Body Piercing Saved My Life

Christianity Today has posted a book review for a new boook on "Christian Rock" called Body Piercing Saved My Life: Inside the Phenomenon of Christian Rock by Andrew Beaujon. I love the reviewer's opening paragraph.

Show me an evangelical between the ages of 15 and 50, and I'll show you an evangelical who can tell this story (or something much like it): I used to listen to secular music, then I discarded it all and listened only to Christian music. Then I realized I didn't like much Christian music, so I slowly started listening to secular music again. Now I listen to the David Crowder Band in the mornings and Radiohead on the drive home....

Sunday Morning Worship - What's it all about?

Here are a few thoughts that I wrote in response to our Pastor's request for dialogue on what Sunday Worship should be about:

My wish for Sunday morning is for people to come away with a fresh new excitement and passion for God. I believe the Bible uses the term zeal. I think Worship should be exciting and vibrant. The atmosphere in the building should be buzzing with joy that comes from knowing God's grace and goodness. Worship songs and activities should focus on who God is and what God has done, is doing, and will do. I think Sunday mornings should engage our minds, emotions and senses. Currently our times together are primarily focused on music and the word (essential elements no doubt!). I would like to see us incorporate other things like readings, drama, art, dance, history, literature, instrumental music, liturgy, silence, confession, testimony, prayer and communion. I would like more candlelight and other sensory elements (JB's use of a cross this past winter was very effective). I believe that believers should enter worship with hearts already attuned to God (something I personally struggle with). I believe that we do not pray enough before and during our time of worship. I believe that worship should evoke response and be participatory. The typical "invitation" needs to be retooled. If we are honest and "real", the entire congregation (myself included) should be at the altar everyweek. How awesome of a testimony would that be? I believe that Sunday mornings should not be stuck in a rut (5 songs and a sermon). Sometimes, the people need the Word before they sing. Sometimes the Word can come in the form of song alone. There is no Biblical mandate for what a Service should look like. I believe we have the freedom to mix it up a little. Try new things. Experiment. Finally, I believe that believers should approach Sunday morning worship far more seriously than we currently do. We should come to church with the fear of God on our hearts and with anticipation that GOD IS PRESENT among us. Too often we just show up expecting the worship team and pastor to do all the work. We need to do more than merely sing along, stand and sit on cue, and "listen". This all sounds great as I write it, but how do we implement it? I don't pretend to live all of these ideals out in my own life, so is it fair to expect a whole church to? I hope I haven't stepped on too many toes here (cue Bono: "Am I buggin' you? I don't mean to Bug ya."). Take what you will from this. I welcome any and all responses.

Hair Metal Gone Bluegrass

Check out David Lee Roth's bluegrass performance of Van Halen's "Jump" over at YouTube.com. The musicianship is quite good, but Roth is just bizarre. Is it just me or does he look like Robin Williams?

Hat tip: Greg Adkins MsgBoard

Singing at the Bluebird

Earlier this year I posted a review of an independent songwriter from Knoxville, Greg Adkins. You can see and hear for yourself a recent performance he gave at the Bluebird Cafe here in Nashville. I didn't get to catch this particular show, but I hope to see him live someday soon.

joy and grief

Janell and I have been watching the unfolding story of mistaken identity that brought unexpected joy to one family and grief to another. As members of the extended Taylor University family, we have been touched by the events there since we first heard news of the accident. We remember the grief of losing a fellow student during our time at the school and our hearts ache. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and the members of the Taylor community directly affected. You can view blogs by both the VanRyn family and the Cerak family.

Update (6/15/06): Understandably, the VanRyn family has taken down their blog. Our hearts and prayers are still with them in their time of grief.