I ran across this via Bobby Gilles a while back and, well…it's agreed: some songs are worse than just 'train wreck'. And I'm really trying to be charitable here. Really, really, really. But as Gilles said, everything you need to know NOT to do (from writing a song to interpreting your Bible) is here in one video. In fact, these guys may want to consider sponsoring my Exploding Head series. But I'll leave it to you to judge. 

Just….wow. 

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I can’t help it. You have to see the Jesus is My Friend video by Sonseed. And pay very close attention to the lyrics of the last verse at 1:46 or so. Wait for it….wait for it.

Ick.

Click here to view the embedded video.

You may now return your tray tables to their upright position. We’ll return to more serious matters soon.

(HT:TheMIssionalPosition)

It’s probably not what you think.

A few days ago, retired Christian recording artist Ray Boltz came out of the closet, announcing his homosexuality. (His website, btw, is having a pretty huge clearance sale. Interpret that how you wish.) “This is what it really comes down to,” he says in a CT interview. “If this is the way God made me, then this is the way I’m going to live. It’s not like God made me this way and he’ll send me to hell if I am who he created me to be … I really feel closer to God because I no longer hate myself.”

On his official website he says: 

"A few years ago I made the decision to retire from contemporary Christian music. I had won awards, performed in front of thousands of people, and sold millions of records. Still, I believed that if people knew who I really was, I would never be accepted."

The tragedy is that within a community of believers, genuine authenticity is not accepted. That, for all our talk of ‘community’, we have to still hide our struggles and pains beneath the veneer of success.

The tragedy is while Ray Boltz struggled in sin, and received unmerited grace to write beautiful songs, the Christian community will yet again throw him to the wolves. (Michael English, anyone? Sandi Patti? Amy Grant?)

The tragedy is that songs that once brought a sense of awe and reverence to the Church will now become the punchline in a joke.

The comedy? That the enemy will have a field day watching as believers debate and fight over the Scriptures, slander each other, and condemn and accuse the other side of neo-liberalism or fundamentalism. No. Wait….that’s another Tragedy.

Ray Boltz will stand before our Abba one day to give an account of his life.

So will you.

No doubt, homosexuality is still sin. But I believe the grace that covers my USAmerican sin of gluttony, consumption, pride and hypocrisy is big enough to cover his sin as well. If not, we are all in trouble.

Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message) reads:

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly."

Pray for Ray Boltz. And pray for me, too. We still need Jesus.

Thoughts?

Yeah. This one is actually TRUE. I’ve heard (mostly stupid) stories about ‘worship wars’ and, although no one I know has actually died from one, this looks like it’s gotten out of hand.

ANN ARBOR, MI — Without a warrant or other legal authorization, uniformed police officers conducted several raids on Faith Baptist Church in Waterford Township, Michigan, and threatened to prosecute several young Christian musicians for disorderly conduct – because the Township prosecutor objected to the playing of contemporary religious music.  “Praise and worship” music is a central part of Faith Baptist’s religious service…

During a Wednesday night youth service, uniformed Township police, led by the Township prosecutor, burst into the Church’s sanctuary where the Church’s “Praise and Worship” band was warming up. The prosecutor ordered the officers to take the names and addresses of all the young people on stage so that they could be charged with “disorderly conduct.” 

The very next Sunday, Waterford Township police again raided Faith Baptist, this time during the Pastor Comb’s evening sermon.  Officers were about to disrupt the services and remove the “Praise and Worship” band members and order them to surrender their driver’s licenses for personal information.  However, an Assistant Pastor volunteered to bring the members to the police so as not to create an uproar among the congregation.  

The Township prosecutor was very explicit:  he told the pastors that churches should not play ‘rock music,’ and threatened that each time he heard music coming from the church he would conduct a raid.

Geesh. Someone should put together a care package for Mr. Township Prosecutor. A nice Twila Paris CD. Some big-girl panties. And a handful of Xanax.

Volunteers?

Read the story here.

-the legendary Keith Green, in a rant…

You probably shouldn’t read the whole rant here if you like a nice, neat, comfortable version of consumer Christianity (like many of us have)…all the talk against a ‘personal savior’, a ‘sinner’s prayer’, and an easy as 1-2-3 salvation presentations just might be upsetting…

Step One: Beginning in the Garden, God begins telling us who He is: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Step Two: A plethora of pansy, politically-correct liberals [case-in-point: Presbyterian Church (USA)] aren't comfortable in their gender-confused world.

Step Three: They decide to change the Holy Trinity into non-gender specific roles to "Mother, Child and Womb" and "Rock, Redeemer, Friend". 

Yes, God is our Rock.

Yes, Jesus is our Redeemer.

And, yes, The Holy Spirit, can be described as a friend (if you define 'friend' as that nagging voice that convicts you of sin…albiet a sometimes irritating friend, for Whom I am grateful.)

But, seriously. Driscoll says they've taken the action because of a new found chunk of time on their hands, since no one is really going to their church anymore.

He also suggests, that "if the committee is still taking suggestions, maybe we could call God one of the following:

• Rock, Paper, Scissors
• Larry, Curly, Moe
• Beast, False Prophet, Antichrist
• Chocolate, Peanut, Nougat
• Judas, Herod, Pharaoh
• Fastball, Curveball, Changeup
• Momma Bear, Poppa Bear, Baby Bear

And maybe we could start calling mainline Protestant pastors who despise God’s Word something new and compile a new series of title options for them, too, such as:

• Heretics
• Nutjobs
• Wingnuts
• Tools
• Kindling"

All apologies to Christians out there who are confused by this load of guano. And to Our Father for further muddying the waters of who His Word says He is as He relates to us, His children.

 Read the entire USA Today article.

I found this today while cleaning out some old files on my home PC. May it inspire you to get up and do something. Anything.

One night, I had a wondrous dream;
One set of footprints there was seen.
The footprints of my precious Lord,
But mine were not along the shore.

But then some stranger prints appeared,
And I asked the Lord, "What have we here?"
"Those prints are large and round and neat,
But, Lord, they are too big for feet."

"My child," He said in somber tones.
"For miles I carried you alone.
I challenged you to walk in faith,
But you refused and made me wait.

You disobeyed, you would not grow,
The walk of-faith you would not know.
So I got tired and fed up,
And there I dropped you on your butt,
Because in life, there comes a time,
When one must fight, and one must climb,
When one must rise and take a stand,
Or leave their butt prints in the sand."

It seems as though our inconsistency has been dragged out of the comfortable darkness into the cursed, revealing light.

Not too many years ago, the Christian community was pretty outraged that JK Rowling’s books (and subsequent movies) were hitting the big time and seducing all our children over to the dark side of witchcraft and sorcery. We/they protested. Boycotted Barnes and Noble. Pickted theaters. Meanwhile, Rowling raked in the free press and the big royalties.

So, what about the second in the ‘Pirates of the Carribean’ sequel, “Dead Man’s Chest”? Here is a thought-provoking article about our inconsistent outrage towards Hollywood.

As the article states, “If we’re going to pick on Potter, we’d better pick on Pirates.”