Music Mondays

This week is The Passion Week where Christians all over the world celebrate the final days of Christ's life, especially his death, burial, and resurrection.

There are a lot of wonderful traditions and special celebrations different churches and even families observe. One of my personal favorites is revisiting one particular song that my dad used to sing around Easter when he was in ministry. Don Francisco's "He's Alive" is one of the best Easter songs. It captures the disappointment of Good Friday and glorious hope of Easter by reflecting on the Passion from Peter's perspective.

Interestingly enough (maybe only to me), I just discovered that it won the Dove Award for Song of the Year in 1980, the same year I was born. Below is a brief description of how the song came to be along with a live performance:

He is Risen - He is Risen Indeed!

Music Mondays

Over the weekend, my wife and I attended a local Pastor's Appreciation Banquet that featured an really good musical artist named Ted Yoder, who specializes in the hammered dulcimer.

It's an unusual instrument but one that creates beautiful melodies. One well-known artist who utilized this was Rich Mullins. And throughout his concert, Mr. Yoder mixed in some songs from Mullins.

The concert reminded me of how GOOD Rich Mullins' music was. He's still appreciated for 'Awesome God' and his tragic death. But you comb through his library and not only will you find sing-able songs but a powerful voice of a broken man who enjoyed an intimacy with God. I fear those qualities are sorely lacking in our American Church leadership let alone the Christian music industry.

But complaining misses the point and is not what this post is about. Let's allow ourselves to be moved by the wonder and faith of some of these classics.

This one features the aforementioned dulcimer:

This one contains lyrics that haunt my heart every time I listen:

I'd rather fight You for something
I don't really want
Than to take what You give that I need 

...And Your grace rings out so deep
It makes my resistance seem so thin

Music Mondays

Last night, the NCAA Tournament bracket was announced. My IU Hoosiers got in as did four other teams from our great state (and they're all in the same region).

Due to a lack of other options and an excitement for this time of year, this week's Music Monday is the classic song that CBS has played after the Championship game since 1987 - "One Shining Moment". 

Interestingly enough, IU won the first tourney it was used for. Different versions have been used - including the fact that they didn't originally play the song until 1:45 into their rolling credits. And it's certainly entertaining and interesting to observe how much has changed since then.

So here's the original One Shining Moment:

Music Mondays

There's nothing too sentimental or overly deep about this week's selection. It's just the new music video of a really good song off of what is my favorite album of 2014-2015. 

For the uninitiated, two of the three guys who make up NEEDTOBREATHE are, in fact, brothers. So you have to think this song is coming from a very 'real' place. Mix in a little Gavin DeGraw and you have a recipe for this song to hit it big (at least I hope). 

I guess I have to get deep/sentimental/reflective for a minute because as the oldest child in a family who had to navigate the difficulties of a single parent home, I don't think I was always the best brother, but I feel blessed that us kids are on good terms and are supportive of each other. And I think that's the heart of this song.

Music Mondays

Last week I was at a pastor's retreat with my wife down in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. One of the few scheduled activities they had was a mini-concert by Russell & Kristi. 

This concert featured several original pieces but was mostly centered on leading us in worship. One of the songs they led us in was a flashback to my high school days.

The song: "Wonderful, Merciful Savior"

The flashback memory it triggered was watching my youth group choir singing this through the various levels of Word of Life 'Teens Involved' competitions. I think I was a sophomore because that was the first year I had chosen not to sing in the choir. 

And I immediately regretted that as soon as I heard them sing that for the first time.  

It isn't a good worship song, it's a GREAT one. The seminary-trained theologian in me tends to closely critique the songs we sing and this one stands up to even the closest of scrutiny. It focuses on all three members of the trinity and offers nothing but honor and glory to our great God and awe for what He's done in saving us.