At CFPB, we've started compiling a "Playlist" that compliments the sermon series we are on... some of the songs from this playlist are being used before and after services on multiple of the CF Campuses, as well as during videos throughout the series...
Through Jesus Uncensored, the Playlist, we looked deeply at the culture's misrepresentation of Christ... Some artists get the concept of Christ. Others, as you will see, are way off base.
As part of the "How to Ruin Your Life" series, we looked at the Culture's value of life, and the six elements that can "Ruin Your Life"... Malice, Pride, Greed, Guilt, Jealousy, and Lust.
Enjoy the playlist, and for more information on "How to Ruin Your Life" check out CFMiami.org
This song's been haunting me for the past couple days... The Fray's "Where Were You."
Lyrics:
I found God
On the corner of first and Amistad
Where the west was all but won
All alone, smoking his last cigarette
I Said where you been, he said ask anything
Where were you?
When everything was falling apart
All my days were spent by the telephone
It never rang
And all I needed was a call
That never came
To the corner of first and Amistad
Lost and insecure
You found me, you found me
Lying on the floor
Surrounded, surrounded
Why'd you have to wait?
Where were you? Where were you?
Just a little late
You found me, you found me
Love the song. The Fray has become one of my favorite bands, and their new self-titled release has strengthened their presence in my iPhone playlist.
Check it...
The singer isn't questioning God's existence. He's talking to God...
The singer isn't questioning God's character, or His heart...
The singer is questioning God's timing...
And let's be honest, how many of us do that?
I'll be honest.
I do.
Every day.
A couple years ago I blogged about Psalm 124... one of my favorite posts EVER (and a really great song too!)... I wrote about how God doesn't spare us from the "fowler's snare". He saves us when we are trapped in it. (Psalm 124:7)
2,000 years ago the world was looking for Jesus to be a political Savior, and Jesus came to save the spiritual, not the physical... Jump forward to today, and the world is still looking for God to spare us from something in the physical world... not realizing that His salvation takes a different form...
The singer does talk about how God showed up... "just a little late." I love that. God, I think you owe this person an apology for saving them at an inconvenient time. You were a little late. Could you please be more considerate?
God, thank You for finding me, for saving me in the midst of the snares, for helping me overcome. I have felt pain. I have felt anguish. And in those moments I where you were, I can now see You in the darkness. Thank you for sparing me from the spiritual pain, and for giving me strength to overcome the pain of this physical world...
This weekend, CF is launching "Jesus Uncensored" - a six week series looking into the true character of Christ.
It's amazing to me how different cultures over the years view Christ... Our creative team did a lot of research to find, musically, how Christ is represented (or misrepresented).
I've thrown a bunch of the songs we found online in an iTunes iMix. Check them out... but first... Listener discretion is advised.
I'm not endorsing these morally or theologically.
Some of these songs get Jesus. Some of them don't.
Some of them are looking for a Savior. Some are looking, they're just not sure for what.
But while the world thinks they've grasped the concept of Christ... Biblically we know him to be something else...
Come find the "Uncensored" Jesus @ Christ Fellowship. See you this weekend.
Huge fan of "the church" being involved in culture... Love that through all forms of media the idea, the concept of Christ is promoted... The world does not appreciate being beat over the head with a Bible. Time for some fresh ideas.
We've discussed music's "Spiritual Lens"... and movies like Tolkien's Lord of the Ring Trilogy and/or CS Lewis' Narnia films of course bring that Christ-figure to the forefront. There is a downside, though, to allowing culture to use the "Spiritual Lens".
If you're not careful, the allegorical Christ-figure, Aslan, will wind up peddling taquitos through some cheap parody of the Taco Bell Chihuahua.
Of course, since I am easily swayed in my faith, seeing the allegorical Christ-figure tell me "You want taquitos" only made me... well... want taquitos. Oh yeah, I keep forgetting, people have a hard time reading sarcasm in my blog. THAT WAS SARCASTIC!
Not sure what exactly is going on in Eastern Europe these days, but at the "Luxury Show 2008" held in Bucharest, Romania these glamorous, expensive Gas Masks debuted. Evidently a company called Diddo Velema released these gas masks allowing you to face the apocalypse in style. Or buy milk at the corner store in your war-torn province...
Moving away from political commentaries...
Does anyone else think it's weird that a cross would be found on a Gucci-esque gas mask? Nevermind the fact it's a diamond-studded cross on the gas mask...
In our spiritually saturated society, is it possible that the definition, the symbolism, the meaning behind the cross is lost? Is it bad that we have become comfortable with the symbol, therefore not giving it the dignity and respect due it?
Nickleback has been on my iPod since my KTCU days... they have been one of my favorite "secular" (I hate that word) bands since college.
So I was quite surprised to see one of their music video, "Savin' Me", being shown @ CFPB this past week... I found it interesting and appropriate to be hearing Rick teach a lesson on the world needing to be saved, and then to watch a music video from a group of guys that do not know Christ singing a song calling out for someone to save them...
A couple weeks ago I posted a video clip of Tony Campolo's interview on the Colbert Report. Funny stuff.
Before Tony, Rick Warren was interviewed on the Colbert Report... I missed that one too... check out the video.
I'd love to know what Colbert really believes... when he's off the camera. God is not some "vengeful monkey throwing barrels at Super Mario". The interview is a series of softballs lobbed up at Warren, helping Rick define God not as a vengeful, hateful being... but a friendly, personal, loving "Daddy".
After all, "God gets enjoyment out of watching you be you."
Not sure how I missed this the first time around, but Tony Campolo was on the Colbert Report promoting his new book, Red Letter Christians earlier this month... just happened to catch a repeat of the show Monday...
Campolo: The truth is marriage is in trouble in this country. The heterosexuals are getting divorces. The gays... they want to get married.
Colbert: So they can get divorced too? They're jealous... they're jealous of our divorces.
Ironically I just brought Red Letter Christians home from the bookstore today and put it on my pile of books to read... or at least start...
40% of Miami-Dade's Registered Christian Voters are registered Democrats. That is a higher percentage than what Tony referenced in his interview (he said 30% nationwide). Interesting concept, and should be an interesting book. More to come, I'm sure...
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