#17 Somewhere North...

So, let me introduce you to one of my main influences as a writer of music. Derek Webb and his deep, heartfelt songs about life pulled me in about 13 years ago and I've never looked back. There has always been a certain honesty to his writing. If he is writing about broken relationships or broken people, he normally hits it right on the head. I might not agree with all of his theology, but as showcased in this song, he will always have my attention.

Okay, So Maybe This Disney Post is Better...

If you've never been to Epcot, here's a great tour and a little taste of the musical atmosphere...



Apparently these guys did this entire video in one day...AND it's not actually a video. They took 5,151 separate still photographs and then played them all in order. Pretty amazing stuff!

If You Love Music...

...then I assume some part of your past has connected with the legacy that is Disney music. Something about the entire catalog of their music connects with who we are as humans, and our desire to be lifted up and out of the depravity that surrounds us.

If you know me, then you know my love for Disney cartoons and their history, as well as the modern stories told by Pixar. There is just something about them that speaks to the human condition. Well, I recently stumbled across a video on YouTube of a Pixar animator who is a very gifted singer. He has taken a few select Disney favorites, and proceeded to sing every part of them. Doesn't matter if it's a villian, a hero, or a princess...he hits every single note. I was amazed at his talent, so I just had to share with you!

#18: Luv is a Verb...

Oh man, the memories I have of this song. Junior High camp in the year of 1994, the year that I was introduced to the band called dc Talk. At the time this was the greatest thing I had ever heard in my life. I had never known of this thing called christian music, but I loved it! My affinity for "christian" music has waned over the years, but my love for what dc Talk was doing back in the day hasn't. They were the grandfathers of Christians who are trying to reach culture for the Kingdom of God. I feel like they were the start of driving bands such as Switchfoot, Mute Math, or even Paramore. However, some bands seem to still be stuck in the year 1994 with their approach and message. Love truly is a verb, and at it's core requires us to act! We need to be reaching out to the world around us, spreading love to all who would accept it. We are not called to hold it in for our little subculture, that is countering to Christ and countering to His Great Commission. So, thank you dc Talk. For even at a young age, at a junior high week of camp, you were teaching me about what Love looks like and how it moves.

Exiting...

I love having Netflix back in my life.

The other day (monday), I chose to watch a critically acclaimed movie called "Exit Through the Gift Shop." It is a documentary focusing on the world of Street Art. I'm an artsy kind of guy, so I figured I would like it. Well, I loved it!

ETTGS (as we'll call it) is a story of doing things for the wrong reasons. The movie is centered around a guy name Thierry (pronounced Terry), and his love for filming things. This love drives him into the world of Street Art, and the people and thrill that it brings. Street Art (or graffiti) is currently in somewhat of a grey area legally, and many modern artists are using this medium to express themselves. Our main character, Thierry, ends up falling in love with this community and begins to emulate their craft. Not really having a touch of his own, he begins to pattern himself after the artists he has followed and worked with. In the end, this carries him to a place where he is acting against the message Street Art is supposed to convey.

As I watched (and fell in love) with this movie, I began to think about the Church and how we do things. We love to borrow from other congregations and leaders, taking what they are doing well and instituting in our own ministries. Will it work? Maybe. It all depends on the kind of people you are working with. However, I really want to look at the bigger picture. Do we do this with Christ? Adopting Him as an ends to a means. That is not what Christ instituted all of this for! His name does not exist to glorify ourselves, but instead, to glorify Him. The scary thing is...I sometimes see Thierry in myself. Using what I have learned, and who has poured into me, to puff myself up. I don't want that, and I don't want to viewed in my community as Thierry is now viewed in his.

I highly encourage anyone to watch this documentary.

#19: God Only Knows...

I've always been a fan of the Beach Boys, but something about their music always seems to fall in and out for me. Somedays, I love it! Other days, it's just meh. With that all being said, I love this song! Yes, it's a silly little love song written by some silly little band...but, something about it just has always resonated with me. It's sounds unlike anything else the Beach Boys have ever done, and it's a song about God's all-knowingness. At least, that's what I take from it. You see, God has a bigger plan for us outside of butterflies and moonbeams. He can work through our downfalls and the times that really, really stink. We've all been in those places where we can't imagine life without someone or something, and yet God is truly the only thing we should be concerned about losing. That fact was probably not Brian Wilson's intent here, but it is the Truth that I hear echoing through this song.

Somtimes, It Gets It Right...

So, I was reading a book today and it referenced one of my favorite passages of scripture...1st Corinthians 13:1-3. As I finished the chapter my mind kept going back to Corinthians 13, aka the "love chapter." While focusing on what Paul was saying, I played around a bit with the translations on Bible Gateway. To my surprise, I really love what The Message had to say and I thought I would share...

If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.

The New Countdown...

So, a while back I was going to try and countdown my top 100 songs of all time. That was a HUGE challenge, and it was so hard to keep consistent. So, we're gonna focus a little bit better on this one. Welcome to the #20 of my top 20 Favorite All-Time Songs...

This is a song written by an artist named Patti Griffin, but covered and brought to my attention by Justin McRoberts. How superficial is our love sometimes? How far are we willing to push the boundaries and actually commit to someone or something? If we are to be "little" Christs, then we have to stick our necks out pretty far sometimes. THIS is not something that is in our Human Nature, but something we have to take on from our Creator.

He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30

Abiding in the Word...

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." - John 8:31-32 ESV

How much different are we then the Jews during the life of Christ? They always thought they were "getting it right", when in reality that were messing up the simplest of God's instructions. If we are honest with ourselves, I bet we could think of ways we do exactly the same thing. Case in point, I've been having conversations with friends lately about how much we seem to forget the Bible (aka His Word). This is especially prevalent with many "hipster" pastors and movements. We try to point to God, without ever truly using the best tool to identify Him

Two weekends ago, I challenged our high school students to truly embrace Christ's Great Commission. Going and making disciples of all nations, races, backgrounds, and communities. Since these were some of His last words here on earth, I would guess they are probably important. So, how can we make disciples IF we are not even disciples ourselves...

The above scripture speaks directly to this dilema. If we FOLLOW God's Word, we are His disciples...If we don't, we are NOT. So, how do we call ourselves Christians if we are not using the Bible to lead our daily walk with God? There are a lot of voices around us that do not lean entirely on scripture and that, to me and to God, is a scary place to go.

In Case You Missed It...

I really really hope you got to see this on Super Bowl Sunday. Might just be the best commercial ever...from a Star Wars fans perspective of course!

and this might be even funnier....

Starting to Ask The Right Questions?

Not sure how much I endorse this book, but an interesting conversation to be had on Comedy Central...

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Sean Dorrance Kelly
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog</a> Video Archive

Oh Super Bowl Halftime Shows...

So, did anyone else hear that loud THUD last night during the halftime of the Super Bowl? Yup, it was the sound of another musical act falling flat on it's face and connecting to no one! Was it the singers...maybe? Was it the music...maybe? Was it the lack of substance...I truly think so!

Looking back over the last 20 years or so, only one band has been universally accepted as a great halftime. What band? U2. Their performance came at a time when our country was still healing from the tragedy of 9/11. So, what did they do? Well, they didn't have people in LED body suits, or flashing TRON-inspired costumes, or even cameo from so-called rock legends. Instead, they brought a message. Until the NFL finds a band to fill our needs beyond consumerism, we will continue to see crappy band after crappy band. And, it's really not the talents fault...it's just the lack of something bigger.

Case in point...

I Finally Have a Motive...

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night the display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.

~ Psalm 19:1-4

So, it's been awhile (sorry Matt) but I think I finally have found my motive for maintaining a weblog. If you know me, then you know how much I seek out God in my love for all things artistic. I love watching movies, tv shows, listening to music, or reading to find God's fingerprint all of over the place! Many times the author is not focused on glorifying God, but somehow Truth manages to shine through. God is the Original Creator (OC), and everyone else just robs from Him!

Each day of the work week, I will be posting an article focused around my passions...

Mondays - Music

Tuesdays - Television (Current Events)

Wednesday - Literature

Thursday - Theology

Fridays - Film

I will do my best to keep up on this. I want to make it something that I am passionate about, and a part of my ministry. See you Monday!!!