Shout. Shout. Shout it Out!
Posted on July 18th, 2006 by catalyst into the Uncategorized categoryAs promised, here is a video of a Generation Unleashed worship song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMKv_KtN_1I&search=generation%20unleashed
(For those computer literate people out there, I've tried every way I know to embed youtube's videos on the blog. But it's really difficult because we're using WordPress. So for now, you're stuck with just the link.)
As for the song, it seemed like a good production and a good concert. I'm just not sure what it has to do with Christianity or Christ. In highschool I attended a couple of these youth conferences, and while they're a lot of fun, they're absolutely useless in strengthening your Faith.
Most kids stop attending City Bible (or church in general) after they leave high school. In fact, I reckon most of those kids will be readers of this blog in five years. Why? Because they're looking for something Real and Generation Unleashed isn't it. If City Bible wants to keep it's youth plugged into the church, they should try less hype and more Jesus.
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July 18th, 2006 at 8:00 am
wow, it’s one thing to read about events like generation unleashed, but it’s way more of a trip down memory lane to see actual videos of the hype. in fact, i still have what’s his name ringing in my head, “i’m having more fun than you!” (i’m not sure about his quirky accent, but if you think about it, most of those speakers had peculiar ways of speaking and praying.) and bettis is still drumming just like he did in high school over 10 years ago. wow.
i think you’re right, justin, that stuff in high school wasn’t real. they were these evenings/weekends of highs and the lows came later when you realized that it was just the christian equivalent of raves minus the ecstasy. (although in hindsight, knowing my class, i’m sure someone, somewhere had that going on too.) authenticity and real life changing moments were completely missing for the most part. songs were sung about never being the same, and it seems they still are, but come monday morning things were exactly the same. i know this was true in my life and in most of my friend’s as well. it’s not that i think we were too young and immature to make life-changing decisions, but i do think living in that bubble made it really difficult to do so. regardless of what church you grow up in, there comes a time in your life when you have to make a decision about “christianity” for yourself, to look past the hype some churches foster, and not just parrot what your youth pastor, parents or friends say. it wasn’t until i popped my way out of that bubble, so to speak, that my life actually did change. i’m not sure if that’s just a coincidence or if was just that i had matured enough to realize i needed to make decisions for myself.
July 18th, 2006 at 8:29 am
This blog could use a little hype…
Let’s try it.
Shout! Shout! Shout it out!
Shout! Shout! Shout it out!
Shout! Shout! Shout it out!
Shout! Shout! Shout it out!
I’m pumped.
Quick, I’ll stop blogging if anyone at Gen Unleashed can actually tell me what they were shouting about.
July 18th, 2006 at 8:44 am
They’re excited because Jonah Smith is having more sex than they are.
July 18th, 2006 at 10:05 am
It’s JUDAH…………………………………………………………………………….
Shout that!
July 18th, 2006 at 10:10 am
Looks like a fire hazard to me. I wonder what is the capacity of the domes.
But ya..
99.9% hype and .01% Jesus.
Basically a rave for christians who don’t want to go to a rave.
July 18th, 2006 at 10:14 am
To his friends, he may be Judah. But on this blog, he's Jonah Smith. "A lover of beauty, and a beauty of a lover."
July 18th, 2006 at 10:46 am
I don’t (and don’t want to know) how beautiful a lover he is, but apparently YOU know, JASON. I’ll let it go so from now on JONAH it is…
July 18th, 2006 at 10:59 am
“Shout” removes stains from my dirty laundry quite well. “Shout it out” is its slogan. Nice steal. I know, I know, the Psalms teem with exhortations to “shout” to/about the Lord, which I love to do from time to time. At rate, shouting inside a dome, isolated with others who think like you, and saying that we “shout so the world will know” is pretty asinine. The world doesn’t see that. If it did, we all know that it would NOT draw them to the Lord (more like cause them to run for their lives). The world sees the Lord as we lift him up in our daily lives. Shouting to the Lord isn’t for the world, it’s part of worship. So, I take issue with the theology of the song and the irony of the whole thing.
July 18th, 2006 at 2:07 pm
Funny, this rave analogy….I actually went through a strange little phase in my early college years where I hated parties and couldn’t figure out why. There was just something about it I couldn’t put my finger on…I mean, I was still a bit of a recovering prude in those days, but that really wasn’t the root of it. Finally, it dawned on me: I didn’t like parties because they reminded me too much of church…except people had the excuse of extreme intoxication for their strange behavior.
These days, I go to parties and enjoy the show, even joining in the reindeer games every now and again if I trust the crowd I’m with…meaning that I trust that they know as well as I do that the party is NOT real life, and that it’ll be left behind when we leave the building. I don’t go to churches or church services that remind me of parties…because I don’t at all trust that people know it’s not real.
These youth events are scary mostly because they’re both mind-numbing and habit-forming, and the people who are running them (read:controlling the feverish mob) are almost certainly getting high on the power they hold. And, all this is not to mention the fact that these kinds of get-togethers don’t do anyone any lasting, tangible good….except for the churches whose pockets they line.
Shout, shout, shout it out…..
Alas….all this fervor, and (it seems) nothing to shout about except shouting itself…..full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
July 18th, 2006 at 3:11 pm
Man, you guys sure waste a lot of time trashin’ city bible, instead, how about you use the time your wasting here and actually attemped to expand the kingdom of God, rather than these pointless comments… Bottom line is Christ loves the church despite all her imperfections and if we love Christ, then we should love what He loves and if we don’t love what he loves then we don’t know Him. So quite wasting your energy on this stuff and use it towards something esle that will actually make a difference rather tear things apart and create some never ending chain of hatred that does nothing but ruffle your feathers… hey if you don’t like what city bible does (even though they get people saved and bring people into the Kingdom of God - how many people have you saved lately???) then go start a church yourself… You guys crack me up… just grow up and deal with it.
July 18th, 2006 at 4:26 pm
Thanks for your comment Jose.
July 18th, 2006 at 4:46 pm
Yes Josie,
You are right, you’re always right.
Of course the point we have been trying to make is:
Just because “The Church” does it, doesn’t mean that Jesus loves it.
Obviously CBC hasn’t set up any “check and balance” systems, somebody has to hold them accountable and damn it Sanchez; we are just the guys to do it.
Thanks for reading.
July 18th, 2006 at 5:45 pm
Jose, why do you read this blog if you think it’s a “never ending chain of hatred?” There are SO many things wrong with your comment, I’m not sure where to start. How about: you’re right, Jesus loves the church, but that doesn’t mean he thinks it’s perfect, doesn’t mean that He doesn’t long for her to change, and His love includes His disciplines, rebukes, exhortations, etc. I love “the church” but that doesn’t mean endorsing every single local church throughout the world. In case you haven’t read this blog much, the general consensus here is that CBC is full of Pharisees; give some thought to how Jesus incarnate treated the Pharisees. As far as I’m concerned, exposing the evil theological foundations and other characteristics of legalistic/Pharisee-type churches and promoting Christ’s work on the cross as the SOLE means of salvation, justification, holiness, etc., IS “expanding the kindgom of God.”
I can only presume that you go to CBC or another MFI church–we’ve all been there–and that my comments are falling on deaf ears, so I’ll stop.
July 18th, 2006 at 6:39 pm
Jose,
Jesus said “if you love me, you will obey my commands”. Right?
One of Jesus commands was “freely ye have received, freely give”.
Perhaps you can explain how it is that CBC loves Jesus, while disobeying his command? Or perhaps Frank has exempted you from the tithe, and you’re getting free service(s) from CBC?
July 18th, 2006 at 8:32 pm
Cut the boy some slack. They don’t teach Christian History at PBC so he wouldn’t know about Martin Luther, the Protestant Movement, or heck, even about Jesus himself, who did a little speaking out against the leaders of that time.
Nope, our boy Jose is well on his way to a non-accredited associate degree in Church Music. After CBC puts him and his family in the poorhouse, he can have a long fulfilling career at Starbucks making lattes for Marc Estes. Marc will say, “I know you only make $7/hr, but 10% to CBC, before bills and utilities, no exceptions. Now stop breathing on my Beamer.”
July 18th, 2006 at 9:36 pm
RP - I don’t see this blog so much as a check or balance on CBC as much as I see it as Elijah in the cave:
9And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?
10And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. (1 Kings 19).
Now where’s that damn raven with my latte and cranberry scone?
July 19th, 2006 at 6:17 am
Deteriorating eyesigh and dyslexia can be such fun! When I read your post, Locutus, I saw this:
Better to be Elijah in a cave, than Jeremiah in a cistern (Jer. 38:6).
July 19th, 2006 at 7:27 am
Jose, please click here:
http://www.citybusinesschurch.org/blog/2005/06/23/dear-bubbs/
http://www.citybusinesschurch.org/blog/2006/02/22/frequently-asked-questions/
The rest of you should ignore the baiting comments of people who aren’t paying attention or are too lazy to read.
I think the new Vancouver campus should name their bistro “The Raven” in honour of this quote. haha (Come on, it wouldn’t be an official campus without a coffee bar or something.)
July 19th, 2006 at 10:22 am
seems like the Gen Unleashed kids are having fun…
more fun than I ever had at one of these “life changing events”…
looks like the same kids you see on MTV… hands raised jumping up and down like a bad Limp Bizkit show.
I used to hate MTV and now I reallize it is a market. That’s it. A market. If the demand is their, why not fill it?
It is sad tho, that this Gen Unleashed Market is so baseless and unfulfilling to those like myself, that when I attended, I felt more hollow than I had, before attending.
I was the kid in the center of the crowd wondering “why I was having so much more fun at the push underground concerts”…
with the punks who smoked cigarettes and said bad words
“Magnified Plaid” (MXPX) remember them???
Honesty is a Godly trait but Gen Unleashed/Outreach Concerts are/were so dishonest that I felt dirty being a part of them.
I have horrible memories of being forced to go to these events by my parents (and Bob MacGregors insistance) because I wasn’t appearing to be “walking with Christ”.
How many in that crowd are now out in the world looking for something genuine? I would say many of them have been unleashed and many of them would like to be told the truth about the system they find themselves in.
I literally feel sick right now
July 19th, 2006 at 12:22 pm
I am really surprised at the comments about the Gen Unleashed concert. It looks to me like those kids are enjoying themselves and having fun, and the fact that they’re NOT at a Limp Bizkit concert to me is a good thing. I grew up in church from the time I was born. I’ve gone to youth retreats, summer camps, Gen Unleashed, etc. I wouldn’t say that looking back I’m upset at the fact that I took part in those meetings/events at all! I am proud of the fact that I was worshipping God (yes, regardless of how some of you may feel about Gen Unleashed I’m SURE that many of those kids are genuinely worshipping God) and getting my “emotional highs” in a safe place where God was the main attraction instead of some heroin addicted rock star. Lets really think about what we’re saying here. So what if it’s a bunch of emotional hype? I think we need that sometimes. I saw the Goo Goo Dolls not too long ago, and I couldn’t help but get caught up in the music and the energy of the crowd enjoying the band - why else would you go to a concert? Why are we so judgemental of something that just might have a positive effect on many of these young people’s lives? What’s wrong with a little fun? I think it would be foolish for people to assume that after their kids attend a youth retreat they’re going to be “changed forever”, that’s simply unrealistic. On the other hand, attending those conferences and youth camps will at least expose young people to Godly fellowship and hopefully good, Biblical teaching. There’s just so much negativity everywhere you look so why not take advantage of something positive, even if it might not be the PERFECT setting?
I do think it’s unfortunate for those who felt “forced” to attend church youth events by either their parents or worse their youth pastors, and I can see how under those circumstances it would make you feel like the whole thing is unnecessary. I believe it just depends on where your heart is at and you really have to WANT to be there to gain anything.
Michael, I can’t say I understand why you would feel “dirty” for participating in an event such as Gen Unleashed, or why you feel those concerts are “dishonest”. I would be interested in hearing why it had that affect on you, as I can only draw from my personal experience which was obviously quite different. This is not a “you’re wrong and I’m right” situation; I genuinely want to know more about your experience and why it left such a bad taste in your mouth. If discussing the Gen Unleashed event really left you feeling sick I think that’s really sad and maybe there was a little more to it. I guess I’m only curious because someday my husband and I will have to decide whether or not to send our own teenager to these church events, and I want to be as educated on this as possible before making that decision.
July 19th, 2006 at 12:59 pm
Dear Churchie:
You actually make a lot of good points. And I do hate to knock GU completely, because it can be a lot of fun and it is a safer alternative than shooting heroin into your eye. (which I hear public-school kids are doing these days. thank god for home-school)
All I can say is for myself, these events can be fun. But they’re pretty pointless. And my parents would have been better off spending the money on sending me to a camp or event, where I would actually learn something, other than how to jump up and down and the fact that Jonah is having more fun than me.
July 19th, 2006 at 1:01 pm
I will respnd how I feel “led”
“the fact that they’re NOT at a Limp Bizkit concert to me is a good thing.”
I agree! Limp Bizkit is not cool anymore. he he well I don’t know why a Limp Bizkit show is a BAD thing to you Church Girl, but at some point you should try to understand the reason that secular artists are singing/recording/performing songs is because it is genuine things that have happened to them. If I would have felt the same genuine “emotional highs” that gen unleashed was singing then maybe i would have enjoyed the show. Maybe since I’m a singer songwriter and performer, I have a different view of what should be “prophesied as Good music for christians”
“So what if it’s a bunch of emotional hype? I think we need that sometimes”
The problem about it being a whole bunch of hype is that MOST of the kids going to Gen Unleashed don’t recognize it as HYPE. They think it is Jesus in thier midst o.k! This is where modern Christians/Christianity lose most of their credibilty with the rest or the world.
Not to mention they have speakers that come on stage and say that Jesus is in this place and then they start talkling you why your life is WRONG and their vision is the only way to Heaven… If this doesn’t disturb people, I must be alone in this.
GOD is not Hype! God is real o.k. So why hype something you claim to KNOW and Worship if it is TRUE in the first place.
The message should speak for itsself. Why would Jesus’ teachings need hype? This is where the root cause of the problem I have with modern chiristianity emerges.
I believe it just depends on where your heart is at and you really have to WANT to be there to gain anything.
P.S. Limp Bizkit is ENTERTAINMENT!
GEN UN is something much more twisted. I don’t know what, but I don’t think it is of GOD.
MAybe you could tell me what you take from the Gen Unleashed and then compare that with the AWESOME promises that the literature/church/bands/preachers/pastors/magazines/promoters promise.
If Gen Unleashed came out and said “this is entertainment for young people who don’t wanna go to clubs with Alcojol I’d be o.k with that. BUT from what I remember, it was Promoted as a life changing experience in the presence of Christ. MAybe it’s all just bad advertisisng and I got stuck in the middle of a crappy movie.
July 19th, 2006 at 1:06 pm
ChurchGirl,
For me, the issue is NOT that I’m against having fun. I’m all about fun….I’m a classical musician.
Jokes aside, I think we all do know that youth need to have a good time, and yes, it IS better for them to do it in a safe environment. In the first place, however, I don’t at all think that Generation Unleashed and similar events are necessarily safe from an emotional/psychological standpoint. The leaders represent these events and themselves as these life-altering experiences, not as any kind of safe emotional release, etc. In my book, this is false advertising, and it paves the way for massive disenchantment and confusion later on, and the people at the greatest risk are the people who are the most sensitive and the most emotionally honest. We’re told to trust our leaders, and the fact is that most people don’t….and nor should they. It’s the most “faithful” people in these environments that are the most vulnerable, and for me, that’s a HUGE moral dilemma, not just a matter of fun and games.
In the second place, I think that this brand of fun and the kind of energy that youth are capable of can be put to much better use elsewhere. I think there are lots of things that young people can do that benefit them and their community much more deeply and directly, while still providing them with fun and an outlet for their emotions. Get them building houses for Habitat for Humanity, form them into choirs and get them singing in schools and adult foster care facilities, get them tutoring underpriveleged kids, get them into independent entrepreneurship projects that teach them about technology/marketing and raise money for charitable causes….just to name a few. People DO have fun doing that kind of stuff, and there’s plenty of work to go around with plenty of fun to be had in doing it.
For me, these conferences are about equivalent to people playing video games or watching reality TV in large groups. There’s nothing wrong with it, but it’s entertainment, and it doesn’t build anything useful….and I feel like people should be honest about that.
July 19th, 2006 at 1:44 pm
I really appreciate all of your feedback and a lot of it makes sense. Like I said, I’m only drawing from my own experiences and I don’t feel it would be legitimate to base a general opinion on that.
In my time at CBC I don’t remember any promises of a life changing experience that left me disillusioned or disenchanted. I do remember a specific life-changing situation that the Lord brought me through with the help of very Godly counseling from a leader at City Bible. It was Pastor Dick Iverson. When I had just graduated from high school I made some mistakes and found myself in a bad situation, and I thank God to this day that Pastor Iverson stepped in and personally took the time to sit down with me and LISTEN to what was going on in my life. He is such a wonderful person but also a very Godly leader.
Now that I think about it, that’s not the only time I experienced a “life changing event” while I attended CBC. In fact, it was actually at a Gen Unleashed conference in 2001 (or 2002?). It wasn’t about the hype, it wasn’t something I had heard in one of the workshops, it was really something very personal that I experienced during one of the worship services - just between me and God. I felt a strong conviction about a situation I had been involved in for a long period of time, and it was at that specific moment where I felt a peace from God to let it all go. And… as stupid as you all may think this is, minutes after this “experience”, someone stepped up to the mic and had people write down on a piece of paper what they wanted to let go of. They had us bring them up and dump them in a big bin (or something like that). That part is a little foggy, but as juvenile or simple as it may sound I did just that. I wrote a name down on paper, dumped it into the bin and walked away without ever looking back. Regardless if that person was lead by God or if they were lead by a need to talk into the mic, it made a difference in my life!
I wouldn’t give either of those experiences up for anything in the world, those situations are precious to me where I can say, “I will never be the same again”. I’m not saying all of this to change anyone’s mind, but I think we need to look at all the possible outcomes before we make decisions on what is of God and what isn’t.
And sorry for getting so wordy and personal, but my sharing this with you is actually encouraging me personally in my own walk with God. Boy, I have so much to be thankful to God for, and I’d rather dwell on that than what JONAH is or isn’t bragging about. It is an amazing God we serve and we are all very lucky for the opportunity to even know him! I can only pray that if/when I have a teen of my own that he/she will have the opportunity to experience God in such a personal way - whether it be at a worship service, youth camp or just driving down the road, I don’t care!
July 19th, 2006 at 2:00 pm
Option 1 - The person was listening to God and asked people to write down names at the prompting of the Spirit. Excellent.
Option 2 - The person just wanted to appear spiritual and having people write things down seemed pretty spiritual. Still excellent.
Why? Because as you just testified, God worked in your life regardless of the motivation of the other person.
July 19th, 2006 at 2:10 pm
Church Girl. I don’t wanna sound condescending but when you mention “you have SO much to be thankful for”, I’d like to hear what some of those things are. .
Maybe if I find these things I will be as happy as you?
I’m looking for a Christ that will follow me right into the gutter if I end up their. I want a God that doesn’t care what neighborhood I live in. I want a God who is with me even when my family and friends are not.
Unfortunately, CBC never had the presence of this “God” I have searched for.
I had to leave everything and everyone and start at zero to get to where I am today. Which, I feel, is a greater place than I ever imagined.
I’ve gone to the “desert” so to speak, and am now both emboldened and enlightened somewhat, from the emptiness and loneliness I came from, in the church.
So when I think of Gen Unleashed I think of a time when I was completely bound by other people’s control, completely bound by other people’s idea of what god is and what goodness is and what I was “supposed” to be.
“When I had just graduated from high school I made some mistakes and found myself in a bad situation, and I thank God to this day that Pastor Iverson stepped in and personally took the time to sit down with me and LISTEN to what was going on in my life. He is such a wonderful person but also a very Godly leader.”
I don’t want to pretend to know you or your heart but the statement above is one which I have always been confounded upon.
Why is it that a young woman “who makes a couple of “mistakes”" has to go to a Pastor rather than her own friends in the church or GOD forbid, her parents?
That is sad.
I find it completely amusing that one would need to be counseled by someone who has no idea who you really are and if this problem you had was so serious, you couldn’t speak to your family or friends about it.
This is another thing that always made me wonder about the validity of having chrisitan friends.
They never had any answers and they didnt feel qualified to answer questions I had so they’d send me to a Pastor. What is the deal with christians not being able to be in the “open” with their “mistakes”?
It’s all so weird.
I’m just glad I left and I’m now surrounded by people who know me, know who I am, and can give me their opinion when I have sitiuations in life without shuffling me off to the pastor or youth leader… OMG
p.s. I have fond memories of Iverson and his wife. They were both sweet people to my face and Dick had a proud yet humble way of carrying himself in public.
July 19th, 2006 at 2:10 pm
EXACTLY! God is God, we’re just humans who are spinning our wheels trying to figure him out when instead we should be listening to him and allowing him to work in our lives however HE sees fit.
July 19th, 2006 at 2:28 pm
If So.
Why do you claim to know the only True God if you can’t prove it or even explain it to someone who doesn’t “have it”?
I don’t doubt your faith.
I doubt your motives.
If a Christian can’t explain God then why be a christian?
Your lack of interest in researching the very thing you claim to be central to your existence, validates the fears and feelings that many in the world have for religions and those who follow them.
Turn on FOX News. See all those charred bodies and destroyed cities Church Girl?
People like you are responsible for this and you will be held accountable on judgement day.
If you don’t want to share your real self here that’s fine Church Girl.
Hope those opiates get you to heaven
Cheers
P.S. you still can comment on this if you choose. I doubt you will tho. That’s typical.
“Church Girl. I don’t wanna sound condescending but when you mention “you have SO much to be thankful for”, I’d like to hear what some of those things are. .”
July 19th, 2006 at 2:34 pm
Michael,
I couldn’t agree with you more about parents being more involved in their children’s lives and handling these things on the home-front. I’m a little surprised by your immediate reaction of pointing out the negative instead of getting the spirit of what I had to say.
Just to clarify about the Dick Iverson situation, when that situation came up I went to my dad initially (we’re very close) and both my parents were very involved. Pastor Iverson has been a close friend of the family, and my dad went to him for some advice as he also raised teenager girls and this particular situation was of a very sensitive nature. Pastor Iverson asked my dad if he could meet with me personally because he felt that was what God was urging him to do. My meeting with Pastor Iverson DID affect the outcome of the situation. At that time in my life I think I needed to hear what he had to say coming from someone outside of my family just because of the subject matter.
I have no idea who you are or anything about your life, but I really feel for you. I think at one time or another we’ve all been in that place of anger or loneliness. I don’t have the answers however I do have the ability to pray and I believe He listens. I believe our job as believers is to pray for and encourage one another, so I’m going to pray for you. I don’t mean this in a condescending way because I myself need all the prayers I can get! I just want you to know that even though we don’t know each other personally I do care and more importantly God Himself cares for you. I praise God that you’re enlightened IN SPITE of your previous experiences that left you in the dessert - that’s the beauty of Christ. He knows us individual and meets us where we are, we don’t even have to chase after him. Isn’t that amazing?
July 19th, 2006 at 2:53 pm
I’m not sure where you’re coming from on that last comment (looks like I’m about one comment behind!), but you sound very angry. It’s almost as if my thankful attitude and giving glory to God for all He’s done is bothering you instead of encouraging you. That is NOT my intent. My desire is to hopefully show a different side of things and just point out the positive. I am sorry that you’re offended by what I’m saying.
I do know WHO God is, but we as humans cannot try to “figure him out”, He’s much bigger than that. What I was trying to communicate is that we lack the understanding. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try!!! You’re right, if we didn’t “research” our faith in God we wouldn’t be able to share the gospel with others. I’m just not sure what lead you to believe I lacked interest in learning about the Lord! If I was uninterested I wouldn’t be commenting at all.
Peace
July 19th, 2006 at 3:05 pm
Why is worship always seen as a “service” where the defacto mode of worship is singing? Such renders ‘worship’ to just a few minutes a week of singing, raising hands, etc.
Real worship is described in Romans 12:1
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Worship is intended to be 24×7, by living a life of surrender / sacrifice. Concerts, etc., cheapen worship, by turning it into an event, and not a lifestyle.
…
One thing I’ve observed about writing Christian music, is the influence of money, religion, and the target audience. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone to a concert, and thought to myself how milquetoast the artists music is (so it doesn’t offend anyone and sells to the broadest possible audience), and their testimonies so lack-lustre / dull. For example, many of the modern ‘Christian Artists’ speak in tongues - how many of them have written songs about speaking in tongues? Consider the crop of musicians that have come out of the Vineyard - to be a Vineyard worship leader, you MUST speak in tongues. Yet how many of those Vinyard worship leaders talk openly (to the trade mags or in their concerts) about speaking in tongues? If ever they did, it would alienate them from all the non-charismatic churches. I’m not exaggerating the potential backlash of being an open book - people have discarded my CD when they discovered I speak in tongues - gigs at non-charismatic churches have been cancelled. So, artists often remain secretive / aloof - and when they do interviews, offer very little personal information / testimony … part of their commercial success is their mystique … and that celebrity mystique runs counter to being ‘transparent’ for Christ. Such artists have chosen self-advancement for profit, rather than risking being a fool for Jesus that He might be seen in them.
Some years ago, when I left the last church I belonged to, to follow Christ into the wilderness, I started writing new songs … and I began to notice that most contemporary Christian worship music, are not NOT really songs of worshipping God, but are instead songs the church sings about the church - in other words - self centered. So few sing songs of worship, praise, adoration and love to the Father, in the 1st person … instead, they sing crap like “I will worship you” … OK - so when will you actually worship Him - you say that you will, so when will that be? “I will shout”, “I will dance”, “I will clap my hands” … same thing, different verse. When do people actually worship, and not just sing about worship?
Paul instructs the church to not be in debt to any man … expanding on that idea, it’s not just owing money that makes slaves of us, but also, catering to public opinion, institutionalized religion, etc. How many songs are written so as to be non-offensive / pleasing to hearers? How often do you hear a song that exposes a doctrine as false, or calls the church to repentence? How many songs that talk about an unpopular subject?
After leaving the institutional church, and starting to write songs about what God was showing me, He (God) had a short word of instruction for me: DO NOT BE VAPID. I didn’t even know what the word VAPID meant - I’d never heard it before. It’s a term that applies to wine-making - a flavorless, dull, lack-lustre wine is discribed as “VAPID”.
And it was a timely word - because I still had some notions of writing popular Christian music, doing the ‘church concert’ circuit, etc. The price of writing songs with blunt-truth, is alienating your audience. I can hardly find a place to sing anymore - because after hearing a few of my blunt - in your face (lyrics) songs, no one wants me in their church, because the pastor/staff have worked SO hard to cultivate an obedient congregation who will continue to pay their way.
Instead, my songs are distributed by the web, and by giving away free CDs. And on rare occasion, I can play at a house church gathering, or home group. But I doubt I’ll ever sing in an institutional church again.
As for ‘generation unleashed’ and the ’shout it out’ song, you don’t get any more vapid/insipid than that. If you wanna weigh just how poor such songs are, just read the Psalms - most were set to music and were song in worship. Each song a veritable sermon in itself. How then did modern music get to where it is just 5-6 words, sung over and over and over again until people are fairly mesmerized by their droning?
Gimme a Don Francisco or Keith Green any day.
…
Michael M., is any of your music on the web?
July 19th, 2006 at 3:08 pm
Thanks for praying for me…
I feel so much better for some reason! j/k lol
Well you have fun with that.
Im glad you got “help” when you needed it and that’s so fabulous.
Thank You Jesus.
Still havent answered any questions.
Leaving ya where i found ya
peace
July 19th, 2006 at 3:18 pm
What questions are you referring to? I can’t believe you’re making fun of me for offering to pray for you. I was 100% sincere about that.
What questions have I left unanswered? The stuff about me being responsible for the war? I didn’t really get that.
July 19th, 2006 at 3:35 pm
John
Keith Green was one of my fav’s. That guy had soul and conviction behind his lyrics.
I found Don F. the other day. He’s an interesting cat but I don’t get much from his lyrics… kinda vague or beyond my realm?
I have some “quality” songs that were recorded 1 take in Utah on a military base thru a $3 microphone into a tape player below.
http://www.myspace.com/southbendwiles
I have newer stuff I’m writing with Brad V. below
http://www.myspace.com/johannasg
I’ve also got some older recordings of The Liars Club with myself on bass below.
http://www.myspace.com/theliarsclubmusic
hope someone enjoys some of this.
July 19th, 2006 at 3:40 pm
Church Girl
READ BELOW
I’ve only posted this question to you like 2-3 times above.
“Church Girl. I don’t wanna sound condescending but when you mention “you have SO much to be thankful for”, I’d like to hear what some of those things are. .”
Do you even read what people write on hear or are you completely lost in an OPEN forum?
July 19th, 2006 at 3:48 pm
EXACTLY!
I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY WERE SHOUTING ABOUT.
July 19th, 2006 at 3:51 pm
Are you really asking me to list the things I’m thankful for? I thought you threw that out there as more of a sarcastic remark than an actual question. I don’t really think anyone else on here cares to read my list of “thank yous”, but if you honestly want to know I would be more than happy to email some of those things to you.
By the way, because my name is listed as “ChurchGirl” did you assume I went to GenChurch or something? Not that it really matters but I don’t even go to CBC. My comments were referencing the past, not the present.
And to answer your question, no I’m I’m not completely lost in an open forum, where did that come from? Lets not be mean to each other, that is really not my intent whatsoever! I thought this was a forum to discuss church issues and hash out differences, etc. I’m not here to say anyone is right or wrong, I’m simply commenting when I feel I have something to say. Uh… just like everyone else on here, right?
July 19th, 2006 at 3:51 pm
GOD of COURSE
lol
July 19th, 2006 at 3:56 pm
I’m just interested to see how many of your thankfuls are material and so on.
I think I am kinda spinning my wheels with this topic with you Church Girl…
your personna on this blog is just so generic that I can’t help but get a little riled up.
You’re like the Wal-Mart of blogging… you absolutely love WAl-Mart right?
July 19th, 2006 at 4:08 pm
Not that it matters at all, but absolutely NOT. I HATE Walmart. It seems you have me pegged incorrectly.
I’m a little offended that you would “assume” that the things I am thankful for are material. You obviously don’t know me AT ALL. I’m not going to blog all my “dirty laundry” so everyone can see what God has delivered me from. What’s the point of that? This isn’t the “Allie show”, it’s someone else’s blog. I simply made a comment. What made you assume that I was so materialistic and Wal-Mart like? I just really don’t understand your attack on me personally. I obviously hit a nerve with you, and I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.
Lets just let this go and move on; I’m sure anyone else who might be reading this is pretty done with the subject at this point! Sorry guys.
July 19th, 2006 at 4:15 pm
Rock music is a requirement for any charismatic production. It is a key, essential component in emotionalism. Whoever heard of someone being slain in the spirit singing ‘Onward Christian Soldier’?
July 19th, 2006 at 4:19 pm
God Bless you Church Girl
I’ll Be praying for your soul
July 19th, 2006 at 4:44 pm
Church Girl,
God has spoken to me in many venues; in fact, the first vision I ever had, was while sitting in the choir loft of a Presbyterian church. For many years I attached the works of God in my life, to the places and events where He did the work. Like that Pres. church; I stayed there for 12 years after that vision, and never heard/saw another thing of Him in that place. So, I can’t really say that the Pres. church is a great place now, simply because God moved for me once there, decades ago.
The one constant, is God, who is everywhere.
July 19th, 2006 at 9:03 pm
I went to Bible Temple’s Generatin Gathering fanatically as a teen. I looked so forward to it…just for the hamburgers with mushrooms they served after it. Yum!
Maybe they should try less hype and more…FOOD!
July 20th, 2006 at 5:27 am
Classic. I love it. We have the best readers.
July 20th, 2006 at 6:10 am
Ditto.
July 23rd, 2006 at 12:56 am
I got to admit, this blog is pretty entertaining to read… gotta love everyone’s sarcastic and negative attitudes towards everything… I don’t know whether to dance with joy or scoop my eyes out with a spoon, shove them down my throat and choke on them until I turn blue and pop like a 13 year old’s first zit… or smoke 30 cigarettes a day until I’m 72 with black lungs and do nothing but complain about church and how my hemeroids make me feel like I’m going to to crap all over the kitchen floor… could we get any happier in here?? At least with churchgirl there’s some actual attempt at finding the more uplifting things in life… I’ll be right back, I don’t think this spoon is sturdy enough…
July 23rd, 2006 at 7:56 pm
Are there any better quality audio recordings of this song, available, or even another song by the same band?
July 24th, 2006 at 8:27 am
Jose,
I have found that the “grapefruit spoon” (with ridged edges) works best.
Of course some choose other methods. To each his own.
July 24th, 2006 at 2:16 pm
Jose,
the spork is much more efficient and the twist-ing action really seal the deals for situations like this
January 18th, 2008 at 11:30 am
You should be ashamed of saying such things!!! I am a devote Christian who is still actively involved with church even after leaving high school. And I know some of the people from generation unleashed… they are REAL!!!! They love Jesus and share that with the world… so should we!
November 5th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
Wow. Although many of you understand the concept of worship hype and “pumping people up,” I find it pretty judgemental of how you guys are ripping these guys apart on the basis that you don’t know or understand what they are shouting about. If you actually listen to the lyrics, you can see what their intention is. The song is a corporate worship reminder that the world needs to know about Christ! (The entire point of the song by the way!) Sure there’s a lot of jumping, shouting and noise, but does that negate the intentions of the song and even the opportunity for God to minister through the song? I think not. I have seen God use songs that made a lot less sense then this to speak to people’s hearts and spark change in their lives. Don’t lose faith over the seemingly surface stuff. God will use any life that is willing to be clay in His hands. Do your part, stop wasting your time writing your opinions and start telling the world! Shout, shout, shout it out!