Field in Himachel Pradesh
Beggar Girl in New Dehli... I know she's centered, but I couldn't pass up showing you this capture.
This was the view out my window every morning in Kugti
The Baha'i Lotus Temple... eastern universalists. Thousands of lost people.
Looks like after about 5 years Jason, Laren, and Bobby might finally see some results. There’s a bill that just hit the floor that may see the US taking action to remove Joseph Koney from power in Africa. You can view the full proposal (pdf) or check out Invisible Children’s announcement.
Stockholm Syndrome refers to a hostage sympathizing, identifying, and aligning their loyalty to their captor. With Derek Webb’s habit of criticizing Christian culture, you may see where he’s going with this album.
Webb has done few things that can’t be interpreted as offensive by the Conservative Christian media in his solo career. His very fist release in 2003, after breaking from the Contemporary Christian band Caedemon’s Call, She Must and Shall Go Free, ruffled a few feathers when he used the rather biblical language “whore” and “bastard” that family-friendly radio stations weren’t comfortable with. In 2007, his breakthrough electric album The Ringing Bell criticized politic-pushing-pulpits on the track “A Savior on Capital Hill.” A year later, during the election year, he re-released his Mockingbird album for free on Noisetrade with a bonus track in which Webb communicates to his listeners their right and moral obligation not to vote if they cannot, with a clear conscience, choose a candidate.
In summary, controversy is nothing new to Derek Webb.
Why then are so many fans who have stuck with him through four albums now turning their backs and calling Stockholm Syndrome the final straw? It would seem he has chosen a line to cross that many people are finally unwilling to go over with him.
Basically, in a nod to a speech made by Tony Campolo, Webb uses obscenities on the track “What Matters More” which deals with the Christian community’s mistreatment of the gay community. That’s what is really getting people fired up. To say that is the only song on Stockholm Syndrome that will ruffle feathers would be to overlook other blatant and offensive language on the album, but the obscenities are what’s really going to have Webb dodging all the stones that will be cast at him come September 1st… and some have already started to fly (I found quite an interesting blog entry that really gets behind the song, you should check it out).
While everyone’s turning their attention to “What Matters More” (irony), there are many other abrasive songs that will be overlooked… that also need to be heard.
The Song “Black Eye” calls out Christian passivism, ignorance, and adaptation to culture, stating “Time looks the same at the ones who hate and the ones that do nothing” while “The Spirit vs. the Kickdrum” addresses Christian’s convenience-skewed view of the Godhead. Webb continues his political trend with “The State” and even makes an interesting address to Westboro Baptist Church’s Fred Phelps in what I would consider one of the most notable tracks on the album, “Freddie, Please.” And that’s only the first half.
I recently scheduled lunch with a friend from high school who, since graduation three years ago, has come out as a homosexual. When I made the passing comment about meeting him, I was teased about our “date” by some of my friends and family. There where people very close to me, and the person I was going to meet, who did not really love him at all, and it hurt. Honestly, what Webb has to say on “What Matters More” needs to be said.
However, I believe the greatest risk run by the lyrical content of Stockholm Syndrome is not actually one or two words, but the actual language Webb uses throughout the album. The obscenities are not the greatest concern here. If we’re going to draw the line and mandate language, google the lyrics for the song and look at how many christian bloggers chose to type out “damn” but censor “s—.” Where do we draw the line? My only conern of how this album will be received is that in calling out real, critical points in the American Church in the way that he does, Webb has run the risk of sounding as sharp and in-compassionate as the very people he criticizes.
My final suggestion, for what it’s worth… buy the album. Decide for yourself. Not just if Derek Webb’s approach is right or wrong… but what’s the heart behind the songs, and what will you take away.
Note: Anyone who claims this is all a marketing strategy to sell records is just mudslinging. For $10 you get both the clean and “explicit” versions of the album and the album booklet reads:
“I wholly support the free distribution and consumption of music. Please share this record.”
In other words, Webb is giving away the unedited copy for free. He really just wants this song to be heard.
There’s a good bit of press surrounding the idea of “The New Calvinist.” The buzz started after Time Magazine gave a name to the idea and deemed it one of the “10 Ideas Changing the World Right Now.” The issue was further pushed in the press by the numerous replies from what the article labeled as the fore-runners of the movement.
I think smarter and more involved people than myself can comment on the actual idea of “New Calvinism,” what I do believe I am well qualified to speak about are the dangers I have seen emerge from the new reformed movement because I am reformed in theology, I live on a Christian university campus and get to see these dangers lived out every day, and because all of these warnings come out of self-realizations from the past four months. So here are some detrimental details I’ve observed that we must be very cautious of in the young, new Calvinist:
1) Pride: Upon arriving at College I was bombarded by reformed theology, I had it shoved in my face by people who called themselves Calvinists. I even attended a ministry on campus where I was asked what I thought of predestination and eternal security… before I was asked my name. After the first week of school I swore I would never be reformed. By the first week of my Sophomore year I would candidly call myself a Calvinist, engage in frequent conversations about limited atonement, and make fun of anyone who didn’t read out of an ESV as if I were Steve Jobs asking the Bill Gates of the world why he couldn’t get with the program. The result: I gave good theology a bad name.
It wasn’t until I got very annoyed with a young “missionary” in India who thought it was more important to talk about the Jewish traditions and contexts behind the prodigal son than to use it as a tool to present the message of Jesus that I realized I was disgusted with what I had become, repented of putting my drive for intellect and knowledge before my need for love and wisdom, and started asking the Spirit to interpret scripture for me rather than depend on my own human knowledge.
2) The Approach: Do I really love people and want people to know Jesus more deeply or do I just want them to understand and agree with my theology? Do I care more about Jesus’ words or Paul’s words? Do I talk and blog more about Jesus and His love or the theology behind the Nicene Creed? Am I more concerned about leading people to Jesus or away from other teachers I deem theologically unsound? While these things do matter, I always have to ask myself what matters more. Doctrine is important, very important. But we often use it to alienate people rather than lead them into a deeper understanding and relationship with Christ
3) The Name: Any person who titles himself a Calvinist sends off red flag to me. As believers, we belong to Christ. Not Calvin. We are Christians. Not Calvinists. Not Arminionist. Our theology is one or the other, but our belief is not in any man, organization, our system of beliefs, it is in Jesus.
Two days ago I arrived back in the States from my two-month long journey through India. So far I’ve eaten tons of beef, enjoyed sleeping on a mattress, realized I’m so used to cold showers that I can’t take hot ones anymore, caught up on some music (Taking Back Sunday, Coldplay, Derek Webb, Killswitch Engage, Mewithoutyou) and enjoyed some time with my family and Valine.
And now it’s time to re-enter the blogging world. So for I’m working on posts about the obvious like India and missions as well as posts about Calvinism (that’ll rake in some interest I’m sure), and TV/Entertainment… so I’m hoping to make up for lost time in the next couple weeks between Warped tour and taking Valine to see Copeland for her 21st.
It’s good to be back.
I am currently in India and consequently very disconnected from what’s happening in my home state of South Carolina. Today I just heard the news that our governor, Mark Sanford came out as having an affair (biblical term: committing adultery) with an Argentine woman.
A very good friend of mine works in the state house, her father is a representative, and my uncle went to Furman University with Gov. Sanford. While I have only met the governor twice, people I know interact with him and possibly his family quite often and, while I’m sure everyone of them is displeased with his actions, have found him to be a moral man. So the question comes, what do we do with Mark Sanford?
“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
It is very easy for married men and women to confide in “dear friends” of the opposite sex. To avoid falling prey to temptation, avoid it.
“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
It is my hope that God’s grace and sovereignty will be shown through this.
I may not have many readers left due to my complete inactivity on this blog for the past month, but I have a good reason. For those of you who do not know I am in India. For certain reasons I have had to create another blog for journaling my adventures in India.
But while I’m here I thought I’d give you all a quick thought.
God is moving in India, just as He is in America. One thing I’ve learned from being here is that God’s work of reconciling people to Himself is both a complete and perfect process that He has initiated, and a tedious and difficult task that he has charged to us.
As I am here doing mission work in India, I am more consistently praying for the mission work that God’s people are doing in the States. Seeing actual, physical idols such as Kali praised and glorified on TV right before a commercial interruption telling Indian teens they can be sexy and Western-like by additionally adorning and worshiping the God of Levi Jeans has made me realize the incredible giants of oppression we face in America. I pray that the Saints in the States will be sensitive to the culture and, rather than seeking to conform to it or plan strategies to use it in ministry, that they would actively seek to crash the culture by visibly loving others and being set apart as a Holy Priesthood worthy of the calling God has placed on all who belong to Him.
We are in the world, but not of the world, for freedom Christ has set us free, live and minister in that freedom. Do not turn back and worship other Gods. Set your sights on eternity. Live in the Kingdom. Have faith and work it out through caring for others. Suffer gracefully. Never compromise. Proclaim boldly. Love well.
Grace and Peace in the One who has set us apart as His adopted children,
Micah
I met with my mentors, some of the teachers in my life, today and one of them brought a few things to light in my life that I thought should be addressed in a public forum… since much of the road I’ve taken to get where I am was in public forum this just seemed right.
He said something like this: Micah, you lead people. But is your main concern leading them towards Christ or away from other things?
Let me break that down. As you well know, if you’re a faithful reader of this blog (hi mom), I’ve run numerous posts on what I would call impurities in the church, heresies, etc. The very self reflective question I have to ask myself is “am I so concerned with showing people how wrong this pastor or this author is that I forget that the much bigger goal is to show them how great Jesus is?”
I fear the answer… for the most part in the past few months has been… yes.
Does this mean that I’m not going to call people out or attempt to purify the DNA of the Body? No. But it does mean that I do believe relaying Christ’s love is much more important than relaying His disapproval. Blogs are especially not the ideal place to discuss the impurities in the Church. If that is my means of communicating the speck I find in my brother’s eye, then I am doing exactly what I criticize him for doing: publicly generalizing and criticizing the body of Christ and using Him as the excuse to do so.
Yes, there are problems that need to be addressed. Yes, churches and pastors need to be held accountable for the way they present Christ. But so do I. And until I make leading people towards Jesus central, rather than leading them away from the flaws of man, I am but an infant in my understanding of the gifts of prophesy and teaching.
Dr. Duncan recently posed the question on his blog: “can we use just anything in worship?” In this article, as well as others, he addresses secular, and even further, completely inappropriate songs being used in a worship service.
At this moment I would like to dig a little deeper into this initial question and at the same time, look at the broader scope of how a worship leader plans a musical worship set. This stems from my 3 years in experience of worship leading, two years of doing it wrong and learning from it, observations of scriptural worship, and my conversations with other worship leaders. So, for what it’s worth, here’s the very little wisdom I have to offer, and much more that I am restating that I have learned from others.
First and foremost: every song must communicate the gospel well.
This is such an important point and many… probably most worship leaders miss and I myself just recently learned. The function of worship is to bring glory to God. The best way to do this is to look to scripture to see how it’s done. All of the psalms model this. Depravity, brokenness, salvation in Christ Jesus resulting in hope and joy from the Lord.
This of course, immediately rules out all secular music. The excuse that it is making a point for the service is not only an inadequate excuse, but is really just downright ignorant of the Word, oblivious of the calling of worship, and shows severe lack in the faith that the Gospel can communicate in its own merit.
Beyond just secular songs, this also rules out a large number of worship songs and even hymns. It started in the 90s when Contemporary Christian Music (CCM, it’s an organization actually, not just a title) realized that worship was a big hit. Ever since, mediocre artists have been substituting Jesus’ name into bland love songs, overproducing them, and selling the sheet music for loads of money. The result is an influx of shallow, theologically incorrect, trite songs void of any substance. Somewhere in the mix we have Michael W. Smith and a dozen others focusing worship on the worshiper, singing Jesus
“took the fall and thought of me above all”
which does not at all hold up to scripture!
“For my name’s sake I defer my anger, for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off.” - Isaiah 48:9
Communicate the gospel. That is the worship pastor’s (just like any other pastor’s) first and foremost goal. That requires a sound judgement, theological discernment, and sound doctrine.