Saturday, August 21, 2010
Re-Start
It's that time of year again. I dread the end of summer, not because I love heat, but because that means Fall will quickly fade to winter and I do NOT like winter. At all. End of story...but NOT end of post! :)
I will more than likely NOT find time to blog as often as my thoughts would want me to. However, I will again dip my toe in the proverbial-pool of blogging. I only hope this pool has the urine-indicator!
To update my 2 followers (and other sojourners who happen across this) I am now living in South Holland, Illinois, and attending Mid-America Reformed Seminary in Dyer, Indiana. Luckily these two states are adjoining and so my commute is only 10 miles. I live in a lovely little apartment and just recently got a couch, which I am sitting on now. I 'borrow' internet from a negligent neighbor and his/her 'Router' so I'm hoping all is safe and secure until I decide that I could/should purchase my own service.
Until I blog next, you can expect me to be grumbling about traffic and the navigation of said-traffic. Other noteworthy grumblings include: purchasing 28 books for ONE semester ( @ 20% off), NOT having a bed, missing my gorgeous girlfriend who is still at Dordt and lastly, the waking-up-at-8:30-on-a-Saturday-after-going-to-bed-at-3am-and-not-being-able-to-fall-back-asleep feeling I'm experiencing right now.
Toodles!
I will more than likely NOT find time to blog as often as my thoughts would want me to. However, I will again dip my toe in the proverbial-pool of blogging. I only hope this pool has the urine-indicator!
To update my 2 followers (and other sojourners who happen across this) I am now living in South Holland, Illinois, and attending Mid-America Reformed Seminary in Dyer, Indiana. Luckily these two states are adjoining and so my commute is only 10 miles. I live in a lovely little apartment and just recently got a couch, which I am sitting on now. I 'borrow' internet from a negligent neighbor and his/her 'Router' so I'm hoping all is safe and secure until I decide that I could/should purchase my own service.
Until I blog next, you can expect me to be grumbling about traffic and the navigation of said-traffic. Other noteworthy grumblings include: purchasing 28 books for ONE semester ( @ 20% off), NOT having a bed, missing my gorgeous girlfriend who is still at Dordt and lastly, the waking-up-at-8:30-on-a-Saturday-after-going-to-bed-at-3am-and-not-being-able-to-fall-back-asleep feeling I'm experiencing right now.
Toodles!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Connections
Last week I went to Big Sandy Camp for 6 AMAZING days! I hadn’t been there since I left in August after working there for 3 months this summer as a counselor…which was also AMAZING!
Kristine Fry and I drove up a day early and visited Jenny K in her new house! She made a delicious meal and everyone loved it! I played Scrabble with the guys and then Apples to Apples with about 10 people! Fact: Brian Toth is officially a power-tripper! Love you Brian!
The next day was the New Year’s Bash for past/current/future staff and friends! We hung out, played volleyball (watch out for those Tate Watts’ serves…ouch!!) and caused general ruckus around the snow-laden camp. Later that day we lounged in Loon Lodge while eating homemade goodies and conversing about times gone by. Reminiscing about summer camp was great! I got to catch up with numerous friends of mine and even make better connections with other camp people! Then the ball dropped and we toasted the new year with Raspberry Sherbet punch: MY FAVORITE DRINK OF ALL TIME!!!!!!!!!
To begin the new year, 20 or more of us decided to play “Live Action Mafia” in Birch Lodge! Wow…never has a more fun game been invented nor has it been played with better people in a better location! Go Mary Ingalls Wilder!!!
January 1 wasn’t boring. January 2 meant Senior High campers would be arriving and so we had a day to do practically nothing. We weren’t technically supposed to be at camp so 6 of us loaded up and headed to Subway. That was our afternoon meal but our evening meal provided some great entertainment and relaxation at the Stinson household. While eating AMAZING chicken noodle soup the gang and I discussed the relevance of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s life in our own lives! At the end of the meal, everyone was wondering what was wrong with me because I was wondering WWLD (What Would Laura Do?)
Then SnoDaze!! It’s the Senior High winter retreat and we were more than ready for the camp to be full of high schoolers! Sure enough, right on schedule they arrived in snowpants and stocking hats ready for a weekend of tubing, broomball and worship! There were some familiar faces from the summer and so there was more reminiscing to enjoy! The tubing hill had it’s own drama as did the broomball court. Josh Nielson and I ran the broomball tournament and witnessed a showdown between the NowThen church and…well…the NowThen church! Haha!
And all too soon it was over. Kristine and I left after breakfast on Sunday morning. I choked back tears as I hugged goodbye to friends who are very near and dear to me. I truly hated to leave. The people up there are amazing and their hearts are driven to making BSC a place where God is praised every day! The atmosphere is thick with His glory and you can definitely feel it! It was a privilege to work there for 3 months this summer.
But now I’m back in the real world: working and looking for a full-time job all without a tubing hill or frozen lake or Family Business. But it’s not the things that I did at camp that I miss; it’s the people. And now that I’m back in Iowa, I miss the connection. BSC is home to me because it’s full of people that I love and that love me and a level of comfort that I’ve never known anywhere else. Granted, my true home in Kansas always makes my heart homesick. My home church is where I came to know the Lord. Dordt College is where the Lord found me again and provided me with some lifelong friends. But camp is where it all came together: not only was in a family setting but I saw God at work and He found me and provided me with lifelong friends!
But now it’s 400 miles away again.
I wish I knew for certain that I’d see everyone again. I wish I knew for certain that I’d see Big Sandy Camp again. I wish I knew for certain what my future holds. But all of these things are in God’s hands.
But I still miss the connections.
I could have a great family, amazing friends and a job that I love but it all comes to nothing without a connection with God. Which points me to 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
The love for my family, my home church, Big Sandy Camp, Dordt and all the great friends I’ve made along the way…they are all “seen” and therefore are temporary! When a connection is broken with one of these temporary things, like graduating from Dordt or leaving Big Sandy Camp after an amazing 6 days, it hurts. And for some reason I tend to dwell on that pain rather than accepting that “our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” How can I ignore a verse like that?
Therefore I will not lose heart. My devotion will still remain to those places and people I’ve mentioned but I will devote my time to them out of a love for the eternal God. My devotion to God will grow as I seek to make a deeper connection with Him. Thankfully the success of this connection is not fully based on me or my actions. God has His plans and He will work in my heart if I let Him. A connection with the True Vine will renew me inwardly every day and it will never fade and therefore I will not lose heart!
Kristine Fry and I drove up a day early and visited Jenny K in her new house! She made a delicious meal and everyone loved it! I played Scrabble with the guys and then Apples to Apples with about 10 people! Fact: Brian Toth is officially a power-tripper! Love you Brian!
The next day was the New Year’s Bash for past/current/future staff and friends! We hung out, played volleyball (watch out for those Tate Watts’ serves…ouch!!) and caused general ruckus around the snow-laden camp. Later that day we lounged in Loon Lodge while eating homemade goodies and conversing about times gone by. Reminiscing about summer camp was great! I got to catch up with numerous friends of mine and even make better connections with other camp people! Then the ball dropped and we toasted the new year with Raspberry Sherbet punch: MY FAVORITE DRINK OF ALL TIME!!!!!!!!!
To begin the new year, 20 or more of us decided to play “Live Action Mafia” in Birch Lodge! Wow…never has a more fun game been invented nor has it been played with better people in a better location! Go Mary Ingalls Wilder!!!
January 1 wasn’t boring. January 2 meant Senior High campers would be arriving and so we had a day to do practically nothing. We weren’t technically supposed to be at camp so 6 of us loaded up and headed to Subway. That was our afternoon meal but our evening meal provided some great entertainment and relaxation at the Stinson household. While eating AMAZING chicken noodle soup the gang and I discussed the relevance of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s life in our own lives! At the end of the meal, everyone was wondering what was wrong with me because I was wondering WWLD (What Would Laura Do?)
Then SnoDaze!! It’s the Senior High winter retreat and we were more than ready for the camp to be full of high schoolers! Sure enough, right on schedule they arrived in snowpants and stocking hats ready for a weekend of tubing, broomball and worship! There were some familiar faces from the summer and so there was more reminiscing to enjoy! The tubing hill had it’s own drama as did the broomball court. Josh Nielson and I ran the broomball tournament and witnessed a showdown between the NowThen church and…well…the NowThen church! Haha!
And all too soon it was over. Kristine and I left after breakfast on Sunday morning. I choked back tears as I hugged goodbye to friends who are very near and dear to me. I truly hated to leave. The people up there are amazing and their hearts are driven to making BSC a place where God is praised every day! The atmosphere is thick with His glory and you can definitely feel it! It was a privilege to work there for 3 months this summer.
But now I’m back in the real world: working and looking for a full-time job all without a tubing hill or frozen lake or Family Business. But it’s not the things that I did at camp that I miss; it’s the people. And now that I’m back in Iowa, I miss the connection. BSC is home to me because it’s full of people that I love and that love me and a level of comfort that I’ve never known anywhere else. Granted, my true home in Kansas always makes my heart homesick. My home church is where I came to know the Lord. Dordt College is where the Lord found me again and provided me with some lifelong friends. But camp is where it all came together: not only was in a family setting but I saw God at work and He found me and provided me with lifelong friends!
But now it’s 400 miles away again.
I wish I knew for certain that I’d see everyone again. I wish I knew for certain that I’d see Big Sandy Camp again. I wish I knew for certain what my future holds. But all of these things are in God’s hands.
But I still miss the connections.
I could have a great family, amazing friends and a job that I love but it all comes to nothing without a connection with God. Which points me to 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
The love for my family, my home church, Big Sandy Camp, Dordt and all the great friends I’ve made along the way…they are all “seen” and therefore are temporary! When a connection is broken with one of these temporary things, like graduating from Dordt or leaving Big Sandy Camp after an amazing 6 days, it hurts. And for some reason I tend to dwell on that pain rather than accepting that “our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” How can I ignore a verse like that?
Therefore I will not lose heart. My devotion will still remain to those places and people I’ve mentioned but I will devote my time to them out of a love for the eternal God. My devotion to God will grow as I seek to make a deeper connection with Him. Thankfully the success of this connection is not fully based on me or my actions. God has His plans and He will work in my heart if I let Him. A connection with the True Vine will renew me inwardly every day and it will never fade and therefore I will not lose heart!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Snow "Impressions"
A couple weeks back I enjoyed watching the Dordt Women's soccer team play at home. It was a well-fought game and it came down to penalty kicks which I had never seen before but enjoyed! Sadly they lost but that's not what this post is about.
As I sat freezing my butt off on the metal bleachers, I observed a group of young men sitting a few seats below me. They were there to watch the game and were generally good-natured. Very friendly with each other, they threw snowballs and tackled each other into the snow, making "impressions".
Speaking of impressions, I also observed a young man sitting about 10 feet away from them. He appeared to be 16 and was quite intent on watching the other boys' activities. I didn't really pay any attention until their conversation took a turn for the immoral! I just sat there in utter amazement as this young, impressionable boy absorbed what I can only assume he thought was "cool behavior". And why shouldn't he think it's cool; the boys are older, confident and in public. It's very natural for this young man to assume that what they're doing is okay.
I'm not judging the college boys, nor do I think it's wrong for a young man to watch other people in public. I can't judge because at the same soccer game I shouted something that was quite inappropriate. Then as I was leaving I had the above recollections which sparked the following questions:
Are we consciously aware of what sort of messages we're sending to others?
Do we constantly rethink our behavior in light of how it might influence the next generation or even our own peers?
Do we care more about ourselves and having fun than we care about encouraging others and showing Christ to others?
I ask these questions as someone who's just as guilty as anybody else. Like the motto of my website says "We've all got our wild (and perhaps sinful) side. Figured you might want to hear about mine...and maybe learn from it! We've all got a place in God's world. Figured you might want to hear about mine...and maybe learn from it!"
As I sat freezing my butt off on the metal bleachers, I observed a group of young men sitting a few seats below me. They were there to watch the game and were generally good-natured. Very friendly with each other, they threw snowballs and tackled each other into the snow, making "impressions".
Speaking of impressions, I also observed a young man sitting about 10 feet away from them. He appeared to be 16 and was quite intent on watching the other boys' activities. I didn't really pay any attention until their conversation took a turn for the immoral! I just sat there in utter amazement as this young, impressionable boy absorbed what I can only assume he thought was "cool behavior". And why shouldn't he think it's cool; the boys are older, confident and in public. It's very natural for this young man to assume that what they're doing is okay.
I'm not judging the college boys, nor do I think it's wrong for a young man to watch other people in public. I can't judge because at the same soccer game I shouted something that was quite inappropriate. Then as I was leaving I had the above recollections which sparked the following questions:
Are we consciously aware of what sort of messages we're sending to others?
Do we constantly rethink our behavior in light of how it might influence the next generation or even our own peers?
Do we care more about ourselves and having fun than we care about encouraging others and showing Christ to others?
I ask these questions as someone who's just as guilty as anybody else. Like the motto of my website says "We've all got our wild (and perhaps sinful) side. Figured you might want to hear about mine...and maybe learn from it! We've all got a place in God's world. Figured you might want to hear about mine...and maybe learn from it!"
Monday, October 6, 2008
Kim And I's Latest Favorite Song!
"Suspension"
Lately I'm alright
And lately I'm not scared
I've figured out
That what you do to me feels like
I'm floating on air
I don't need to know right now
All I know is I believe
In the very thing that got us here
And now I can't leave
Say anything, but say what you mean
'cause I'm caught in suspension
Now,
I'm wanting this for sure
And I'll beg for nothing more
I'll plan all day and drive all night
You'll love what's in store
I can't seem to stop this now
Even if it's not so clear
And I'll take what I can get
If you want me here
Say anything, but say what you mean.
When you whisper you want this
Your eyes tell the same
We are gaining speed
I can barely breathe
'cause I'm caught in suspension
It's enough for me to get excited
It's enough for me to feel...wooooooah oooh oh oh oh
Say anything, but say what you mean
When you whisper you want this
Your eyes tell the same
Say Anything
But say what you mean
I'm caught in suspension
I'm caught in suspension
Picking up speed
I can barely breathe
I'm caught in suspension
I'm caught in suspension
Say anything
But say what you mean
I'm caught in suspension
Lately I'm alright
And lately I'm not scared
I've figured out
That what you do to me feels like
I'm floating on air
I don't need to know right now
All I know is I believe
In the very thing that got us here
And now I can't leave
Say anything, but say what you mean
'cause I'm caught in suspension
Now,
I'm wanting this for sure
And I'll beg for nothing more
I'll plan all day and drive all night
You'll love what's in store
I can't seem to stop this now
Even if it's not so clear
And I'll take what I can get
If you want me here
Say anything, but say what you mean.
When you whisper you want this
Your eyes tell the same
We are gaining speed
I can barely breathe
'cause I'm caught in suspension
It's enough for me to get excited
It's enough for me to feel...wooooooah oooh oh oh oh
Say anything, but say what you mean
When you whisper you want this
Your eyes tell the same
Say Anything
But say what you mean
I'm caught in suspension
I'm caught in suspension
Picking up speed
I can barely breathe
I'm caught in suspension
I'm caught in suspension
Say anything
But say what you mean
I'm caught in suspension
Monday, September 1, 2008
...such small sacrifice...
LifeLight=Amazing for every reason imaginable: reunited friends, awesome bands worshipping God and a great atmosphere in general.
We sang and danced all night. Our bodies were definitely in motion and it was sweet! As we listened to Natalie Grant sing, she was all about the "put your hands in the air." It was sweet to see everybody doing it and having a good time, too. But then I noticed my own hands in the air for songs to which I didn't know the words. I found myself questioning my motives for raising my hands. Yes, it was good for me to worship with the rest of the people around me. It was truly a beautiful picture of the body of Christ worshipping instead of individuals worshipping.
But then Casting Crowns came out to sing. I know their songs. I love their songs, both musically and lyrically. They speak to me about things I've always known but in ways I've never considered. Their song "Lifesong" is (pardon my French) FRICKIN' AMAZING!! I love what this song says and I love the tune and I knew I would raise my hands for this song. But the words of the songs speak directly to that act of raising the hands.
Empty hands held high
Such small sacrifice
If not joined with my life
I sing in vain tonight
May the words I say
And the things I do
Make my lifesong sing
Bring a smile to You
Chorus:Let my lifesong sing to You
Let my lifesong sing to You
I want to sign your name to the end of this day
Knowing that my heart was true
Let my lifesong sing to You
Lord, I give my life
A living sacrifice
To reach a world in need
To be Your hands and feet
So may the words I say
And the things I do
Make my lifesong sing
Bring a smile to you
After raising my hands for no apparent reason during Natalie Grant and after hearing and loving that song so much, I couldn't help but think, "Why do we so easily follow the leader in church but never outside of church?" In other words, at a Christian concert with thousands of believers and a great artist singing, we raise our hands as soon as we're asked. But, and I'm speaking primarily about myself, when we leave that Christ-focused arena and enter the "real" world, do we offer the rest of our bodies as living sacrifices? Why must we only be church-people on Sunday? Why can't we follow the other things the leaders/singers say such as giving up that big sin in our life or getting out of our comfort zone for Christ?
One of the hardest things I wrestle with is how to be a Christian when I'm around those who aren't Christians. If I can raise my hands in worship at a concert for no reason, then why can't I worship after the concert for a GREAT reason: Jesus.
My comfort zone has been broken recently. I realize now that all those times I've said "no" to God about doing a mission trip in a foreign country was a stupid thing to say. God has different plans for me. It's not about me and my comfort zone. So many times I've heard speakers and singers mention that giving yourself as a living sacrifice is mandatory as a believer. So many times I've raised my hands in acknowledgment of that fact but failed to follow it after that time is over.
Just so you know, I'll be doing a foreign mission trip sometime in the future. Sooner than later.
I gotta let my lifesong sing!
We gotta let our lifesongs sing!
We sang and danced all night. Our bodies were definitely in motion and it was sweet! As we listened to Natalie Grant sing, she was all about the "put your hands in the air." It was sweet to see everybody doing it and having a good time, too. But then I noticed my own hands in the air for songs to which I didn't know the words. I found myself questioning my motives for raising my hands. Yes, it was good for me to worship with the rest of the people around me. It was truly a beautiful picture of the body of Christ worshipping instead of individuals worshipping.
But then Casting Crowns came out to sing. I know their songs. I love their songs, both musically and lyrically. They speak to me about things I've always known but in ways I've never considered. Their song "Lifesong" is (pardon my French) FRICKIN' AMAZING!! I love what this song says and I love the tune and I knew I would raise my hands for this song. But the words of the songs speak directly to that act of raising the hands.
Empty hands held high
Such small sacrifice
If not joined with my life
I sing in vain tonight
May the words I say
And the things I do
Make my lifesong sing
Bring a smile to You
Chorus:Let my lifesong sing to You
Let my lifesong sing to You
I want to sign your name to the end of this day
Knowing that my heart was true
Let my lifesong sing to You
Lord, I give my life
A living sacrifice
To reach a world in need
To be Your hands and feet
So may the words I say
And the things I do
Make my lifesong sing
Bring a smile to you
After raising my hands for no apparent reason during Natalie Grant and after hearing and loving that song so much, I couldn't help but think, "Why do we so easily follow the leader in church but never outside of church?" In other words, at a Christian concert with thousands of believers and a great artist singing, we raise our hands as soon as we're asked. But, and I'm speaking primarily about myself, when we leave that Christ-focused arena and enter the "real" world, do we offer the rest of our bodies as living sacrifices? Why must we only be church-people on Sunday? Why can't we follow the other things the leaders/singers say such as giving up that big sin in our life or getting out of our comfort zone for Christ?
One of the hardest things I wrestle with is how to be a Christian when I'm around those who aren't Christians. If I can raise my hands in worship at a concert for no reason, then why can't I worship after the concert for a GREAT reason: Jesus.
My comfort zone has been broken recently. I realize now that all those times I've said "no" to God about doing a mission trip in a foreign country was a stupid thing to say. God has different plans for me. It's not about me and my comfort zone. So many times I've heard speakers and singers mention that giving yourself as a living sacrifice is mandatory as a believer. So many times I've raised my hands in acknowledgment of that fact but failed to follow it after that time is over.
Just so you know, I'll be doing a foreign mission trip sometime in the future. Sooner than later.
I gotta let my lifesong sing!
We gotta let our lifesongs sing!
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Hearts And Minds
We all love music, I'd dare say. We probably all have that one song that truly defines us, too. Music has been around a while and I'm assuming it'll continue to be written, recorded and performed until...well, the end of this world.
I encountered one such instance of music being performed last night. It was the Switchfoot concert at LifeLight in Sioux Falls. I've listenend to Switchfoot's music. I have one of their CDs. It's a good one and they sang some of those familiar songs last night. Songs that I put under the title of "Trevor's Life-Songs" Soundtrack and if you know me, you'll know that there's a song by Casting Crowns which is the title track of my soundtrack :)
As I was at the concert, the lead singer was talking about a song which spoke about the American Dream. Then he talked about politics and presidents. Then he said, "This next song is about the true leader of the nation." And then my thoughts went with it. In the realm of music, there is a war going on. It's not fought with bullets but with beats. There are no armies, just albums. There's rarely peace; just "pausing". The aim of this war: the hearts and minds of everyone but the target audience seems to be youth.
There are 4 battlefronts, at least in my mind:
1) Christian music fighting for Christian hearts and minds
2) Christian music fighting for non-Christian hearts and minds
3) Secular music fighting for Christian hearts and minds
4) Secular music fighting for non-Christian hearts and minds
1) Although I can't say for sure, I'm ASSUMING that all Christian music is safe to listen to and will not lead anyone away from Christ or understanding who He is. There may be some theological differences, and depending on what those differences are, they probably aren't enough to distract away from the point of Christian music: to worship and glorify God. So this battle front is winning, in my opinion.
2) It's on the radio. It's just a turn of the dial away. It's in the music stores ready to be purchased. There are varying styles enticing varying personalities of people. Again, my assumption is that more Christians purchase and listen to Christian music than non-Christians. But I'm not sure what else the Christian artists can do to get the non-Christians to listen to their music. It's not a lost cause but as a Christian, it's hard for me to take on the perspective of a non-Christian.
3) I listen to a lot of secular music. It's mainly country, rap, hip-hop and top-40. Here's my issue with this music: yeah, it doesn't always include lyrics which reflect the Christian life but as Christians, we need to listen with a discerning ear. I think it's okay to hear these songs as long as we understand that what they're singing needs to be put through a filter so it doesn't motivate us to actually change our lifestyle. Granted, there are some songs which are highly uplifting and even mention God or Jesus. But is it truly okay to listen to these songs? The radio is free so it's not like you financially support those non-Christian artists. These artists are truly talented and I feel that they ought to use their spiritual gifts of singing/playing to support themselves. But ought Christians put their dollars towards support non-Christian messages? It's a grey area and I'm not going to say one way or the other but I'm just throwing it out there.
4) There is a very dangerous song out there. It's dangerous for all of us, me included. I love this song because it's catchy and well written and fun to listen to. I hate this song because the messaage is this: one-night-stands are okay. The song is "Lookin' For A Good Time" by Lady Antebellum, a country group. I suggest listening to the song because it's very interesting. I listen to this song with a discerning ear; I know one-night-stands are wrong for several reasons. But what about the non-Christian audience? Do they have a discerning ear? It's possible they do but if they don't, then this song becomes a free-pass to a "good time".
The other issue with #4 is artists that sing/write these songs are very bold to distribue such songs. How comfortable with the lyrics do you have to be to write it, sing it and then send it out into the world and have everyone who hears it know that you "support" what the lyrcs say?! Don't you have to truly believe in what you're singing in order to sing it? And even if you don't agree with it and sing it anyway, you are essentially putting your stamp of approval on the message in that song. And those without a discerning ear recognize this and then they think it's okay to believe what the music says.
We've got a war to fight, people. Personally, I write a lot of music that I want to give to secular artists. My lyrics reflect Biblical principles. They are uplifting and positive. They acurately portray a Christian life which isn't always happy-go-lucky but is a blessing every day we live. I want to overflow the music stores with secular music with a Christian message.
There are a lot of unchurched people who get their "sermons" from the radio.
But who's preaching to them?
Who's preaching to you?
I encountered one such instance of music being performed last night. It was the Switchfoot concert at LifeLight in Sioux Falls. I've listenend to Switchfoot's music. I have one of their CDs. It's a good one and they sang some of those familiar songs last night. Songs that I put under the title of "Trevor's Life-Songs" Soundtrack and if you know me, you'll know that there's a song by Casting Crowns which is the title track of my soundtrack :)
As I was at the concert, the lead singer was talking about a song which spoke about the American Dream. Then he talked about politics and presidents. Then he said, "This next song is about the true leader of the nation." And then my thoughts went with it. In the realm of music, there is a war going on. It's not fought with bullets but with beats. There are no armies, just albums. There's rarely peace; just "pausing". The aim of this war: the hearts and minds of everyone but the target audience seems to be youth.
There are 4 battlefronts, at least in my mind:
1) Christian music fighting for Christian hearts and minds
2) Christian music fighting for non-Christian hearts and minds
3) Secular music fighting for Christian hearts and minds
4) Secular music fighting for non-Christian hearts and minds
1) Although I can't say for sure, I'm ASSUMING that all Christian music is safe to listen to and will not lead anyone away from Christ or understanding who He is. There may be some theological differences, and depending on what those differences are, they probably aren't enough to distract away from the point of Christian music: to worship and glorify God. So this battle front is winning, in my opinion.
2) It's on the radio. It's just a turn of the dial away. It's in the music stores ready to be purchased. There are varying styles enticing varying personalities of people. Again, my assumption is that more Christians purchase and listen to Christian music than non-Christians. But I'm not sure what else the Christian artists can do to get the non-Christians to listen to their music. It's not a lost cause but as a Christian, it's hard for me to take on the perspective of a non-Christian.
3) I listen to a lot of secular music. It's mainly country, rap, hip-hop and top-40. Here's my issue with this music: yeah, it doesn't always include lyrics which reflect the Christian life but as Christians, we need to listen with a discerning ear. I think it's okay to hear these songs as long as we understand that what they're singing needs to be put through a filter so it doesn't motivate us to actually change our lifestyle. Granted, there are some songs which are highly uplifting and even mention God or Jesus. But is it truly okay to listen to these songs? The radio is free so it's not like you financially support those non-Christian artists. These artists are truly talented and I feel that they ought to use their spiritual gifts of singing/playing to support themselves. But ought Christians put their dollars towards support non-Christian messages? It's a grey area and I'm not going to say one way or the other but I'm just throwing it out there.
4) There is a very dangerous song out there. It's dangerous for all of us, me included. I love this song because it's catchy and well written and fun to listen to. I hate this song because the messaage is this: one-night-stands are okay. The song is "Lookin' For A Good Time" by Lady Antebellum, a country group. I suggest listening to the song because it's very interesting. I listen to this song with a discerning ear; I know one-night-stands are wrong for several reasons. But what about the non-Christian audience? Do they have a discerning ear? It's possible they do but if they don't, then this song becomes a free-pass to a "good time".
The other issue with #4 is artists that sing/write these songs are very bold to distribue such songs. How comfortable with the lyrics do you have to be to write it, sing it and then send it out into the world and have everyone who hears it know that you "support" what the lyrcs say?! Don't you have to truly believe in what you're singing in order to sing it? And even if you don't agree with it and sing it anyway, you are essentially putting your stamp of approval on the message in that song. And those without a discerning ear recognize this and then they think it's okay to believe what the music says.
We've got a war to fight, people. Personally, I write a lot of music that I want to give to secular artists. My lyrics reflect Biblical principles. They are uplifting and positive. They acurately portray a Christian life which isn't always happy-go-lucky but is a blessing every day we live. I want to overflow the music stores with secular music with a Christian message.
There are a lot of unchurched people who get their "sermons" from the radio.
But who's preaching to them?
Who's preaching to you?
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