More thoughts...

I happened to bump into Jared Runck, a theology instructor here at Gateway. He has done some writing on my blog topic. I asked him why Black Gospel disappeared then reappeared in our movement. That was a loaded question! Here' s what I learned:

1. Many former slaves left their religious/musical traditions because they didn't want the stigma or the memory of their former lives, and thus many went into mainstream religion, thus the disappearance of the style.

2. Maybe Black Gospel is a big part of our movement because William Seymour and key members of the Azusa revival were black.

3. I asked Jared why the style seemed to disappear during the 40's, 50's, 60's. He theorized it was because when the UPC merger took place, the black chuch split away, leaving the UPC a primarily white organization.

4. The resurgence of Black Gospel occured almost simultaneously with the Civil Rights movement - makes complete sense! Also, Jared and I both thought that today's resurgence of this style comes with the fact that the black community is embracing their heritage and roots mroe than ever in the last fourty or so years.

Just some more thoughts. Sorry to bore everyone with this! I've just always wondered and wanted to throw it out there to see if I could learn so more! Let me know what you think!

What's your style?

One of my instructors in college, Scott Frazier asked me an interesting question a few years ago that I've often pondered. Mr. Frazier is a member of a contemporary Baptist church - very progressive in their musical style (think Truth, Avalon, Christ Tomlin, etc..) - where he is the music director/worship leader. He wondered, "Why do Pentecostals have such a connection with Black Gospel?" We talked a while and I finally concluded that maybe it's just our emotional style of worship that enables us to identify with that particular style.

What I've really wondered lately is how and when did we come to be so indentified with this tyle? When did Black Gospel really impact our church choirs? I didn't come to the UPC until around age 13 and, until a few years later, didn't even KNOW such a sytle existed! Believe me, where I'm from in the Ozarks it's all Southern Gospel all the time!

I recently had a chance to write a paper on blackface minstrelsy from the antebellum years through the early twentieth century. Blackface was the practice of white people "blacking up" with burned cork in order to look "black" so they could caricature slaves and other free blacks of the time and perform in traveling acts. Their motives were many, one of which I believe was to satisfy their curiosity by giving other white folks a glimpse into the life of a slave. They danced, acted and sang, often with themes that we hear in today's black gospel. Songs that reflected their desire for heaven, for God's deliverance, their need for each other. ) They also sang trivial songs in an attempt to portray blacks as simple-minded people who were quite content in their bondage - which was obviously not the case.) The first composers of Black Gospel which eventually evolved into what we know it were Charles Tindley and Thomas Dorsey, both living during the early twentieth century. They wrote songs with themes like, "We are often tossed and driven..", Trials dark on every hand...", When the storms of life are raging, stand by me..."

Dorsey composed both blues and gospel and it is from his roots that I believe we arrived where we are. Thanks, Mr. Dorsey!

Another interesting fact I've read is that early blacks put more emphasis on the rhythm and music rather than on the words, thus the repetition of a single line. On that note, let me say that I really enjoy Black Gospel, but when they start "making a way" and twenty mintues later they're still "making a way" my brain checks out. Call me unspiritual or whatever, but that's where I am.

So we have to admit that the Black Gospel style has had a big impact on the music of our movement, generally. I realize that some regions of the United States don't particularly "get into" that style, but I think I'm safe in saying we "generally" embrace it. We love the emotionalism, the abandonment. Someone told me that the whole idea of "freedom from bondage", which blacks felt literally, we feel figuratively and that's why we embrace it. I could buy that point. I guess I find it fascinating how jazz, blues, rock and gospel all fused together to create this unique, emotional style.

I realize praise and worship, or a more contemporary style, is becoming more and more prevalent, even in our choir music, but I think Black Gospel will always be a core style. Any music history experts out there? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Keep forgetting...

Sorry about the huge spaces in the last post - not sure what happened there.

Currently reading: "Prayer: Does it Make Any Difference?" By Phillip Yancey and "Jimmy Stewart: A Biography" by....can't remember and don't have the book in front of me.

Currently listening to: "Conversations in Silence" by Connie Ellisor, et al.

Mr. Giesecke Tips His Woefully Mundane Songwriting Process That Was Until Now, Not Shrouded In Mystery

Mr. Curry got me to thinking about my own approach to songwriting as a craft. At least the way I approach it. So I thought about it for a bit, grabbed my guitar in an attempt to “notice” my process—then chisel it into stone for my progeny.

Granted, I doubt any of you have heard a single thing I’ve written. But since I happen to think some of what I’ve come up with is most swell, I’ll let you assume it is, too, so that you can also be inspired to write really cool stuff you’ve never heard either.

For the writing process, I find that I am oddly inspired by literary works; something that synergistically affects me from perhaps even one little phrase. I will mull the concept around for weeks on end. Then, one day, I’ll start driving my concept melodically—trying to hear the direction in my head.

Now and then, I’ll swerve into something that accentuates my concept perfectly. A good idea is to record the melody, independent of anything else. Chords can be placed later, and besides, the great thing about chords is, is that many times a song’s innate power can be decided by a single chord substitution.

I’ll generally scratch my lyrics in, but will always allow myself the malleability to alter them without sacrificing message. For me, I rarely compose a solid lyric set before figuring out my basic rhythmic and melodic requirements.

Arranging is another matter. Being a blues guy, I have a distinct affinity for what I call “Stylistic Transmogrification.” Of course I call it that because I also have an affinity for convoluted, labyrinthine phrases that could simply be distilled to what I actually mean. So what I really mean is, that I thoroughly love taking traditional gospel songs and recasting them in a distinct, pentatonic-based, Mississippi-Delta blues format. For this, I use my acoustic guitar. Sometimes, all it takes is a little "grit" to transform what has become to me a rather pedestrian-sounding tune into something that reminds people that the “old stuff is cooler” than they ever imagined. So while some are handing their “I Can Only Imagine” soundtracks to the church soundman, I’m vamping on “Since I Laid My Burdens Down.” You be surprised how many people come up to me and ask where they can “find that song.”

“In your hymnal,” I always say. “At least the old ones.”

Lastly, I have this other little regimen that not only keeps my chops in line, but many times leads to either a cool arrangement of an already-extant song, or becomes the progenitor for a new one: I start by taking a tonic chord, and use it to strum a distinct downbeat, say a 4/4 rhythm. I will sometimes use a metronome, but either way, I accentuate this beat, and then play melodic licks between them, making sure that I return to the chord and the downbeat at the exact time.

You’d be amazed at what comes out of such an endeavor sometimes. I know I am.

Phonograph, CD Player, iPod/MP3’s: Does it Matter To You?

I can vaguely remember (very vaguely) going into a store and seeing in the music section a display of vinyl 7 inch singles (45 rpm). I remember playing the longer play 12 inch records (33 rpm). My mom’s collection included the Hawkins Family, Dallas Holm, and the Imperials. By the time I was collecting my own music, the 80’s had ushered in the compact disc, and now I carry around an iPod.

7 inch Vinyl
After World War II, there was a two-year period (1948-50) in which the purchasing public did not know if the 7-inch (45rpm) or the 12-inch (33rpm) records would prevail. The 7-inch was smaller and usually contained a song on each side. Capacity was limited. You could stack a group of sevens and play them as singles. They serviced a certain niche, as they were shorter in duration. The 12-inch eventually won.

12 inch Vinyl
Bands like “The Beatles” had something “to say” and voila, the notion of a “concept” album became mainstream. The 12-inch was a longer play and it allowed for a theme or focus. So, one would sit down, and listen to the entire record as if listening to a story. The visual experience was greater because the cover was large, and you could choose the color of your record. Capacity was better than the 7-inch single, but still limited. Before long, a more manageable and versatile carrier called the Compact Disc came along.

CD’s
The Compact Disc (1982) followed the same concept format, but you could carry it around in different types of players and boom boxes and it was more durable. The Album notes and liners were all there like the 12 (much smaller visual experience), and this format developed into ways of making it easier to “rip” a song from its concept. Capacity was limited.

Digital World
The advent of mp3 players and iPods created an almost limitless ability to store music and build personal play lists. Rather than listening to a concept album you can only download the songs you like. It is extremely versatile, i.e., iPhone, iPod, mp3 players, and a host of peripherals.

Okay, all of that to say…is the album dead? Who cares about a concept if only three of the songs are good anyway? Who would want to play something on vinyl with all the pops and scratchy noises? BUT from what I’m reading, there is a come back of vinyl in Britain and Japan, because people want to handle the record…smell it…view it…read it. This comeback has created a firestorm of opinions among listeners about how we ingest music and what senses are incorporated into the experience (and I’m not talking about mind altering agents to help with the process, although that is a real historical component).

How do all of you out there feel about the way in which you experience music?
What makes one better than the other? Vinyl, mp3, liner notes, graphics, unlimited capacity, pops, tangible vs. intangible, concept, singles, iPod…????

Goin With the Flow

(grrr... still having picture issues, sorry)

There has been a theme in this blog of giving advice to those performing and writing music. Even though I am too unskilled to perform and I lack the ability to write music I would still like to weigh in with some advice. WARNING: Some of the songs mentioned below may contain explicit lyrics.

The Power of Passion
When I listen to music outside of church, the primary ingredient I look for is passion. If the artist performs with passion I really don’t care what genre it is. Although I reject most of his music, when Eminem sings about his love for his daughter in When I’m Gone, or about giving his all in Lose Yourself, the passion there makes me want to listen to those songs over and over again (it also makes me want to weep and pray for this man who has felt so much pain in his life, even in his success). The song I mentioned last week, Hate Me by Blue October first captured my attention because of the sheer volume of emotion coming through my tiny car speakers.

I believe people (or maybe it’s just me) going through a world of day to day blah want to feel deeply. When an artist effectively funnels their emotions into a song, it really doesn’t matter to most people what the song is about. It’s powerful. If I could request one thing from the Apostolic songwriters and performers out there it would be to truly feel what you are playing and singing. I even give you permission to continue writing the canned stuff and having your picture by the pole or park bench or public restroom if you can just really get passionate about your art.

I know… I know… I am not an artist and this is a lot easier to say than to do (especially if you do it for a living). But this is what I listen for when I listen to music. I believe this is also what the world is listening for.

Final Note on a Short Blog
If you can capture the passion without resorting to the canned stuff, that would be really great too!

Oops...

Okay, okay, so I just play the piano, I don't spell! It's Perfect PRACTICE.......

Perfect Pracitce + Perfect Worship = Excellence

Sorry everyone - you're stuck with the same pic this week. My tendency to be computer challenged has struck again.

I've been thrown a bone - a very good bone! I've always appreciated excellence in music. During my college years, it was nothing for us piano majors to practice 4-6 hours easily in a day, every day, seven days a week. (all for one lousy credit, but don't get me started......) All for excellence. My teacher used to scold us for even having to warm up. He'd tell us we should be able to just set down and play on a whim. Easy for him to say. I've heard so many times that if people in the secular world work so hard to get their craft right, then we as Pentecostals, servants of God, should work harder, "the perfecting of the tools in your trade so the inspiration flows more easily and more perfectly", as it was put to me. I agree.

As I look back on all those grueling hours of backbreaking practice, the memory of the reward of a good performance or praise from my instructor is a welcome one. But that's where it stops. When I compare it to what I do for God, whether it's singing or playing at church or preparing and teaching a class here at Gateway, I often have a sense of emptiness - "meaninglessness." (Sorry English majors) Again, I'm convicted over my lack of effort for God's part when I compare it to how hard I worked to stroke my own pride after preforming a recital! But that's for another blog.......

I believe with all my heart that growth and ministry are directly tied to excellence. Our annual music conference, Unprecendented Praise, gives me a glimpse of where we are with regards to excellence in many churchs. Most of our musicians are just volunteers, working at Joe's Shoe Shop during the day and ministering in their local churches on a volunteer basis. Thank God for ALL of them! I often take for granted where I am and what I've been blessed to learn. It's a privilege I try not to take lightly. It is my firm conviction that no matter where you are musically, you should always be growing - take lessons, go to workshops, find a music mentor. It's too easy to grow stagnate. It is only in this way that our craft is honed and perfected. I read in The New Worship by Barry Liesch a very good analogy. He compared the church service to what most people see on TV or in a movie. He said, "Remember that people come to your worship service with similar unconscious expectations." Now that's a tall order! But really, I think it makes sense. It appears we have our work cut out for us.

So then there's the question of anointing and preparation. More times than I'd care to remember, I've heard people say that it didn't matter if they slaughtered the song because it was for the Lord and not the people. Sorry folks - I don't buy it. Again I refer back to Leisch's book with this definition of performance: "To perform is to do something complicated or difficult with skill in public with a view toward serving and ministering." If people are coming to our churches with such high expectations as mentioned above, then we have no choice but to be as prepared as possible. I'm not saying that it's all about us, our ability, our talent. Every time I see extraordinary talent, I thank God for it! It's not his talent or her talent, but rather just God expressing Himself through that person - how beautiful. But I believe that if we are to do all things as unto the Lord, and if "all of life is worship" as Nate Binion often states, then we must do the absolute best we can. II Corinthians 12:9 states that "his strength is made perfect in our weakness...." I believe this tells us to do all we can and then it's God's turn. And this is where I believe He finds great delight. So take that talent and hold it up to God and let Him multiply it! But also do your part - that's when God will willingly step in.

I was asked about this difference in perspective as far as anointing vs. preparation today compared to the past. Don't quote me, but I think there is much more emphasis on talent/preparation and less on anointing today than years ago. We definitely feel the need to get things perfect and "tight" now more than ever. Maybe I'm wrong, but I believe years ago they just had to step up because there was less to rely on. Today we are so blessed with all our technology, etc. I have no problem with perfection, but I think we obsess over it sometimes to the point that we forget our purpose. If we could somehow find that balance, then I think we would be suprised what we would acheive.

So my point here is, remember why and for whom you do what you do. Prepare for service for God - with equal parts technique and spiritual preparation - as though getting your message across is a matter of life and death to every soul!

Two Weeks Later...

(Pretend there is a very charming picture of me here...can't get blogger to upload images)

...Yeah, I'd like to thank the thunderstorm that knocked out our server last week. It prevented me from making my Monday post. Did ya miss me?

So lots of stuff has happened.

I met one of the bloggers, Joshua Remington, at Florida Campmeeting a week ago Thursday. It was a surprisingly brief encounter considering both our ability for effusing. Camp was great and I also enjoyed spending special time with my mom (in-law) Marcia Ballestero as we celebrated birthdays a day (and 29 years) a part. July 16th is her birthday and mine is the 17th. July is an expensive month. Last Monday I began to compile my birthday list for ninetyandnine readers at large. Oh don't worry! No requests or hopes for world peace. I gave that one up as soon as I had my third child. I see them and I know why there is no world peace. But indulge me patient readers...Monday will pass soon enough and the other lovely bloggers will fill your heads full of much more heady subject matter.

Birthday List:
1. To write a song like "Anyway".
The song communicate pain/love/disappointment so succinctly. The chorus is easy to sing, easy to remember and has what I can only liken to symmetry. Kudos to the writers: Martina McBride/Brad Warren/Brett Warren.

2. To live by my art.
Yeah, yeah I know. We all can’t be the McGruders. But I sure would like to be able to pay more than just my kid’s birthday parties with a royalty check now and then! All kidding aside, to be honest, few are able to support themselves by their art. To be able to support oneself by what they are truly gifted at is for a majority of people like me likened to a hologram. It seems like it could be a reality, but the closer you get to it you find it’s not.

3. To be able to eat innumerable carbs.
(Self explanatory)

Well, after much feasting and traveling and partying I must admit that I haven't given much thought to deeper depths on the subject of music or otherwise. I'm in the midst of all things summer (read as: "I spend all day on the Slip and Slide") and my melancholy thoughts are being drowned out by high-pitched voices screaming in unison for Koolaid. Here's hoping next week I can quote Corinthians, Prouste, and paragraphs of Mere Christianity or something. I'm having a hard enough time remembering proper nouns...(let's see, it's cold, tall, holds ice cream and frozen spinach... Ah yes! The refrigerator! Reach in there and hand me an Italian Ice would you?) Cheers!

Those Eccentric, Gay Renaissance Painters Really Knew Their Bible, Didn't They?

Being that this is a music blog, I hope you'll pardon my amoebic fence-hopping by borrowing from the literary/cinematic mediums to make my point.

In last few years, we were treated to two completely polar-opposite media frenzies regarding upcoming films. Oddly enough, both films were, in their own ways, argumentative pieces regarding the historical trajectory of Jesus Christ: The Passion of the Christ, and The DaVinci Code.

When word leaked to the media that Mel Gibson was going to produce a film about the last twelve hours of Jesus' life, the war was on. Good Morning America ran a seemingly yearlong personal offensive against Gibson, while supplementing it with their own, sudden discovery that violence could have an affect on children who happen to watch that violence when it's happening in a movie. News correspondents camped out in "hot spots"—places where a cinematically-fueled upwelling in anti-Semitism would certainly have moviegoers throwing Jewish babies into furnaces and plowing the Kosher fields with salt within a matter of hours.

Still, Gibson successfully marketed his movie—one that had the audacity to present Jesus' plight with some reasonable accuracy. Surprisingly, 600 million dollars later, not a single moviegoer decided to challenge the Palestinians' for their heavyweight, Jew-killing title.

And the media gnawed their tongues for pain.

Then, Ron Howard decides to cinematically distill Dan Brown's, The DaVinci Code-a movie that, when stripped of all it's historical pretence and embroidered artistic historical hooey, basically say Jesus was a fraud, who married Mary Magdalene, faked his own death and resurrection, and went on to become French somehow.

Yet, Good Morning America began a daily, modular countdown, broadcasting from the Louvre, the Vatican, and the Rennes-le-Château in France. Diane Sawyer could barely contain her excitement for the advent of a movie whose central theme literally bulldozes the faith of millions as a “myth.”

High-profile treatments of my Lord like these give me pause about our central themes here.

Gibson and Howard are both inarguably gifted actors and directors. Both have at their fingertips, access to the crème-de-la-crème of creative nerve centers. Both have nearly limitless personal budgets. Both have otherworldly production values that drive their creations worlds away from anything remotely associated with “hokey.”

Yet, the industry did its dead-level best to take out Gibson, as well as his message. Had he not financed the film almost entirely out of his own pocket, it would have never seen the light of day. All Gibson had to do was insert something into that film that challenged either the notions of Jesus’ deity, or his purity, and the fiery darts would have ceased. Instantly.

All of my breathy setup to make this little point: We can lay the blame for Apostolic music’s “lack of legs” on anything, whether it is production values, genre, sub-genre, voice, class, genus, species, kingdom, sub-kingdom—or whatever. But if we, as Apostolics, are to remain true to our message, then we must come to grips with the fact that Jesus-as-God is a problem in the world’s eyes.

No matter how you wrap Him.

Creative Implement

Ok, I will stop with the “ment”(s). This is a crucial one, though, and very much in the “would sure be nice” category. It has been fun looking at what is wrong (lament), what can change (foment), and now for a little envisioning (implement). Once you have a marketable product, where do you go to distribute it? Your friends, relatives, and close associates? Pentecostal Publishing House? What? All of those are fine, but they are limited in reaching the larger audience. The following is my visionary verbiage.

1) Opportunity
The music industry is in a major crisis precisely because they have stuck to a formulized strategy themselves, and the public, as well as artists, are rejecting it. The Internet has allowed the artist more independence to musically represent him or herself, and has allowed the general public more purchasing power. It is fascinating to watch, e.g., Prince attaching his latest to a British publication, Paul McCartney releasing his latest through Starbucks. Both of those examples “go against” the formulized, music industry strategy. There is now a much bigger, if not huge, open door. However, the internet and other alternate opportunities must be harnessed to benefit AP artists.

2) Marketable distribution
Everyone should have the opportunity to release a project, yet there should be some type of distribution that makes it more accessible. A distributive “channel” where customers can listen to the music, learn about the artist (bio, website pointer, etc.), purchase the music by ordering or by digital download, and be introduced to new artists. Knowing who is “out there” is a particular problem, as most people are known locally, but not regionally, nationally, and internationally. A group or singer on a label is typically fronted the money to produce and market a project, then they tour extensively to build a listener base. There is not much touring going on in the AP world (we are not there yet), yet there is a definite need to counter that by creating a centralized, savvy, channel to bring awareness of the music. Something of this nature would make a difference on our quality (originality, high production values, solid theme/thread, and AP identity).

3) Quality Controls
Projects of varying quality need to go through a vetting process driven by AP listeners and distinction should be made between the great, good, bad, and the ugly. A distributive channel would make that distinction by including general reviews (should be done by an unbiased person knowledgeable about the genre) and consumer reviews (anyone who wishes). Platforms like iTunes and Napster already follow this pattern. You can read a general rating, as well as customer ratings, and then listen for yourself to make a purchasing decision. This forces the music to rise or fall on its own merit, and is market driven. This channel would also give someone who might not have the financial ability to put out a complete project, to put out a solid single. The cost would be much less, with the ability for recognition and feedback.

Okay, let’s just say someone picks up this idea and establishes what I’m talking about…the next step, and I’m really casting out the vision here, would be to draw in the Apostolic world at large, and not just the UPCI. This newly founded distributive channel would then have a much broader influence, with the ability to market the good stuff to other distributive channels. Hit me with some responsive feedback.

Righteous Rock?

One of my favorite genres of music is rock. Southern rock, alternative rock, indie rock… whatever. Because I grew in the UPCI, I will be the first to admit that this may be my little rebellion against childhood rules. But does rock have anything to offer to someone who wants to be a good Christian, or should I throw out all my CDs? I think based on the previous discussions you already know that I believe secular music can have value even for Christians. WARNING: Some of the songs named below may contain explicit lyrics.

Hot Topics
There are thousands and thousands of topics that songs may cover. These can range from worshipping God (think Matisyahu) to worshipping sex (most dance/club music) to worshipping self as a better artist than everyone else (many hip hop songs). One of the most widely expressed topics is love. Love songs can be all about sex or cheating, but more often than not they are expressing the beauty of love in a way that does not contradict the Bible. A good comparison is Your Body is a Wonderland by John Mayer (OK, so that’s soft rock) and The Song of Songs. Both of these express love in a deeply intimate and sexual manner, and both are beautiful. I see love songs as being somewhat neutral, morally speaking. Love is a beautiful thing created by God, and songs about beautiful things created by God tend to be OK. The danger comes in perverting what God has made beautiful, but most people recognize this and leave it out of the best love songs.
But what about other topics? We talked last week about topics that might sound terrible, but that the Bible deals with very frankly. Can rock music also deal with difficult topics in a way that pleases God, even when the artists aren’t Christian?

An Anti-Love Song
In the song Hate Me by Blue October we have a glimpse of love working in a very strange way. In this song we see a man who is saved from himself by a woman who loves him deeply. We also see that he now recognizes his own brokenness, and realizes that as long as he is with this woman he will only bring her more and more pain. For him, the only solution is to leave her and make her suffer temporary pain so that she will be able to get over him and find someone else. His healing and maturity progresses as he sees who he is and sacrifices his own feelings for the woman he loves. Self-sacrifice leads him into becoming a better person, and encourages the listeners to grow up and avoid making the same mistakes that this character made (I don’t want to ascribe the mistakes to the author or the performer, and I’m not as familiar with songs as I am with movies so I dub the subject of the song a “character.” Let me know if there’s a better word.).

Echoes of Redemption
One of my favorite bands is Linkin Park. I was very excited to hear that they were working on a new album. My excitement hit a peak when I heard their first single earlier this year. What I’ve Done (featured prominently in the summer blockbuster Transformers for other movie buffs out there) may be about many different things depending on who you ask. To me it is about the power of redemption, and it even uses explicitly biblical imagery. The artist describes coming to a place where alibis and lies are no longer useful. The only thing left to fall back on is mercy and forgiveness. Only by falling back on mercy am I able to erase what I’ve done. Although the author may not have meant it, this is a beautiful description of conversion. Only when we come to the end of ourselves can we truly come to God. We must acknowledge that we are completely dependent on God.

All a Matter of Perspective
The point that I am trying to make is not that rock music is always or even usually written to glorify God. Rather, I am trying to illustrate how I approach secular music, and how I attempt to see God in everything. Sometimes, I admit, I make a little bit of a stretch to see God where other people do not. But hearing other people’s thoughts and feeling their emotions often helps me to point my thoughts and emotions to God in new and fresh ways. I want to give God every area of my life. This is how I bring my music and all other entertainment under subjection to Him.

Pure worship

I thought I'd talk today about another subject that has been on my mind because it is something with which I often wrestle. At New Life Pentecostal Church, we are blessed beyond measure with the music ministry of Laura Tracy. Let me tell you - I could go on and on. It's not often enough that we encounter people who seem to have all the important areas of their lives and ministries in such balance. Laura is one of them. She and her family have been on vacation the last two sundays and I have felt lost! "What key do we do that in...?" "Do we do parts or unison here?" "Is this where we modulate?" I am convicted to pay more attention and not just be the zombie on the organ over there.

One thing Laura as tried so hard to teach us - mostly by example - is the importance of preparation and a pure heart in coming before Him in worship. I know I need to practice to get the notes, the chords, or the words right. But what about the spiritual? Ouch. It's so easy to overlook that part. How often have I felt the prick of the Holy Spirit and felt compeled to repent for my pride, my need for recognition, my self-assurance. We always gather for 30 minutes to pray before each service - just the praise team. I love these times and I appreciate our leader prioritizing them. But I wonder: is it just because Laura requires us to be there or is it out of genuine personal desire to be cleansed and filled before I enter His presence?

I read an article in the Herald from September 2006 by Micky Mangun that has forever and permanently convicted me. I want to share a few things she wrote:

"We are spoiled. Time and again we have witnessed mighty moves of God.

We assume that He will always be in our midst. It's not that easy. We are sincere....

Sincerity is no substitute for purity......God comes to those who meet his

conditions....not because we are Apostolics....or practiced until it is perfect."

God convicted her as she went on stage to sing for an event. He gave her the scripture, Psalm 23:4. We all know it well: "Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place?" It goes on to say that we must be blameless, holy, righteous and speak the truth. She felt God ask her an important question: "Was I preparing myself for worship? Or just to sing?" Ouch. I felt that. The article goes on to say that "God feels strongly enough about truth, honesty and integrity to say, "No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence." (Psalm 101: 7 NIV)

As I read this article I thought about how my pastor prepares for each service, each sermon. I don't know the details, but if I know him like I think I do, it's like preparing for warfare! I know he prays, studies, listens to God, tries to find the flow of the Spirit. One thing I know for sure is that he NEVER just preaches "old faithful" because he didn't have time to prepare for whatever reason. Now I'm preaching to myself. I've been guilty of realizing on saturday night that I had to sing sunday morning and just saying, "Oh well, I'll just sing an olie but a goodie." I got to reading in I Chronicles 25 and II Chronicles 5:13-14 about the preparation and requirements of the musicians and the results of that preparation. Seems God put just as much weight on the musicians and singers as he did the priests. That really spoke to me.

I wonder how my ministry would change if I approached it like my pastor does? After all, we've heard it many times that they'll remember a song long after they've forgotten a sermon. If that's true, then my conviction is growing even more! So I've resolved that there's no room for a casual attitude when it comes to music ministry. Real, genuine ministry.

I'll wrap up with a final word from Sis. Mangun: "God comes only to those who are prepared (emphasis mine) to enter His presence. These are the people He permits to worship Him."

. . .And Now For Something Completely Different

I wanted to share a song I happen to love, performed by an artist I once met (actually, I was his driver the entire day, along with these other, obscure guys named John Mayall and Robben Ford).

His name is Eric Bibb. He's not an apostolic, but he gives this tune all the spirit it deserves.

Also this little . . . um, aberration . . . or something. All I know is, I'll give this guy major props for his One-God enthusiasm. I'll mark him down for his tonal issues. Anybody that can write a song called "Trinity Schminity" can't be all bad, even if his Zion guitar caterwauls through an extended solo at twelve-thousand decibels like there's no tomorrow.

Plus, I wonder what he looks like riding in a convertible.

I Fret, Therefore I Am

Trying to find an achievable balance—one in which I offer my critique of modern apostolic recordings without sounding like I’m piling on, is I guess better found by my making this disclaimer here, than in trying to calibrate my every word and inference.

There are a fair amount of contemporary, and pseudo-contemporary/choir recordings out there. For the most part, these albums sound fine to me, as much of their strengths lie in many years of our historical cache files—if anyone can nail a passionate choir—we can.

But somewhere along the lines, the electric guitar began to be subtly introduced. Unfortunately the concept of “tone issues” with regards to them never made it into the platform.

First, let me explain who I am a bit. I am a guitarist/vocalist, primarily. I’ve played for 27 years. Through the years, I’ve played in about very kind of club you can imagine. I’ve done the hair-farm/eyeliner years. I spent most of that time copying the world of others for pay, also known as playing “covers.” These endeavors forced me to consider the relationships between my guitar and the amplifiers and pedals I chose to employ. While the need for my skills to be high was a given, the holy grail of “tone” was always the unattainable-yet-always-improvable issue. If your tone was annoying, you’d lose the room.

Guitar tones are still the primary focus of even all the modern magazines devoted to electric guitar (actually, even the acoustic-related magazines obsess over it). Interviews with icons, from rock finger-flingers Yngwie J. Malmsteen, Steve Vai, John Petrucci, to blues giants like Buddy Guy, Robben Ford, and Jonny Lang, all eventually include the questions about “how you achieve your signature tone.”

When the electric guitar first made itself a prominent part of music, this was not the case. One only need to listen to the majority of early 60’s music to know this—that ridiculous “broken speaker” sound is as hard for me to take now as it was when I first heard it.

Unfortunately, a majority of the apostolic recordings I’ve heard that employ an electric lead guitar demonstrate that the assumption that any amp, fuzz pedal and guitar are always synergistically perfect—is alive and well. I hear a small guitar cadenza—either in the intro to a song, or in an actual solo section—and I hear what would otherwise be impressive chops being forged over an amplifier tone that has that distinct, kazoo-like rattle to it. A tone that masks your pick attack is a bad tone, no matter what you’re playing.

This is in no way a screed against distortion, and high-gained leads. I do them now. I currently do them with PAVE for their live events, including this upcoming concert. I just happen to believe, like anything else, that while we should not seek the world’s advice about the spirit of our music, we could take a few technical ques from those who’ve already macheted through these weeds.

Creative Foment

The photographer said, "look straight ahead," but this alley was not an alley to be looking straight ahead...as we quickly found out!

After spending time on the lament, and not wanting to stay mired in the “what is not happening,” I am going to launch into what would move the state of AP music forward. I am doing this not because I think I am an authority on the issue, yet a year and half ago, we purposely set out to present praise & worship material that was tastefully different.

I think there are 4 key components (there may be more) to increase freshness and quality. They are:

1) Originality
There is an obvious need for material that comes from the passion of the heart. Songs where lyrics are deeper than the superficial, that stretch the genre rather than conforming to the present, that one can tell there has been thought applied, and that communicates in a timely fashion. Original, new material is more attractive than the redoing of popular songs.

2) Production Values (PV’s)
There are a variety of approaches. There is the low budget, low production value offerings that gets “something out there,” there is the higher cost project that utilizes a professional studio and musicians, and then there are those that end up in between. The problem with the low to mid PV’s is simple…you can tell! That is why it ends up on the shelf after one play through. A good sonic test to ask is, “would this song or project be worthy of airtime play?” If I thumb through my ipod or mp3 player, and the sonic difference between my song and all the other songs is great to gargantuan…I know there is work to be done. However, I don’t want to make it sound as if getting a great sound for a decent price is impossible. The real key is finding someone with an understanding of what it takes to make a great sound that will work with you. You could spend a fortune and get junk, so it is not ALL about cost as much as it is solid PV’s.

3) Theme or Thought
This subject is directly related to PV’s, as with most studios there is only a short amount of time to lay rhythm tracks and vocals (usually two – four days max, otherwise it gets costly). Thus, there is little time to actually “build” a thought musically, thematically, and package it. The artist grabs some songs and the studio plugs in a certain formula, i.e., here is a contemporary song, here is a Latin one, how about southern gospel tune, well why not a jazz one too. This leaves the listener confused. So what is the answer? Either you find someone with plenty of time to hash out particulars and buy in to what your doing (we found Terry Stewart and Simon Productions www.simonpro.com), or you have your ducks in a row when you go to a studio with a clear strategy so they conform to your thought, as opposed to you conforming to theirs. Either way…it is a lot of work, but we must get beyond the cheap, cave sounding offerings. It’s’ a dead give away.

4) Retained Identity
Can you still feel, no matter what type of project, an Apostolic identity? We are intrinsically different and we don’t need to become what the secular or even Christian industry is to put out quality music.

Any refinements, disagreements, or comments? What would add or detract from this rough rubric?

Music and Morality

First let me apologize for posting so late. We're in the middle of camp this week so I am using that as my excuse. Please forgive me. I want to also say that I am thrilled by all the discussion that has been taking place in this blog and in our sister blog, Word. I think the issue of secular and sacred is one that doesn't get discussed enough, and I am glad to see so many people joining in.

What constitues good music?

Or perhaps I should have asked what constitutes morally acceptable music. What music is OK for APs to listen to, and what music should be rejected? We have heard some opinions already (genre, lyrics, lifestyle), but I want to go a little deeper in exploring this topic. As with all questions in our lives we should turn first to the Bible.

Anyone who has grown up AP probably knows the first verse that would come up in any discussion of healthy and harmful entertainment: Philippians 4:8 (NKJV). "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things."

What do you mean "context?"

I find it interesting that people have used this verse to tell me that I should not watch movies, television programs, or listen to music that hasn't been produced by non-Christians. But they fail to recognize where this verse of scripture is located, namely, in scripture. The same Bible that says "meditate on these things" also tells of Lot having sex with his two daughters, God-sanctioned genocide, and a place filled with weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth. Are these stories pure anlovely? Are they virtuous and praiseworthy? Yes, they are. Otherwise we wouldn't be able to meditate on the Bible.

So in the same Word of God that contains graphic details of gang rape, we are told to think on the lovely, noble, and just. So what does this mean? If the Bible is our example of the kind of things to meditate on does that open up to us Marilyn Manson's expressions of bitterness or Eminem's angst-ridden railings against his mother? How can we figure out what is virtuous and praiseworthy based on the example that we have been given in the Bible?

In Closing...

This is the question that I would like to use for discussion this week, but I do have a couple of offerings toward an answer.

1) Context-what is being glorified overall? Is it God, goodness, truth or love? Is it lust, lies, evil or Satan? Despite the content, the context can give a good indicator of whether something lines up with Philippians 4:8.

2) Outcome-in a story or a song what is the outcome of sinful actions? Acts 5 might be described as a story glorifying deceit and lying for the sake of making money were it not for the outcome. Because the story ends with judgment and an exposing of the truth, this story is good for us to meditate on.

Ok, these are just a couple, but I want to hear from you. What are some more guides for us? How can we make sure we are honoring Philippians 4:8 even while listening to/writing/ performing songs that aren't all positive?

Got doctrine?

Kevin asked two great questions that I've been asked to share my responses to.

1. Why has our doctrine all but disappeared from our music?

2. Does it bother you when music is lyrically but not musically intact?

I had thought about the first question before, but couldn't really come up with anything. Since working at CSOP I've concluded that maybe we just think we already know what we believe, so why write or sing about it? Robin Johnston, the director at CSOP, got me interested in George Farrow, the writer of "It's All In Him." Some of his original letters to his fiance, Lu Lu, are in the files and I just couldn't resist reading a few. Roughly around 1913 he wrote to her of his revelation of Jesus' Name Baptism. No doubt, born from that revelation was this great hymn that we all know and love. Also, G.T. Haywood wrote many of his songs during the 1920's when the church as we know it was established. Read any of his songs and you see him wrestling with what we believe. I think it was their way getting into the hearts and mind of converts what we believe. Plus, they just wrote it all because they were so amazed at this revelation. Maybe we just take it for granted- I know I'm guilty of that at times. But how did we learn the ABC's or the books of the Bible? In a SONG!! It might be good for all you songwriters out there to revisit our doctrines in your songs for the sake of our new babies in the Lord.

Question number two, here's my response...

As for it bothering me when hymns are intact lyrically, but not melodically, well, yes and no. I think some hymns just have GREAT music. Take for example the rise in the beginning of the chorus of "Blessed Assurance" that just tears me up! On the other hand, withsome hymns, the music is okay, but doesn't make me run laps. One that drives me nuts is 4-Him's re-arrangement of "Great is Thy Faithfulness" - it sounds like the Beatles to me. Not that I'm a Beatles fan - they're before my time. One project I have students do in my Hymnology class
here at Gateway is to have them take an old hymn and rework it, lyrically or musically. I find that mostly, they don't do much to the hymns as a whole. Many students said after they worked and experimented that they found that it tainted the song and changed it too much- took away from it's meaning. You know, I like to hear reworked songs, but don't we always usually go back to the original? I'm not saying this is all my hard and fast opinion, just a thought.

Still hangin' with the saints...

So, I'm still over there. At CSOP, that is. And Josh's post from last week really inspired me to dig into an issue I've been curious about for some time: how do you know when to draw the line on what music styles are acceptable in a typical church sevice? Boy, oh boy, I can already hear the wheels turning out there. As for me, I'm not really sure. I'll admit up front that I'm not in the least into a lot of what is popular today, and so I have to be careful in judging what other people are listening to. Mostly I just stand there and smile and chalk it up to my age, my temperament, my classical background, or just the fact that I don't understand it. But one comment on Josh's blog got me to thinking. Someone asked if we should include all genres and subgenres of music in our services just because new converts, or for that matter, those raised in the church, preferred a particular style. I don't know.....

"In but not of......"

I remembered an article I read some time ago written by L.R. Ooton. For those of you who don't know him by name, I'm sure you'll know him by his song "To Be Like Jesus." It appears he was a "one-hit wonder" when it came to song writing, though he actually wrote quite a few. In an article written in 1939 for The Pentecostal Outlook he wrote a lengthy article on the infiltration of "jazz" into church music. At first I chuckled, thinking if we took out all the jazz influence from our music.......wow, where would we be? He stated, "It seems bad enough to live in the midst of such an evil influence [jazz], but alas! the church has become contaminated with this jazz craze." He also stated, "Thousands are beginning to see the diabolical effect that these strange songs with their split beats, their syncopated accents, and their "jungle -like" rhythms, put together with words that speak only of the carnal man, are having on the lives of our youths. The influence of Godless song is leading our youth astray. It is high time to protest." It appears we have been hashing this out for longer than I realized!

So my question is: what constitutes "Godless song?"

Which reminds me......

Kent asked me to include something I had written in response to a question. Just one more thing to stir the pot.... One blogger basically stated that if we are going after "rock" music then we should go after classical music. After all, isn't classical music secular, too? Well, sorry, but that's right in my wheel house. This is often suprising to most people, but not all classical music is secular! To give you the adbriged version of my response let me say this: As an example, J.S. Bach, (and there are many others: Haydn, Mendelsshon, Brahms, Handel to name a few) being praised for his music, decided he would write NO secular music because he believed all glory for talent should go to God! Imagine! Thus, ALL his music is sacred. Yes, yes, even that organ Fugue in D minor that you hear at Halloween. He inscribed all his music with INJ (In Jesus' Name) or To The Glory of God Alone or With The Help of God. One experience I have to share is the time in a piano lesson during my college years when my VERY openly gay teacher said very reverently, after I had played a piece by Bach, "You know, there's something very cleansing about that music." I nearly fell off the bench. Seems old Bach had something going with God.

I'm not on a defense of classical music, rather, just using it to make a point that the spirit, theme and lifestyle of the composer/writer should influence our decision to listen. I tell my students there are some composers you shouldn't listen to, for instance, Richard Strauss, Richard Wagner, Scriabin, Schoenberg. This could go hand in hand with music today.

Okay, this is much too long - sorry Kent!

I can't wait to hear everyone's opinions - I'm a sponge!

Was That Not Enough? Would You Like More?

Psalms 150:

1Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.
2Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
3Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.
4Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
5Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
6Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

II Chronicles 20:19And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high.

II Chronicles 5:13:

It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;

So........praise, music, loud noises, voices raised, people unified and then? The house was filled with a cloud. God was happy and filled the place with a visible sign of His visitation. When was the last time you had a cloud come rolling in on your service?

And I end this lovely Monday wondering aloud to the e-universe at large: Are we professionally adoring God? Or are we professing our adoration for God.

Currently listening to: Unfortunately my General Conference practice CD.

Holla if Ya Hear Me!!

Let's get right to it.

Everyone who is not in a coma or hooked to breathing apparatus or iron lung is called to Praise. My husband preached a message about how praise is all inclusive - a requirement for all mankind - but worship is intimacy with God and requires change, a move into His Holiness.

Pa-lease, Apostolics know this the best and yet are the worst perpetrators.

I was leading at a conference recently and on the first song I immediately made an enemy. The lady in the pink shirt. Her hair was probably a city block long. Her covenant dress was the only worship she was planning on giving God and He just better well be glad for it. I'm an agressive worship leader. I don't yell or berate. But passive praise just 'aint happenin' under my watch. This song, however, was one of my favorites that requires - GASP! - movement. CLAP YOUR HANDS! STOMP YOUR FEET! WAVE YOUR HAND! LEAP FOR JOY! LEAP FOR JOY! LEAP FOR JOY! (it tricks you into leaping... I LOVE it....).

Pink shirt proceeded to give an exaggerated eye roll and a smug shake of the head. There will be no leaping. Today or in this lifetime. How can one sing songs like "To Worship You I Live" (with the appropriate but not too gregarious "head-level" hand raise) and think they have it goin' with God? Can Pink Shirt make it in Heaven, cause it might just be exhausting for her!!

I Take My Beef Medium Rare

So I got beef with distracted saints. No really, I'm being serious here. Is that kinda praise gonna cut it? Do you think God really wants a bunch of deflated balloons giving Him pathetic praise amidst the celestial glory that is Heaven? I mean, maybe it will be kicked up a notch. But we who are so blessed with Salvation, healing, miracles, finances, health...c'mon people WE ARE THE ISRAELITES! Chosen, but bored. Delivered yet unsatisfied. Set apart and whining about it.

So...holla if ya hear me fellow worship leaders! You who lead with passion, fervence, abandon. Do you get as frustrated as I, soaked in sweat and drenched with discouragement? I don't ever want to feel like I can't give more. I want to walk away and say "Surely the presence of the Lord was in this place."

Psalms 138:1 "I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee." KJV

P.S. Sorry Kent, I found my "Voice" and it's loud.

Something Else

Since the subject of "musical boundaries" will most likely become the Alpha-gene that dwarfs the sum-total of posts regarding my solitary whining about overhead projection holocausts, I thought I'd ask this little tidbit.

A lot of the reasoning behind the need for sub-genres "on the edge" lies in the assumption that those in the world, steeped in that particular sub-genre, will find nothing appealing about the musical boundaries of Pentecostal music.

What I want to know is--how impregnable is this assumption? Are Apostolics obligated to provide the "extremes," to those who have chosen extreme sub-genres? And does it not insult the new convert somewhat to assume they can only speak one musical language, with no assumed malleability?

My thought comes from the popular statement, "people that come to church listening to gangsta rap or death metal have nothing to listen to when they get saved."

But is this statement a straw man, organically constructed for argumentative purposes, or a true lament from a new convert?

Is it fair to assume the new convert wouldn't want to quiet their mind with something besides the overt representation of what they just left?

What say you? (I know. A sad reverberation of Bill O'Reilly. I've already been subpoenaed).

Throwing The Book At Them

Ann Ahrens got me thinking . . .

Actually, she re-invoked something I had already lamented—or at any rate—pondered. While one way of looking at the traditional vs. modern ratios involves the actual music itself, another involves something far more subtle, but that I am nonetheless finding more and more . . . um, disconcerting.

And I don’t know why that is.

Somewhere along the road, the PowerPoint projection screen hit the main apostolic artery, with regards to our lyrics—both to our choruses and the occasional paean to our heritage by singing something actually written by Thomas Dorsey. As this seemingly natural, technological advance has set in, I’m noticing that the tactile, landmark tradition of thumbing through the hymnbook has all but evaporated.

It’s not that I have some doctrinal aversion to technology. The overhead projector was a part of my church life, long before I ever saw the truth. But the overhead projector still managed to project something that seems missing from that narcolepsy-inducing blue screen: it carried the personality, passions, ad hoc artwork, and individuality of the ones using it—including the preachers.

The hymnbook was, once upon a time, a small investigative game board for those even remotely curious about anything—who wrote this song? What do those semi-cryptic musical symbols mean? Can I guess this unfamiliar melody by attempting to sing the top notes? What other songs did this Gaither guy write in here? I didn't know Kris Kristopherson wrote "One Day At A Time."

There was also a day when churches would risk the Pale Horse of the Musical Apocalypse by calling on some obscure, plaid-coated roustabout to lead songs. And maybe that unmitigated rogue would peel forth with some equally-obscure, antiquated hymn—all on the chance that the musicians would know the chords and some bedrock church member would be able to start the congregation off from their pew. Somehow, it worked.

And somehow, no one died.

Today, songs are demurred from precisely because no one has managed to load it into the PowerPoint Database. “We don’t have it in the computer, so we can’t do it.” I’ve heard this at more than one church in recent years. I don’t in any way have to assail the technology to say that approach is sadly running with a wheel in the sand.

There was also the Samaritan Principle: The one where a church member would not only give their already-opened hymnal to a disoriented visitor, but also managed to engender a sense of belonging when they managed to share it with them. How many relationships were forged, simply by exchanging names and greeting while simultaneously holding the hymnal, singing “We Shall See The King?”

And how many potential souls will come—and go—all the while isolated during the worship by those around them, not because of social inequalities, or even bad manners but by the intangible “need for decency and order” that creates an automatic “mass focus” on the overhead?

Just a thought.

I happen to be Listening to: Jonny Lang, DecemberRadio

I happen to be reading: Mnemonica

Creative Lament

That would be me on the right, and for the record, I do not play...I sing and tinker with instruements in the percusssion family. The guy with the musical chops is Mark J. McAlister on the left.

Greetings All! I came across the music discussion Courtney and Kent launched on 90&9 right in the middle of recording a project, in which we were attempting to respond to what I will call the AP “Creative Lament.” The Lament is multi-directional, so I will attempt in this blog to explore a few of them. The most challenging is “breaking out of the box” without “breaking out of Apostolic norms.” Musical tastes can be a very volatile lightning rod, and yet sticking to a particular norm can also get boring. Let me attempt a coherent trajectory…

The current state (although as Courtney notes, we are improving a bit) of AP music seems to cater to a much formulized pattern, and I think I understand why. There is what appears to be a rejection of certain types of tones, tambers, styles, and voicings, so that our musical horizons are truncated. I think it is safe to say the southern gospel and traditional forms of music are the popular and “safe” offerings, and everything else is categorized as contemporary. AND even the contemporary forms take on a very “cookie cutter”, formulized formulae, in both music and packaging, that yell!, “I’m stale with not much interest, and with the exception of the nature of my individualized voice, I sound like all the other products available and my picture is in front of the cover in front of a mansion or tree or on a rock or leaning against a telephone pole….” Oh, boy…I just stepped in it, as I have branded every AP artist and at the same time put a bull’s eye on myself like Gary Larsen’s birth marked deer. I am not being arrogant or condescending…only presenting a humble opinion (and I hope you have a sense of humor and hyperbole).

The why(?) answer to the formulized pattern of music follows…and it is often unstated. It is a desire to remain in the AP norm without becoming too macrocosm friendly, which is a euphemistic term for “wordly.”…and I’m not making fun of it. What happens, correct me if I’m wrong, artists that do attempt to “break out of the box” do it with dull sensibilities. They either are too far out there musically(let’s throw in some Metallica sounding angst),or graphically (let’s make a push to look and act like the funked out new Christian super group with the tats and lip rings), so that any kind of creativity gets the big slap down and retreat is made back to “I bought this cd because I know him/her, but it will probably never get out of the shrink wrap, or it might only get one play through, because I’ve heard these songs before and the group that sang it originally does a better job - with better musicianship.” Praise God!

I think it is a reasonable desire to broaden our horizons musically, and it must be done by

1) Keep an anointing in it, as well as fresh and original offerings,

2) Have a cognizant understanding of the influence of certain types of music and the lifestyle embedded therein,(veering away from patterning yet open and tasteful with the huge library we call "music,"

3) AND understand the context in which we are presenting the material.

Sounds good in theory…can it be played out in the real world?

Ok, I'm listening.

I’m listening to Mike Farris’ “Salvation in Lights”
Just read “The Dip” by Seth Godin and I’m working my way through Mark and Proverbs

Let the Fun Begin!

As the only non-musician on this blog, my posts must, necessarily, be different. My personality being what it is, my posts must, necessarily, be a little edgy -insert evil laugh here-. So, what I would like to bring to the table in this blog is to take the discussion outside the box of "Christian" music (don't worry, it's only one day a week).

Secular & Sacred

I suppose a good place to start would be with definitions. Growing up, listening to "worldly" music was generally looked down upon. This label included any music that wasn't Christian or, of course, country. Basically anything that was popular at school was worldly. Here I would like to offer slightly different definitions.

What is Christian music? This is widely agreed to encompass the genres of Contemporary Christian, Gospel, Praise & Worship, Hymnology (thanks to Ms. Ahrens for reminding us of that!), and Southern Gospel. I may be leaving out some subgenres, but you get the idea. Secular, also called worldly, music is pretty much anything that is not produced by a Christian artist, or could not be played on Christian radio. I would love to do some strong nuancing to these definitions, but I think that most readers will agree that these are fair definitions for the discussion.

Christian Rock

This is a sticky subgenre indeed! Many evangelical pastors share a general distaste for rock music. This often (but not always) carries over into Christian rock. Likewise, most rock musicians share a general dislike for pastors and churches. This creates an interesting tension for those Christians who want to be rock musicians. Some are blessed to be connected to a pastor who encourages their talent and funnels it into the arena of Christian rock. Others, while staying Christians, distance themselves from the church and reject the label of a Christian band. This has been the case for many popular bands such as Creed, POD, etc.

Finally Getting to the Point

This tension serves to illustrate the inadequacies of the above definitions, especially in dictating which genres of music are acceptable and which are not. So to make a point of encouraging discussion, I will end this post with a question that I hope we will answer as we move forward:

How do we determine what is "good" music and what is not?

Here goes....

Well, here we are, my first official blog. Yes, yes, I know, I know, you say, "WHAT? You've never BLOGGED?" Well, I'll just admit right of the top that I'm a bit, shall we say, "e-challenged". When your fearless, all-knowing, all-opining leader asked me to do this I instantly thought, "Oh dear, now the whole WORLD will know that I'm stuck in the dark ages." But I'll admit that it wasn't as difficult as I thought, what with the patient, all-wise council of the powers-that-be.

"Oh, sweet wonder......"

I've been poking around in the UPC Historical Center (actually it's official title is the Center for the Study of Oneness Pentecostalism, affectionately known as CSOP, "see-sop") this summer, scratching this itch I have for history. I landed squarely in G.T. Haywood's file yesterday and I'm still there! For those of you young, whipper-snappers, he's the author of many of our great hymns as well as one of the great pioneers of our faith. "Hymns?" you say? Yep, that's right - HYMNS!!! Okay, so I guess it had to come out some time. That's my soapbox - officially. I love to juke and jive with the best of 'em, but there's something about those old standards....

"Hello.....Hello.....is anybody out there............?"

Just wondering if I stand alone on all this. I teach a class here at Gateway called "Hymnology" and believe me, I go in armed, prayed up, prayed through, and ready for battle. But then, I'm ususally pleasantly suprised to hear someone say, "I LOVE these songs!" or "Can we sing today?" I have this form of slow torture that I inflict on my students by requiring that we sing something old at the end of each class. It's funny how those words stick with you if you let them.......

And now something a little lighter...

"Summertime, and the livin's easy...." I love summer. At first I'm spending the days thinking I just MUST be forgetting something I have to do today, only to realize that I have all this free time. What to do? Indulge my SECOND great passion - read! I'm a history lover (I swear I was born 150 years too late) so I just finished "From Midnight to Dawn", a history of the underground railroad from Detroit to Canada. Any of you Canadians in Ontario ever run across any of the monuments to the fugitive slave communities? Very fascinating stuff, I must say.

Now, as is my usual disease, I'm plowing through not one, not two, but FOUR books at once. I don't recommend this. Getting the most attention is "Blood and Thunder" by Hampton Sides. It's all about Kit Carson and his life. My faves usually center around WWII, but Sides writes such great stuff - very readable. He wrote a great one entitled "Ghost Soldiers" about the Bataan Death March of WWII. I really recommend this one.

Okay, so I'm off the music subject. I'd love to know what someone else thinks - am I all alone? Let me know.

Some Mo' Stuff

This is the gratuitous picture of me and my incomparable husband Marty Ballestero II. He is the facilitator of all my ginormous projects. Right now he is keeping our kids busy while I "bloginate" - this from the man who reads the dictionary for fun. I have three kids. Yes, I am far, far too young to have three kids. Like I said,I tend to gravitate towards large projects.

I get this questions sometimes: What inspires you when you write songs? If, perhaps, someone doesn't express themselves through writing or the arts it is a viable question. If, perchance, you are someone who is totally immersed in this form of expression the question in overwhelming. What doesn't inspire me to write songs? The laundry? Oh, wait, no. I've actually written songs about laundry. In fact the other day my oldest son and I noticed a '89 Saturn sedan next to our truck at a stoplight. Normal, everyday family sedan...except it had spinners. SPINNERS?!! This inspired us to write a spontaneous country song about the reasoning behind such an obvious faux pas. I mean, it was tan...like, not even a sporty color...and I digress.

Oftentimes when it comes to the projects our church produces , I'm inspired on "the fly" as it were. We may have a group of songs from various contributors and Kim (my sister-in-law, pastor's wife, and partner in crime) will say, "We need a fast song/slow song/theme for suchandsuch." And then I get crankin'. Other times I may be inspired by a sermon, something gleaned in my devotion time, or perhaps a personal incident that happened in my life. In particular, when Jonathan Suber was at our church November of '06 he prophesied that a certain sound was coming out of our church. At that moment I picked up my flashy blinged out ink pen and began to write a song. I'll admit that the first time I introduced the song there were raised eyebrows and heads tilted to the side. But it was inspired. We worked it out and recorded it. It's a crazy, no holds barred song about "dancing" your way through life's toughest disappointments. Months later when it finally came out on CD I rolled into the church for my complimentary copy. When I slipped it into my stereo at home the Holy Spirit spoke to my soul, telling me that the songs I had written for that project were the songs designated to get me through one of the darkest periods of my life.

So I guess you could say I was doubly inspired.