We've got some good stuff lined up and being created now for the Easter services...Remember to bring your friends and family this weekend!
DZ
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Monday, March 3, 2008
Reggae
Two nights ago I was attending my dear friend Tim's birthday party. Tim is the guitarist for Anchordown. I met a woman attending the party, who told me over chips and dip that reggae music makes her "happy". As she said the word "happy", she put her hand out. Laying it flat she swept it across the space between us as if she was petting the back of an imaginary dog.
Last night, Anchordown led worship with my favorite gathering, Living Stones. After the 5pm service, a man approached me and said;
"I finally bought an Anchordown CD, and it's been in my truck for the last 2 weeks. I know you probably wonder whether what you do has any effect, but I wanted to tell you that every time I listen to your album, God brings me back down, back to where I need to be."
As he said that last phrase, he put his hand out. Laying it flat he swept it across the space between us, as if petting an imaginary dog.
His kind remarks were deeply affirming, and yes I do wonder those things. I didn't realize it at the time, but his words would stay with me the rest of the evening. It's a statement that sounds weird, and the two options are certainly not mutually exclusive, but I think I would rather have God bring me to where I need to be, than be "happy".
The deepest happiness (or joy as I prefer to use) is found in and through Him (Romans 5:1-3). Reggae or rock, merely 2 options out of millions including polka, mowing the lawn, and feeding the hungry, can only be means by which God authors that connection with Him, thus causing joy. I guess that makes sense, because human happiness, blades of grass, as well as music, were His original ideas.
DZ
Last night, Anchordown led worship with my favorite gathering, Living Stones. After the 5pm service, a man approached me and said;
"I finally bought an Anchordown CD, and it's been in my truck for the last 2 weeks. I know you probably wonder whether what you do has any effect, but I wanted to tell you that every time I listen to your album, God brings me back down, back to where I need to be."
As he said that last phrase, he put his hand out. Laying it flat he swept it across the space between us, as if petting an imaginary dog.
His kind remarks were deeply affirming, and yes I do wonder those things. I didn't realize it at the time, but his words would stay with me the rest of the evening. It's a statement that sounds weird, and the two options are certainly not mutually exclusive, but I think I would rather have God bring me to where I need to be, than be "happy".
The deepest happiness (or joy as I prefer to use) is found in and through Him (Romans 5:1-3). Reggae or rock, merely 2 options out of millions including polka, mowing the lawn, and feeding the hungry, can only be means by which God authors that connection with Him, thus causing joy. I guess that makes sense, because human happiness, blades of grass, as well as music, were His original ideas.
DZ
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Traitor Joe
Art made by Christians (music, print, digital etc...) reminds me of Trader Joes. Let me explain.
Trader Joe's essentially sells products that are healthier versions of things we all know and love. This morning I had "Trader O's", a somehow more natural version of Cheerios. They don't taste that great. It's not that they're bad, they just aren't as good as the original.
I think art in Christian circles is a lot like that. It's supposed to be better for you, but often, it doesn't taste, look or sound as good.
I know about a dozen causal reasons, but the observation still stands.
DZ
Trader Joe's essentially sells products that are healthier versions of things we all know and love. This morning I had "Trader O's", a somehow more natural version of Cheerios. They don't taste that great. It's not that they're bad, they just aren't as good as the original.
I think art in Christian circles is a lot like that. It's supposed to be better for you, but often, it doesn't taste, look or sound as good.
I know about a dozen causal reasons, but the observation still stands.
DZ
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Emotion and Truth
Music and emotions are strongly tied together. No one questions that, but why is that true? Why has God linked auditory sensory with our emotive response? Emotion rooted in truth can be life-changing. Memories are heightened, decisions are sured. And yet, the danger is always lurking that the object of our worship will lose out to the means. To put it another way; worshipping worship itself.
An example: God can feel far away. This is spiritually and physically impossible as He is omnipresent. And so the clashing of truth and feeling. BUT, there may be some truth in the fact that we are not living in the Spirit and so have squelched His desire to move in our lives.
More on this later...
DZ
An example: God can feel far away. This is spiritually and physically impossible as He is omnipresent. And so the clashing of truth and feeling. BUT, there may be some truth in the fact that we are not living in the Spirit and so have squelched His desire to move in our lives.
More on this later...
DZ
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