shai linne

Rap isn't my musical style of choice, but since I purchased shai linne's The Atonement CD, I have developed a new appreciation, to say the very least, for the power of rap for Gospel proclamation.

Here's an example from my personal life: This weekend I led worship at a men's retreat. Saturday morning I was very tired, and had left my Bible in the meeting room, so after drinking a 5-hr energy drink I decided to throw on my iPod and listen to shai's album. I've been listening to pieces of it since a little before Easter. But using it for devotional material was a different story. It was like opening the Scriptures themselves. It started my day off with a vivid picture of my Savior, his cross, God's wrath, my sin - the Gospel in song.

You may not like rap. Some of you might not think you are able to really stomach it; unable to get passed the beat. But I tell you, shai linne's CD is worth taking a few rounds on your CD player or MP3 player (but I don't think MP3s rotate - someone help me out here; how doesan MP3 get from stored digital information to my speakers? Maybe it does rotate. After all, my iPod has this little hum and a faint motorized sensation when it's playing. Anyway.)

The point is, if you love the Gospel, or if you want to know the Gospel story set to some unabashed hip-hop music, this is the album to get.

Shai is on the independent label Lamp Post Recordings, whose mission statement is:
Highlighting the Character of God, while presenting the gospel of Jesus Christ and a biblical world view through hiphop culture.

They go on to say:

With that [mission statement] at the forefront of our mind, our approach to making music is like that of an old-fashioned home cooked meal. In an age of mass production and commercialism, the temptation is to make every meal taste the same, time and again. That’s only possible when you standardize all the ingredients to the point of them losing their natural, organic nuances. We would rather celebrate the individual characteristics of life and allow that to shine through in our music. To preserve this approach, we are the ones making the decisions throughout the whole music making process. We write the music and the lyrics. We record the music. We mix the music. We develop the artwork. We labor throughout each step of the process so that our fingerprints are evident through the ministry of Lamp Mode Recordings. We are not influenced by the radio. We are not influenced by “what’s hot”. We are not influenced by marketing schemes. We understand that the LORD made us in our unique ways and if we allow it, His grace and mercy can shine through us in unique ways, all the time painting a more clear picture of His Character.

Study: Jazz Improv Cranks Up Brain's Creativity : NPR Music

Interesting study

Worship planning after Easter

I want to draw your attention to Michael Card's recent devotion "A New Dimension", where he looks at Jesus' last days - the Last Supper, the garden and crucifixion, the resurrection, the appearance, telling Thomas to put his finger in his wounds, and so on. By listening to this devotion, it may keep you from moving too far from the cross. It will hopefully keep you near the wounds that will forever mark Christ, and should mark us even now.

The first half is Michael teaching in Havana, Cuba, interpreted by his friend Eduardo Gonzoles. The second half is mainly Card singing live from his studio songs that bring your mind and heart back to Easter.

If you are a worship leader, this might be of help to you especially as you start thinking about these days that follow Easter.

"He is risen!"
West

(A message by C.J. Mahaney entitled Death Swallowed Up In Victory and delivered at Ligonier's national conference recently will probably keep the Easter message fresh too.)

Hymns & Worship

Drop in at Challies.com to give the skinny on some new CDs.

Early-Morning Spiritual Battles

John Piper: "“I feel like I have to get saved every morning. I wake up and the devil is sitting on my face.”"

Most Embarrassing Moment Contest | Worship Matters

These are some hilarious "most embarrassing moments in worship leading.

C.S. Lewis On Atheism

C.S. Lewis On Atheism

Michael Card - Palm Sunday

Those who've known me a while know that I am a long-time fan of Michael Card - author and singer-songwriter with more theological punch in his songs than many preachers can pack in their sermons. I'm not slamming the preachers. Just acknowledging the fact that Card has spent years faithfully unpacking the Scriptures and putting them into verse for the benefit of the Church. Tonight I was looking for help in my preparation to speak at our staff devotions tomorrow morning, and I remembered a Micheal Card song "Ride on to Die". The song is well-developed, and you can really learn a lot about the "Triumphal Entry" from it, but Card has included a devotional on his website to go along with the song that I wanted to bring to your attention. Check it out HERE.

It is a fascinating study. You'll be glad you read it.

Kim and Tullian Tchividjian featured on CBN

As many of you know, Tullian and I have been close friends for some time. The Lord is doing great things through him as he pastors New City Presbyterian Church in Florida, and pursues a writing career as well ("Do I Know God" is his most recent publication). Click HEREto see the most recent video of Tullian and his wife Kim chronicling his journey.

The funniest worship leading blooper!

This is HILARIOUS! It comes from NorthStar Production's blog. (There's no audio.)

Police Repeatedly Raid Church to Stop "Praise and Worship" Music

Take your religious liberties for granted? Read this!
Thomas More Law Center Files Federal Lawsuit

Tullian on TBN

My good buddy Tullian Tchividjian will be interviewed tonight on TBN at 10PM. The interview will also air tomorrow at 5PM. The topic is his book, Do I Know God? Check out Tullian's blog at On Earth as it is in Heaven.

(By the way, you can see Tullian's interview HERE. Select March 10. Tullian is introduced at about 10 min 30 seconds into the program.)

Larry Norman, Christian rock pioneer, dies at 60

Some of his last words:

"I feel like a prize in a box of Cracker Jacks with God's hand reaching down to pick me up. I have been under medical care for months. My wounds are getting bigger. I have trouble breathing. I am ready to fly home."

Other articles
Remembering Larry Norman: Randy Stonehill and Paul Tokunaga (CCM Magazine)

Entertainment Weekly

You and You Alone - Review

Pat Sczebel is an associate pastor at Crossway Community Church and a worship songwriter. He is the author of one of my favorite songs - His Forever, which you can download for free HERE. Pat and his son Joel recorded an album last year entitled You and You Alone. Pat sent me a copy to recently to review on the blog, so here I go. (If you want another review, check out Bob Kauflin's.)

Trust in You
A fast 4/4 rock n' roll anthem, very youthful about God's sovereign rule over all creation and our trust in him. In my opinion, should have been called "You Reign" since that is the predominant phrase. The strong lyrics match the attitude of the young, sold out heart of the singer:

In joy and in suffering
Always I'll keep singing
You are good
Jesus, you are good

Over All
Laid back, 4/4 southern rock tune declaring to God is sovereign, is seated on the throne, that none can thwart his plan, for he is "over all".

Yesterday, Today, and Forever
A medium tempo, 4/4 Scripture song; too wordy in my opinion on the verses, but the chorus is memorable.

The Greatest of All
A slower 6/8 swing that borrows lyrics from Fanny Crosby's "Redeemed How I Love to Proclaim It". Great lyrics, but the slightly jazzy, B-3 based accompaniment seems stylistically juxtaposed to the emotion of gratitude of the song.

In You
A relaxed, guitar-based, 4/4 celebration of God's grace, mercy, shelter, forgiveness, love and rest.

I Surrender All
As the title says, a song of aspiration to give everything to Jesus, because Jesus laid down his life, purchased our freedom, and made us heirs. Stylistically, the song bears a kind of sultry jazz feel, freely borrowing some diminished and major 7 chords here and there.

You Are Good
A bass guitar 1/8 note driven singable tune that begins with a screaming bottle neck electric guitar a la U2's "Bullet the Blue Sky". A creative song; memorable. Rejoices in the incarnation, the atonement, and God's gracious and merciful commitment to defend and forgive us. Download it HERE.

Lord, You Are Gracious
A piano-based ballad led by nice female vocals. The electric guitars and drums are kind of overkill for my taste. Great lyrics with a memorable melody. Very sweet. Moved my heart.

Your Son was perfect,
Blamelessness itself.
Father, you turned your face away;
You bruised and crushed him,
That I might know your grace
For all my days.

You Alone
A 3/4 modern hymn with a short refrain at the end of every verse; very, very nice! Only electric guitar accompaniment with lots of chorus effects. A hymn of aspiration. Rehearses the gospel as if the worshiper is standing before God's throne.

You and you alone
Will be my song,
Will be my joy forever.
Take all of my days,
I give my life
To bring you praise.

Jesus, You Are Beautiful
An easy-listening tune that goes back and forth between Dmaj7 and Gmaj7, then heads into the album's characteristic heavy drums and guitar sound. It's kind of weird to mix these styles to me. It also bothers me that Pat breathes between beauti and ful. I have a pet peeve about that kind of thing.
Lyrically, the song is reminiscent of Tim Hughes' "Here I Am to Worship":

Son of God you saved me,
Rescued me out of darkness;
Caused these blinded eyes to see
Just how beautiful you are.

But the song's theme is that Jesus is beautiful, and I love him because he first loved me. No matter how it's sung stylistically, such truth is never hard to enjoy singing.

Critique
The album closes with an recording of a small group singing "I Surrender All" accompanied by just acoustic guitar. When I first heard the CD a few days ago, my first thought and wish was that the entire album had been a recording of the church singing these songs. So hearing this last song done this way was relief. The whole album seemed over-produced, sounding a little too ambitious to me. The drums and guitars too heavy. The timing was off in a few places, and the singing got pitchy here and there. However, the Sczebels aren't trying out for American Idol. They are trying to provide "doctrinally rich, Christ-exalting, contemporary songs for worship". In this regard , they've met their goal. And I plan to use a couple of these songs (Lord, You Are Gracious and You Alone) in worship services at my church.

Thank God for Sovereign Grace Ministries, Bob Kauflin, and Joel and Pat Sczebel. I pray that God will continue to use them to bring us new songs.