one month

Heroes #3 - Neil Bennetts

Ok, just so you know there is no chance of me getting a pay rise so this isn't some big suck up.

I've met a lot of talented and renowned worship leaders and song writers in my time, including many men and women of God who have blessed the wider church in immeasurable ways. And to my mind there is one who is head and shoulders above the rest; Matt Redman. 

However saying that there is another worship leader who I think has grasped what it truly means to love and serve the church; to be committed to building the community of believers with a truly Kingdom perspective: Mr. Neil M. Bennetts.

He would be the first to say that he's not the best guitarist or vocalist (actually, I'd probably say it first as a joke - but he'd humbly agree), yet in terms of establishing values, working in unity, steering a church towards worship, equipping a church with songs, building and progressing a team and, crucially, leading the church into God's presence - there is no-one I've met to match him.

As modern worship leaders increasingly resemble the rock stars they wish they could be, Neil remains undistracted by the glamour and celebrity of the era - even when we have a big church and we help run a regional conference. So many would seek to 'build' on that or to 'bless' the wider church. Instead, almost all his efforts and thoughts go into what God is doing in Trinity Cheltenham. Selfish? No, obedient.

When Emilie and I moved to Northern Ireland in 2003, Neil was pretty much the only worship leader from England who stayed in touch - even though we didn't know each other that well. When he was over visiting his family he would always ring up for a coffee and was always keen to have me over and keep me involved in New Wine. 

Ever since I started writing songs as a precocious teenager many 'important and influential' leaders were interested in my 'development'. However few retained any commitment once I was no longer in immediate contact or had left the glare of Soul Survivor's limelight. Even though I was 'just doing the youth' and I was a decade and half younger (and more than a little bit of a know it all) - Neil treated me like a peer; as a co-worker in the Kingdom - even when he was heading up worship for the whole New Wine movement.

Delight in other's success is one of his trademarks.

This summer I witnessed how truly delighted he was as God moved in our church and led people into new depths of worship. As a move of the Spirit brought new intimacy and passion and wonder to our times of worship, Neil was in his element, with a simple delight in the things of the Kingdom. 

Sometimes he gets more excited about my songs than his own. 

He is not without his weaknesses, shortcomings and failures - but that just puts him in the same category as every great man of God I've ever met or read about. I am proud to be his friend and colleague - though make no mistake, I will continue to tease and torture him cruelly at each frequent opportunity (it is a gift I have).

I am probably going to regret this post so I better click 'Publish' before I think about it for too long.......

What he says - "We in our churches and in our ministries need to live in wonder. We can’t reduce our lives as worshippers to a set of procedures, creeds or profit and loss accounts. We need to linger in the cloud a little more - not try and explain it, manage it, control it, assess it. But pause in that place where things are mysterious and let the wonder grow. It's what brings life alive."

"I am committed but not involved"  

"Who is Jay-Z?"

"Admit it, I am a design genius!"

What they say - "Neil Bennetts has been slowly but surely building a reputation as an exceptional songwriter and worship leader. His work at Trinity Cheltenham and his regular worship leading at the New Wine event has made this, his first "solo" album, long overdue and what a delight it is!" - Tony Cummings, Cross Rhythms

Finest Moment - It's a fine call between 'King of Love' or 'O Perfect Love' or employing me.

dg

Heroes #2 - Damon Lindelof

Make no mistake. To my mind Damon Lindelof is the coolest person on the planet right now.

As Co-Creator, Executive Producer and Show Runner of 'LOST' he is chiefly responsible for the creation and development of the greatest show in 21st Century television. Together with his writing partner, and fellow Exec, Carlton Cuse he holds all the secrets to the Islands mysteries.

Now let me tell you why LOST is so special. There are very, very few examples of TV or Films that can simultaneously handle three key objectives.....

1. Mass Appeal

2. Artistic Integrity and Quality

3. Depth of Intellectual Content

LOST handles all three exceptionally well. Its first season was a pop culture phenomenon. And even with reduced ratings from losing the casual observers who can't keep up with the depth of the story lines - it is still massively popular. Genuine 'water cooler' TV. Its production values are first rate - many have described it like watching a 'movie every week'. The characters and dialogue are just brilliant. After watching an episode of Lost, your other favourite serialised shows (24 or Heroes) seem clunky, bad acted and second rate. They're not - it's just that LOST is so good. It is far more than a TV show. I never make an effort to see shows I've missed - life is too bust and there are far more important things to do - yet I NEVER miss LOST. Never.

No other show has the scope to examine redemption, life and death, the nature of good and evil, science versus faith and freewill and destiny. It also has a nice sideline in 'Father Issues'.

There are two things I love most about LOST and Damon Lindelof is the chief protagonist for both. Firstly, the mythology of the Island - JJ Abrams described the Island as 'a character' in its own right. I love all the mystery of the show, the piecing together of the puzzle, the 'Easter Eggs', the speculation, searching the screencaps. This is the primary reason why LOST has a second life on the internet. There are hundreds of forums and chatrooms where the endless theories are posted. There have also been three ARG online games which have enhanced and augmented the overall mythology of the show. 

Secondly, the show's sponge-like absorption of cultural references. From Greek Mythology to Star Wars there are hundreds of references from across the board. There is even a 'LOST Book Club' run by the ABC Studios to encourage fans of LOST to read the books which influence the show. The show is rich in religious imagery particularly Christianity and the Eastern religions.

The show is truly a rich tapestry and I am enjoying whilst it is here because there are only 34 more episodes to be broadcast. I cannot wait to see how it all ends and how the mysteries are revealed yet I am also dreading its ending - there will never be anything quite like this on TV ever again. 

Many of you will be thinking "It's only a TV show.... You're a geek and a loser". With pride.

Thank you Damon.

What He Says - “Thank you for believing in our show. We know it's frustrating sometimes, but hold on and thanks for getting Lost with us.”

What They Say - "The show with perhaps the most compelling continuing story line in television history" The New York Times

Finest Moment - It's a toss up between the "snake in the mailbox" twist at the end of Season 3 and the brilliant genre bending episode 'The Constant' from season 4, both written with Carlton Cuse.

dg

Heroes #1 - Thom Yorke

A wave of ginger hair. A lazy left eye. A piercing, emotional voice. Thom Yorke is more of an Anti-Hero really.

As a young 14 year old whose musical taste was held in the twin vice like grips of Aerosmith and Bon Jovi, the Britpop scene came along, shook me up and crashed open the doors of musical wonderment. This movement spearheaded by the the warring Blur and Oasis coincided with the airing of The Beatles Anthology which radically changed my perceptions of music. 

Through this formative period I approached the grunge scene from Seattle and eventually ended up with a song called 'Creep', which had been a huge hit in the States, by the Oxford band Radiohead. So when I was given a taped copy of 'The Bends' I was looking forward to it. 

I literally played this tape to death. 

Where my mother heard "wrist-slitting" I heard life affirming beauty. From the rip-roaring "Just" and "My Iron Lung" to the fractured simplicity of 'High and Dry' and 'Bulletproof.... I Wish I Was' - I was mesmerised. So I eagerly awaited it's follow up 'OK Computer'.

Epiphanous. It is the only way I can describe it. I've never really recovered from that record. All of a sudden music could be catchy, simple, complex, layered, intelligent, poignant, current, retro, fragile, aggressive and meaningful all at once. I can still remember listening for the first time with head phones on. As 'Airbag' opens with a cello soaring into my right ear and monster riff attacking my left ear before those distorted drums and syncopated bass line turned my world upside down.

So what do bands do when they reach a critical and commercial high? - They do it again only it isn't quite the same. Unless of course you are Radiohead - then you disappear for 3 and half years and release an release an Art Rock record without any interviews or singles. 'Kid A' is not a lesson on how to rest on your laurels. Many find it difficult - I found it magnificent. This was followed up by the equally engaging 'Amnesiac' and the more guitar based 'Hail to the Thief'. The incredible solo album 'The Eraser' and the industry changing 'In Rainbows' bring us up to the present day.

Making great music is not enough to become a 'hero' however. My appreciation of Thom Yorke stems from how the music is made, how it is presented and the endless progression and experimentation. There is no mainstream artist that can match Radiohead's invention. His lyrics draw form so many familiar phrases and images and together they paint the bleak picture of the 21st Century world - complete with breaking rays of sunlight and hope. Interestingly he was an opponent of New Labour from the outset - as early as 1997 singing "Bring down the government/They don't speak for us". In 2001 Amnesiac's 'You and whose army' directly challenges the Blairite cabinet to a showdown.

The manner of Thom Yorke's political activism has always impressed me. He was heavily involved in the 'Jubilee 2000', though not always the most visible advocate, and he has regularly supported the 'Free Tibet' campaign and is a constant and passionate supporter of 'Friends of the Earth'. He is an intelligent proponent of the causes he cares about, contrasting with the sixth form common room chatter of the Chris Martins of this world. Rather than the soapbox, proselytising style of a Bono - shaking hands with Bush and Blair and whichever Billionaire was going pay for some retrovirals- he has always kept his integrity - trying to instigate and inspire his fanbase into direct engagement and involvement in the issues.

Most importantly he hasn't forgotten the day job, realising that it is the impact of his art that gives him a powerful voice - not his celebrity. The fact U2 have not made a good, original record since 1997's POP  ('All You Can't Leave Behind' is a good U2 pastiche - 'How To Dismantle...' is an awful U2 pastiche - yes, October was good, but that was 25 years ago.) weakens the validity of Bono's voice and compromises his integrity as he now seems to trade on his fame more than his artistic merits.  Thom Yorke has been responsible for 6 great records in that time. And as always, I can't wait for the next one.

What He Says - "It's like a supply and demand thing. It's like 'Well, this is what they want me to do, this is what they want to hear. So I'll do more of this, cuz this is great... and they love me.' Suddenly people start giving you money as well. So then you've got money and you get used to this lifestyle. And you don't wanna take any risks cuz they've got you by the balls, and you've got all these little things that you've bought, or you're attached to. And you start spending all this money... And that's how they get ya!"

What They Say - "But this is pop, a music of ornery, glistening guile and honest ache, and it will feel good under your skin once you let it get there."  - Rolling Stone

Finest Moment - Paranoid Android - the bit where he spits out the lyric "Kicking, squealing, Gucci, little piggy".

Heroes

No this isn't a confusing story about normal people who develop super powers and then spend 3 seasons twisting and turning trying to avoid the huge plot holes of having numerous characters that can time travel and stop time or see the future.

Instead this is a little mini-series highlighting people from various fields of life who have become some of my heroes; People who have influenced and inspired me and have generally made my life better and richer because of their efforts. Some of them you may know already, others you may not be too familiar with, but all of them are brilliant in their own unique ways.

I've not included any Biblical characters or Mother Theresa/Mandela types - that would be a bit too predictable, easy and, frankly, boring.....

enjoy...

dg

Jamie Oliver

Top 5 Films 2008

1. No Country For Old Men 

Yeah I know it won the Oscar, but sometimes they get it right.

2. There Will Be Blood

.... and there was. A hugely memorable film about greed and evil destroying the soul.

3.Wall -E

Seriously. This a great film.

4.The Dark Knight

Not quite the deep, philosophical film it pretends to be, but still the best Superhero flick of all time (at least until Watchmen comes out next year). Heath. Ledger. Oscar. 

5. Juno

She just about stays the right side of annoying  - lovely unexpected film.

Notable Disappointment:

Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull 

(Why? Why would you do that to people? It was one of the greatest movie series of all time. Now it has this sordid, half-baked dim-witted inbred cousin hanging round with the rest of them....  I didn't like it.)

*UPDATE*

I had thought that 'The Diving Bell and The Butterfly' was from 2007 when it was actually from this year and would definitely had made it in there, maybe even at #3......

Top 5 Albums (pre 2008)

1. Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther

Simply outstanding. Why did I not buy this in 2006? That's 2 years of my life wasted.

2. Justice - Cross

Daft Punk must be gutted. These guys have made an anthemic, spiritual and vital record for our times.

3. Burial - Untrue

This album sneaked into 2007 otherwise it would have been high on this years favourites. Urban Britain condensed into 51.2 minutes.

4. Whiskeytown - Pneumonia

Ryan Adams gets ready to be incredible.

5. Josh Ritter - The Historical Conquests of.....

He has been on my radar for a while but this album is the best of his I have bought...

Notable Mentions:

Once (Sountrack)

Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog

Ron Sexsmith - Ron Sexsmith

Ryan Adams - Love is Hell

Doris Day - The Christmas Album (awesome!)

The National - Boxer

Top 5 Albums of 2008

Albums of 2008:

1.Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

Beach Boys meets woodland fairy tale fantasies - incredible.

2.Martha Wainwright - I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too

As good as one of her brother's albums. Yep, it is that good.

3.Laura Marling - Alas, I Cannot Swim

An enchanting and authentic British songstress - and still a teenager!

4.Joan as Policewoman - To Survive

A truly soulful singer songwriter with a great 'sophomore' album.

5.REM - Accelerate

Everyone said it was a return to form. They were right.

Notable mentions:

MGMT - Oracular Spectacular (would have made top 5 if 2nd half of record matched the awesome 1st half!)

Mogwai - The Hawk is Howling (a worthy addition to their impressive catalogue)

Sigur Ros - Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Enderlast (Even though they are huge now they are still one of the most unique bands on the planet)

Ron Sexsmith - Exit Strategy of the Soul (It is physically impossible for Him to write a bad song)

Chris Lawson Jones - Carolina (One of my favourite albums of any year - but then I wrote a bit of it, so i would say that)

Top 5's for 2008

Many of you fervent followers of my previous blog - (Daily Health Scare - R.I.P.) will be familiar with this. Like many pathetic modern men I have an addiction to lists of stuff - here are my favourite albums of 2008, older albums I bought in 2008 and (making a debut) films I've watched..... enjoy

Sufjan Stevens - Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount, I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy unchanging love.

Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here there by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be
Let that grace now, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount, I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy unchanging love.

The Brick Testament

this is amazing  - www.thebricktestament.com

Justice - Genesis

ToryTubby

A Foggy Day (In London Town)

I was a stranger in the city
Out of town were the people I knew
I had that feeling of self-pity
What to do, what to do, what to do
The outlook was decidedly blue

But as I walked through the foggy streets alone
It turned out to be the luckiest day Ive known

A foggy day, in London town
Had me low, had me down
I viewed the morning, with much alarm
British Museum, had lost its charm

How long I wondered,
Could this thing last
But the age of miracles, hadnt past
For suddenly, I saw you there
And through foggy London town,
The sun was shining everywhere

lu.mi.nes.cence

I saw a perfect winter’s morning. The sun was low in the sky, just above the green hills, yet still bright and warm. The sky was a clear, vivid blue but only for a wisp of cloud. The air was cold and still. Then as I looked closer at this scene, towards the top, I saw it fray in the centre. As I reached out I realised that this wasn’t an actual vista, but it was a painting on a canvas.

The canvas continued to fray in the centre and soon the fray became a rip and the rip became a laceration until eventually the scene had become completely torn. However behind the rip was something even more beautiful. The brightest light imaginable shone from beyond the torn edges. A light so bright I could not bare to look at it because when it did catch my gaze I could feel it burn instantly in the back of my eyes.

The light was so radiant and so bold that it appeared to be solid. I was frightened to even raise a hand to shield my face. It felt as if I were even a single inch closer then I would be totally consumed. This light was so brilliant I could sense it not only with my sight, but by touch and taste and smell. I could even hear this light and it was ringing loud. Nothing else could be heard, yet it was a strange sound like a whisper and an explosion and a breath all at once.

As I stood, paralysed by the luminescence, I could feel my face changing. My body was starting to glow. It shone first from my face, then my hands and eventually my entire body. It was shining from both the surface of my skin and deep within from some unknown inner place. Light breaking through light. It was a thousand sensations all at once. Sheer joy. Utter silence. Intense energy. I had become the light.

At this moment, transformed into the body of light, I fell still. As I stood illuminated I felt lucid and beautiful, as if for the first time, truly alive.

Midlake - 'Head Home'

Worship Cliché #3: Worship Music in the Charts Would Be Amazing!

The trouble with this is that on one level it would be. Like many I would love to see expressions of faith and worship to be heralded as the greatest pieces of art in our culture - much like Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel Ceiling or Handel’s Messiah. So it would make sense that worship music infiltrated the world of popular music, right? Yet I’m not so sure.

I can make sense of it to some degree - perhaps there would be some instant conversions and convictions when a song of worship was blasted over Radio 1 every 5 minutes, but I doubt it. Also I am not convinced people would hear a great worship track and think:

“Hey maybe Christianity isn’t so dusty and boring - they have catchy tunes! Maybe I’ll re-evaluate my whole life/belief system/way of living?”

Increasingly I am being invited to Facebook groups that say - “let’s get Tim Hughes to number one” or “Let’s petition to get a worship leader to sing at London 2012”. There is a growing belief that it would be amazing if the charts were full of worship music. My hunch is that although this belief is born out of good intentions (seeing God’s name worshipped and proclaimed in our culture) it slips into the trap of being dazzled by Celebrity culture and the age old distraction of using the established powers of influence for our own agenda.

This is the primary point of my argument - our focus needs to be God’s Kingdom breaking through rather than concentrating on appropriating the world’s power and influence to enforce its rule - whether that be media, government or monetary. It is a temptation that the Church constantly gives in to. We observe how much negative influence the powers of the world hold and we imagine what good could be done if we were in possession of them.

Much like many of the characters in the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy - who would desire to use the ring for good but the power the ring yields will always corrupt the wearer. We desire to ‘wear the ring’ and ‘use it for good’ but there are so many examples over the history of the Church where we have misused the powers of this world. It is a dangerous game to play and we should always approach with extreme caution - we may well cause more damage than good.

My second complaint is perhaps more subjective - I think that artistic expressions, and particularly those which are intended as worship, should be given and offered as that alone - art and worship. I don’t believe that we should use worship for any other purpose than as an offering to God, even for good things like evangelism and justice. It is when the lines become blurred that our values get compromised.

Also, I hold a very idealistic view of art:

The aim of art is not to influence, it is to express, though strong expressions leave strong impressions.

The aim of art is not to affirm, it is to challenge, though it may lead to us holding stronger convictions.

The aim of art is not to change, it is to reflect, though when seeing a clear reflection we become aware of what needs changing

Worship and art can end up doing many wonderful things - but worship is not measured by its influence or even its fruit, but by its obedience. God has already made available for us all the power and resources we need to achieve what He has called us to achieve. We are called to be ‘Culture Shapers’ but we are better off doing things His way - building the Church, helping the poor, worshipping with all our hearts.

'With that power I should have power too great and terrible. And over me the Ring would gain a power still greater and more deadly.' His eyes flashed and his face was lit as by a fire within. 'Do not tempt me! For I do not wish to become like the Dark Lord himself... I dare not take it, not even to keep it safe, unused. The wish to wield it would be too great for my strength. I shall have such need of it. Great perils lie before me.'

do you get what I’m trying to say?

dg

A Similar Voice

Today I stumbled upon a blog by a friend of mine, Adrian McCartney,

who is a lovely man who leads a church just outside of Belfast... the words of his latest post echos many of my own feelings on 'the modern worship movement'... and here is a great excerpt:

Now I detest being told the latest worship leader is in town and we should all go to see or hear him/her. I have not bought a CD for over ten years and strangely seem no worse off in terms of my spiritual journey. If anything I am even more energised about following Jesus than I have ever been. I deplore adverts to buy worship, competitions to see who has sold the most, worship concerts, launching a CD, and “they have their own sound”. Can you imagine advertising the sale of your pastoral care, having a chart with best pastors on it, a theatre where you could come and watch someone delivering the latest pastoral care, launching your latest best pastoral care phrases in multiple languages and having a manager and a tour?Preserve me from the madness that has beset us!

amen

dg

Nope

Does a bear.....?

Worship Cliché #2: People get Most of Their Theology from Songs

Before I rip merciless shreds into this cliché, there are two truths here I want to affirm:

1. People remember songs more than they remember sermons - basic human psychology and memory analysis tells us that music helps people remember words better.

2. Songwriters and worship leaders have a vital role in the shaping of the Church’s theology and language alongside preachers and other leaders - people take their lead from their leaders.

So we know that songs are memorable and play a part in the shaping of theology.

But seriously.... people get ‘most’ of their theology from songs and hymns?

Are you kidding me?

I take great issue with this often recited cliché - it is a favourite amongst self-righteous theologians and jealous preachers - and here is why:

1. There is some base assumption that people are idiots. That they carefully chew over every sermon they hear and book they read - but when they are singing worship songs they switch off all of their critical and analytical senses and descend to mindless sponges - soaking up every word of our songs with a senseless regard for truth and then live in accordance to the lyrics they have unwilling been hypnotised by. This view treats the Church as both gormless and feckless, revealing a belief that the people are a clueless proletariat that many theologians secretly hold them to be.

2. Of course people’s theology better resembles the songs they sing rather than the sermons they hear. This is because songs are written to reflect what people already know. It is worship - a response to revelation. The aim of the song writer is not to fill up the minds of the people with new ideas and theological nuances - it is to put words on the lips of what God is already doing in their hearts and minds. Many people are guilty of backwards logic - ‘we believe it because we sing it’ - rather than the greater truth being - ‘we sing it because we believe it’.

3. This cliché has a distorted perspective of how we form theology (by what we hear, sing, read). It is far more complicated than that. People’s experience, personal interpretation of scripture and fellowship with others play just as big a part in the formation of theology as any leader derived input. And this is not even to mention the primary, powerful and transformative work of the Holy Spirit in people’s lives. To say that ‘most’ of people’s theology comes from songs is actually a pathetically ill-thought out perspective to hold.

4. It is a view, in my experience, born out of jealousy and frustration rather than genuine pastoral concern - “How dare the people disregard my theology degree/masters/doctorate and months of diligent study and scholarly endeavour yet absorb the thoughts of some whimsical ponce with a guitar.” Biblical truth is the reserve of the learned, the studied and the schooled. Woe betide anyone who has not had the privilege of 3 years of Greek and Hebrews lessons from actually claiming to say or write or sing something that is true.

Give me a break. As far as I know it wasn’t King David Ph.D

And without doubt more thought goes into each word of a song than it does in to each word of a book or a sermon.

Now, clearly I’m not saying that songwriters and worship leaders don’t need to be diligent theologians and be aware of the wide influence they have - but this belief that ‘most’ of people’s theology comes from songs is preposterous and entirely unhelpful.

comments and thought much obliged....

dg

Laura Marling - Cross Your Fingers/Crawled out of the Sea

from her excellent 'Alas I Cannot Swim' album - you should get it.

dg

Worship Cliché #1: Worship is a Lifestyle

“Worship isn’t singing - it’s the whole of your life”

Well done. What do you want? A biscuit? A medal?

This is the most frequently spouted cliché in regards to worship. It has become a declaration of tedium and piety. It pertains to be a ‘myth busting’ type statement - that we don’t have ‘times’ of worship and our worship is more than the singing of songs. Yet this often offered proclamation of true worship is inadequate and even unnecessary for a number of reasons which I will look at now:

1. When did you ever hear someone claim that worship was just singing? Nope me neither. One of the reasons why declarations of worship being your entire life can be so pious in nature is that nobody I know in the whole Christendom believes anything different - except maybe 7 year olds.

2.Worship can be the whole of your life but we still need ‘times’ of worship. Time set aside to have no other agenda but worship. For example when I am doing the washing up, I can do it with an attitude of worship and service to God and my family. But I don’t do it as worship. I do it because the plates are dirty. Equally as I am picking my toe nails it does not have to ‘all be for His glory’. I can pick my toe nails because I’ve got dirt in them. When we sing our songs of worship together it is specifically for Him with no other agenda than to please Him and honour Him. That is important and should not be diluted by claims of a superior ‘life of worship’ - which leads us to.....

3. Worshipping with your ‘whole life’ doesn’t mean you get out of singing in church. Get over it and sing up.

4. 'Worship is a lifestyle’ is an inadequate statement. It is just not extreme enough. ‘Lifestyle’ implies something you read about in a magazine or is just a bunch of consumer choices. The language of obedience and worship in the New Testament is a lot more graphic.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1

If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. Matthew 16: 24, 25

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. Philippians 3:10

Here it is: Sacrifice; Self Denial; Loss; Suffering; Death - can those things be adequately described as a ‘lifestyle’?

I don’t think so.

Most of our lifestyle choices end up being represented in a glossy magazine or clever adverts and even with great design none of these themes of death and sacrifice would look appealing. I think it is more accurate to describe worship as a ‘death-style’ or a ‘way of sacrifice’ rather than a ‘lifestyle’ or a ‘way of life’. It is a lot harder and all-consuming than our usual clichés would imply.

Although this way of phrasing worship maybe helpful in an initial simplistic way it is not actually that helpful in building a theology of worship - it is a starting point or a stepping stone - but certainly not the whole picture!

thoughts?

dg

Dr. Manhattan

The Recipe for Strong Concrete

Concrete walls, floors and sidewalks can last for centuries, but not all concrete lasts that long. Poorly produced concrete will crack, crumble and flake, sometimes at alarming rates.

Many people confuse the words concrete and cement. Concrete is the hard, strong material we walk on and use to construct buildings. Cement is one of concrete's ingredients, the glue that holds it together.

To make good, strong concrete, a crucial part of the mix is water, which moistens the powdered cement and transforms it into a thick paste. This coats all surfaces of the aggregate and sand so they'll stick together. Proper mixing evenly blends the small and large particles so the concrete compacts well.

The correct amount of water causes the microscopic crystals of cement to react, absorbing water in the process, growing closer together to hold the sand and aggregate more tightly. Too much water causes the crystals to grow farther apart and weaken the concrete. The amount of water added to make a good concrete mix is a compromise between strength and workability.

Excess water also causes concrete to lose its thick, syrupy consistency and become soupy. In a soupy mix, the aggregate sinks to the bottom and cement rises to the top. Result: weak concrete as a whole and the exposed surface in particular. A mix that's too wet will cause the surface to crack, chip off and powder.

After pouring, but before smoothing the surface, you have to let the concrete set - stiffen to the point where your foot will sink only about a quarter-inch into its surface if you stand on it. During this waiting period, excess water from the concrete rises to the surface. This bleed water is normal and is soon reabsorbed by the concrete. The more water there is in the mix, the longer you have to wait for the bleed water to be absorbed. Never add more water to the mix than the manufacturer recommends.

Once concrete stiffens and its surface is troweled smooth, curing begins. The longer the cure, the stronger the concrete.

You'll get fewer cracks with longer cures. But there's no escaping cracks because when concrete dries, it shrinks. While troweling, concrete masons control cracking locations by deeply grooving the surface at regularly spaced intervals to make weak spots called control joints. The concrete cracks at those joints and not randomly.

God Give Me Strength

The Inquisitive Snake

Much has been made within the emerging/emergent/post-evangelical debates over the importance of questions. That church should be a place where questions are welcomed and encouraged because they help us in our quest for truth.

This I agree with. Blind, and indeed bland, acceptance of perceived truths will inevitably lead to disaster. Questioning and examining can help us to be watchmen and guards, being careful with scripture and thorough in our faith.

Yet recently something has struck me from the third chapter of the Bible:

1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"
 2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' "
 4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. 5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

In the first two chapters of Genesis we see God speaking and creation bursts into light. As soon as God’s will is spoken, light and life spring up. Then we are confronted with this chapter - where the snake questions God’s word.

One of the things that is beginning to trouble me most about many of the debates that are taking place in the wider church through the blogosphere and podcasts (as well as plain old books) is that they start with this question:

“Did God really say.....?”

Did Jesus really say that He is the only way?
Did God really say that homosexuality is wrong?
Did God really say that we have to tithe?
Did Jesus really say that He was the Son of God?
Did God really say that the church is His body and His bride?

It is one thing to look at scripture and to wrestle with the details, nuances and deeper meaning of what God has said. It is another thing entirely to question if God said what he clearly did say and if He meant it at all. We must not get in the habit of questioning what we have heard Him say and seen Him do - but we must continually question whether we have understood it all fully. This difference is important. It puts the emphasis not on the truth of the Word but upon our capacity to understand.

In order to engage with, and appeal to, British 21st Century culture I would find it incredibly helpful if God had not consistently insisted on sexual activity being confined to a husband and wife throughout scripture. But it does say that - which makes it harder for us to appeal to those outside of the church without offending them or putting them off. That is tough for us - but anything else is short change; it is not the truth as He would have it told.

The issue of sexuality is complex and requires difficult questions. The issue of sexual activity is not....

The issue of God’s view of money, how we manage it, how we earn it, how we spend it, is complex. The issue of tithing to the church is not....
The issue of truth that is found within other religions, faiths and world views is complex. The issue of Jesus being the Way, the Truth and the Life is not....

....And they are certainly not as complicated as many would make out in the name of “dialogue”.

There is the obvious danger in believing you have it all sewn up - that I, and I alone, fully understand all that God has said and what He means. Yet in an effort to avoid that pitfall many are left questioning whether or not they even exist? Or if God is really God? Or if He is really good? Or if everything we have in our faith is unstable, unsure and unreliable?

God has spoken.

So which do we want to be more like: a faithful child or an inquisitive snake?

dg

All the foreigners have ruined modern English football

Liverpool's 1986 Cup Winning Team

GK 1 Bruce Grobbelaar -Zim
CB 2 Mark Lawrenson -Irl
LB 3 Jim Beglin - Irl
RB 4 Steve Nicol - Sco
LM 5 Ronnie Whelan - Irl
CB 6 Alan Hansen (c) - Sco
SS 7 Kenny Dalglish - Sco
RM 8 Craig Johnston - Aus
CF 9 Ian Rush - Wal
CM 10 Jan Mølby - Den
CM 11 Kevin MacDonald - Sco

uh?

dg

Anything Goes

In olden days a glimpse of stocking
Was looked on as something shocking
Now heaven knows, anything goes

Good authors too who once knew better words
Now only use four letter words writing prose
Anything goes

The world has gone mad today
And good's bad today
And black's white today
And day's night today
When most guys today that women prize today
Are just silly gigolos

So though I'm not a great romancer
I know that you're bound to answer
When I propose, anything goes

Can't Make a Sound

I have become a silent movie
The hero killed the clown
Cant make a sound

Nobody knows what hes doing
Still hanging around
Cant make a sound

The slow motion moves me
The monologue means nothing to me

Bored in a role, but he cant stop
Standing up to sit back down
And lose the one thing found
Spinning the world like a toy top
Till theres a ghost in every town
Cant make a sound

Eyes locked and shining
Cant you tell me whats happening?

Why should you want any other, when youre a world within a world?

Richter

Two Different Worlds

Sequences

1313, 11131113, 31133113, 1321232113, ????

11 Things I am Tired/Bored of...

1. George Bush/John McCain

2. Gordon Brown

3. Nick Clegg

4. David Cameron

5. Madonna

6. The 'modern worship sound'

7. Greedy banks/financial institutions/mortgage lenders/football club owners/petrol companies

8. Keane/Coldplay/Snow Patrol

9. Whining about the 'new Facebook'

10. Worship songs about troubles/valleys/deserts/hardship

11. Hearing how bad Britain is

change the record everyone

dg

The 9 Types of Drinker

Depressed drinker
De-stress drinker
Re-bonding drinker
Conformist drinker
Community drinker
Boredom drinker
Macho drinker
Hedonistic drinker
Border dependents

which are you?

dg

Credit Crunch Hits Hard

Cookies can change the World

Biggie was right

Where I Stole It All From

So quite a few people have registered their mild surprise that 'Nothing to Fear' is not as "Rock" or "Indie" as they expected it to be.... which is a good thing. And so people have been eager to know what influenced my writing (ie. where did i nick it all from).... so here are some relevant tunes that are loosely connected to the songs you hear on the record... rather than a boring "this is the book i was reading when God downloaded the song into my brain" type song deconstruction - cause if you don't understand it then tough..... so please peruse at your youtube leisure...

1. Imago Dei 

Elvis Costello - Country Darkness

2. The Way That You Father Me

The Frames - Song for Someone

3. Bones

Mogwai - Hunted by a Freak

4. Psalm 23

Ryan Adams - Let it Ride

5. The One I Adore

Rufus Wainwright - Dinner at Eight

6. One and Only

Radiohead - Jigsaw Falling Into Place

7. Hope of Better Days

Nickelcreek - This Side

8. ThankYou

Broken Social Scene - 7/4 Shoreline

9. One Thing

Ron Sexsmith - Secret Heart

10. Everywhere I Go

PJ Harvey - Good Fortune

11. Nothing Bigger

Arcade Fire - Keep The Car Running

12. Pure Like You

Gemma Hayes - Let a Good Thing Go

and the whole thing was under the spell of this guy!

dg

Jerusalem

And will those feet in modern times
Walk upon England's urban sprawl?
And will the Holy Lamb of God
Walk on England's grey littered streets?

And will the countenance divine
Shine forth upon our shopping malls?
And will Jerusalem be built here
Among the forgotten housing estates? 

Loosen my phone of burning ear
Loosen my blackberry from my hand
Loosen my television screen
Loosen my high speed broadband

I must not cease the mental fight
And I must love my fellow man
That we may build Jerusalem
In England's grey and broken land
That we may build Jerusalem
In England's grey and broken land

The Future?

180 Degree Opinions

huge, sweeping generalisations have a way of coming back to bite you in the backside, eh?

A Surreal Mess

Palin Power

The choice of Sarah Palin as the Republican's Vice-President nomination has been shocking, brave and incredibly shrewd. This is going to be one tight race and I can't wait for November.... She may end up winning this election for McCain, which will prove her selection as a masterstroke of political nous. Yet if we consider that they are proposing that she is someone who will lead at the highest echelons of national government and international relations - her choice is absurd and reckless.

Imagine if the Democrats had picked someone so inexperienced with the family troubles she is going through. You can bet your life there would be a spew of bile towards an identical Democrat candidate, particularly from the Christian right.  

And there is absolutely no way that the Republicans would dismiss using her family troubles against her in the same, resolute way, that Obama's team have been doing. I can't wait to see how this all pans out......

Haikus

Worship Hero

Many may have seen the 'Worship Team Hero' - joke group on facebook - a humourous take on the 'Guitar Hero' games....

...well the real thing is coming out soon!

GUITAR PRAISE 

"We are REALLY excited about Guitar Praise. My kids have begged me to get them Guitar Hero and I just couldn't bare the thought of some of the lyrics they would be embedding into their minds. Guitar Praise has music that they are familiar with and love already, as well as lyrics that they can memorize and think on that are full of truth! I am pre-buying and putting this back for Christmas, but I don't know if I can wait that long to give it to them!!! I have never been more excited and felt so good about a gift purchase for my kids!!! Thank you for making it easier for parents to say 'no' to wordly games by offering a great alternative!!!"

I couldn't make this stuff up.

I think the phrase is 'Jesus Wept'

dg

Obama

Jed Bartlett + David Palmer = Barack Obama 

Get Your Free Music Here Now Today!

The sheet music for a load of my songs from the past couple of years is now up and free for you to download from the Trinity Publishing part of the Trinity site. These songs are the ones we've done most at church: 

Bones

I Kiss the Son

Let the Hallelujahs Rise

The One I Adore

The Way That You Father Me

There is a Name I Love to Hear

This is Why We Wait

Wake Up Each Heart

take them, use them, shape them, break them

dg

Date Night

Something's Gotta Give

When an irresistible force such as you
Meets an old immovable object like me
You can bet just as sure as you live
Somethin's gotta give
Somethin's gotta give
Somethin's gotta give

The Modern Worship Creed

I realised that this was on the old blog - which is dead - and think it belongs in a place where it can be seen, scorned and criticised....

I believe in Sung Worship, the Songs Almighty,
the Hymns of heaven and earth,
and in Singing, its only form, our platform:

It was conceived of the Psalms,
born of John Wesley,
suffered under Noel Richards,
was crucified, died, and was buried.

It descended into hell

In the early 90's it arose again from the dead.

It ascended into industry
and is sung at the ice hockey stadiums around America
whence it shall stay to bore the living and the dead.

I believe in the Stage, 

the holy Christian bookshop,
the albums of compilation,
the supremecy of events,
the globalisation of the church,
and repeating choruses ad infinitum.

Amen.

The Pen is Mightier than the Sword

A quick thought on the "Healer" debacle

Yes, the song is still true

But the original testimony behind it gave it power and integrity beyond its melody and words...
...and now that we know that testimony was a big pile of baloney the life has been well and truly sucked out of it....

...and it's not like we are short of mid-tempo worship ballads, now is it?

Treasure

We have been given jewels for His bride.
Pearls and gold and silver,
Bright diamonds and sapphires
Crowns, pendants, bracelets and rings.

What are we to do with them?
Take them from town to town...
City to city...
Cross the seas and hold them up high....
That all could see what and to whom the Groom has entrusted....?

And how the people sigh and swoon
“What you have been given is so very beautiful”
“Awesome, incredible, anointed”
“Such treasure, such gifts”

Our posters and websites confirming our place
Extolling the virtues of the treasure we hold
Making aware our privileged role
As the keepers of the jewels

We polish and clean
Making them shine and watching them gleam
So many will marvel at the riches He gave
As we delight in the beauty of silver and gold

Yet woe to us who hold on to those gifts
Who parade them as if they meant for ourselves
Who hawk them around like they’re cheap plastic junk
And bask in their shining, reflective glow

Yet they are not ours and never were
We were only given a single task
To adorn His bride with diamonds and pearls
Letting her shine, watching Him smile

Rainbow Worrier

33.3% Jesus?

Over the last couple of years I've been part of many conversations, and witnessed many more online, regarding the Trinity in worship.....

The general gist of the discussion is that we* are very good at singing songs about Jesus, but not so good at singing songs about the Father and are very poor indeed about singing songs about the Spirit.

Many have contributed to the discussion without really explaining why the current situation is unacceptable. Obviously we believe in the Three in One and that needs to be fully expressed in our songs. Now the big fear of diligent worship leaders, pressured song writers and hoighty theologians is that we will end up worshipping God inadequately.

Although I see the nobility of these intentions - i think there is something a little misguided here. The Father, Son and Spirit are distinct but they are not separate. When Jesus is worshipped the Father is worshipped. We see can see that here or even here.

Lets get this straight - if we only sang songs about Jesus, the Father would still be pleased with our worship. What do we think the Father is doing whilst we are praising Jesus?: Sitting in the corner of heaven in a sulk? Amassing His anger and wrath because we left Him out? Playing on His X-box 360 because it bores him? 

No, No and No.

He delights when The Son is praised and He receives that worship as well. You can't worship Jesus without worshipping the Father. They are not separate. When glory goes to God, glory goes to God. We need to praise all of the Trinity for our sake not His. We don't want a diluted view of God - in fact we would be foolish and blind not to sing about the Father and the Spirit.

So I've spoken to many worship leaders who because of these discussions they are now paranoid that they must limit songs about Jesus to only a third of our worship. 

Just 33.3%. 

I think that is missing the point. God is God. We respond to what is revealed. That is the only way. You simply cannot worship Jesus "too much".

dg

* we = it is usually meant as "the whole world wide church" when in reality it is a small, though well publicised, evangelical sub-culture.

Hidden Message

On Culture's Pulse

Environmental Concern

Nude

Don't get any big ideas
They're not gonna happen
You paint yourself white
And fill it with noise
But there'll be something missing

Now that you've found it - it's gone
Now that you feel it - you don't
You've gone off the rails

So don't get any big ideas
They're not going to happen
You'll go to hell for what your dirty mind is thinking

Todd Bentley, Sin and Grace

So Todd Bentley screwed it up.

I am not surprised... it was, on some level, inevitable. Those who had faith and hope and wonder in heralding this exciting new prophet and apostle were always going to get disappointed. Hopefully those whose attention has been turned to the awesome power of God and His urgent coming Kingdom will be secure, in spite of human failure. The thing I take most from all of this is just how much God wants to heal, free and restore people. That cannot be taken from us.

There are 5 things that have been impressed on me:

1. That the right action is prayer. For his own personal correction, for his wife and especially for his children. Let's remember that a leader mucking up is deeply sad, but a family breaking up is a tragedy. We need the right perspective here.

2. God's work through Todd has not been emptied of significance, truth or power because it was always God's work in the first place. But it has been undermined and drained of resolute integrity. It has also distracted from all God has done. For that alone we can be sorrowful. 

3. Yes, the enemy got him, but the enemy does not make us sin. He lies, steals, cheats and deceives. But our sin is our sin. Our mistakes are our mistakes. We always have the ability to choose the right path. This deceit is what we expect from our foul enemy, but we are right not expect it from our apostles and saints. Even with God's incredible grace there is consequence for disobedience.

4. Pride comes before a fall

5. All of this is easy for me to say as my sin has not been exposed to the watching Church. 

We need Jesus. We need His grace. We need it today.

dg

Saturday Night

I watched Saturday night TV for the first time in ages this week.

I remembered why I hadn't.

I've Seen it All

I've seen it all, I have seen the trees,
I've seen the willow leaves dancing in the breeze
I've seen a man killed by his best friend,
And lives that were over before they were spent.
I've seen what I was - I know what I'll be
I've seen it all - there is no more to see!

You haven't seen elephants, kings or Peru!
I'm happy to say I had better to do
What about China? Have you seen the Great Wall?
All walls are great, if the roof doesn't fall!

And the man you will marry?
The home you will share?
To be honest, I really don't care...

You've never been to Niagara Falls?
I have seen water, its water, that's all...
The Eiffel Tower, the Empire State?
My pulse was as high on my very first date!
Your grandson's hand as he plays with your hair?
To be honest, I really don't care...

I've seen it all, I've seen the dark
I've seen the brightness in one little spark.
I've seen what I chose and I've seen what I need,
And that is enough, to want more would be greed.
I've seen what I was and I know what I'll be
I've seen it all - there is no more to see!

You've seen it all and all you have seen
You can always review on your own little screen
The light and the dark, the big and the small
Just keep in mind - you need no more at all
You've seen what you were and know what you'll be
You've seen it all - there is no more to see!

Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal

Link Expansion

I have added a new link section - which you can see further down the right hand side of this page - highlighting my burgeoning fascination comic books, graphic novels and their complex mythologies - i've also included the link to the new LOST website and ARG - www.dharmawantsyou.com - which looks like fun........

dg

Time is the Essence

My Body is a Cage

My body is a cage that keeps me
From dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key

I'm standing on a stage
Of fear and self-doubt
It's a hollow play
But they'll clap anyway

My body is a cage that keeps me
From dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key

You're standing next to me
My mind holds the key

I'm living in an age
That calls darkness light
Though my language is dead
Still the shapes fill my head

I'm living in an age
Whose name I don't know
Though the fear keeps me moving
Still my heart beats so slow

My body is a cage that keeps me
From dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key

You're standing next to me
My mind holds the key
My body is a

My body is a cage
We take what we're given
Just because you've forgotten
That don't mean you're forgiven

I'm living in an age
That screams my name at night
But when I get to the doorway
There's no one in sight

My body is a cage that keeps me
From dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key

You're standing next to me
My mind holds the key

Set my spirit free
Set my spirit free
Set my body free

Carolina

You absolutely, unequivocally, definitely, essentially must must must buy this album.

Or I will hurt you.

good day

dg

How Soon is Now

I am the son
And the heir
Of a shyness that is criminally vulgar
I am the son and heir
Of nothing in particular

You shut your mouth
How can you say
I go about things the wrong way ?
I am Human and I need to be loved
Just like everybody else does

I am the son
And the heir
Of a shyness that is criminally vulgar
I am the son and heir
Oh, of nothing in particular

You shut your mouth
How can you say
I go about things the wrong way ?
I am Human and I need to be loved
Just like everybody else does

There's a club, if you'd like to go
You could meet somebody who really loves you
So you go, and you stand on your own
And you leave on your own
And you go home, and you cry
And you want to die

When you say it's gonna happen "now"
Well, when exactly do you mean ?
See I've already waited too long
And all my hope is gone

You shut your mouth
How can you say
I go about things the wrong way ?
I am Human and I need to be loved
Just like everybody else does

Dungeons and Dragons

...this is a great little post from Tim Hughes blog what I like and that, so I do.

More Fat Cats

Two Ragged Soldiers

They spoke transparent phrases to looking glass women
And they took the detours that scattered the way
They departed from summer like two ragged soldiers
Dragging their heels through their fantasies

There were meals in the missions for two frozen statues
And long draughty sermons devouring their knees
Sometimes passions in winter turn to cold soundless moments
That teared in the eyes of their fantasies

There were nights on park benches, stale bread for the pigeons
Good mornings to faces who just turned away
And on one road confusion, the other desire
So they took to the road of their fantasies

One would speak of a lake where he used to go swimming
The other had no memories left for his mind
With their arms round each other the two ragged soldiers
Laughed through a war that they couldn't see

Laughed for a world filled with fantasy

Braveheart - the most stupid film ever

I have said, for many years, that Braveheart is an awful film. Truly an embarrassment. I was reminded of this by an article on its historical inaccuracies.

....and as for its crowning notion that Wallace dies for "freedom". What freedom is that exactly? They were peasants ruled over by greedy kings, both Scottish and English. For example, if you were in prison and the prison governor changed from a Englishman to Scotsman you would not be shouting "freedom". Horrid, horrid, stupid film.

The Transfiguration

When he took the three disciples
to the mountainside to pray,
his countenance was modified, his clothing was aflame.
Two men appeared: Moses and Elijah came;
they were at his side.
The prophecy, the legislation spoke of whenever he would die.

Then there came a word
of what he should accomplish on the day.
Then Peter spoke, to make of them a tabernacle place.
A cloud appeared in glory as an accolade.
They fell on the ground.
A voice arrived, the voice of God,
the face of God, covered in a cloud.

What he said to them,
the voice of God: the most beloved son.
Consider what he says to you, consider what's to come.
The prophecy was put to death,
was put to death, and so will the Son.
And keep your word, disguise the vision till the time has come.

Lost in the cloud, a voice: Have no fear! We draw near!
Lost in the cloud, a sign: Son of man! Turn your ear!
Lost in the cloud, a voice: Lamb of God! We draw near!
Lost in the cloud, a sign: Son of man! Son of God!

The Fat and Bloated Kings of TIny Little Kingdoms

I have spoken on my blog many times about the positive reasons why I want to base all my ministry in the local church - and only be accountable to its leadership. I believe it to be a healthier and more obedient path. The local church is the best qualified steward to ensure the worship of God is handled in a way that honours Him.

For 10 years I published my songs and released records with some great people. Many men and women who love God and whose greatest desire is to resource the church. In 2001 when Kingsway and Survivor formalised their ties with EMICMG and the Sparrow Group, I can remember sitting in an “artists” meeting with many of our new American partners. I’d been to a handful of artist meetings before, they tended to be a good chance to meet up with all those who worked for Kingsway and who were working hard for your ministry. It was also a great opportunity to meet the other songwriters and musicians who also were connected to the label.

From 2001 onwards these meetings took a different tone. Our first encounter with our American partners greatly troubled me. We spent an hour looking at sales figures, streams of revenue and market strategies. We listened to a few speeches on how important we all were to EMICMG and they would reassure us that they were “all about the songs”. Which in the Christian Publishing world translates in to “songs make money”.

I can remember sitting there and inside I was screaming “IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT THE BLOODY SONGS!”. I was desperate for someone to talk about the church in terms that didn’t make it the market, or the consumers, of our products. I longed for someone to talk about building the Kingdom or about the Glory of God. It never came. Then towards the end of the day I was astounded when they started to pull out gold, silver and platinum discs to hand out to those writers whose songs had appeared on the biggest selling albums.

Every year after that the same patterned followed. We would meet up in a country mansion conference centre. Meet and greet all the American partners, who grew fatter and fatter year on year. A few tedious speeches about how important all the song writers were - though some are clearly more important than others. A look at the previous years sales figures and a review of how many Dove Awards the group had been nominated for and had won. This was then followed by the now customary handing out of Gold Discs for contributions to compilation albums. Once again the people entrusted with God’s worship were forming objects out of gold and silver - the Old Testament irony seemed to be lost on everyone else.

At some point I’d get to meet a few of the senior executives and they’d tell me what great talent I had and how important I was to them (ie. I needed to write better songs) and they would say how they were watching my progress keenly (ie. I seriously had to write some money making songs soon). The whole thing left me feeling sick and confused. From the first class travel and the five star accommodation to the ever bulging waist lines it left a sour taste and an unwanted impression.

Were these the people whom I trusted with owning and managing my songs? Were these people really the stewards of God’s worship that they should be? I never experienced any deep sense of spiritual integrity or humble obedience. Not that it wasn’t there - but I didn’t see it.

The modern worship movement/industry/kingdom (whatever you want to call it) is sick and its fat and its lazy and its greedy. It is full to the brim of good and gifted people who absolutely love God - yet many of whom are totally blind to its shortcomings and misdirection. They see no incongruence with businesses that deal in God’s worship. They are self seeking because they have to be. That is the nature of business. There are bills to pay and salaries to provide. Projects can’t break even they have to make profit. Markets have to be explored. Revenue streams created and absorbed. They have no choice because their livelihoods, families and mortgages depend on it.

Yet that doesn’t seem quite right, does it?


Jeshurun put on weight and bucked;
      you got fat, became obese, a tub of lard.
   He abandoned the God who made him,
      he mocked the Rock of his salvation.
   They made him jealous with their foreign newfangled gods,
      and with obscenities they vexed him no end.
   They sacrificed to no-god demons,
      gods they knew nothing about,
   The latest in gods, fresh from the market,
      gods your ancestors would never call "gods."
   You walked out on the Rock who gave you your life,
      forgot the birth-God who brought you into the world.

Deut 32:15-18

Ready for the Inevitable

From that first time I flicked on to God TV and saw the pictures from Lakeland and tangibly felt God's presence I have been Pro-Todd Bentley. Certainly not everything he says or does or how he says and does them. But absolutely convinced that God was at work through him and that there were things I needed to learn from his ministry. 

There are many blog posts out there devoted to criticising Bentley and the Lakeland meetings. Many of the criticisms are right and well founded but equally many are from those who would have had a problem with Jesus and the disciples methods of ministry if they had been blogging 2000 years ago. But I'm certainly on the 'Pro' side of the debate.

Yet over the last few weeks I have been preparing myself for the inevitable and the unavoidable. 

I am going to get let down. 

Not by God - of course not, He still is unimaginably good and gracious - but by Todd Bentley. He will get things wrong. He will make mistakes. He will disappoint me. 

30 people raised from the dead - yet there remains, over 100 days into these meetings, little evidence. Not that I don't think they happened - but they are not coming good with the evidence I'd like to see. Equally for many of the incredible miracles that are happening, there is surprisingly little evidence to back up most claims. I still think God healed these people - but some undeniable medical evidence would be helpful for us all!

The thing to remember about this (and I've been saying this from when I first saw it) is that it was never about Todd Bentley or Roy Fields or David 'Ben Affleck' Tomberlin or Fresh Fire Ministries. It is about the power AND the grace of our God to heal, restore and radically change lives.

I never even thought it was about Lakeland. When a window of opportunity came and went to go to Florida, I was gutted about what I was missing out on. But now I wouldn't go, because I don't want to miss what God is doing Cheltenham for anything.

He has reminded us suddenly and forcefully of who we are as His Church and what we are called to do. He has awoken us to the important things we had forgotten and is making us strong and sharp for the battle ahead. 

Storms are coming. There coming within the environment, economics and social fabric of our globalised society. I'm not a doom and gloom merchant - but you don't have to be Isaiah to work out that things are getting more than a little bit shaky. 

God has woken His Church. He is filling us up. He sorting us out.

I'm ready for the inevitable.

dg

Ron Sexsmith - Gold In Them Hills

from when Chris Martin was good......

Nothing to Fear

Well here it is:

Available on iTunes for £7.99  from our church shop for £9.99 (e-mail: publishing@trinitycheltenham.com to get one).... they'll be on sale at New Wine/Soul Survivor/Greenbelt so if you're there you'll get to see the nice packaging!

Glory!

dg