Music... Christian music

We've come a long way in Christian music... I mean a long way! Yesterday a friend of mine and I were watching (REALLY) old Christian music videos from "back in the day"... Unfortunately not all of the videos let alone the songs have held up over time (If you wanna see some ummm... classic DC Talk go to youtube and look up the song "Heaven Bound" haha!). But anyway...

When I was a kid I always felt like Christian music, especially Christian rock, was always one step behind. You'd pop in some White Cross or Petra and be like, "Yeah! Rock on!" and then you'd hear of this band called Metallica (no I'm NOT a fan) and their sound would BLOW any Christian metal band out of the arena!
Plus at one time the best Christian rap song was "Who's in the House" by Carman. Come on you know the song!

I don't think it was all the artists fault either. The music industry in general wasn't very accepting of Christian music... You never saw ANY christian bands on the top of MTV's music charts or anyone else's charts. Now obviously no one could touch our worship music but then again only Christians would want to.
There was a time that if you were admitted that you were a Christian band, you were pretty much only going to popular in Christian circles, not that there's anything wrong with that. Maybe you've heard of the band Evanescence. This story I'm going to share with you is straight from Amy Lee's mouth so don't doubt me (and no I don't think you'll find it online).

Amy told a friend of mine, who was her tour bus driver and a good man of God, that when they signed with Wind-up records that their new record company told them that if they were to admit that they were Christians and that in fact some of their songs were about God, that it would be career suicide and Evanescence would NEVER "make it". So they hid this fact... and the rest is history.

But we've come from that, a record company telling a band to hide their faith, to a time where just a few years ago an openly Christian band called Switchfoot had the #1 song and music video in both Christian AND secular circles! And then there's bands like P.O.D. and so many more that are breaking the message of Jesus Christ into peoples daily lives... and they're NOT shy about it! Praise God!

I'm not trying to criticize ANY Christian music artists. What many artists, like Carman and White Cross and Petra, did for the Christian music industry is amazing! Thank God for them! I guess what I'm trying to say is I'm so glad that people in ALL circles of life are hearing the amazing music that comes out of a love for God and not selfish pride... and so many more people are hearing the Gospel and that is truly a work of God!

Soli Deo Gloria

'ello world!

So I guess this is an attempt to start blogging again. I know... my blog posts have usually had many months in between each other but that is something I'll try and remedy. So what to blog about? HAHA I'll think of something...

I guess I'll for this first REAL blog post in a very long time I'll reiterate what Worship With My Life is all about. It's pretty clear by the verse Romans 12:1 and by my profile what I'm trying to say. Have we really lived out this verse though? When taking this verse into mind I'm sure at times my "life song" has been a bit off key if not down right out of tune at times!

I love what verse 2 says as well: "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."
Don't fit in so easily to your culture... Change what you think is normal... by changing the way you think... so we can know what God wants from us... because what He wants from us is GOOD, ACCEPTABLE and PERFECT! That last part reminds me of how some people are almost afraid to truly pray, "God, YOUR will be done NOT mine..." But God's will is awesome and more perfect than what we can imagine.

Sadly, I see many Christians who fit way too easily into the worldly culture around them. From the music in their iPod's; to the movies they LOVE; to the way they talk and dress... But what does 2 Corinthians 6:17 say again? "Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN ; And I will welcome you.


Soli Deo Gloria!

Whoa! I have a BLOG?!?

Yeah so I haven't written on this blog thing in a long time... Not much of a blogger I guess...

All I have to say right now is God is good all the time, all the time God is good!

I Don't Know What To Put Here For This Post...

Man I'm tired. I've been fasting today so I'm a little out of it. My hands are kind of shakey right now so I'm probably not going to blog for long. I can't believe how fast this month has gone by. Thursday we meet with Doug to put the final touches for the Mardi Gras outreach and the "roster" together. I have to admit that I mainly go to this meeting for the fellowship. Doug is a great guy and really fun to be around. I do have a few issues that have to be addressed for the trip but nothing major.

But first before Thursday comes tomorrow night. Obama will be sworn in and I'm sure everyone will be talking about it at my youth group. Seeing as opinion varies from person to person about him at my church, and most churches for that matter, it will probably be an interesting evening to say the least.

Gotta say this. GO CARDS!!! I think it's really awesome that the Cardinals are going to the Superbowl and its even cooler that Kurt Warner, a really strong and outspoken man of God, led them there. I hope they win it because what a awesome story it would be. Of course no one gave them a chance to get this far and so far not many people are giving them a chance to win it all but we'll see. Well I'm tired so that's all for now... later I'll try and post some cool stuff I've been studying in the bible.


Pierced Pastor

Date Night... and a little politics...

YEESSS! Date night with my wife (who else?)! Tonight wifey and I get to go out on a kid free date! Oh thank you! I'm excited because we haven't been able to go out on a date since around last summer... sad, sad, sad... Our last "date" was in October though, but we didn't go out and it was not kid free and it was ruined by a gentleman whom which I will not talk about. Needless to say we're tired and overdue for a nice quiet date for just the two of us.

Man January is already half over! For me it has flown by. These past few days have been a little stressful for many reasons but I shalt go into them for many other reasons. Am I speaking in riddles? I guess I am.

So... what else can I blog about? Hmmm... Barak... no... lets not go there just yet... Ok I'll go there. I think its crazy how much people are "in love" with President-elect Obama. From people crying to people praise God. It crazy to me. I see that people have put so much if not all of their hope in Obama. Our hope should not be in a man. It should be in Jesus Christ. I'll put it this way: no man will EVER be able to permanently fix the problems you have. Only God almighty can do that. A personal example that I can take from my own life is the fact that God has provided for my family in these difficult financial times. God has blessed us greatly. He gave us a house. I'm 22 years old and a home owner. I was 20 when we bought our house! Every month we've been able to pay our mortgage, pay all of our bills, and have food on the table every meal (you can tell we have food because clearly I'm still fat! HaHa). A few people have wondered if I make a ton of money. The answer is NO. I make very little actually. Last year I made about 24,000. How do I get it? I give it away!
Every paycheck I give God a tithe (tenth) of what I made and I also give an offering on top of that. Now in my human mind it doesn't make sense to give away money to be more blessed but that;s God's way. The Bible tells us if we tithe (give a tenth of whatever we make) that God will pour out such blessings that they will overflow us! Praise God and to Him be the glory! I thank God that He has blessed my family so much and yes there are still some thing we need but I'm confident that God will supply them.

My hope? It's in Jesus Christ and nothing or no one else. I'm looking to Him in these hard times... not a mortal man.


Pierced Pastor

Only Six Weeks Away?!?!?

WHAT?! Six weeks?!? My church's yearly Mardi Gras missions is only six weeks away. I thought it was waaaaaaaaaaaaayy more time than that but it's all good. We are packed this year and there's a few fresh faces so I'm excited. But to tell you the truth I haven't thought too much about it. My main focus has been my youth group and our first meeting of 2009 which is tomorrow night.

Man the devil's been rolling in 2009 so far. So many people I've been talking to are have a rough start. But God is faithful and the victory is ours! Anyway I'm really watch TV now so no more blah blah blah...

Drippley thoughts...

Man I haven't worked since last year! Yes today was indeed my first day back to the daily grinding stone since December 23. I was the first one in the office today so for the first few minutes I just sat there wondering, "What now? I'm here... at work... with almost no work to do..." So I'm actually glad it was an easy day for me with little to prepare for this week. I've been thinking about a lot of things to do in my youth group this year. Thinking about what worked last year... and ultimately what BOMBED abysmally. Ok so nothing went that bad... I don't think. We shall see what stays in my head and what leaks out like a drippley spout (yes I know drippley is not a real word but it's kinda fun to say. Go ahead... say it... out loud now... there you go).

So tax season is coming up! YEEEEAAAAHH! Yes I was serious. A lot of people hate tax season but I like it. Why? Cuz we get a check from the government for a lot o money! If you don't have kids... sorry. Cuz if you have kids you get more back! I knew they were good for something... just kidding. I remember my first tax return. I was so pumped! I was like, "Man I got lots of money back!" The "lots" of money was about $80... not a lot but I didn't care. SHOPPING TIME! However this tax return will sadly go mostly to bills... I say mostly because well... you see I'm married to a woman and well woman like to shop and if you give a woman with bills $5000 she'll spend most of it on those bills... but lets be real. Some of that is going to mommy and daddy!


Pierced Pastor