Eyeris

"No one, after lighting a lamp, puts it away in a cellar, nor under a peck-measure, but on a lamp stand, in order that those who enter may see the light. The lamp of your body is your eye; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your whole body also is full of darkness. Then watch out that the light that is in you is not darkness. If therefore your whole body is full of light, with no dark part in it, it shall be wholly illumined, as when the lamp illumines you with its rays." Luke 11:33-36 (NASB)
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Eyeris has been playing together for more than five years, seeking to spread the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every listener. The name Eyeris (pronounced "eye-ris") stems from their desire to be transparent toward those to whom they minister through music; to wholly illumine with the rays of Christ. As explained by guitarist, Jesse Hall:
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"The eye of Luke 11:34 is an analogy for the one receiving the Gospel message, and the light is the Gospel itself; a clear eye is necessary to receive it."
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Jesse, a biology major, goes on to explain: "The iris of the human eye shrinks or enlarges the size of the pupil determining the amount of light let into the body. So, in this spiritual analogy, you can say that the iris of the eye represents the heart. One may have a softened heart susceptible to the Holy Spirit, or one may have a hardened heart, filled with darkness. We pray that we will set the light on a lamp stand for everyone to see, and that those who see it will receive it and be wholly illumined."
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Eyeris' main goal during their five-plus years of ministry together has been, and continues to be, spreading the light of the glory of Christ. They count it not only a responsibility, but a privilege to be ambassadors for the Lord Jesus Christ. As lead-guitarist, Jamey Payne points out:
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"It amazes me that Christ would care about a nobody like me...and He wants me to get out there and witness to more people."
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Not only do they seek to illumine the world with the rays of Christ themselves, but they also desire to be used of God to encourage their listeners to do the same.
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Whether it be through music or through the testimony of their lives, Eyeris' desire is for a lost and dying world to come to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. That desire puts itself on display brilliantly in "Less of Me (More of You)". From the first song to the last, optimistic choruses rooted in the confidence of Christ encourage the listener to "destroy speculations, tear down every lofty way, and take His truth to the nations"; to "come alive" for Christ, that "all the earth" might "hope in the Lord".
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Eyeris' desire to send the Gospel to the world comes out of a deep heart of worship and a love for Christ which is evident through powerful ballads of praise in which they express their desire to "love [God] more", to "bow down in fear and trembling", proclaiming their need of Christ, just as the father of a boy healed by Christ did in Mark 9:24, "I believe; help my unbelief."
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Spreading the light of the Gospel is truly the goal of Eyeris, and they believe that it should be the goal for every believer.