Non-Music Monday

I realized something today. Unlike 95% of most people, I actually like Mondays.

You might think, "of course you do, you're a pastor and Monday is your day off." That would be wrong. I take Tuesdays off.

Mondays have become essentially 'miscellaneous days' for me. While each week varies, Mondays are less about study and Sunday-prep and more about people and pet-projects. I often use Monday to visit people, whether it be in nursing homes, the jail, the hospital or their homes. And if some of those places seem unusual - ask your pastor, he probably frequents those places too. 

Sometimes it is a duty and something I know I need to do. 
Other times, it's an absolute privilege and blessing. This morning for instance, I had the opportunity to meet with someone going in for surgery. In the middle of it, I felt what can only be described as 'a holy moment' as I met with them and their family and prayed. It wasn't me, but God decided to use this unworthy vessel to show up.

Another one of the highlights of this Monday was preparing the final exam for the class I've been teaching at my alma mater. The fact that my schedule allows me the chance to teach freshman college students how to read and study the Bible is pretty cool. And I find Mondays to be an optimal day to get ready for Wednesday. Pet projects like this help me be refreshed and ready for the weekly demand to proclaim "Thus says the Lord" on Sunday morning.

I don't write this to pat myself on the back - as I said, many other pastors are doing the same thing. Frankly, there are people in my church who do this kind of thing and do it better than me.

No, I write this to give those of you non-pastors a peek behind the curtain as to what goes on in full-time ministry. Also, I share it to prove the point we ministers work more than 1 day a week :). So while you may be battling 'a case of the Mondays', try to find something redeemable about your day as well as your weekly grind.

Music Mondays

I have to agree with author and biblical scholar Gordon Fee, that of all the commands Paul wrote in Scripture, the most important is "be filled with the Spirit" in Ephesians 5:18.*

Yesterday we encountered this command as we studied 5:15-21. I've concluded that being Spirit-filled or Spirit-controlled is THE secret to the Christian life. 

Therefore, I find in concerning that the Holy Spirit has been overlooked and ignored by many in Christian circles (see Forgotten God by Francis Chan for a helpful corrective). This is certainly true about our worship - which is ironic because a major result of being filled by the Spirit is worship - "addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart..." (vs.19).

There has been an influx recently of Spirit-centered songs.  I thought I'd feature two such songs which share the same title but are very different.

The original:

The new song:

While each are distinct unto themselves, they both do emphasize the transformative work of the Spirit that we all need. Without it, we are hopeless to please God. But thankfully we've been given the third person of the Trinity to enable us to live out our faith from the inside out.

*Gordon Fee, God's Empowered Presence, p.721-722, 1994. As cited in Klyne Snodgrass, Ephesians NIV Application Commentary, p.289, 1996.

Music Mondays

I'm a bit of a music snob. 

There are plenty of songs on the radio that are popular in various categories that I almost reflexively skip when they come on the radio. Sure some people might like them - but if they are overplayed or just not in my wheelhouse musically, I have no time for them. Sometimes though, I get a chance to see an alternative or live version of the song and I totally change my mind. Something about seeing the artist play it themselves piques my interest.

This weeks' Music Monday selection is one such song. It's a fine Christian song about being a light in a dark world. It has never really stood out to me among the hundreds of songs like it that the CCM industry puts out yearly. But this intimate jam session is right in my personal-musical-taste-wheelhouse.

And I share it today because these kinds of themes have been on my mind since studying and preaching Ephesians 5:1-14. In this passage, Paul challenges Christians to stand out in a spiritual dark and decrepit world. We are especially called to 'Walk as Children of Light' and expose (challenge/confront/even 'push back') the dark. 

The lesson, at least for myself is, always keep an open mind with songs because many of them (especially Christian) have a relevant time, place, and lesson to share.

Music Monday - Easter Edition

Given that yesterday was Easter and the Christian musical canon is filled with great songs celebrating our Risen Savior, I thought I'd create a list of my favorite Easter songs.

1. "Forever" by Kari Jobe. 

Featured previously, it stands above the rest because of the incredible vocals, well-summarized theology, and overall declaration of victory and celebration.

2. "In Christ Alone" by Keith and Kristyn Getty

There in the ground His body lay

Light of the world by darkness slain

Then bursting forth, in glorious day

Up from the grave He rose again!

And as he stands in victory, sins curse has lost it's grip on me

For I am His, and He is mine, bought with the precious blood of Christ.

How great are those lyrics? How great are those truths? 

3. "He's Alive" by Don Francisco

My dad used to sing this song, which always gives me chills as it narrates the story from Peter's point of view. Hollywood spends millions of dollars on movies that try and fail to create the kind of tension and emotional response this songs accomplishes in a manner of minutes.

4. "I've Just Seen Jesus" by Larnelle Harris, Sandi Patty (written by Bill Gaither)

 

This one makes the list primarily because of the powerhouse performances by these two artists in this duet. But I'm also kind of a sucker for a song which narrates a story. And I've always loved the line "All that I've done before, won't matter anymore". But those vocals - just shut it down. It's over. They win.

5. "Easter Song" by Anne Herring

 

For whatever reason, I feel like this is Christmas song. I think it's the 'bells ringing' part that is often part of Christmas carols. Clearly it's a song celebrating Easter though. And kudos to this choir, who give it new life in an excellent performance.

Music Mondays

Last night, despite the ongoing NCAA Tournament and The Walking Dead's latest episode, my wife and I made TV time for "The Passion" on FOX, presented by Tyler Perry.

It was a re-telling of the Passion Week, following Jesus and his disciples through the many difficulties of that historic period of time. It recast those events in a more modern setting and incorporated modern pop music to reflect the events and the emotions of the characters.

I found it to be a well-produced, decent depiction of the Biblical story. The mix of what seemed to be recorded segments with live performances and narration seemed a bit disjointed, but I'm not an expert TV critic. It wasn't an overly powerful show, but it did a fair job accomplishing what it was shooting for.

The final song was the show's high point however. The song choice, "Unconditionally" by Katy Perry, was perfect and its connection to the Resurrection and the Gospel was on point as was the performance. 

If you're interested in the specific events of the Passion Week, let me shamelessly plug my sermon from yesterday as we looked at each day, Sunday through Thursday.

Music Mondays

I love this song, I love this artist. 
I love how this song by this artist perfectly captures what Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:17-24 - shameless plug to audio of my sermon.

It's crucial for all Christians to realize that we've been changed and we should put off the old self, be renewed, and put on the new self. It's a great upbeat song that spurs us on to the right perspective as we start off the week.

Music Mondays

The old cliche, "you learn something new everyday", applies to my morning today. Giving brief contemplation to what to do for Music Monday, I started searching YouTube for some classic songs of my youth.

And low and behold, I stumbled upon a music video from my all-time favorite band that I'd never seen before:

I don't know how this had slipped pass me, but I'm sure I've never seen it before. I love the song, it's an overlooked single on an album chalk full of great songs. And 20 years later, it's message is even more relevant for us today. We live in a nation where progress has been made in racial reconciliation, but last year showed us just how far we have to go. 

And this song absolutely nails the Biblical theology on race issues in such a compact and clear way, 

"We're colored people and we live in a tainted place. We're colored people and they call us the human race."

"Ignorance has wronged some races, and vengeance is the Lord's. If we aspire to share this space, repentance is the cure."

I remember thinking about this song as a high school-er recognizing it's truth but now as my worldview has enlarged, I realize how significant these issues are to a much clearer extent.