I spent a good portion of the day yesterday playing some killer rock songs with John, Boyd and Don (or Woody if you've read John's blog). We're playing a set at the city park next Saturday for my church's Summer's End party.
Now this is NOT a party for our church. Let's get that out of our heads right now. This is a party for our town, and specifically for the part of our town that seems a bit more frayed around the edges. We've got free mini-golf, free food, free kids games, bikes and cars to gawk at, dunking booth, etc.
We also have rock'n'roll. NOT Christian rock. We're playing great songs mostly written by Christians. So the world view is Christian theistic, without the off-putting trappings of much Contemporary Christian music.
Maybe there was a time - or perhaps there have been instances - when Christian Rock/Contemporary Christian music was an effective outreach tool. I spent a lot of time and energy pursuing that end, but it always wound up as a party for the church. Not really the original goal.
(There is a place for new music for Christians - for worship, for teaching, inspiring, etc. - but that's a whole different discussion. My main focus in life is ministering to the church through music, so I'm certainly not "dissing" that. Matter of fact, we're ending the whole Summer's End shindig with the best worship songs we know.)
Anyway - I'm prepared to take some heat for my wacky little plan to play music that speaks the vernacular of the community at large. Perhaps there are weaker brothers for whom this is a stumbling point - I don't know of any. I'm more afraid of the "don't handle, don't touch, don't taste" crowd.
You see, I have an ulterior motive: cultivate dialog and relationships with the community at large so we can show and tell the Gospel. If Switchfoot, or even the Foo Fighters, can help build a bridge, then so be it.
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2 comments:
ooh! You blogged again!
Deb and I were working on a myspace (p'tooey!) page for me last night, and as a myspace artist, you get to list 3 genres in your profile.
And I had already chosen "rock" and "indie", and was looking for a 3rd thing to call myself, and Deb said "Christian"..? And I said, "No, that means something that I don't mean."
What I certainly do not NOT-mean is that I'm a Christian. Because I sure am. Maybe even a "christian artist" (though I'm not a fan of using the word as an adjective).. But I'm not the thing that is meant by that label.
And I'm really looking forward to coming and playing. Tell Woody n' Boyd "howdy" for me.
Ditto what Caparoon said. Actually, I first read Brian McLaren say it: Christian is a great noun, but a horrible adjective.
I think we've given too much credence to the "sacred vs. secular" worldview. According to Scripture's teaching, it is ALL sacred and conveys God's righteousness and glory, even in it's self-display of ungodliness or depravity.
Except "Addicted to Love" by Robert Palmer. That song is just pure evil, right???
B.
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