In case you missed all the promotional efforts on Facebook and Twitter, I recently released my version of “Go Tell It On The Mountain” as a free download. Try one of the following links to get the song now.
Many thanks go to Lynn Graber of The Recording House for offering to record this Christmas song for free as part of his Christmas 2011 compilation. Six other artists recorded songs with Lynn. I’ve embedded their tracks below for you to enjoy.
As for my recording, I had a lot of fun working with Lynn at his swanky studio. We experimented with new microphone placement and techniques while recording the upright piano. I also was able to track harmonica using an Alesis iO Dock with an iPad and the Ground Up AudioAmps & Cabs iOS app.
“Go Tell It On The Mountain” by Scott Troyer
“O Come, O Come Emmanuel” by Autumn Ashley
“Some Children See Him” by Nathan Metz
“Emmanuel” by Larisa Grisham
“What Child Is This?” by Vanessa Ann Grisham
“Oh Holy Night” by Escaping Yesterday
“Free (A Christmas Song)” by Troy Erbe
Lyric Changes
In 1907, John W. Work, Jr. published a collection called Folk Song of the American Negro, which contained the first publication of “Go Tell It On The Mountain.” For those listening closely to my version of the song, some of the lyrics have been modified from the original. I altered a few of the words and added a couple lines. Some may want to stone me for changing a classic, but I believe the changes to be improvements that are faithful to our best understanding of the gospel. Review the lyrics on the discography page to see if you can find the changes I made. Let me know what you think via the comments section below.
Go Tell It
This song may seem old-fashioned or out-of-date, but here’s the thing: there are places in the world where people have never heard that “Jesus Christ is born.” They may know the name Jesus Christ (possibly as it is used as a profanity in movies or TV), or they may have limited information (or even disinformation) about this Messiah guy. In spite of the nearly omnipresent accessibility of the internet and prevalence of computers, smart phones, and iDevices, there are still many people uninformed about the central character of the Christian faith. Often, governments prevent their people from receiving information about Christianity or persecute their citizens for spreading the information.
One of the most notorious of these regions of the world is North Korea. With the recent passing of dictator Kim Jong-Il, the North Korean government is likely to change its policies in regards to religious practice. Please read this article from Vernon Brewer, president of WorldHelp, to find out how you can “go tell it on the mountain.” Then donate via this link.
I met my maker. I made him cry.
And on my shoulder he asked me why
His people won’t fly through the storm.
I said: ‘Listen up man they don’t even know you’re born.’
A 2-year-old boy gets bathed at a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Kenya, where he is being treated for malnutrition. (Rebecca Blackwell) (Photo: Associated Press) Photo originally published here.
Crisis in Africa
In case you are living under a rock, there is a famine crisis caused by severe drought and Al-Qaeda backed rebels in the Horn of Africa, a region roughly defining the East African countries of Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Eritrea. Tens of thousands have already died of starvation and millions more are at risk if resources are not made available quickly. Preventing more deaths due to hunger is possible, but time is ticking.
Obviously, a huge component to helping to alleviate the circumstances in the Horn of Africa involves generous and compassionate people giving their time, money, blood and other resources in order to put food and water in hands of the people that so desperately need it. Some people have not given yet, but many have already given – maybe they have even given a lot. Some are tired of giving or just tired of hearing about it.
Wynn Flaten of World Vision asks a great question:
We are in an epic battle: donor fatigue vs. hunger fatigue. The question is, “Who gives up first?”
Below are a list of some great organizations doing work in the Horn of Africa. Pick one. Do something. Help people. You may be surprised at how effective a small donation can be.
If you are a Christian, I appeal to you with these words from Jesus as recorded in the book of Matthew. You may be tired of hearing them, but ignoring them won’t make it go away.
Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
To keep people thinking and doing something about the tragedy of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, I’ve setup something I’m calling Download & Donate. The idea is this: download a free song of mine and then donate to a relief charity that’s working to put Japan back together. No catch. One act of good [...]
To keep people thinking and doing something about the tragedy of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, I’ve setup something I’m calling Download & Donate. The idea is this: download a free song of mine and then donate to a relief charity that’s working to put Japan back together. No catch. One act of good will to help inspire another act of good will.
To get started, simply download the FREE MP3 of my song “A Tragic Story” by clicking the album cover. The ZIP file should begin downloading immediately. If not, right-click and save the file. Let me know if you have trouble downloading.
Help our fellow humans in Japan by donating to one of the reliable charity/relief organizations listed on this page Google has compiled. The link will take you to http://www.google.com/tsunami_relief.html.
Thank you for your donation!
The Tragic Story Behind “A Tragic Story”
In the days and weeks after Hurricane Katrina ripped up the southern states on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, many people were talking about what to do, what should’ve been done, and how they would have handled things differently. I overheard conversations and debates, in which both the victims and repairers of this tragic story were criticized for every decision, word, thought, and effort. From the safety of comfortable living rooms, self-righteous judgements were freely doled out by “armchair experts” watching the action unfold on the evening news via large screen televisions. Condescending words were spoken about the “foolish” residents that made their home below sea level in New Orleans, the “short-sighted” poor that didn’t prepare for such obvious disaster, the “disobedient” stranded that did not, could not, or would not evacuate, the “welfare hand out” dependent that had no family to turn to, and the “whiny” beggars that had lost everything. Harsh judgements were also placed upon the leaders at all levels of governance that suddenly found themselves at the helm of a rescue operation for one of the largest natural disasters the United States has ever faced. A hurricane had pummeled millions of our fellow citizens and we were kicking them while they were down. I felt ashamed to be an American.
Though the hurricane had died in August of 2005, just days after its own birth, the storm continued to rage on around me and within me. Out of this terrible noise of argument, bigotry, hatred, and judgment came the song, “A Tragic Story,” as featured on my debut EP Somewhere Between Nicaragua & New York.
At first, I resisted writing about these events. I’m terribly afraid of how others perceive me (a paralyzing character flaw that often impedes my forward progress). I feared I might write horrible lyrics that sounded sappy, opportunistic, topically trendy, or tragically ironic. (Maybe I did?) Multiple times I caught myself toying with a lyric or composing a melody in my head that somehow dealt with Hurricane Katrina, but every time I intentionally cast them back. It seemed that no matter how hard I fought the urge, the song kept fighting back.
On July 15th of 2006, nearly a year after the hurricane, I could keep the song contained no longer and found myself writing the music and lyrics for “Katrina” (as the song was originally titled). Once I finally gave in to the process, the songwriting happened quickly. Below are the lyrics of that final struggle. You can listen to the track via this SoundCloud player as you read along.
Old faces, restless broken souls
All these old faces and young ones without homes
Though the waters rise and our spirits fall,
the Lord our God, He is watching over it all
and He’s watching us now.
We say,
“Oh, what a tragic story!
But only they can be blamed.
But oh, what a different song we should have sang
when the floodwaters came.”
Don’t wait to give them higher ground.
No, don’t you wait to feed their hungry mouths.
Though the waters rise and our spirits fall
the Lord our God, He is watching over it all
and He’s watching us now.
We say,
“Oh, what a tragic story!
But here’s what we would have done.
But oh, what a different song we will sing
when the floodwaters come.”
Rescue the tired, the sick and depressed.
Give them, give them your very best.
Though the waters rise and our spirits fall
the Lord our God, He is watching over it all
Though the waters rise and our spirits fail
the Lord our God, He is with us all the while
and He shall prevail.
I don’t know what you believe about God, whether you believe that He exists or not, gets involved in our lives or doesn’t. But I do know that we are all related (that’s Biblical and scientific), so it does us no good to stand by while our brothers and sisters struggle. My hope is that we move forward with humility, recognizing all human beings as people, that handed a different set of circumstances, could very well be us. Or as it has been said, so very poetically, many times before:
“There, but for the grace of God, go I.”
One day the waters will rise. One day the floods will come to us. Our troubles may not come in the form of a hurricane, but we are certain to face trials some day. I hope that when that day comes, someone will come and rescue me.
Today brings another blog entry about an author friend of mine. Roger Bretherton released an interesting book called The GOD Lab: 8 Spiritual Experiments You Can Try at Home on Amazon UK through Integrity Media Europe. At the time of this blog being published, the book was #4 and climbing on Amazon.co.uk Books Bestsellers Inspirational [...]
In addition to being a published author, Roger is a clinical psychologist and Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Lincoln in Lincolnshire, England.
THE ROAD from Road of Resistance on Vimeo. My friend Jared told me about this video called “The Road” that his friends put together. Four guys traveled to Burma (officially known as the Union of Myanmar) in 2006 to document the atrocious acts of genocide being carried out by the Burmese government against the Karen [...]
My friend Jared told me about this video called “The Road” that his friends put together. Four guys traveled to Burma (officially known as the Union of Myanmar) in 2006 to document the atrocious acts of genocide being carried out by the Burmese government against the Karen people. I could warn you about the graphic nature of this video, but the whole point of the film is to expose the evil that is happening. While some of the things shown in this video may be visually offensive, the fact remains that real people are being systematically tortured, raped, and murdered. Like the filmmakers stated, I hope that this film disturbs, keeps you up at night, and moves you to action.
While this story may seem like a problem far, far away, I’ve learned that problems like this are never just someone else’s problem. Much like the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan is cause for concern for us here in the U.S., so too is the genocide in Burma “our problem.” This is true for us if for no other reason than if and when we find ourselves in the midst of such troubles someday. Personally, I find the genocide in Burma of particular interest for a couple reasons.
A Thailand Connection
Burma directly neighbors Thailand, a country I visited in 2004. The things I saw there changed my outlook on life. I hardly dare to write of some of the events I witnessed during the short 9 days I was there. While Thailand has myriad challenges to overcome, the connection to Thailand for the Karen people is crucial. Thailand is a gateway in and out of Burma.
Fort Wayne, Indiana, which is sort of my hometown, is also home to the largest population of Burmese refugees. Fort Wayne (or Little Burma) has become the unofficial new home of the Karen people. They have come to Northeast Indiana to find refuge and escape what is happening on the other side of the world, yet many of them still have friends and family back in Burma. Real people with enormous hurts, needs, and struggles from exotic lands far away are living right here in the Midwest, but many of us have little knowledge of what they are running from or even that they have come here to live.
Action in Fort Wayne
I urge, the citizens of the greater Fort Wayne area, my neighbors, to act with compassion for these displaced refugees. We have a huge opportunity to love, support, and help a people group that has escaped extermination only to be ignored. We may not be able to fight battles in Burma, but we certainly can help those that have come here. On this blog post, I want to compile a list of programs, services, and ministries that aim to help the local Karen people. If you know of an outreach, volunteer opportunity, or fundraiser, please leave a link in the comments below and I’ll include it as an update to this blog post.
NOTE:Please do not leave a comment below if you are an ignorant, ethnocentric bigot. You can try to post racist comments if you want, but I simply won’t publish your stupidity. I recommend leaving the U.S. at least once before making generalized statements about foreigners/immigrants (and no, Spring break in Cancun doesn’t count).
Links & Ways to Get Involved
I’ll update this post by linking and embedding related resources here. I cannot verify the quality or reliability of these links, but offer them as a resource. If you have a good link or resource, please leave a message in the comments. Thank you!
Fort Wayne Baptist Church – Mission to the Burmese
The City of Fort Wayne is home to the largest Burmese population in the United States, and the largest Burmese Christian congregation worships at Fort Wayne Baptist Church.
The Burmese Advocacy Center, 501(c)3 Not-for-Profit, was formed in February of 2008 by an assemblage of individual volunteers who had consistently given their time to assist the growing Burmese population of Fort Wayne but were also aware of the need for a combined and united effort to better serve their community. The Burmese Advocacy Center provides free translation and interpretation assistance to Burmese residents for essential appointments and documents. In addition a variety of classes and information sessions will be held to help Burmese residents become confident and productive residents of Fort Wayne. Call for current schedule. The Burmese Advocacy Center also provides free cultural education to businesses, agencies, and other community groups.
Friends of Burma grew out of a very meaningful experience Neil and Diana Sowards had when they visited Burma in 1985. Neil’s parents had worked in Burma as missionaries for over 30 years but he had never visited there. Friends of Burma is dedicated to helping the Christians of Burma in whatever way they want to be helped. About 80% of the Protestants are Baptists, so much of our work is with the Baptists. Friends of Burma was first attached to First Baptist Church of Fort Wayne, Indiana and then to South Wayne Baptist Church. Christians number about 11/2 million in a country of about 50 million, most of whom are Buddhist. Evangelistic Christianity came to Burma with Adoniram Judson in 1813. Since 1966 no foreign missionaries have been allowed to reside in Burma, so all work is carried on by nationals.
A couple of days ago I finished reading Jonathan Weyer’s The Faithful, a Christian horror novel dealing with faith, science, doubt, murder, the Church and the supernatural. Fiction isn’t what I usually lean towards, but I really wanted to read this one for several reasons. Weyer is the brother-in-law of my good friend and talented [...]
A couple of days ago I finished reading Jonathan Weyer’s The Faithful, a Christian horror novel dealing with faith, science, doubt, murder, the Church and the supernatural. Fiction isn’t what I usually lean towards, but I really wanted to read this one for several reasons.
Weyer is the brother-in-law of my good friend and talented illustrator Eric Wieringa.
Weyer founded The Thomas Society, a discussion group at Ohio State University. The group focused on opening up honest dialog between Christians and atheists and their blog was often an interesting read for skeptics and believers alike.
Apparently, The Faithful is now a screenplay and has been getting some attention from some film producers. Since I rarely pick up fiction novels and everyone always says, “…yeah, but the book was sooooo much better than the movie,” I rarely get to read the book before I see the movie. So here was my opportunity to read it before it hits the big screen.
The Kindle edition is only $8.99. Since I’m a touring musician, paperless and more affordable e-books are super attractive to me. Plus delivery is immediate. My inner consumerist couldn’t be happier.
At just under 400 pages, The Faithful is an easy read (I finished it in just a few nights), especially on these dark Midwest winter nights. Though horror as a theme has become fairly common in Christian music (see: Underoath, Demon Hunter, As I Lay Dying, Norma Jean, or my friends Grave Robber), it is still a rarer breed in novel form. Genre classification aside, I think this book is a good contemporary fit for our times and it will appeal to most people. This may be why it could make a good film.
Conflicted with his faith in God and the hypocrisy of the church, Aidan, an assistant pastor, is already a spiritual battleground. When he learns that his ex-fiancee was murdered in a possibly demonic ritual, he finds himself catapulted into an even deeper fight. Tormented by demonic threats and haunted spirits in the afterlife, Aidan becomes a medium that will hold the key to solving this murder mystery. As Catholic priests, paranormal investigators and rogue law enforcement seek Aidan out, readers both secular and religious will find that the Faithful tears at the emotions and doubts of humankind.
— Amazon.com Editoral Review
Through protagonist Pastor Aidan Schaeffer, Weyer quotes scripture and references Dawkins, gives sermons and curses, and challenges both the faithful and faithless to continue exploring their doubts as they pursue the truth. His irreverent, but honest treatment of the Church may be upsetting to some sheltered and defensive churchgoers, but will be seen as welcome and necessary concessions of the American Church’s failures in the eyes of critics and skeptics. I think the book will resonate with well-read believers, those with paranormal interests, murder mystery enthusiasts, church insiders and even some skeptics.
There has been some talk surrounding the latest book from Stephen Hawking called The Grand Design, because he and co-author Leonard Mlodinow believe that we can finally prove there is no need for a god to explain the origins of the universe. I borrowed the book from a friend and made my way through it [...]
There has been some talk surrounding the latest book from Stephen Hawking called The Grand Design, because he and co-author Leonard Mlodinow believe that we can finally prove there is no need for a god to explain the origins of the universe.
I borrowed the book from a friend and made my way through it in two nights. It was an easy read. The authors speak in clear layman’s terms defining and explaining essential scientific theories, laws, and models while giving a brief history of physics from Thales of Miletus (ca. 600 BC) to modern day.
I enjoyed reading this concise walk through of modern physics and feel I have a better grasp of the main tenets of the prevailing model for the theory of everything. Indeed, the answer given is not an easy 42, but the authors explain this network of theories that form M-theory in terms that are definitely more accessible to the common man than the research papers from which the theories have formed. As usual, I really liked hearing about the mystical and mysterious nature of quantum particles and how these challenging concepts have far-reaching implications upon the macro-sized world. The explanation of model-dependent realism is certainly a fun mental exercise exploring our concept of what we know as reality and how we can be sure of such things.
While I did enjoy the book, there were subtle problems that bothered me – biases towards certain presuppositions, unscientific leaps of faith, models lacking “good model” criteria, vital theories built upon other as-of-yet-unproven but widely accepted theories, and “well that’s close enough” solutions. These nagging bits give me doubt about the final conclusion being made. (Also, a recent article in The New Yorker raises some questions about how reliable our scientific method really is.)
Another troubling pattern is that the authors seem to be on a crusade to invalidate many fields of study and make science the supreme field over all others. On the first page of chapter one, the authors declare philosophy dead and throughout the rest of the book they continue their abasement of various fields including philosophy, psychology, and religion, as well as belittling numerous respected historical figures, cultures, and heritages from around the world. In general, the book has lingering odors of Richard Feynman fanboyism and scientific elitism.
[SPOILER ALERT] When reading a book titled The Grand Design, one would expect a fantastic finale, but the underwhelming final chapter (a mere 12 pages) concludes that because gravity exists the universe naturally and spontaneously created itself.
Seriously? I felt let down. I was hoping for something far more grand. At least, I was expecting something scientifically elegant, something that met the criteria for a good model, something that didn’t leave some large doors of logic standing wide open. Instead, this grand crescendo ended with the wave of the magician’s wand and a sputter, not a bang. I was reminded of one of my favorite books from my childhood, The Monster At The End Of This Book. I don’t want to spoil that story for you, so you’ll have to read this classic children’s book for yourself.
It’s time for Christmas music! Some love it, some hate it. I mostly like it. But no matter what our preferences, every year starting around Thanksgiving (and now even as early as Halloween – oh, the humanity!) we are bound to hear Christmas and holiday music playing non-stop at least until New Year’s Day (and [...]
Some love it, some hate it. I mostly like it. But no matter what our preferences, every year starting around Thanksgiving (and now even as early as Halloween – oh, the humanity!) we are bound to hear Christmas and holiday music playing non-stop at least until New Year’s Day (and sometimes longer). So no matter where we go, for approximately a month and a half every year, we’re bound to experience Christmas music in one form or another.
Good Songs
On the good side of Christmas music, we might hear Bing Crosby on an AM radio promising “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” a claymationized Burl Ives wishing us a “Holly Jolly Christmas,” Ray Charles telling us that “The Spirit of Christmas” should last all year while Clark Griswold rediscovers old family films, Sarah McLachlan tenderly crooning a gorgeous “Silent Night,” or The Peanuts gang singing the melancholy perennial favorite “Christmas Time Is Here” by Vince Gauraldi.
And I have to admit I’m a sucker for Mariah Carey explaining (in no less than 12 octaves) that “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” I almost believe her. I bet you do too.
Bad Songs
But on the nefarious side of Christmas music, we have to suffer through double-time punk rock versions of “Jingle Bells,” terribly over-jazzed renditions of “Santa Baby,” the latest winner of a pop/idol/reality show butchering “O Holy Night,” college choirs covering the panic-inducing “Carol Of The Bells,” and Kevin McCallister lip-syncing The Drifters’ version of “White Christmas” into a hairbrush.
Countless bad Christmas songs have been hastily fluffed like whipped cream to make albums that are then pumped into the public airspace in hopes of swiping up a bit of Joe Consumer’s annual Christmas music budget. Without taking an official census, I’d say there are probably 20+ bad Christmas songs for every good one. In short, there are a lot of bad Christmas songs. The Christmas music naysayers really have some solid exhibits and evidence in their favor.
The Worst Song
In my mind only one Christmas song can claim to be the worst Christmas song ever. I award that prize to “The Christmas Shoes.” You’ve heard it, I’m sure. It’s the sappy tear-jerker about the poor little boy that wants to buy some shoes for his dying mother on Christmas Eve and it’s the epitome of awful. Sadly, it’s been made into a novel (what?!) and a movie that I’m sure Rob Lowe considers a low point in his career. Here are the lyrics and a video just in case you need a refresher.
The Christmas Shoes
It was almost Christmas time, there I stood in another line,
Tryin’ to buy that last gift or two, not really in the Christmas mood.
Standing right in front of me was a little boy waiting anxiously,
Pacing ’round like little boys do
And in his hands he held a pair of shoes.
His clothes were worn and old,
He was dirty from head to toe,
And when it came his time to pay,
I couldn’t believe what I heard him say,
Chorus:
“Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my Mama, please.
It’s Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size.
Could you hurry, sir? Daddy says there’s not much time.
You see she’s been sick for quite a while,
And I know these shoes would make her smile,
And I want her to look beautiful
if Mama meets Jesus tonight.”
He counted pennies for what seemed like years,
Then the cashier said, “Son, there’s not enough here.”
He searched his pockets frantically,
Then he turned and he looked at me.
He said, “Mama made Christmas good at our house,
Though most years she just did without.
Tell me, sir, what am I going to do?
Somehow I’ve got to buy her these Christmas shoes.”
So I laid the money down,
I just had to help him out
I’ll never forget the look on his face when he said,
“Mama’s gonna look so great.”
“Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my Mama, please.
It’s Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size.
Could you hurry, sir? Daddy says there’s not much time.
You see she’s been sick for quite a while,
And I know these shoes would make her smile,
And I want her to look beautiful
if Mama meets Jesus tonight.”
Bridge:
I knew I’d caught a glimpse of heaven’s love
As he thanked me and ran out.
I knew that God had sent that little boy
To remind me just what Christmas is all about.
I know a lot of Christmas songs could qualify for the worst ever, but I think this one wins for several reasons. I could rant about this song for awhile (as some of my friends and family know quite well), so I’ll try to make this short and sweet.
Note: My intent is not to criticize the songwriters or anyone that genuinely likes this song. I simply want to point out the problems I detect in this song. I am doing so because the song is insanely popular despite what I believe to be very obvious logical and theological flaws. I know lots of other Christmas songs fail in many of the same respects, but this one stands out above the others because it often goes under the radar as “a good song to sing in church.” Passing off heresy and consumerism under the guise of a heart-warming ballad is quite wrong on so many levels.
Why “The Christmas Shoes” is the worst Christmas song ever
The Real Meaning of Christmas is Consumerism
Ah, the Christmas consumerism machine at it’s finest! Finally someone has found a way to not only condone our consumption that makes it seem like the “Christian” thing to do, but has also capitalized on the concept by writing a song about it that’ll “just get ’em every time.” This is the primary reason I hate this song, and honestly, it’s reason enough, but I have to continue.
NOTE TO SELF: If you are ever hard up for cash, remember this simple song equation: Poor Young Child + Dying Parent + Sacred Holiday = Money Train
Shopping alone?
Why is a little boy shopping alone on Christmas Eve? Why didn’t anyone else in the song see a problem with this? Wouldn’t someone contact authorities?
Don’t miss the last moment!
If “there’s not much time” left for the woman, then why is the boy out buying shoes instead of spending time with his mother in her final moments? Priorities, son. Priorities.
Almost dead people have no need for shoes.
I know it seems harsh, but if his mother is close to dying from a terminal disease she simply does not need shoes. Maybe it’s the kind gesture or the thought that counts, but if she’s really that close to death, she probably would not be conscious enough to recognize a heart-warming deed from her son. Seriously.
Dead people have no need for shoes.
Caskets only open on the end where the head is, so no one besides the undertaker is going to see mama in her beautiful new shoes. That’s gonna be a real let down. And if she’s cremated, well… you might as well just burn your money.
You don’t take it with you.
Umm… I thought we were all clear on that. For this being a “Christian” song, it sure seems like some pyramid-era theology is slipping in there. I don’t know what heaven will be like, but if I had to speculate about footwear, I’m pretty sure that whatever we wear in heaven (if we even need any shoes) will be far superior to whatever mass-produced-by-slave-labor kicks the boy could’ve purchased with some change at the local big box store.
Does Jesus care about shoes?
The boy’s concern is that his mama look beautiful when she meets Jesus. I’m not sure where the boy is getting his information about who Jesus is and what he wants from us. Jesus is not Tim Gunn and heaven is not Project Runway. Mama will not be voted out of heaven based on her footwear. If so, those atrocious Crocs you just bought mama will not be winning her any style points.
‘This worries me. Make it work.’ – a quote by Jesus or Tim Gunn, I can’t remember who said it.
Adults Messing Up
Congratulations, to the adults in this story (the father, the cashier, and the narrator of the song). Instead of being wise and using this difficult time as a teaching moment, you helped an already poor kid waste his last few coins on useless shoes and let him convince you that his well-meaning, but half-baked plan is in fact the true meaning of Christmas. But the shame doesn’t rest solely upon the fake characters of this trite story, we the consumers actually bought this song and are continuing to buy it every year! Please, for the sake of future generations, stop supporting this song.
These are just a few of the reasons why I believe this song is the worst Christmas song ever, but don’t let me convince you. Judge for yourself.
Buy Shoes for Christmas
If you actually are in the market to buy shoes for someone for Christmas and you want to do more than just buy shoes, check out ShopToStopSlavery.com. My friend Robin researches products that are fair trade and slavery free. You can visit her site to find quality resources and good places to shop. That’s a gift that keeps on giving, Clark.
My cousin Aaron is the pastor at LaOtto Wesleyan Church, the church I attended while growing up. He’s enrolled in some correspondence courses and was asked by a professor to solicit answers from friends and family about their thoughts on “the state of biblical preaching.” When he sent me a message on Facebook requesting that [...]
My cousin Aaron is the pastor at LaOtto Wesleyan Church, the church I attended while growing up. He’s enrolled in some correspondence courses and was asked by a professor to solicit answers from friends and family about their thoughts on “the state of biblical preaching.”
When he sent me a message on Facebook requesting that I answer the question, I didn’t know how to respond. The topic seemed so open-ended and nearly unanswerable. Still, I wanted to help my cousin out, so I spent an hour typing out my thoughts (which are mostly questions). I’m curious to hear your thoughts on this. Below is my reply.
Aaron, here is my answer.
Determining the state of biblical preaching today is difficult for two reasons.
1. Definition
Our discussion is troublesome if our topic is not defined. What exactly is “biblical” preaching? This raises many more questions than it answers.
Does “biblical” preaching imply a certain methodology that uses the Bible as it’s primary source? Or is it a specific type of preaching that is defined by biblical scriptures?
Does “biblical” preaching include or exclude certain interpretations of the Bible? If so, are some right and some wrong?
Are there various forms of biblical preaching? If so, are some right and some wrong?
How does “biblical” preaching differ from other types of preaching? Is it the practice of placing dependence upon the bible during the sermon? Or does it mean that the Bible is the focus of the preaching? What about Christ-centered preaching?
Is the Bible the only source from which we should draw sermon material? If we do make such a severe line in the sand and say that only the Bible should be used as source material, then what about all other sources (e.g. divine inspirations/epiphanies, modern parables, personal experiences, extra-biblical stories, contemporary context, biblical commentaries, and any other spiritual or nonspiritual texts)? Must we exclude them entirely? What are the implications upon our ability to communicate scripture with certainty, meaning, and context with our congregants?
What about preaching to tribes for which there is no Bible translation? How then do we preach? Can we only preach to a group of people if a Bible in their language exists? What about the dark ages when only priests had access to the Bible in a foreign language and the people could not understand the text?
Furthermore, was Jesus Christ a biblical preacher? By what definition? Does that definition differ from the definition we use for ourselves today?
What about this bit of wisdom from St. Francis of Assisi: “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.” – Is that not biblical?
2. Data
We both lack data and are surrounded by it.
The general public has unprecedented access to data at that touch of a finger. The available data regarding biblical text is abundant, accurate, cross-referenced, downloadable, translated, paraphrased, and rich with commentary. More than ever before, we know (or can know, if we do a little research) so much about the Bible, it’s authors, the location and times it was written, and the precise meanings of various books, passages, and even specific words.
In stark contrast, we know very little about the state of biblical preaching within the church universal because the data is hard to quantify, collect, and interpret. Most churchgoers spend their entire lives attending less than a handful of churches. Their ability to judge their church in light of all the churches of the world and give a commentary on a topic as far-reaching as “the state of biblical preaching” is not a good barometer for the church universal. Even though I travel for a living and have had interactions with hundreds of churches from various denominational backgrounds over the course of just a few years, I would hardly consider myself able or willing to look upon the church universal and pass judgement about wether or not she is practicing “biblical” preaching.
A better question to ask ourselves might be:
Considering all the biblical data we have access to, have we become more like Christ?
Better still:
Considering all the biblical data I have access to, have I become more like Christ?
Old Books Are Fun
All this talk about old books makes me think of my friend Andrew, a book buyer/seller for Bruce McKittrick Rare Books in the Philadelphia area. Katie Nelson and I were able to stop in and see Andrew and his family on our last tour out east. He showed us some of his new favorite curiosities that the shop had on the shelves. This little beauty is a book of hours printed in Paris in 1528 for the use of Salsbury (sp?). Asking Price: If you have to ask, you can’t afford it.
The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief by Dr. Francis Collins should be a prerequisite read for anyone wanting to discuss religion and science. Collins systematically addresses many of the arguments often presented by the binarily-opposed camps of atheism and theism. In rational, but earnest, straight-forward speak, Collins discusses how he traveled [...]
The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief by Dr. Francis Collins should be a prerequisite read for anyone wanting to discuss religion and science.
Collins systematically addresses many of the arguments often presented by the binarily-opposed camps of atheism and theism. In rational, but earnest, straight-forward speak, Collins discusses how he traveled a path through ambivalence, agnosticism, and atheism to arrive at a belief system he describes as theistic evolution and labels BioLogos.
Through his experience as the head of the Human Genome Project he describes how he sees science and religion as partners instead of enemies. He shows how a synergistic relationship between science and theology is possible and can lead us to understand who we are, where we came from, and where we could potentially go in the future.
Collins now serves as the Director of the National Institutes of Health and in January of 2010 published another book called The Language of Life.
UPDATE: After posting this, a friend wrote to me the following message via Facebook:
Hey Scott,
I’d really appreciate your take on this. It’s something I’ve struggled to reconcile with my own faith. Since I’ve only been saved for 7 years I’m still learning about a lot of things.
Thanks,
[Name Withheld]
This is what I wrote in reply:
Hi [Name Withheld],
Good to hear from you. If you’re going to struggle with a topic, this is definitely a good one. You’ll be glad to know that regardless of knowledge and experience nearly everyone has and still does struggle with these concepts. It’s been called “the human condition,” so don’t feel like you’re alone in it. The debate has raged on since time began. I think if there was a definitive answer we wouldn’t still be arguing about it. Considering the fact that the finer points and deepest understanding of both science and religion are far beyond the intelligence of most of us, there is good reason for us to feel inadequate in our ability to really know the answer. At best we’re all operating on faith in something, be it reason, religion, or a mix of both.
As for me… I consider myself merely a layman in both fields, but a curious, eager, hopeful, and self-educating layman. I read a lot and try to understand as much of it as I can. For any matter in either field I rely on the “experts” for the best information, which I then must parse for myself. I do my best to avoid the trolling, antagonism, and rhetoric that do nothing to help progress, take into account the biases, presuppositions, and worldviews that form and shift the information, and look for the positive aspects, rational thought processes, and those ideas/concepts that have the “ring of truth” to them. This is probably the best any of us can do.
That said, I respect what Dr. Francis Collins has to say. He’s a very bright scientist that led the team that mapped the human genome. He’s a skeptic that wrestled with all the questions we do and yet still became a believer. He seems like a respectable human being that is neither pandering nor aloof. In short, I like him (or what I know of him). He seems like the kind of guy that I would like to be: an intelligent mystic – someone who educates himself as best he can, but has not reduced all of life to an equation.
And so I listen to him.
We tend to seek out the people that think similarly. Maybe this is the case here, but I suppose that just exposes my biases and the mixed bag of diametrically opposed concepts I enjoy and find myself holding onto. Things like rationality and spirituality, science and poetry, evidence and blind faith, deep wisdom and child-like belief. And that mix of things doesn’t seem all that bad to me. It seems like a healthy way to live.
Towards the end of the book, Collins tells how both religious believers and scientific skeptics have issues with him and his beliefs. That’s no surprise. To believe as he does (which, I think I do), means that I will most likely find myself at odds with nearly everyone since humans like to polarize themselves into mutually exclusive groups (e.g. Democrats vs. Republicans). Middle ground people (like myself) are a threat to both sides. I like to think that I’m dangerous, but the good kind of dangerous – like Jesus.
Years ago I was told that evolution was heresy and a threat to my faith. Various religious people/groups instructed me to fight against the huge lie and conspiracy of evolution. They said if we allowed this “theory” to prevail, then our faith would be lost. We would be reduced to monkeys, heaven would dissolve, and God would no longer exist.
At times evolution did threaten my faith, but only because of how the issue was framed for me. Somewhere deep down I knew that there was good science behind evolution, but that my faith was also true. I had heard stories and experienced things that could not be accounted for. So even then (some 20 years ago) I suspected what this book now proposes. It feels like confirmation of the worldview that’s been hanging around inside of me.
The more I live, read, discover, and understand, the more I feel I have good reason to be grounded in my beliefs, but usually not for the original reasons. I go through periods of doubt and renewal as I learn new things, let go of old things, and find the true things. This book walks along that same path. It has that “ring of truth” to it that I’ve been looking for.
In the coming weeks I hope to be blogging more about faith and science. I have a bunch of ideas bouncing around in my thick old head. I suppose I’m wise enough to have some good thoughts, but foolish enough to actually say them. Maybe you’ll find my thoughts enjoyable and possibly even helpful. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Note to Reader: This is entry is meant mostly to serve as a reminder for myself, but if you find it helpful, that’s great. I was struck today (while shaving) that above all other things I am called to love. That’s my job. I’m not a musician; I’m a professional lover. For me to succeed [...]
Note to Reader: This is entry is meant mostly to serve as a reminder for myself, but if you find it helpful, that’s great.
I was struck today (while shaving) that above all other things I am called to love. That’s my job. I’m not a musician; I’m a professional lover. For me to succeed at my task, I must love endlessly on the people I meet along my path. Nothing else should carry as much weight in my life as the understanding to love the friends, family, neighbors, enemies, orphans, widows, aliens, and outcasts that God puts in my life. In doing so, I serve Christ and fulfill his desires for my life.
I recently was in Orlando with my friends Lynn & Allison, Hoss, and Katie to work on my Christmas album. One of the songs that will appear on the album is “Go Tell It On The Mountain.” I’ve really been wrestling with the last verse.
He made me a watchman upon the city wall,
and if I am a Christian, I am the least of all.
In the weakness of my humanity, I could easily misinterpret the idea of being a watchman to mean that I’m an over zealous policeman, proudly standing guard over my society, all too eager to implement my understanding of swift justice whenever I deem necessary. All too often I find myself (and sadly, the church universal) somehow perverting my responsibility as a Christian to mean that I am to be the tattle-tale hall monitor of life, ratting out people, boycotting corporations and celebrities, enforcing the rules, keeping everyone in line with laws, doctrines, and my own interpretation of God’s directions.
This is the flesh speaking.
This is nothing more than the Liar using my base nature in a sophomoric knee-jerk response to add to the inevitable disharmony of life. What is truly ironic is that my self-righteous response is actually creating disharmony under the guise of Spirit-filled justice. If I buy into this, I am being fooled into perpetuating an “Us and Them” worldview that does not honor God. Like Peter, I am sorely mistaken that my motives are the desires of Christ’s heart, when in actuality I am being like Satan and impeding the work of Christ.
The only true conquerer of evil is to love like God. That is the message of Christ. To live a Christian life is honor Christ by loving others. Am I the least of all?
“Remove my spirit from darkness.
Love, become my hammer.*”
–lyric excerpt from “Ride A Black Swan,” Mary Star of The Sea, Zwan
*I found out that the lyric is actually “Love, become my heaven,” but I like my version better.
On a completely unrelated note, I found this link to pics of tiny cars. Makes me smile. I’d love to zoom around town in one of these things. The one pulling a small camper kills me. Link to the smallest cars you’ve ever seen.
Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a U.S. holiday designated to observe King’s birthday (January 15th), honor his life’s work, and celebrate human rights. While it would seem that MLK Day, a federal holiday, would be a holiday everyone celebrates, the reality is different. All federal government offices are closed today, but some banks [...]
Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a U.S. holiday designated to observe King’s birthday (January 15th), honor his life’s work, and celebrate human rights. While it would seem that MLK Day, a federal holiday, would be a holiday everyone celebrates, the reality is different. All federal government offices are closed today, but some banks and schools, and very few businesses close their doors. This disparity reflects the general attitude about what the day commemorates. Sadly, it also reveals that we either still possess some racial biases and/or are ambivalent to it’s very real existence and problems.
In Indiana, typically, only those schools with minority students tend to observe this holiday. Those that do not celebrate it will often set it aside as a winter storm cancellation make-up day. I suppose there could be debate discussing the merits of closing schools or not. Should we make the holiday more reverable by canceling classes? Or should we keep schools open and dedicate that day to focus solely on human rights education?
Regardless, I would hope that everyone, not just those with a diverse enrollment, workforce, or neighborhood, would use this day to celebrate human rights. Really, this holiday should be as important to white people as it is to black people. I certainly don’t view it just as a day to celebrate King’s life, his work, and the freedom that was eventually won for minorities. It is a day to remind ourselves of the awful bigotry that scarred our nation’s history, the very present reality of modern day racism, and the ugly effects of hatred fuel by ignorance. I think it is important to take time to assess our beliefs and actions in light of that knowledge and to celebrate the freedom of all men and the spirit of brotherhood that we all should have.
To honor MLK Jr. Day, I thought it would be nice to show you some Jonny Lang.
“What?! Jonny’s white,” you say.
I know, but on “Anything’s Possible” from his most recent album Turn Around, Lang sings about Martin Luther King Jr. and even includes part of King’s “I Have A Dream” speech, so it seemed quite appropriate to feature this song today. It has encouraged me to keep going when times are rough.
I really love this album; I can’t recommend it to you enough. At a young age, Lang gained attention as a phenomenal blues rock guitar player with mature sounding voice. he could sing, but he was known for his guitar playing. Now his voice is at the forefront of a bluesy/R&B gospel album, showcasing his unbelievable vocal range and emotion, while exposing his maturity as a writer, musician, and man. The track “Only A Man” is a beautifully intimate duet sung with his wife; it has brought me to tears several times before. This is an excellent disc you must have.
If you read reviews of this album, ironically, you’ll find that the negatively tinged reviews often have the undertones of extremely reluctant tolerance for religion. Lang is quite open about his renewed zeal for Jesus Christ and has created a really well executed album that talks about his experience. While his religious views may not connect with everyone, it seems that those opposed to the idea of religion (and especially Christ) can’t get past the lyrics to objectively assess the music. For example. below is a review from Amazon’s Hal Horowitz that is barely covers his disdain for Lang’s renewed Christianity and thus, the music as a whole.
Amazon.com
The churchy organ that opens and closes Jonny Lang’s fifth album reveals its direction. After 2003’s Long Time Coming plunged the once-up-and-coming blues guitarist into more soulful and commercial waters, Turn Around completes the transition. Lang is lyrically direct in his spiritual awakening, and the uplifting if sometimes pedantic lyrics make it clear that any vestiges of the teenaged guitar slinger that knocked out an impressive version of the lascivious “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl” on his debut are far in the past. A few short leads aside, Lang shifts into full Stevie Wonder/Prince mode, but unfortunately without the quality material that made those artists’ work transcend genre. With vocals that shift from guttural howls to sweet and screaming falsetto on tunes like “Don’t Stop (For Anything)” and a penchant for oversinging, he’s not aiming for subtlety. But there are some winning melodies here: songs such as “Anything’s Possible” and “One Person at a Time” boast catchy choruses in a funkified, gospel-tinged, adult-alternative vein bound to appeal to audiences that lean towards obvious religious references in their music. This is a well crafted, undeniably heartfelt set from Lang, who makes it abundantly clear he feels his destiny is to make the world a better place through Jesus. It’s a valid enough objective that doesn’t quite connect with Lang’s rather heavy-handed lyrics, affected singing, and derivative tunes.
Here we are, in 2008, still trying to get a grip on bigotry. While Lang’s music may help to stamp out some racial tension, some of his reviewers are letting their religious hatred surface on prominent mainstream web sites. Sad, sad, sad. Amazon, you should be ashamed. Horowitz, go sit in the time-out chair until you’re ready to play nice.
Anyway, as for Johnny Lang videos, I couldn’t find many online, especially of his more recent stuff. This gritty live video will have to do. Although the quality is poor, I think the live video does help show that this guy is for real. When first hearing Lang sing, you might think, “This can’t be a young white guy.” Just by singing like he does, he breaks down racial stereotypes.
On a whim, Katie Nelson and I decided to play at an acoustic open mic here in New Jersey last night. When we got to the venue we found out that the open mic was actually a contest with prizes. I’m not exactly thrilled about the concept of competitive music because of the spirit it [...]
On a whim, Katie Nelson and I decided to play at an acoustic open mic here in New Jersey last night. When we got to the venue we found out that the open mic was actually a contest with prizes. I’m not exactly thrilled about the concept of competitive music because of the spirit it fosters amongst musicians, but we decided to play anyway, for fun, for experience, for kicks and well…
Katie ended up winning.
The prize package:
6 games of bowling
massive dinner for two
$25 certificate to a local tattoo parlor
I know, Katie getting a tattoo is funny, but despite my insistence to cash-in the certificate, Katie instead forfeited it to the Guy (capitalized because his name is Guy) who was runner up to us both. He was somewhat thankful and made a very proud acceptance speech despite being the third runner-up.
Later, this same Guy approached me to say/ask: “So, you guys play Christian Rock, right?” Knowing that this is typically a loaded question that reveals more about the questioner than the questionee, I avoided his bullet with semantics, “Well, we do play in churches a lot, but we’ve played just about everywhere.” He quickly retorted, “Well Christian Rock sucks!” I smiled and said, “Thank you.” He gloated, “You’re welcome.” Then he strutted away. Looking back, I’m not sure that he realized I had not actually answered his question, nor that I realized he was attempting to insult me. I feel sorry for the Guy, not because he insulted me, but because he tried to insult me. Unfortunately, he was able to walk away with a much undeserved feeling of superiority. Oh well.
On a good note, we met several other wonderful people there as well. We share a table and pint with Charlie, a self-described hippie with a never-gonna-grow-up Peter Pan sensibility. While we talked, Tom and Paul, a young duo with mop tops, quite proficiently flashed us back to the good old days of the Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, Pink Floyd, the Monkees, and Jimmy Buffet. Later on, we hashed out the complications and problems of politics, organized religion, humanity, and the love of God with our new found friends Mike and Matt. All in all, it was an very interesting night.
Tonight, we’re heading back to the same venue to cash in our free meal and games, which we’ll be sharing with some of the new friends we met last night. I’m looking forward to just having a night of fun. And if it be up to me, we’ll all avoid the posturing, headiness and dogma that separates us from each other and the love of God.
Can I get an amen?
Currently listening:
Ambient 1: Music for Airports
By Brian Eno
Release date: 05 October, 2004
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Today brings another blog entry about an author friend of mine. Roger Bretherton released an interesting book called 
on Amazon UK through 
The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief by Dr. Francis Collins should be a prerequisite read for anyone wanting to discuss religion and science.
The debate has raged on since time began. I think if there was a definitive answer we wouldn’t still be arguing about it. Considering the fact that the finer points and deepest understanding of both science and religion are far beyond the intelligence of most of us, there is good reason for us to feel inadequate in our ability to really know the answer. At best we’re all operating on faith in something, be it reason, religion, or a mix of both.
