More Thoughts on Metal Methodism

I can't get this out of my head. Maybe that means I'm on to something.

Here's some more reasons I think Metal Edge United Methodist Church would work:

1. There is need. Despite popular belief, not all metalheads are Satan-Worshipping, Violence-Loving, Beer-Swilling Neanderthals. For the most part, metalheads are mostly-white, blue-collar people who are fiercely loyal to the music they love. While good heavy metal music is always aggressive, it is not, neccessarily, violent. It expresses anger at political, social, and, yes, religious structures that have left an entire group of people forgotten and outcast. And, if you think that there's no need because you've never had anyone at your church who cares about heavy metal music: A. you're wrong, every church has metalheads in it already. and B. when they aren't there, it's because the church doesn't speak to them.

2. The Gospel speaks to headbangers too. Jesus' message of a life-changing grace and mercy given to all people, especially the outcasts, is exactly what metal fans need to hear. Heavy metal is about fighting the power, it's about venting frustration, it's about being in community with strangers with a common love and it's about anger, frustration and revolution against any power stucture that does not lead to the betterment of everyone. That sounds like Jesus to me. It seems to me that people have just sort of given up spreading the message to metalheads, resorting to simply boycotting and protesting concerts like Marilyn Manson (who, by the way, is simply a man playing a role who, sometimes, writes good songs [remember Beautiful People], stop taking him so seriously. He's acting, and everytime you protest, he sells more records.) Jesus calls us to spread the message to all the world, and metal fans need to hear about grace and redemption just as much as the rest of us.

3. Heavy Metal lends itself towards powerful, creative worship experiences. Heavy metal music is about theatrics (I know, I just said heavy metal was about anger, frustration, revolution. I'm talking about Heavy Metal as a movement above, here I mean the music and concerts themselves). The imagry, the lyrics, the symbols, it's all there already. Imagine, as Alice Cooper threw a live chicken into the crowd and pieces of said chicken began being thrown back to him, imagine throwing a blessed loaf of communion bread into the crowd. As Ozzy sprays the faithful with water from a hose, imagine actually, literally, washing the congregation in the blessed juice, the symbol of Jesus' blood. OK, those are extreme. But I'll tell you what, Metalheads would love it.

All this sounds very performance oriented, I know. I am the first to say that the main problem with "contemporary" worship is that it's not worship but performance. However, metal shows are full of liturgy, call and response from lead singer to crowd, and message, James Hetfield talked at length about how much better Metallica sounded now that they were clean and sober and happy. It is not at all that hard to quickly and powerfully convert a rock show into a worship experience.

4. The most successful cross-over Christian music is heavy metal music. As I Lay Dying, Atreyu, Avenged Sevenfold, Norma Jean, P.O.D, Project 86, and lest we forget, Stryper. All metal bands. All extrememly successful in terms of cross-over from Christian lists to secular lists. Why is this? Because metal music is real, it's honest. Stephen Curtis Chapman doesn't have anything real to say to you unless your an upper-middle class, white, suburban, preppy mainline Christian. Christian metal can speak to Christians but also secularists because of the honesty in the music.

I envision a church that is based on inclusion, community, loyalty, discipleship, mission, conversation, passion, sacrifice, learning, and evolving. (positive voice)
I envision a church in which the music isn't boring, the message isn't irrelevant, the connection isn't superficial, the mission isn't self-serving, and the goal isn't numbers. (negative voice)

Metal Edge United Methodist Church
"We Pray in the Pit" (for those of you who are unhip, that's mosh-pit, but its unhip to call it that)
"Shreading the Gospel to the World" (again, shreading is the art of playing metal guitar)

I like the sound of that. Let me know what you think Blogosphere.

In the immortal words of Kirk Hammet, guitarist for the biggest band in the world, Metallica,
"Metallica's all about music, not the length of our hair." (check out Metallica Behind the Music from VH1)

It's a long way to the top, if you wanna rock'n'roll,
Brad