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.
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.
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.
Barry Keldie wrote a very well done article about worship leaders being pastors first and formost. This really put things into perspective for me as a worship leader.
This is a clip from the new documentary project I’m working on with Matt Brammer and Taylor Cash.
The title is The Church [R]evolution, it explores the changing role of the church and its clergy in modern culture.
I’ll be posting more later, in the meantime you can check out the site in full.
One of the local news stations came over yesterday to do an interview with Chase and me.
I almost peed my pants when I saw this tonight as a squealed with excitement like the child I was when I first read this.
After laughing at the idiocy of this situation… wonder how in the world “no video games for a weekend” is an appropriate punishment.
What’s the world coming to?