Drawing the battle lines

If you really want to bring a group of believers together, talk about Jesus.

If you really want to drive them apart, talk about worship.

It really is sad, isn’t it? We have so much to agree on in the majors, but we continually gravitate to the minors and fight viciously over stuff that barely matters.

It’s kind of like two countries that share every single value, but go to war over the cost of the toll bridge between them.

Yes, I am a veteran of the worship wars (an idiotic phrase, but one that fits all too well). In the churches I have served, the music ministry was often in a state of ‘transition.’

This is the worship pastor’s way of saying, “Our worship was something, now its something else, but we hope it will somehow morph into something completely different.”

In the church we’re constantly searching for that ancient hymn, that only sounds good with distorted guitar which causes teenagers to weep with conviction while simultaneously prompting our seniors to yell at the sounds booth, “Turn it up my man, it’s just not loud enough!” Continue reading “Drawing the battle lines”

Mixed Messages?

 

I have a love hate relationship with my IPOD.

More than 8000 songs from classical, to 80s, to Bluegrass, to Heavy Metal (Christian, of course), to audiobooks, to podcasts/sermons, to some stuff I can’t even begin to apply genre too.

Then there are days worth of video (seasons of Dr Who for me and Spongebob for the kiddos), games, pictures and even text files. drwho

I have the 160 GB Classic monster… that’s the part I love.

The part I hate… trying to listen to it in my car.

I have tried nearly a dozen of those little wireless FM transmitters only to be dismally disappointed every stinking time!

I plug it in, turn it on and tune it up expecting to hear that crystal clear digital joy. But, what I get would make a leisure suit wearing, El Camino driving, eight track aficionado smirk at me with disgust (sorry to all your dads). Continue reading “Mixed Messages?”