, notoriety, because your heart has been completely focused on it's all about worship and because of that moment you had in 1998, where you and God had that moment, you really locked in that this is what I do, and so I've just always admired that about you, micah, just such a heart of worship, and so I've just always admired that about you, micah. It's just such a heart of worship and it inspires me, thank you. I think that's one of the things that connected us so well is, you know, you grew up in the church but you really hadn't fully surrendered in. And so us three kind of around the same time had a major encounter, yeah, and worship is all we knew, yeah, and when is all we knew.

Speaker 4: 23:31

Yeah, and when we've talked about family, it really was. It was a sense of where else can we?

Rhett : 23:36

go. I love what you said and I'm probably going to get the words wrong, but this is what I heard is that there's nothing like the presence of God. And once you've tasted and seen the presence of the Lord, nothing will ever be able to replace that. That's right. So, no matter what kind of hurt, what kind of pain, what kind of loss, even kind of earthly joy or even kind of earthly satisfaction, nothing will compare with the presence of the Lord. That's right.

Rhett : 23:59

And since you've experienced that at such a young age and seen that through living proof of your mom and your dad and the good times and even in what earthly bad times, and then even in that loss, it's like your anchor was something in so much deeper than a religion or a tradition or or a belief system, if you will, of whatever the world's term would put on that.

Rhett : 24:21

And you've had something that has been so transforming in your soul that you've experienced and that you've longed for, to realize that there's there's more to earth and earth realize that there's more to earth than earth, there's more to this life than this life, and that is heaven. And it's like we get these glimpses of heaven in our soul and our spirit in these wonderful moments of what we call worship, which is just these opportunities where we open our heart in surrendering, in connection and relationship with God, where he deposits heaven in our heart through his Holy Spirit to give us just enough taste of the goodness and of his holiness and who he is and his character and his nature to get us longing for more. So we don't get our eyes so focused on this planet that we can focus on the next. And that's where that hope comes from, and it's like the source of life from what I'm hearing from you is your relationship with God and, through that relationship, those intimate times of of not three songs on a Sunday right.

Rhett : 25:15

Right and not music, but a heart connection of longing and dependency on, on who he is, as a loving father, in the midst of pain and hurt and trials and tribulations that we face this side of heaven.

Rhett : 25:28

Yeah, and that's what I'm hearing, and you know I can relate to that on so many levels of different things that I've walked through, but I mean so if I'm listening to this, I think that's the biggest thing.

Rhett : 25:37

I think that's the testament to our lives and to your life is the fact that everything's been grounded in our, not just a faith or a belief system, but a relationship that transforms our thinking, that goes so much deeper into our spirit and our soul, that connects with heaven and that's through Christ Jesus and it's one of those things that people would argue against. But it's, like you know, to see you as living proof of living through hell at the worst loss you could possibly go through this side of heaven and to see the, the choices you've made and the dependency on God. And and see the choices you've made and the dependency on God and the development of character and growth and marriage and everything the enemy tried to steal. God has restored unto you this side of heaven as much as he can in blessing, and it's just amazing to me, like people that would argue, what we're talking about it's like a man with an experience. I've said this before A man with experience. You, justin, myself, we have this experience of God, with God, and so we're never at the mercy of somebody with an argument, because we are living proof of a living relationship with Jesus and you are in your testimony and continues to go forth with your family and your kids and your wife, and and all that you've done and are doing and will continue to do in and through the ministry and the platforms God blesses you with, and which we haven't even talked about which that's a whole nother episode in itself

Rhett : 26:56

with leadership and those things, but I just think it's so important for people to hear man, just like man, your love for God, it just blows me away. So when I see you leading worship, I see it coming from such a deeper place. You're not singing, I mean, you are, you know technically, but what you're, you're really connecting with heaven and heaven, in and through you, is connecting with people and people are experiencing heaven on earth because of that relationship that you have and it's a beautiful thing. Man, I'm so proud of you. I know your dad and your mom are proud of you and I have.

Rhett : 27:25

I know it didn't say this in the Bible, but I can find places, but I feel like there's open windows, that God just opens the window of heaven a little bit to let our, our family, who's gone before us to see, hey, look, look. You know, and I know they see it. You know, and I can't wait for that reunion in heaven. That's going to be great. We're going to be gathered around. You know the piano and I, you know, if there's furniture in heaven, it's going to be Victorian style. It was beautiful, and we're just going to have good old time. Man, it's going to be great.

Speaker 4: 27:49

I can't wait for those moments. There's the jalapeno baked beans. Yeah, they're going to be there for sure. T-bone.

Rhett : 27:52

T-bone steak in heaven. Let's go, that's right. Kill the fat of cattle.

Speaker 4: 27:57

But you know we're approaching a center now, or the season now, to see this progression. I mean since then, through all the struggles. Obviously it wasn't a cakewalk Very lonely nights that can hit in the dark night of the soul where we have to endure, where there's nothing else. Marrying Jessica, beginning to have your kids, raising them, now grown within the ranks of being a part of different church staff staff and from worship director to executive pastor, with creative being always a mantle that you've carried. Your children have this very creative side as well. So, watching it from a distance, what I've noticed about you and Jessica, like your family, it's the community. Anytime I've called you, it's like it's a racket in the house.

Speaker 4: 28:47

My guys just slip off to another room, and it's not just Anytime I've called you. It's like it's a racket in the house. Micah has to slip off to another room, and it's not just his kids, it's like the people from your church are there. Y'all have become this safe place where the Rhett and Justin 15-year-olds who don't have the family dynamic. That is a consistent thing that has always been a part of Solomon. So it's like when I see Micah and Jessica, I see Micah and Jessica.

Rhett : 29:13

I see Pastor Rod and.

Speaker 4: 29:13

Shelly, in so many ways that what you've learned from them, the values, that was like this is going to go every generation that we're having, and so, speaking to that a little bit, you're at this church now. You live in Florida.

Justin: 29:25

You have become you have. He's suffering I know, well, Rich, some people are just going gonna have to suffer for the rest of their life. It might is that guy?

Rhett : 29:32

that's okay, and micah every friday has to go walk the beach. Yeah, yeah, um, just with the dreaded ocean yeah, which which, if you know me, and you've listened to this podcast or we're really shit, you know, that's like my happy place oh yeah, there's a vicariously there's a part of me that's like oh, oh man.

Micah Solomon: 29:49

Jesus.

Rhett : 29:50

Off air earlier I was like sure you guys don't need any help down there.

Speaker 4: 29:58

But no, seriously, micah is an executive pastor in an amazing church and nothing's changed. You still are the place that the congregation goes and hangs out with. Yeah, absolutely.

Micah Solomon: 30:09

We love people and we try to love people. Well, and, yeah, definitely there's always been this draw from a group of people or and typically younger people you know, the college age and the high school age that don't come from great families and my kids included, I've I constantly have asked them through the years are you okay? I have you know, cause we we've had people live with us, a lot of people and people over all the time, and God's just given them a grace and us a grace, where they don't see that as us replacing them and they're part of this whole process, and so we absolutely love it. We wouldn't have it any other way.

Speaker 4: 30:53

Yeah, it's beautiful and you lead worship a lot. You really run a lot of the activities. You just have this natural ability from what you've gone through in the past.

Micah Solomon: 31:04

We've talked.

Speaker 4: 31:04

31 years is what we're dating back to on the past episodes with Micah in it, but even the past 26 years since it's incredible hardship you've had to walk You've been a part of. Obviously you were talking about getting to sing with the Lee University singers traveling around a lot. You still go out and travel and get to sing, but you're very locked in, always local, church minded, and so that's something that's just kind of a mainstay for you. But what is it right now in this season, what are you dreaming about? I know your kids are in a really interesting age position right now where you're very home-minded, wanting to make sure that they get the dad who is raising them and stewarding the best way you can. But what's some of the things on your? I know I said earlier no dreaming, right, Micah don't dream, but he dreams a little right now.

Rhett : 31:54

No, it's amazing how God does that. He slipped into that dreamer which delivered me. It's like where I was a peacemaker. I'm like I could care less if you're mad or pissing off at me anymore, I don't care. I don't care.

Micah Solomon: 32:11

That's. You know, you're a dreamer and visionary and get things that you've always been a spirit of, justin. Well, I got a little mic.

Speaker 4: 32:14

I mean these kids will come up and give this dream and I'm like, well, that sounds stupid. We're gonna have to work on that a little bit.

Rhett : 32:20

You're gonna have to go and create a log business. That's awesome hey guys, red here just wanted to take a moment and ask if you're enjoying this podcast. Could you do us a huge favor? Would you take a moment and ask if you're enjoying this podcast? Could you do us a huge favor Would you take a moment to copy the link from your podcast platform and then text that to a friend man? That would mean so much to us. Thank you, okay, guys. Now back to the conversation.

Micah Solomon: 32:42

Part of the mantle that did follow me. My dad did two things and it definitely followed me. One broke down walls of denomination and racism. Dad was always great at that, you know that you were a part of that. We went to so many different types of churches.

Speaker 4: 32:57

We sang at a lot of black gospel churches. We did and we loved it. We loved it. Man, we had favorite experiences.

Micah Solomon: 33:03

And then we would go into a lot of Methodists and Baptists. Absolutely so many times Dad would tell us Pentecostal, Spirit-filled choir. He'd say, listen, we are not coming here to offend our brethren. Remember that on the bus, the Silver Eagle bus, oh the Silver Eagle and he would say so we go in here, we're going to have a good time, but we're going to love on these people and not offend them. So both sides right. And then we've been in services where we couldn't keep up hardly. It felt like right.

Rhett : 33:32

It was like oh my God, this is the greatest thing ever.

Micah Solomon: 33:34

Yeah, and then he was always a builder.

Micah Solomon: 33:38

Looking back I can see where he would go, to these churches where you know they had left a legacy.

Micah Solomon: 33:43

They were great churches maybe in the past but got stuck and, for whatever reason, had really declined, and he would go in and just resurrect this place or be a part of resurrecting this place, right Through the power of God, of course, but God would use him and so he was a builder.

Micah Solomon: 34:00

And so there's no doubt like those are the two biggest things that have stuck with me, and I there's no doubt like those are the two biggest things that have stuck with me, and I love being a part of helping people build. And so, yeah, I've consulted a lot and done some nonprofit work, and that's really where my heart is for the future would be to go help small to mid-sized churches with probably more of their creative needs. And maybe you know, at this point, all three of us have done a little bit of everything in the church, and so I love all that too, but my heart is definitely still in creative and helping build the church. But, man, you know just doing everything from. Sometimes churches just need a place to hang, and so I've built tons of coffee shops and we built quite a few studios in the past.

Micah Solomon: 34:49

Sometimes, they want a little studio and stages and you know, maybe the outside appearance. So I love doing that. My mom was actually an interior decorator, kind of on the side. She always had that creative eye and so I remember going on many jobs with her helping out families in the church and different things, and so I probably grabbed some of that from her and so, yeah, well it's remarkable to just being separated from seeing your work for all these years.

Speaker 4: 35:19

In the past few years I've gone in and consulted some of the different places you're at and I've always heard Micah talk about the work that he's. You know that he's. He doesn't brag, but he's just like I've been working on this. I'll go see it and I'm expecting maybe because I'm picturing myself build it, which let me tell you people, it wouldn't be awesome.

Speaker 4: 35:37

I'm picturing like a you know a little Keurig set up in a little station. It's the work you do, it's it's mind boggling the details that you'll go learn. You know I'm I'm here at Highlands and we have some really beautiful architectural work. We got design and it's funny cause I was showing um before we started.

Rhett : 35:57

I was showing Micah some stuff and yeah, because we are actually recording at Highlands College.

Speaker 4: 36:03

Yeah, we're on all our equipment, that's right, but in an recording at Highlands College right now, that's right.

Rhett : 36:05

We're on all our equipment, but in an office at Highlands College.

Speaker 4: 36:07

I know that's right. It's like the office is closed. I'm like, hey, why don't we grab some breakfast? And come hang out here together and I'll show you around.

Rhett : 36:14

And we decided to go ahead and record we spent two hours at the Flying Biscuit over here at the Colonnade At the Colonnade.

Speaker 4: 36:20

That's right. We hope it keeps going.

Rhett : 36:22

Justin created his own order this morning. By the way, he was like I'm just going to put one together for you, waiter. I'll take some eggs and some biscuit and a sausage or whatever and some grits, yeah. And Mike is like so you want the flying biscuit breakfast, justin, is that what you want? And the waiter is like, yeah pretty much.

Micah Solomon: 36:40

I'm going to throw you one waiter.

Justin: 36:41

We're going to order one off the menu and you actually order what's on the menu they're stapled.

Micah Solomon: 36:47

They're stapled the.

Justin: 36:48

Flying.

Micah Solomon: 36:49

Biscuit breakfast, the restaurant's namesake, and you notice the guy wasn't writing down any of it.

Justin: 36:56

He was like I got you. He was like got you buddy.

Speaker 4: 36:58

He was like I'll create something special for you, inkling so this is the guy who doesn't read the menu.

Rhett : 37:02

I got you yeah, yeah, yeah.

Justin: 37:05

I'm telling you and I'm about to finish what I was saying, but I will tell you if John Larson is listening.

Speaker 4: 37:11

He's one of our executive pastors and works for the college in Highlands.

Speaker 4: 37:15

But he was my boss for the longest with worship, and so me and John would go to a lot of roundtables around the country and I didn't realize I do this. But I will look at a menu item and I think it's like it just has to be a moment. If me and John were at this restaurant or if we're with the team, I want the moment to count. So the meal is so important and I would always get messed with by John and the team because everybody would order and they were like, well, justin, what you getting?

Justin: 37:46

And I'm like, um, let me see, uh, oh my gosh, you're just so focused on people, that's it. Oh, what's gonna? What's the right?

Speaker 4: 37:49

and so this morning. It's funny. I'll still think of john, like john's, in my head when I when I order something from the mingu. I'm like I'm gonna make john proud. Let me just throw something at you I didn't even look at the mingu this morning I want to be a little creative genius this morning and order something that doesn't exist.

Rhett : 38:05

This is in honor of John Larson, and it truly existed. I'm just going to take some and then Micah calls me out.

Speaker 4: 38:10

It's basically the flying biscuit breakfast if you want it, still your thunder. But no, after we went, as we're here now, but I was showing you some of the college stuff, yeah, and basically Micah's like oh, yeah, I built that. Oh, we built one of those. I mean, and it's so funny because Micah knows how to do all this you have acquired these gifts, obviously your dad architect. Yeah, I mean that's something that he was in, so he always thought in that way.

Rhett : 38:38

Sir, hold on, your dad was an architect. Yeah, really I did not know that.

Speaker 4: 38:43

It makes so much sense. He gave that world up for ministry.

Rhett : 38:46

Well, he went maybe from physical architect to spiritual architect Exactly, but I did not know that. But Micah has been able to do that.

Speaker 4: 38:54

And obviously he can be on staff and save a church tens upon tens, maybe hundreds of thousands of dollars doing work, and so that's just something you'll go in. I mean, you've modernized churches who've kind of been you know, you get stuck in your success from the past and you don't change. And Michael will come in and he has vision for it and he will create the shift at the right pace. But it's beautiful work that you do. Thank you Appreciate it.

Rhett : 39:20

Well, you've been a part of small, mid-sized, large and mega churches and I think what's interesting is you've learned how to steward things with a budget and do things really like you know. When you're in a smaller church and you don't have a budget, you get really creative.

Micah Solomon: 39:32

Oh yeah.

Rhett : 39:32

Finding ways to do that, but you've learned an art and a trade and different things and it's amazing how, even in a larger church, a mega church and things you've been a part of, you're like, well, we could do this a lot cheaper than whatever this budget is.

Justin: 39:43

We'll do it ourselves.

Rhett : 39:45

I'll have that built Well, mike, it's been such a joy to have you on the podcast man. For me, just hearing some, you know, just reliving some moments has been so therapeutic for me. So thank you but even learning some more about your dad and just you know just the story and, man, it's just been so refreshing. So thank you so much for making time for us on your Thanksgiving week, away from family, to be with you. Know your spiritual family, so it means a lot, dude, it's an honor. Love you guys.

Speaker 4: 40:10

Man, I'm grateful to just you know to have confidence. You know I use that word confidence because I don't have many and I don't think a lot of people have many.

Speaker 4: 40:20

But I'm in the room with you know I might have a handful, but I'm in the room with two of them. You know we've talked about Rhett me and you plenty of times on the podcast like we can share anything, and these are, you know, this is three guys in a room right now that we can share anything to, just because this is our attention's turned to Micah today. But so grateful for our friendship that we can just pick up the phone, which we have a lot of phone calls together and we can take our turns whoever needs to talk some stuff out. And we've said on the past episode, rhett, but I'm so grateful to be able to have a friend in you that I can say anything and I don't ever hang up regretting it, but I had a friend who listened to what I had to say.

Speaker 4: 41:03

give me some perspective and I'm better for it and I've grown all these years because I have a friend like you so it was very bucket list to have Micah on this podcast episode today. So it's very surreal to actually be in this moment where we're actually getting to have fun, but then also tell your testimony as well.

Rhett : 41:25

Yeah, I know we're getting ready to land this plane, so I'm not trying to open up a whole nother topic, but I do think, if we're being authentic I think it's interesting, I was sitting here thinking about this earlier is that in that moment of just all the heartache and the loss right how God began to just take all three of us and kind of put us in different little pockets of family over time?

Micah Solomon: 41:45

It's true.

Rhett : 41:45

You know, and it was interesting because, while people might listen to this podcast and go man, y'all just been so close for so long, forever. It's been one of those friendships to where we've always, no matter how much distance has been there, due to seasons of life and marriage and kids and whatever it might be college and ABC, whatever One of those to where we always feel like we pick up where we left off, which is great, but there's always just been this natural trust, I feel, and kudos to what you're saying Ditto to all of that.

Rhett : 42:13

So what I think was interesting is how God used me to kind of keep us together when we were young. It's amazing how God's kind of shifted that around and brought Justin kind of in the center to keep you guys and then keep you and me connected a little bit. Not that we're ever intentionally Sure, but when you're drivers and you're visionaries and you're builders you get in your world, and it's easy just to have I got my family, I got my community.

Rhett : 42:33

I mean, you know it's just, you know not that we're one more phone call or conversation, right. But all that to say it's like life happens and it's okay, but it's interesting. I was thinking about it. Like you know, I was the peacemaker when we were young and cal was the glue, and now it's kind of you become a dreamer and a visionary.

Rhett : 42:51

You've always been a builder. I've become I don't care what people think about me anymore, whatever you know, and justin's kind of been that glue, that's kind of connected with you and intentionally and y'all connecting and I know you and i've've, we've, we've tried to stay intentional. It's just life happens yeah.

Justin: 43:05

But um, it is interesting.

Micah Solomon: 43:06

I don't know Like yeah.

Rhett : 43:08

Yeah, Well, is this the?

Micah Solomon: 43:10

is this the accountability we're creating right now Is this it Okay.

Speaker 4: 43:14

Yeah, so 2020,. I'm watching this. I got my popcorn ready, keep going y'all. I mean, there's no reason why we shouldn't Y'all look at each other, if you had a camera audience. They're staring at each other right now 2025,.

Rhett : 43:25

I'm gazing in your eyes is the year that we continue and not rebuild, but continue to build upon. Yeah, okay, great.

Micah Solomon: 43:31

I love it.

Rhett : 43:32

Handshake. Oh, they shook hands. I'll do a hug when I get up later.

Justin: 43:35

That's right, that's right.

Rhett : 43:45

So Jessica, she'll love that, yeah, she'll love that. And Jessica loves us. I'm grateful she loves that child, but I wouldn't try to open a whole other can. But this is so good, it's just reality.

Speaker 4: 43:49

I think that's some clarity that should be said Because, Rhett, we have maintained contact through all these years and if you're listening you would think that for 30 years it's just been us, but I think it's just a testament of God. It is how he weaves through things we did for a period even me and you, Rhett I mean all three of us went our separate ways for a season and we periodically check in with each other, but it wasn't consistent. And we've gone and we've gotten married, We've had children and life happens, We've gotten involved with ministries and churches yeah, Gone through our own personal hells.

Speaker 4: 44:28

In different ways we have been through hell all three of us, just even in ministry life and learning to endure, learning to surrender, learning to for me, learning how to get over myself, but also just learning how to endure that it is not a perfect situation you're always in, but God, as we said in a previous episode, he allows you to walk in spaces that it is a constant enduring, but as you endure you're growing from grace to grace, from strength to strength, and how he weaved us in back together.

Speaker 4: 45:04

And I know for my life, rhett, you had already been a very mainstay, but I do remember I'm very fond of you, know where I've come from and so, micah, you're all over that.

Speaker 4: 45:17

But I remember is probably, you know God could have been seven years ago how, micah, you were sharing, how you felt the Lord speak to you on some things, with what you had gone through. There were some things I was going through and I needed my brothers in my life and you know, and because I had to, I would have been a bad steward for what I was going through not to reach out to you and all I knew was, in my heart, reach back out to Micah, and what would end up happening is some things and I know I'm being vague here, but just some things I was going through, or even like my own belief side, not in the Lord, but just what you're doing in life. You kind of get sidetracked away from it. Or maybe someone has said something to you and you don't believe in yourself anymore on certain things. And, rhett, you've been a constant and that was enough.

Speaker 4: 46:03

But God was showing off and he gave me, micah too, and one thing you would always do is you would call things out in me like you're speaking English and I'm over here like man I don't know why he's always so nice saying this stuff, but you're just being honest and it took a while for me to actually believe you again because I was so used to not believing these gifts. But you're having your brothers just speak truth to you and almost looking at it like you're just patronizing me a little bit. You have to say that you are my friends.

Micah Solomon: 46:34

Yeah.

Speaker 4: 46:35

And as we would grow that relationship. I just remember I told Summer I said I'm just going to reach out, we're just going to build this even stronger. And so it's like seven years, me and you just in the different seasons of life. We have our regular phone calls now and I have been so much better getting to have you in such a strong way in my life. But the fact that Rhett brought that up it was great, because we find ourselves in these, in our forties, weaving back in together because God has a story there that's being written.

Micah Solomon: 47:07

I think for all of us we've had to grow and mature. And it's not always the storm doesn't always come from the other side. Sometimes we cause some of that, and so just the years that when we were separated, those hell storms that you were talking about, those are for real, but we've grown through that.

Rhett : 47:31

To piggyback off what you were saying, man. Not that I've never thought about it, but I think we've, in pockets, thought about it every year or two when we ever connect over Thanksgiving. It was one of those where I'm like I know God loves us enough and there's such a powerful thing that happens when we three get together, that only happens when we three get together. And I don't know, we don't have a clue what tomorrow holds, but we know what today holds and I think it's interesting to go along with what you were saying is what does the next 10, 15, 20 years look like with this? And it doesn't mean we're singing together.

Rhett : 48:03

I know most people that knew us were like oh maybe they get the band back together, and I'm not even talking about that. I think there's maybe, who knows? But maybe that's just a side thing we do for fun, who knows? But I think God is very intentional and he builds his church relationally and I just think there's a dynamic here and it's going to be fun to see how it all unfolds and we don't have any. You, how it all unfolds and we don't have any.

Rhett : 48:22

You know, we've lived life long enough to where we have zero agenda other than just being brothers and loving each other and just taking your strength, your strength, my strength and working together in a way that benefits people and his kingdom and his purpose. So all that to say, be content, and you're like who knows what God's going to do?

Speaker 4: 48:37

Let's just keep it going and see, I'll say this fellas, I'm open.

Rhett : 48:45

Yeah, yeah, I am too. I'm wide open to seek 100% and I don't want to speak for you, micah, but I think you're the same. Yeah, absolutely, but yeah, so who knows, To be continued. Dot, dot, dot. Is that ellipses? What is that little dot?

Speaker 4: 48:56

dot dot, ellipses, ellipses, Ellipses, dot dot dot.

Rhett : 48:59

Yeah, anyway, so we'll see what God does.

Speaker 4: 49:02

We have a text thread that it's called Viva 24-7. Yeah, yeah.

Justin: 49:07

Exclamation point Long live yeah.

Speaker 4: 49:09

Long live 24-7.

Justin: 49:14

So that's our deal. Yeah, viva la vida.

Speaker 4: 49:17

Whatever it's called.

Justin: 49:24

I used to rule the world. I'm waiting for y'all to join in. Y'all just leave me hanging.

Speaker 4: 49:31

It finally hit me like oh, he wants to sing. Okay, I used to rule the world. Just the intro. Let's see if we still got it All right.

Justin: 49:40

You ready, you know that I'm going gonna view that holy city. Oh, I'm gonna view that holy city one of these days. Hallelujah, I'm gonna view that holy city. I'm gonna view that holy city one of these days.

Rhett : 49:59

One of these days, hallelujah oh man, hey, it took me a second.

Speaker 4: 50:04

I was like wait, there's the third there it is hey, this has been fantastic I agree with micah I think who knows this might be a a three-parter, it might be a four-parter, we're just gonna see what happens, but we're gonna get micah back on this for sure to finish up how we handled some of these conflicts or distances away from each other and how we came back, because one thing we've loved about this episode and the feedback that we've gotten from the audience is they love the fact of how have you had friendship that's been so sustained, because it's something that's lacking right now For many people. We're an isolated society. We encourage people during this season find somebody, find your friend that you haven't reached out to and you had that special bond. Connect with them, because it's going to be a life-changing encounter that you need in your life.

Speaker 4: 50:55

We were not created to be isolated. We were created to be first in line. We were created to have friends and family and community to grow from. So, micah Rhett, it's so cool that we're in the same room. I love y'all so much. I love you. Love you, too, coming up on the next episode of Armchair Authentic.

Rhett : 51:15

If you are in a moment of grieving and you don't know how to process it maybe you're emotionally numb. Maybe you've lost a loved one years ago, like I have, or just recently. Don't rush the grieving process. Let it be, and then, when the wave goes out, let it go out, and then keep moving forward, and then, when it comes back in, just sit with it.

Speaker 4: 51:33

One of the worst things you can do is just deal so much that it turns into an endless rumination.

Micah Solomon: 51:38

It's so good, so you have to have a balance.

Speaker 4: 51:44

Like God created us to work and we're human beings, but he also did create us to work and accomplish. Stay focused on the matter at hand. Like your mission, I have a responsibility.

Rhett : 51:50

Oh, I'm not depressed, I'm highly, I'm blessed and highly favored. I'm the head and the not to tell. I'm blessed going in and blessed going out. Greater is he who's in me. You know, like I got all the verses and I do believe every single one of those, but I, but right now I'm feeling humanity and I think that's important, it's essential, the same compassion you would show somebody else in this situation. If you're loving grace, show that to yourself.

Speaker 4: 52:11

We're really looking forward to that episode, but until then, if you enjoyed this conversation, will you pull out your phone and text it to a friend? We would love for them to join us on this journey. Well, until next time. We will see you soon.