I, Brad Bryan, hereby pledge to not post about what I see as negative aspects of the structure and system of the United Methodist Church, my personal frustrations with the candidacy process, the present and future of young adults in the church, or my concerns for the future within the itineracy connection for ONE MONTH. From this day, until the end of school, I will not mention the United Methodist Church at all, excluding any unforseen interesting things that happen within the building of a UMC or inspiring comments or actions by a member of the UMC.
I invite my brother Andy at Enter the Rainbow, my friend Adam Mustoe at Internationally Known, my friend Mark at Stupidity Ensues and all you other blogophiles out there to join me. (Zach, delegates to General Conference are exempt and we expect nightly updates!)
And so, slightly inspired by my friend Justin's dance this morning (Where is the Love?) and my friend Katie's overall cheerful countinance (sp), here's some things that are making me happy:
1. Compiling a spring and summer reading list of books that have absolutely nothing to do with pastoral care, eccumenism, liberation theology or seminary. I'm not only tired of reading those books, I'm also tired of reading my same favorite Stephen King books over and over. I've decided to go back to the classics. First the classics of my favorite genre: Bradbury, Asimov, Poe, Ayn Rand. Then other classics: Hemmingway, Faulkner, James, Stevenson, Twain, Dickens. I want to spend my summer reading the best novels ever written, and that makes me happy.
2. The new Black Crowes, Jack Johnson, Matt Costa, Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly, Black Keys and reissued Elvis Costello records. Great, great stuff all around and that makes me happy. I am always looking for new music to pick up and discover, so if anybody has found any recently that you love, please share.
3. The Police and Elvis Costello concert in a month makes me extremely happy.
4. Planning the summer vacation, summer concert and lake house days with Lindsey makes me happy.
5. Being able to play Elvis Costello, Ben Harper and Bob Marley in chapel today makes me happy.
6. Actually finding a pretty, peaceful place to go IN ST. JOSEPH!
In fact, I think I'll head up there now.
Woke up this morning, smiled with the risin' sun.
Three little birds, sit on my doorstep.
Singin' sweet songs, of melodies pure and true.
Sayin', this is my message to you-oo-oo.
Don't worry...'bout a ting.
'Cause every little ting's, gonna be alright.
Peace, BB
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Encouraging Words....with just a little Spin
Encouraging words in this issue of the United Methodist Reporter. That's right, I read the Reporter. Former President of St. Paul School of Theology, Lovett Weems was interviewed concerning the importance of young adult clergy. And, guess what? He gets it!
Why are young clergy important?
"Energy, vision and vitality. More adept at reaching emerging generations. Closer to the culture."
What motivates younger people to a call to ministry?
"A call to serve, to be a part of something larger than themselves. It's not primarily organizational or institutional. It's a mission focus. IT'S NOT WELL DEFINED."
Explain the "lifesaver mentality".
"They're a bit uncomfortable with that. They can't do it themselves."
What about the gap?
"Sometimes there will be a two generation gap between the congregation and the clergy. You're young, you should be able to reach young people. But there's no expectation that the church should change."
What about appointments and itineracy?
"[Younger clergy] tend to be made last. The options available for those appointments are very limited at that time. There is a paying-our-dues mentality, but we can't afford that if less than 5 percent of our clergy are under 35. Less than 5 percent believe [itineracy] works well. [Its] an issue causing younger clergy to choose other traditions. It is feeling so out of control of one's destiny and how it impacts spouse and family and spouses' employment. The system is looked at skeptically by younger clergy."
What about the sense of unfairness in accountability?
"They are paying the price for inefective older clergy, so there are more and more restrictions that get put on them. They feel the primary factor in advancement tends to be years of service."
Wow, thank you. Love it, Lovett. He's nailed it. Just this week, I got a letter from my mentor about an interview with the District Committee of Ordained Ministry that I missed. I missed this meeting, because ALL the meeting times were during my class time. Not one meeting was set for Thursday, when students at Saint Paul have NO CLASS. I was also, apparently, supposed to request from him a letter of recommendation to the committee. His e-mail was the first I had heard of any such requirement. The e-mail went on to say that if I don't make the make up meetings in May, basically, my career is over and I won't even be able to go to any other conferences.
Here's the deal: I have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing with the process of candidacy. Am I a pastor, am I a student? What is the conference doing to respect my time as a seminary student? Where's the liturature that tells me clearly and without question what my role in the process is? And, is there really such an emphasis on the system and the institution that missing one meeting, held at a time when no student could attend without missing class, ends my career?
Dr. Weems gets it. We have to do some SERIOUS work to recruit, support, uphold, train, connect and empower young adult clergy.
Here comes the spin. At the top of the page with the interview, there's a picture of our Bishop (who I think gets it, too) at a meeting of young adults. The caption reads: "Bishop Schnase makes it a habit to meet with all the young adult clergy from his conference." Hear the spin.
1. A habit is something you do so often you don't think about it anymore. As far as I know, this is the first such meeting of large group of young adult clergy. There have been other, smaller meetings of certain powerful, or fruitful, young clergy. But, an invitation to "all" the clergy, i think this is the first one.
2. ALL the young adult clergy in the conference? Well, I guess I'm not clergy. Me, or any of my classmates, for that matter. Only commissioned and ordained clergy were invited. In other words, only those who have gotten so far into the system. They actually had to raise the official age of young adults to 37 to get the turn out seen in the picture. Instead of inviting actually ALL the young adult clergy, including lisenced local pastors and student pastors, they raised the age!
I am encouraged and happy and excited to read Dr. Weems keenly accurate assessment of how we treat, and how we should treat, young adult clergy. I am, shall we say, interested in those words "habit" and "all" in the caption of the picture.
I would just like one chance to put my money where my mouth is. I talk a lot about this. And I know, when the time comes, it'll be time to put up or shut up. But, I guess I don't have to worry about that now, 'cause nobody's asking. And, I worry about what putting up and shutting up will look like. Will I have to show weekly signs of fruitfulness by filling out forms of worship numbers? Will I have to wait ten years to get a chance, when I'm not technically a young adult anymore, pay my dues, work my way up? I don't know.
And you know what, even after all this...I have to go to class and Thursday I have to go to work. I have people to take care of in the hospital, I have a Baccalureate service planning meeting. I am called to ministry. I choose to be a part of the United Methodist Church. There's a difference.
Brad
Why are young clergy important?
"Energy, vision and vitality. More adept at reaching emerging generations. Closer to the culture."
What motivates younger people to a call to ministry?
"A call to serve, to be a part of something larger than themselves. It's not primarily organizational or institutional. It's a mission focus. IT'S NOT WELL DEFINED."
Explain the "lifesaver mentality".
"They're a bit uncomfortable with that. They can't do it themselves."
What about the gap?
"Sometimes there will be a two generation gap between the congregation and the clergy. You're young, you should be able to reach young people. But there's no expectation that the church should change."
What about appointments and itineracy?
"[Younger clergy] tend to be made last. The options available for those appointments are very limited at that time. There is a paying-our-dues mentality, but we can't afford that if less than 5 percent of our clergy are under 35. Less than 5 percent believe [itineracy] works well. [Its] an issue causing younger clergy to choose other traditions. It is feeling so out of control of one's destiny and how it impacts spouse and family and spouses' employment. The system is looked at skeptically by younger clergy."
What about the sense of unfairness in accountability?
"They are paying the price for inefective older clergy, so there are more and more restrictions that get put on them. They feel the primary factor in advancement tends to be years of service."
Wow, thank you. Love it, Lovett. He's nailed it. Just this week, I got a letter from my mentor about an interview with the District Committee of Ordained Ministry that I missed. I missed this meeting, because ALL the meeting times were during my class time. Not one meeting was set for Thursday, when students at Saint Paul have NO CLASS. I was also, apparently, supposed to request from him a letter of recommendation to the committee. His e-mail was the first I had heard of any such requirement. The e-mail went on to say that if I don't make the make up meetings in May, basically, my career is over and I won't even be able to go to any other conferences.
Here's the deal: I have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing with the process of candidacy. Am I a pastor, am I a student? What is the conference doing to respect my time as a seminary student? Where's the liturature that tells me clearly and without question what my role in the process is? And, is there really such an emphasis on the system and the institution that missing one meeting, held at a time when no student could attend without missing class, ends my career?
Dr. Weems gets it. We have to do some SERIOUS work to recruit, support, uphold, train, connect and empower young adult clergy.
Here comes the spin. At the top of the page with the interview, there's a picture of our Bishop (who I think gets it, too) at a meeting of young adults. The caption reads: "Bishop Schnase makes it a habit to meet with all the young adult clergy from his conference." Hear the spin.
1. A habit is something you do so often you don't think about it anymore. As far as I know, this is the first such meeting of large group of young adult clergy. There have been other, smaller meetings of certain powerful, or fruitful, young clergy. But, an invitation to "all" the clergy, i think this is the first one.
2. ALL the young adult clergy in the conference? Well, I guess I'm not clergy. Me, or any of my classmates, for that matter. Only commissioned and ordained clergy were invited. In other words, only those who have gotten so far into the system. They actually had to raise the official age of young adults to 37 to get the turn out seen in the picture. Instead of inviting actually ALL the young adult clergy, including lisenced local pastors and student pastors, they raised the age!
I am encouraged and happy and excited to read Dr. Weems keenly accurate assessment of how we treat, and how we should treat, young adult clergy. I am, shall we say, interested in those words "habit" and "all" in the caption of the picture.
I would just like one chance to put my money where my mouth is. I talk a lot about this. And I know, when the time comes, it'll be time to put up or shut up. But, I guess I don't have to worry about that now, 'cause nobody's asking. And, I worry about what putting up and shutting up will look like. Will I have to show weekly signs of fruitfulness by filling out forms of worship numbers? Will I have to wait ten years to get a chance, when I'm not technically a young adult anymore, pay my dues, work my way up? I don't know.
And you know what, even after all this...I have to go to class and Thursday I have to go to work. I have people to take care of in the hospital, I have a Baccalureate service planning meeting. I am called to ministry. I choose to be a part of the United Methodist Church. There's a difference.
Brad
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Facts
Months after the attacks of 9/11, Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld-Powell, found and displayed clear and unquestionable evidence that not only had Saddam Hussein been involved in planning the attacks, he was currently producing and stockpiling weapons of mass destruction.
Iraqi people would clearly welcome any force offering them freedom from this oppressive dictator, and the US had a duty to answer.
After the shock and awe beginning of the war, a tactic that in no way purposely targeted civilian positions, stories of heroism flowed in: from the clandestine, Tom Clancy resque of Jessi Lynch to the heroic sacrifice of pro-football player Pat Tillman. These great acts of heroism culminated in the end of the fighting in Iraq, declared by President Badasss in a flight suit on a aircraft carrier.
The fighting, just like he said, did stop. The killing of Saddam's sons and the ultimate capture of the dictator himself, defeated the insurgents resisting liberation and the people of Iraq sung our praises.
The fighting, somehow, came back, but the US was, of course, prepared-country of Boy Scouts that we are. The administration took the smartest road possible: take troops out of Afghanistan and Pakistan, where clearly no one important to the extremists was hiding in the mountains, and flood them into Iraq. This move again, was a great success.
The reporting of the war has been absolutely fair and balanced and truthful. The pentagon's program to partner each press agent with a "marine buddy" provided the press the freedom they needed to report with outstanding journalistic integrity. The pentagon, wisely, requested that names, faces and numbers of the dead US soldiers be left out of the press; national secruity was at stake.
As the war comes to a swift end, the Iraqi people are more than ready to run and maintain a secure democracy, having had great experience, opportunity and education in the work of politics under the previous government. The American diplomats are more than capable to bring the sectarian violence to an end, due to their vast knowledge of the religion and history of the region. Iraq will be just fine!
Back at home, our veterans, many who rightly joined the service after 9-11 because the commander and chief had given his word that US justice is swift and sweeping and always righteous, will be treated with the utmost respect, given the best medical care our nation has to offer and provided for for the educational opportunities they missed by boldly following our Commander into battle.
The attacks of 9/11 have been answered justly, the culprits brought to justice, the planners stopped from planning another attack. The people of Iraq are free, are liberated, and now feel completely safe to send their kids to the high quality schools, go to work in their not-destroyed office buildings, eat Whoppers, shop at Target and buy enormous gas-guzzling monstrosities from America...just like they've always wanted!!
April Fools,
BB
Iraqi people would clearly welcome any force offering them freedom from this oppressive dictator, and the US had a duty to answer.
After the shock and awe beginning of the war, a tactic that in no way purposely targeted civilian positions, stories of heroism flowed in: from the clandestine, Tom Clancy resque of Jessi Lynch to the heroic sacrifice of pro-football player Pat Tillman. These great acts of heroism culminated in the end of the fighting in Iraq, declared by President Badasss in a flight suit on a aircraft carrier.
The fighting, just like he said, did stop. The killing of Saddam's sons and the ultimate capture of the dictator himself, defeated the insurgents resisting liberation and the people of Iraq sung our praises.
The fighting, somehow, came back, but the US was, of course, prepared-country of Boy Scouts that we are. The administration took the smartest road possible: take troops out of Afghanistan and Pakistan, where clearly no one important to the extremists was hiding in the mountains, and flood them into Iraq. This move again, was a great success.
The reporting of the war has been absolutely fair and balanced and truthful. The pentagon's program to partner each press agent with a "marine buddy" provided the press the freedom they needed to report with outstanding journalistic integrity. The pentagon, wisely, requested that names, faces and numbers of the dead US soldiers be left out of the press; national secruity was at stake.
As the war comes to a swift end, the Iraqi people are more than ready to run and maintain a secure democracy, having had great experience, opportunity and education in the work of politics under the previous government. The American diplomats are more than capable to bring the sectarian violence to an end, due to their vast knowledge of the religion and history of the region. Iraq will be just fine!
Back at home, our veterans, many who rightly joined the service after 9-11 because the commander and chief had given his word that US justice is swift and sweeping and always righteous, will be treated with the utmost respect, given the best medical care our nation has to offer and provided for for the educational opportunities they missed by boldly following our Commander into battle.
The attacks of 9/11 have been answered justly, the culprits brought to justice, the planners stopped from planning another attack. The people of Iraq are free, are liberated, and now feel completely safe to send their kids to the high quality schools, go to work in their not-destroyed office buildings, eat Whoppers, shop at Target and buy enormous gas-guzzling monstrosities from America...just like they've always wanted!!
April Fools,
BB
Monday, March 24, 2008
Spring Breakin' Two, Electric Boogaloo
Sitting here on Monday of reading week from school, trying with every ounce of mental will power to not open my books until I absolutely have to.
Spending this week doing nothing with Lindsey, which is EXACTLY what I want to be doing. And, cleaning and packing my current domicile for a move this Saturday. My new place is the top floor of an old Pony Express era, Victorian style house closer to downtown St. Joe. I have not played my drums in over a year because I moved too quickly into a house with no room to set them up and I realized as I sat down behind the school's drumset that, well, I kinda suck now. The new place is bigger, has a perfect place for my music room with the drums, guitars and keyboard, a place for my kitchen table I haven't seen in three years and a shower that doesn't make you feel dirtier as you use it. I'm pretty excited, but its gonna be a hell of a moving day. Top floor of a big old house+big screen tv=not so much fun.
Getting excited about concerts coming up: The Police with Elvis Costello in May, Swell Season (the couple from the movie Once) coming up, and summer jams with Jack Johnson.
Well, sorry to bore you with my so-called life. I'm actually bored writing this, so I think I'll stop. All St. Paul have a great break. Mary Alice, stop reading right now, close the book and go outside.
Peace, B
Spending this week doing nothing with Lindsey, which is EXACTLY what I want to be doing. And, cleaning and packing my current domicile for a move this Saturday. My new place is the top floor of an old Pony Express era, Victorian style house closer to downtown St. Joe. I have not played my drums in over a year because I moved too quickly into a house with no room to set them up and I realized as I sat down behind the school's drumset that, well, I kinda suck now. The new place is bigger, has a perfect place for my music room with the drums, guitars and keyboard, a place for my kitchen table I haven't seen in three years and a shower that doesn't make you feel dirtier as you use it. I'm pretty excited, but its gonna be a hell of a moving day. Top floor of a big old house+big screen tv=not so much fun.
Getting excited about concerts coming up: The Police with Elvis Costello in May, Swell Season (the couple from the movie Once) coming up, and summer jams with Jack Johnson.
Well, sorry to bore you with my so-called life. I'm actually bored writing this, so I think I'll stop. All St. Paul have a great break. Mary Alice, stop reading right now, close the book and go outside.
Peace, B
Friday, March 14, 2008
Young Adults
Here is the original comment I was going to post in response to my brother's young adult post, but then realized it was longer than the post itself. Bad blog ettiquite.
I would absolutely love to abolish "us and them" language and thinking, but, sadly, it's not the reality right now. I hate to use the word nieve, partly because I don't know how to spell it and partly because my brother is much older and much wiser than I. I will say this, I have never felt as voiceless within a system as I do right now. I have daily conversations with classmates and colleagues concerning the state of the UMC and mainline Christianity, but they simply don't leave the classroom, because I haven't progressed far enough in the process. One the other hand, AGL told me of recieving heart-felt and standing applause along with other 35 and younger clergy people in the Mississippi conference. So, is it either be largely ignored or singled-out. I don't like either. A world without "us and them" is always something to work towards and something for which to hope and strive. But, I don't feel it, I don't see it happening. (you probably knew the pessimistic side would come from me)
I know that of all my gifts and graces the thing that was considered above all else in my current appointment was my age. They need a young pastor, here's a young pastor (who happens to know nothing about the context of farming communities, hates country music and feels called to urban ministry) but, hey, he is young. *I love the people of my congregations more than I love myself and will serve them as faithfully as I can for as long as I'm here* So, while my brother and my friend Jenn are both correct in hoping for to end the language and attitude of "us and them", it's not the reality I feel right now.
Point two: young people ARE different. The world has changed. Younger generations speak a different language, know a different reality than older generations. Here's a fact: (you also might have known that the absolute generalizations would come from me) if a congregation is in a context where there are young adults in the population and does not have an online presence, your capacity for inviting young adults to share in the ministry of God through that congregation goes down. If a pastor who desires to create messages that are meaningful to young adults does not know what The Office is or who Bright Eyes are or what the God Delusion is or what issues are facing the music business right now or what the hell the Colbert Bump is, the illustrations in the message will be less meaningful. The stories in the front of Christian Century and The Upper Room are wonderful resources for certain contexts, but maybe not for most young adults.
Point three: the problems and issues facing the church right now ARE NOT generational. They have nothing to do with age. They are cultural, contextual. The world has changed, the church has not. Questions of authenticity, relevance, community and application-take a deep breath for all the buzzwords-are questions each individual church, each conference, each denomination, each CHRISTIAN should ask constantly. Is what we are doing most faithfully serving the message and ministry of God in today's world? For example, there's a current conversation going on in my Early American Methodism class about the itineracy process. Yes, for early America, itineracy was the best method of placement for local ministers. It served a purpose, it was effective in that purpose, it worked within the context of that world. The question for us today is, what is the purpose of itineracy, the mission, and is it, in its current state, serving that purpose? We should always be in conversation with each other, across generations and demographics, asking each other if we are serving God the best we can. It is not a every 50 years question; it should be constant. Are we providing genuine and authentic and powerful worship experiences? Are we using language and media and subject matter that is relevant to the context in which we serve? Are we creating and atmosphere of true community, of acceptance, respect, support and love for the congregation and the context of our churches (btw, community is very different nowadays!)? And are we constructing worship, preaching and learning experiences that people leave from and act on that very day? These are the key questions, no matter what your context is.
No group of people, no Signs of Fruitfulness worksheet, no special taskforce is the secret key that unlocks the floodgates holding back young adults from participation in the church.
I can hear the questions: Brad, you complain a lot, but what should we be doing about this.
1. The clergy and lay leaders of the church must be in constant connection and conversation apart from the constraints and divisions of THE PROCESS. I was actually insulted by not being invited to a young adult clergy conversation with the bishop. BTW, I heard the meeting was great and the right questions were asked and the conversation has begun. But when you consider the earliest age of possible ordination, 29, restricting the participants in the conversation to commissioned and ordained clergy only isn't wise. I'm 25 right now!
2. The candidacy process is twice as long as should be and the difficulty of your interviews and papers depends on which group of board members you get on which day. I've heard wonderful stories of affirmation and respect and I've heard horror stories that remind me of cocky seniors taking stuff out on the freshmen because somebody did it to them when they were freshmen.
3. Why isn't there an Office of Contextual Young Adult ministry at the conference level? I know I just said the problem wasn't generational and there is no formula, but for a conference that is so concerned with YA's, it seems odd that this hasn't happened. I would love to sit in my office in Columbia, pick up the phone and explain to someone what an MP3 is. "Brad, I've got a new batch of 14 yr old girls, who in the world is Avril Lavigne?"
Just a few ideas, (I don't have time or inspiration or words to talk about what should happen to the itineracy process).
Look to Andy's blog for an optimistic sign off. I believe in the power of God to change lives in today's world. I believe in the connection of the UMC and mainline Christianity as a part of God's ministry in today's world.
And as far as "missing the mark" with the Rock Church stuff. That is just one idea for a particular context within the connection of the church. It is the beginning of re-shaping and re-defining worship in my own head. My big bro's just jealous that I rock harder than him. jk, i know what you're saying RAB, and we're on the same page, believe it or not.
Imperfect man in an imperfect world trying, imperfectly, to serve our perfect God, BB
I would absolutely love to abolish "us and them" language and thinking, but, sadly, it's not the reality right now. I hate to use the word nieve, partly because I don't know how to spell it and partly because my brother is much older and much wiser than I. I will say this, I have never felt as voiceless within a system as I do right now. I have daily conversations with classmates and colleagues concerning the state of the UMC and mainline Christianity, but they simply don't leave the classroom, because I haven't progressed far enough in the process. One the other hand, AGL told me of recieving heart-felt and standing applause along with other 35 and younger clergy people in the Mississippi conference. So, is it either be largely ignored or singled-out. I don't like either. A world without "us and them" is always something to work towards and something for which to hope and strive. But, I don't feel it, I don't see it happening. (you probably knew the pessimistic side would come from me)
I know that of all my gifts and graces the thing that was considered above all else in my current appointment was my age. They need a young pastor, here's a young pastor (who happens to know nothing about the context of farming communities, hates country music and feels called to urban ministry) but, hey, he is young. *I love the people of my congregations more than I love myself and will serve them as faithfully as I can for as long as I'm here* So, while my brother and my friend Jenn are both correct in hoping for to end the language and attitude of "us and them", it's not the reality I feel right now.
Point two: young people ARE different. The world has changed. Younger generations speak a different language, know a different reality than older generations. Here's a fact: (you also might have known that the absolute generalizations would come from me) if a congregation is in a context where there are young adults in the population and does not have an online presence, your capacity for inviting young adults to share in the ministry of God through that congregation goes down. If a pastor who desires to create messages that are meaningful to young adults does not know what The Office is or who Bright Eyes are or what the God Delusion is or what issues are facing the music business right now or what the hell the Colbert Bump is, the illustrations in the message will be less meaningful. The stories in the front of Christian Century and The Upper Room are wonderful resources for certain contexts, but maybe not for most young adults.
Point three: the problems and issues facing the church right now ARE NOT generational. They have nothing to do with age. They are cultural, contextual. The world has changed, the church has not. Questions of authenticity, relevance, community and application-take a deep breath for all the buzzwords-are questions each individual church, each conference, each denomination, each CHRISTIAN should ask constantly. Is what we are doing most faithfully serving the message and ministry of God in today's world? For example, there's a current conversation going on in my Early American Methodism class about the itineracy process. Yes, for early America, itineracy was the best method of placement for local ministers. It served a purpose, it was effective in that purpose, it worked within the context of that world. The question for us today is, what is the purpose of itineracy, the mission, and is it, in its current state, serving that purpose? We should always be in conversation with each other, across generations and demographics, asking each other if we are serving God the best we can. It is not a every 50 years question; it should be constant. Are we providing genuine and authentic and powerful worship experiences? Are we using language and media and subject matter that is relevant to the context in which we serve? Are we creating and atmosphere of true community, of acceptance, respect, support and love for the congregation and the context of our churches (btw, community is very different nowadays!)? And are we constructing worship, preaching and learning experiences that people leave from and act on that very day? These are the key questions, no matter what your context is.
No group of people, no Signs of Fruitfulness worksheet, no special taskforce is the secret key that unlocks the floodgates holding back young adults from participation in the church.
I can hear the questions: Brad, you complain a lot, but what should we be doing about this.
1. The clergy and lay leaders of the church must be in constant connection and conversation apart from the constraints and divisions of THE PROCESS. I was actually insulted by not being invited to a young adult clergy conversation with the bishop. BTW, I heard the meeting was great and the right questions were asked and the conversation has begun. But when you consider the earliest age of possible ordination, 29, restricting the participants in the conversation to commissioned and ordained clergy only isn't wise. I'm 25 right now!
2. The candidacy process is twice as long as should be and the difficulty of your interviews and papers depends on which group of board members you get on which day. I've heard wonderful stories of affirmation and respect and I've heard horror stories that remind me of cocky seniors taking stuff out on the freshmen because somebody did it to them when they were freshmen.
3. Why isn't there an Office of Contextual Young Adult ministry at the conference level? I know I just said the problem wasn't generational and there is no formula, but for a conference that is so concerned with YA's, it seems odd that this hasn't happened. I would love to sit in my office in Columbia, pick up the phone and explain to someone what an MP3 is. "Brad, I've got a new batch of 14 yr old girls, who in the world is Avril Lavigne?"
Just a few ideas, (I don't have time or inspiration or words to talk about what should happen to the itineracy process).
Look to Andy's blog for an optimistic sign off. I believe in the power of God to change lives in today's world. I believe in the connection of the UMC and mainline Christianity as a part of God's ministry in today's world.
And as far as "missing the mark" with the Rock Church stuff. That is just one idea for a particular context within the connection of the church. It is the beginning of re-shaping and re-defining worship in my own head. My big bro's just jealous that I rock harder than him. jk, i know what you're saying RAB, and we're on the same page, believe it or not.
Imperfect man in an imperfect world trying, imperfectly, to serve our perfect God, BB
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
I Read the News Today, Oh Boy...(hattip Mark)
Three articles caught my attention this week in the news:
1. There is a bill making its way through the government of Jamaica to legalize maryjane. Old people-that means pot. WHAT? The only thing I know about Jamaica is that its the most spaced-out, laidback, stoner country in the world. Smoking pot is part of the Rastafarian religion! I just couldn't believe that it wasn't legal already.
2. On the View yesterday, yes the View was on while I was getting ready for class, they were talking about a ligit article from the Washington Post about whether Jesus would vote Republican or Democrat in our election this year. Seriously?? This is a real article from a real newspaper that made its way to the discussion table of the second most watched daytime show in America. And they were actually answering it. "Oh, I think he'd be an independent," says Elizabeth Hasselbeck. I got news for ya'll, if you think for one instant that Jesus would take any part in the political system of the United States, or any other country, you are seriously delusional. How arrogant to think that Jesus would care at all for the governmental systems of this world!
3. From NPR this morning, there are more slaves in the world today, and more in the United States, than in any other time in history. The slave trade is alive and well and better than ever. With $100 American, you can go to Haiti and buy a human being to work for you under the threat of violence for no pay other than subsistance(the official definition of slavery, illegal in every nation on earth); this includes cleaning, cooking and sexual partners. (now go back and reread the question of number two. really, America?!?!) This is an unbelievable story to me. Hey, General Conference, when you're down there talking about whether or not gay people should be married, why not take ten minutes, maybe after a lunch break on some day, and talk about something that really matters in this world. Something that actually hurts people, something that's actually evil! But, no no no, gay people must be stopped. Gay people are destroying marriage, Barack Obama is a Muslim and, oh woe is us say it ain't so, our membership is down!!! Come on, people! THERE ARE MORE SLAVES RIGHT NOW IN AMERICA THAN THERE EVER WERE IN PRE-CIVAL WAR AMERICA!!!!
Slaves, AIDS, war, genocide, failing economy, homelessness, domestic violence, post-traumatic stress in our soldiers. But, no, the number one story yesterday was that some rich guy went to a hooker. WAIT, actually he didn't go to hooker, he agreed to pay a hooker, he DID nothing.
What are your priorities, what are mine, what are the priorities of the United Methodist Church, what are the priorities of the followers of Jesus?
What's so funny 'bout peace, love and understanding? BB
1. There is a bill making its way through the government of Jamaica to legalize maryjane. Old people-that means pot. WHAT? The only thing I know about Jamaica is that its the most spaced-out, laidback, stoner country in the world. Smoking pot is part of the Rastafarian religion! I just couldn't believe that it wasn't legal already.
2. On the View yesterday, yes the View was on while I was getting ready for class, they were talking about a ligit article from the Washington Post about whether Jesus would vote Republican or Democrat in our election this year. Seriously?? This is a real article from a real newspaper that made its way to the discussion table of the second most watched daytime show in America. And they were actually answering it. "Oh, I think he'd be an independent," says Elizabeth Hasselbeck. I got news for ya'll, if you think for one instant that Jesus would take any part in the political system of the United States, or any other country, you are seriously delusional. How arrogant to think that Jesus would care at all for the governmental systems of this world!
3. From NPR this morning, there are more slaves in the world today, and more in the United States, than in any other time in history. The slave trade is alive and well and better than ever. With $100 American, you can go to Haiti and buy a human being to work for you under the threat of violence for no pay other than subsistance(the official definition of slavery, illegal in every nation on earth); this includes cleaning, cooking and sexual partners. (now go back and reread the question of number two. really, America?!?!) This is an unbelievable story to me. Hey, General Conference, when you're down there talking about whether or not gay people should be married, why not take ten minutes, maybe after a lunch break on some day, and talk about something that really matters in this world. Something that actually hurts people, something that's actually evil! But, no no no, gay people must be stopped. Gay people are destroying marriage, Barack Obama is a Muslim and, oh woe is us say it ain't so, our membership is down!!! Come on, people! THERE ARE MORE SLAVES RIGHT NOW IN AMERICA THAN THERE EVER WERE IN PRE-CIVAL WAR AMERICA!!!!
Slaves, AIDS, war, genocide, failing economy, homelessness, domestic violence, post-traumatic stress in our soldiers. But, no, the number one story yesterday was that some rich guy went to a hooker. WAIT, actually he didn't go to hooker, he agreed to pay a hooker, he DID nothing.
What are your priorities, what are mine, what are the priorities of the United Methodist Church, what are the priorities of the followers of Jesus?
What's so funny 'bout peace, love and understanding? BB
Monday, March 03, 2008
I Was There...Concert History
Well, another concert is in the bank and on the way down to Springfield, MO, my concert experiences kept rolling through my mind. Sit back, relax, and scroll through Brad's concert memory lane...
My first concert was an MC Hammer show in Columbia when I was no more than 10 or 11. I gotta say...it...was...AWESOME!!! 50 dancers, tons of lights, tight band. He sang "You've Got to Pray Just to Make it Today" right after "Soft and Wet."
Next, my parents drove me and Tom Gibson to see Dave Matthews in '96 or '97. Unbelievable show! Funny story: somehow we're found in the expanse of the lawn by our friend Scott and two older girls from our high school, both of whom I loved with the heat of a million suns: Jaclyn Whitaker and Kristin Johnson. So, two 14 year old, big-headed, awkward kids share a blanket on the lawn with two beautiful older girls...AND THEIR PARENTS...Awesome.
The next show of any note was Ozzfest with Tyler O'Banion and Mike Elsberry. Saw some bands by the name of Taproot, Mudvayne, Disturbed, Marylin Manson and, oh yeah, the ORIGINAL MEMBERS OF BLACK SABBATH!!! That's right, Geezer, Tony, Bill and Ozzy together again. I saw Black Sabbath play Iron Man. Great day, drove the wrong way down an exit ramp, saw a crazy drunk guy dancing by himself to Disturbed and got to see my friend Larynn from CMC.
Some time in here my brother and I saw Chuck Berry at the Blue Note in Columbia. The godfather of rock 'n roll and public restroom voyuerism can still duckwalk and solo like a pro.
Next up is DMB again in St. Louis this time. Every time I've seen Dave has been better than the last.
In college, Wayne Kerr came and played a show in our church on campus. Wayne Kerr isn't a star, I don't even like him that much, but that show was awesome. It was intimate and personal. Good stuff.
Also during college, I saw Pearl Jam for 20 minutes. If you really want to see me get mad, ask me why sometime.
Toward the end of college, Mustoe, Diffie and I drove the windy road to Columbia to see Robert Randolph and the Family Band. I had been looking forward to this having heard RRFB's live album and they did not disappoint. We got there early like I like to do and got a place up front. This band really is unbelievable and everyone who reads this should see them if you ever get the chance. BUT THEN, they ask if anyone knows how to play guitar and Mustoe raises his hand and they call him up on stage. I got down on all fours to get Mustoe big behind up there. Adam Mustoe played a solo with Robert Randolph and the Family Band!!! Awesome, great show.
In 2003, Tyler calls me and says that the Summer Sanitarium Tour, Metallica's then annual trip around the country, was coming to St. Louis and that we WOULD be going. The show, featuring Mudvayne, Deftones, Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit and Metallica, started at 4pm. We got there at 1, went straight to the front and took our place against the railing five feet from the huge stage. And for 12 hours, we didn't move more than 10 feet, no food, water or bathrooms. Mudvayne, makeupless for the first time and unbelievably musically talented as usual. Deftones, the only band in the world that has ever made heavy metal music sound beautitful. Now, through Linkin Park and Limp Bizkit, Tyler and I and about 50 others toward the front, turned our backs to the stage and raised our middle fingers for the duration of each of their sets for what they have done to metal music. (which is ruin it, by the way) And then Metallica takes the stage. There are no words to describe seeing the most powerful live band ever from no more than 15 feet away.
In the summer of 2005, I met a girl named Lindsey. Since then we have seen Jack Johnson, a show at which I fell in love with that girl named Lindsey, Dave Matthews again, a young guitar player named John Mayer, a older guitar player by the name of FREAKIN' ERIC CLAPTON, discovered our love for Trevor Hall and Martin Sexton, saw RRFB again, and Martin Sexton again, Modest Mouse with Band of Horses. Many, many times we've seen an Irish singer named Bob Reeder both at Weston Irish Festival and at his weekly gig at Kyle's Taproom in N. Kansas City. We love him. Great memories with my girl and many more to come.
Went to Tool in 2007 with friends Tom and Jeff. Laughed through most of the show out of sheer awe of the power and skill of the best drummer in metal Danny Carey.
And Friday night, I drove to Spfd, MO, met with Tom and Tyler and went to Clutch, a band I've loved for more than a decade with my two oldest friends. This was a true blue, down and dirty, sticky floor rock show. Broke up three fights, couldn't talk or hear the day after. Clutch is a balls to the wall rock band but their talent amazed me. Great show, rock 'n roll memories.
Coming up, The Police with Elvis Costello in May and Rush is coming to Starlight Theater this summer. Two of the best drummers in music history, Stewart Copeland and Neil Peart, and I will see them this year. Legendary.
Support Local Music, BB
My first concert was an MC Hammer show in Columbia when I was no more than 10 or 11. I gotta say...it...was...AWESOME!!! 50 dancers, tons of lights, tight band. He sang "You've Got to Pray Just to Make it Today" right after "Soft and Wet."
Next, my parents drove me and Tom Gibson to see Dave Matthews in '96 or '97. Unbelievable show! Funny story: somehow we're found in the expanse of the lawn by our friend Scott and two older girls from our high school, both of whom I loved with the heat of a million suns: Jaclyn Whitaker and Kristin Johnson. So, two 14 year old, big-headed, awkward kids share a blanket on the lawn with two beautiful older girls...AND THEIR PARENTS...Awesome.
The next show of any note was Ozzfest with Tyler O'Banion and Mike Elsberry. Saw some bands by the name of Taproot, Mudvayne, Disturbed, Marylin Manson and, oh yeah, the ORIGINAL MEMBERS OF BLACK SABBATH!!! That's right, Geezer, Tony, Bill and Ozzy together again. I saw Black Sabbath play Iron Man. Great day, drove the wrong way down an exit ramp, saw a crazy drunk guy dancing by himself to Disturbed and got to see my friend Larynn from CMC.
Some time in here my brother and I saw Chuck Berry at the Blue Note in Columbia. The godfather of rock 'n roll and public restroom voyuerism can still duckwalk and solo like a pro.
Next up is DMB again in St. Louis this time. Every time I've seen Dave has been better than the last.
In college, Wayne Kerr came and played a show in our church on campus. Wayne Kerr isn't a star, I don't even like him that much, but that show was awesome. It was intimate and personal. Good stuff.
Also during college, I saw Pearl Jam for 20 minutes. If you really want to see me get mad, ask me why sometime.
Toward the end of college, Mustoe, Diffie and I drove the windy road to Columbia to see Robert Randolph and the Family Band. I had been looking forward to this having heard RRFB's live album and they did not disappoint. We got there early like I like to do and got a place up front. This band really is unbelievable and everyone who reads this should see them if you ever get the chance. BUT THEN, they ask if anyone knows how to play guitar and Mustoe raises his hand and they call him up on stage. I got down on all fours to get Mustoe big behind up there. Adam Mustoe played a solo with Robert Randolph and the Family Band!!! Awesome, great show.
In 2003, Tyler calls me and says that the Summer Sanitarium Tour, Metallica's then annual trip around the country, was coming to St. Louis and that we WOULD be going. The show, featuring Mudvayne, Deftones, Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit and Metallica, started at 4pm. We got there at 1, went straight to the front and took our place against the railing five feet from the huge stage. And for 12 hours, we didn't move more than 10 feet, no food, water or bathrooms. Mudvayne, makeupless for the first time and unbelievably musically talented as usual. Deftones, the only band in the world that has ever made heavy metal music sound beautitful. Now, through Linkin Park and Limp Bizkit, Tyler and I and about 50 others toward the front, turned our backs to the stage and raised our middle fingers for the duration of each of their sets for what they have done to metal music. (which is ruin it, by the way) And then Metallica takes the stage. There are no words to describe seeing the most powerful live band ever from no more than 15 feet away.
In the summer of 2005, I met a girl named Lindsey. Since then we have seen Jack Johnson, a show at which I fell in love with that girl named Lindsey, Dave Matthews again, a young guitar player named John Mayer, a older guitar player by the name of FREAKIN' ERIC CLAPTON, discovered our love for Trevor Hall and Martin Sexton, saw RRFB again, and Martin Sexton again, Modest Mouse with Band of Horses. Many, many times we've seen an Irish singer named Bob Reeder both at Weston Irish Festival and at his weekly gig at Kyle's Taproom in N. Kansas City. We love him. Great memories with my girl and many more to come.
Went to Tool in 2007 with friends Tom and Jeff. Laughed through most of the show out of sheer awe of the power and skill of the best drummer in metal Danny Carey.
And Friday night, I drove to Spfd, MO, met with Tom and Tyler and went to Clutch, a band I've loved for more than a decade with my two oldest friends. This was a true blue, down and dirty, sticky floor rock show. Broke up three fights, couldn't talk or hear the day after. Clutch is a balls to the wall rock band but their talent amazed me. Great show, rock 'n roll memories.
Coming up, The Police with Elvis Costello in May and Rush is coming to Starlight Theater this summer. Two of the best drummers in music history, Stewart Copeland and Neil Peart, and I will see them this year. Legendary.
Support Local Music, BB
Monday, February 25, 2008
Oscar Got It Right!!
Well, another year of Hollywood's biggest night has past and I have to say, Oscar got almost everything right this year!! Here's some things I'm most excited about.
Falling Slowing from the movie Once won best song against three, count 'em, three songs from Enchanted. Once is an unbelievable movie, the Frames are an unbelievable band and Glen Hansard is an unbelievable song writer.
Diablo Cody won best original screenplay for Juno, which did not win best picture. Juno is an awesome movie and clearly the best written of last year. But, just as clearly, can't compete with No Country.
Javier Bardem won best supporting actor for the second creepiest villian in movie history, second only to Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lector (which always got an Oscar). If you see this movie and don't see Javier's eyes in your dreams or hear him say "Call it, friendo" in the back of your mind for a week, you've got brass ones my friends. And, surprise, he's actually a handsome fellow. His dedication in Spanish to his mother was an Oscar moment for the ages.
Daniel Day-Lewis is the best actor ever. There's no question in my mind. I've just put all his movies on the queue from Blockbuster. His indifference for the structure and politics of Hollywood is refreshing as well. Seriously, is there anyone better. Listen to him actually speak, either from last night or on Oprah or something, and then go watch There Will Be Blood or rent Gangs of New York. He is leagues above anyone else who has ever acted or ever will. The Tiger Woods of acting.
No Country for Old Men should have won best picture and I'm happy to see that it did. It's not just a great movie, it's an important movie. It's commentary on our modern world and resignation of the sheriff to that world at the end (if you still don't get the end, that's what it was about, he was giving up) are important for our world to hear right now. The whole package, directing, acting, writing, shooting, editing, all of it were better than anything else last year. Good show Coens!
Jon Stewart was a great host. He was sincere, funny and kept the show moving along. He proved to me that he truly is a great man when he called Glen Hansard's co-writer of Falling Slowly back on stage after commercial break to give her acceptance speech.
It was a great show. I actually wanted to and did sit through the whole thing and was entertained and inspired by the whole thing. Good job Oscars. I love movies.
While I'm on a movie kick, here's one more thing I thought of last night. Think about Harrison Ford for a second. Probably never win an Oscar, he's not known for his depth or range. But think about it: Han Solo AND Indiana Jones. Are you KIDDING ME? That's rediculous. Daniel Day-Lewis might be the best actor of all time, but Harrison Ford IS two of the most memorable and loved and kickass characters of all time. Can't wait for Kingdom of the Crystal Skull!! Keep it up, Mr. Ford.
Watch movies, make art.
BB
Falling Slowing from the movie Once won best song against three, count 'em, three songs from Enchanted. Once is an unbelievable movie, the Frames are an unbelievable band and Glen Hansard is an unbelievable song writer.
Diablo Cody won best original screenplay for Juno, which did not win best picture. Juno is an awesome movie and clearly the best written of last year. But, just as clearly, can't compete with No Country.
Javier Bardem won best supporting actor for the second creepiest villian in movie history, second only to Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lector (which always got an Oscar). If you see this movie and don't see Javier's eyes in your dreams or hear him say "Call it, friendo" in the back of your mind for a week, you've got brass ones my friends. And, surprise, he's actually a handsome fellow. His dedication in Spanish to his mother was an Oscar moment for the ages.
Daniel Day-Lewis is the best actor ever. There's no question in my mind. I've just put all his movies on the queue from Blockbuster. His indifference for the structure and politics of Hollywood is refreshing as well. Seriously, is there anyone better. Listen to him actually speak, either from last night or on Oprah or something, and then go watch There Will Be Blood or rent Gangs of New York. He is leagues above anyone else who has ever acted or ever will. The Tiger Woods of acting.
No Country for Old Men should have won best picture and I'm happy to see that it did. It's not just a great movie, it's an important movie. It's commentary on our modern world and resignation of the sheriff to that world at the end (if you still don't get the end, that's what it was about, he was giving up) are important for our world to hear right now. The whole package, directing, acting, writing, shooting, editing, all of it were better than anything else last year. Good show Coens!
Jon Stewart was a great host. He was sincere, funny and kept the show moving along. He proved to me that he truly is a great man when he called Glen Hansard's co-writer of Falling Slowly back on stage after commercial break to give her acceptance speech.
It was a great show. I actually wanted to and did sit through the whole thing and was entertained and inspired by the whole thing. Good job Oscars. I love movies.
While I'm on a movie kick, here's one more thing I thought of last night. Think about Harrison Ford for a second. Probably never win an Oscar, he's not known for his depth or range. But think about it: Han Solo AND Indiana Jones. Are you KIDDING ME? That's rediculous. Daniel Day-Lewis might be the best actor of all time, but Harrison Ford IS two of the most memorable and loved and kickass characters of all time. Can't wait for Kingdom of the Crystal Skull!! Keep it up, Mr. Ford.
Watch movies, make art.
BB
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Goosebumps: More Rock n Roll Church Stuff
When was the last time you got goosebumps in worship?
Mine is Christmas Eve this year. It had much more to do with the woman and 1-year-old sitting next to me and the memories of Christmas Eve a year before than the service. (sorry, dad)
So another question: When was the last time you got goosebumps in worship that were caused solely by the worship experience itself?
I just listened to Live On Two Legs, a live album by the best band of the past 25 years, Pearl Jam. I was reminded as I listened that my lifetime goosebumps moments were all at rock concerts and very rarely at a worship service.
Pearl Jam opens with Release, my favorite song, as the rain starts coming down.
Metallica bursts into the opening of Fuel as 8, 10-feet-high flames shoot out from the front of the stage five feet from my face.
Eric Clapton starts the encore with the greatest lick ever written, the opening of Layla.
Dave Matthews hits notes so high, MY throat starts to bleed.
Martin Sexton sings of reuniting with his long lost son.
Robert Randolph plays notes on his lapsteel guitar that send shockwaves down my spine.
I have never felt closer to God than in those moments. I mean it, even the Metallica show. And not just close to God; close enough to reach out and touch God's face, close enough to feel the love of God for all creation radiating like the heat from a bonfire.
I have never felt as close to God in any worship experience I have ever been to.
There's three reasons worship, particularly worship music falls short:
1. The music is lame. Please note: none of the concert experiences above are from the many Christian concerts I've been to. No Audio Adrenaline, no Third Day. None of them compare musically. Giving up secular music in high school is one of the dumbest things I've ever done. Christian music sucks. The songs are awful, the lyrics are meaningless and sentimental. Worship music is emotional. Great music is transcendental. (Brief pause to remember the guru of transcendental meditation, Maharishi Mehesh Yogi, who is personally responsible for giving the Beatles the inspiration for the White Album) It doesn't tug on your heart strings; it takes you to another place, a Hole Nother Level. When I experienced a Tool concert, with the only person I have been directly involved in coming to the blessing of baptism, Jeff Green, I got to a point in the concert when all I could do was laugh. Out of joy, out of sheer hopelessness that I would never be able to play like that, out of the magnitude and power of the songs. All I could do was laugh. Lindsey knows that little laugh well. I desire with all my heart to be brought to a place of such perfect bliss that laughter is my only response in worship. But, the music doesn't compare, it can't compete. There is no candle big enough, no fuel powerful enough, for Christian music to EVER hold a flame to great rock music.
2. The musicians aren't ready, aren't good enough. I know that in praise bands there is a feeling that all who come to participate are welcome. But you can't put anybody who has good intentions and wants to be invovled up there in charge of taking a congregation to another place with their music. Rock players are virtuosos; they are the absolute best at what they do. They rehearse relentlessly and devote their entire lives to the perfection of their skill. And when they perform, everything is perfect. Now, compare that with the 15-year-old with the out of tune Fender Squire, the church organist transplanted to the Casio keyboard and the 8 vocalists all trying to outsing each other and only accomplishing to sing LOUDER than each other, which is not the same thing. There is nothing wrong with striving for excellence in our worship musicians. Nothing takes me out of an attitude of worship faster than ONE wrong note, one sloppy beginning or chaotic ending, or-especially for me-a drummer who knows ONE beat and ONE tempo and ONE dynamic. Musicallity. Musicainship. Here come the comments about worship being a welcoming environment and a pastor/worship leader not being able to say no to anyone, not being allowed to say "your playing isn't good enough." It's simply not true. Worship is supposed to be an encounter with God, face to face with the giver of life...and MUSIC. If Jimmy wants to play guitar and just learned a sloppy, halting version of Lord I Lift Your Name On High, DO NOT put Jimmy in your praise band. Repeating, there is nothing wrong with striving for excellence in worship music and worship musicians.
3. The whole service is not designed to work and fit together to provide an atmosphere of transformation, transfiguration, transportation. At a rock show, the lights, the stage, the video behind the artists, every single detail goes hand in hand, and works in absolutely perfect harmony to provide the best performance possible. Yes, I said performance. An argument I can't stand is that worship music can't be performance. It HAS TO BE!! And, every possible aesthetic componant needs to work in sync.
This serves as a wonderful transition paragraph, almost as if the writer designed that way.
I want to start a rock 'n roll church. A church whose worship services cause goosebumps and shivers EVERY week. A church that's just as much rock show as worship service. A church that starts no earlier than 10pm and goes until 2 or 3. A church with a pyrotechnics ministry. A church that looks on the inside more like the Blue Note in Columbia than Missouri UMC down the street. I want a praise band that kicks ass-that's right, I said ass-that plays music that would be played on 96.5 the buzz not the crappy Christian radio station, a band that can jam, a guitar player that can play SRV solos behind his head (big ups to Ryan McClouth), a band of real, true-blue, professional level musicians, a drummer who-like every rock drummer should-is just trying to play somehow near the level of John Bohnam, a drummer who knows who John Bohnam is. I want a congregation with ripped jeans and band t-shirts, with tatoos and metal in their heads. A congregation who knows as much about the White Stripes as they do about Jesus. A congregation who knows who the White Stripes ARE!!!
There is a huge, ultra-dedicated, ultra-forgotten population that is looking for God just like the rest of us: rockfans, punks, metalheads, neo-hippies, goths. Every church has that kid who dresses in black, wears eye make up and listens to My Chemical Romance. These kids are forgotten in the best cases and alienated and scolded in the worst cases. In between those cases, the kids are patronized by people who are genuinely trying to help but write off the situation as a phase. Something that you grow out of. You never grow out of being a metalhead, of loving rock music. That's why, if reached, these people could be the most hardcore, devoted disciples since Peter. (that whole getting crucified upside down thing was pretty hardcore discipleship)
The more I write, the more serious, and seriously possible and seriously needed, this seems to me. So, let's daydream a bit. Rev. Brad Bryan, Minister of Metal. Rev. Adam Mustoe, Minister of Pop/Acoustic/Hip Hop (for one of the white-est crackas I know, he's got a lot of hip hop) Rev. Mark Angleton, Minister of Ska. Rev. Adam Caldwell, Minister of Punk/Emo/Screamo. Rev. Andy Bryan, Minister of 80s/Doodlebops. Rev. Crystal Hughes, Minister of Jazz. Rev. Joel Kidwell, Minister of 90s/Alternative. Rev. Dennis Harper, Minister of Classic Pop/Rock. Rev. Jim Bryan, Minister of Old White Guy Music. Rev. Kevin Shelton, Minister of Music No One Has Ever Heard Of but Him.
Director of Music/Band Leader: Ryan McClouth (the greatest guitar player I have ever known)
Art Director/Stage Design: Ryan Delgado, one artistic Mexican.
Co-Directors of Lighting and Pyrotechnics: Rev. Ron Carlson and Rev. Shane Moore, can you even imagine. Ron in charge of the fire.
Door Managers (bouncers): Adam Leathers, Adam Gordon-Louch.
Ministers of Hospitality (bartenders): Rev. MegAnn Moore. Rev. Katie Trinter. (yeah, that's right Katie, i'm putting the girls in charge of hospitality)
I don't know about any of you, but this church sounds pretty badass.
Rock On People, Rock On.
BB
Mine is Christmas Eve this year. It had much more to do with the woman and 1-year-old sitting next to me and the memories of Christmas Eve a year before than the service. (sorry, dad)
So another question: When was the last time you got goosebumps in worship that were caused solely by the worship experience itself?
I just listened to Live On Two Legs, a live album by the best band of the past 25 years, Pearl Jam. I was reminded as I listened that my lifetime goosebumps moments were all at rock concerts and very rarely at a worship service.
Pearl Jam opens with Release, my favorite song, as the rain starts coming down.
Metallica bursts into the opening of Fuel as 8, 10-feet-high flames shoot out from the front of the stage five feet from my face.
Eric Clapton starts the encore with the greatest lick ever written, the opening of Layla.
Dave Matthews hits notes so high, MY throat starts to bleed.
Martin Sexton sings of reuniting with his long lost son.
Robert Randolph plays notes on his lapsteel guitar that send shockwaves down my spine.
I have never felt closer to God than in those moments. I mean it, even the Metallica show. And not just close to God; close enough to reach out and touch God's face, close enough to feel the love of God for all creation radiating like the heat from a bonfire.
I have never felt as close to God in any worship experience I have ever been to.
There's three reasons worship, particularly worship music falls short:
1. The music is lame. Please note: none of the concert experiences above are from the many Christian concerts I've been to. No Audio Adrenaline, no Third Day. None of them compare musically. Giving up secular music in high school is one of the dumbest things I've ever done. Christian music sucks. The songs are awful, the lyrics are meaningless and sentimental. Worship music is emotional. Great music is transcendental. (Brief pause to remember the guru of transcendental meditation, Maharishi Mehesh Yogi, who is personally responsible for giving the Beatles the inspiration for the White Album) It doesn't tug on your heart strings; it takes you to another place, a Hole Nother Level. When I experienced a Tool concert, with the only person I have been directly involved in coming to the blessing of baptism, Jeff Green, I got to a point in the concert when all I could do was laugh. Out of joy, out of sheer hopelessness that I would never be able to play like that, out of the magnitude and power of the songs. All I could do was laugh. Lindsey knows that little laugh well. I desire with all my heart to be brought to a place of such perfect bliss that laughter is my only response in worship. But, the music doesn't compare, it can't compete. There is no candle big enough, no fuel powerful enough, for Christian music to EVER hold a flame to great rock music.
2. The musicians aren't ready, aren't good enough. I know that in praise bands there is a feeling that all who come to participate are welcome. But you can't put anybody who has good intentions and wants to be invovled up there in charge of taking a congregation to another place with their music. Rock players are virtuosos; they are the absolute best at what they do. They rehearse relentlessly and devote their entire lives to the perfection of their skill. And when they perform, everything is perfect. Now, compare that with the 15-year-old with the out of tune Fender Squire, the church organist transplanted to the Casio keyboard and the 8 vocalists all trying to outsing each other and only accomplishing to sing LOUDER than each other, which is not the same thing. There is nothing wrong with striving for excellence in our worship musicians. Nothing takes me out of an attitude of worship faster than ONE wrong note, one sloppy beginning or chaotic ending, or-especially for me-a drummer who knows ONE beat and ONE tempo and ONE dynamic. Musicallity. Musicainship. Here come the comments about worship being a welcoming environment and a pastor/worship leader not being able to say no to anyone, not being allowed to say "your playing isn't good enough." It's simply not true. Worship is supposed to be an encounter with God, face to face with the giver of life...and MUSIC. If Jimmy wants to play guitar and just learned a sloppy, halting version of Lord I Lift Your Name On High, DO NOT put Jimmy in your praise band. Repeating, there is nothing wrong with striving for excellence in worship music and worship musicians.
3. The whole service is not designed to work and fit together to provide an atmosphere of transformation, transfiguration, transportation. At a rock show, the lights, the stage, the video behind the artists, every single detail goes hand in hand, and works in absolutely perfect harmony to provide the best performance possible. Yes, I said performance. An argument I can't stand is that worship music can't be performance. It HAS TO BE!! And, every possible aesthetic componant needs to work in sync.
This serves as a wonderful transition paragraph, almost as if the writer designed that way.
I want to start a rock 'n roll church. A church whose worship services cause goosebumps and shivers EVERY week. A church that's just as much rock show as worship service. A church that starts no earlier than 10pm and goes until 2 or 3. A church with a pyrotechnics ministry. A church that looks on the inside more like the Blue Note in Columbia than Missouri UMC down the street. I want a praise band that kicks ass-that's right, I said ass-that plays music that would be played on 96.5 the buzz not the crappy Christian radio station, a band that can jam, a guitar player that can play SRV solos behind his head (big ups to Ryan McClouth), a band of real, true-blue, professional level musicians, a drummer who-like every rock drummer should-is just trying to play somehow near the level of John Bohnam, a drummer who knows who John Bohnam is. I want a congregation with ripped jeans and band t-shirts, with tatoos and metal in their heads. A congregation who knows as much about the White Stripes as they do about Jesus. A congregation who knows who the White Stripes ARE!!!
There is a huge, ultra-dedicated, ultra-forgotten population that is looking for God just like the rest of us: rockfans, punks, metalheads, neo-hippies, goths. Every church has that kid who dresses in black, wears eye make up and listens to My Chemical Romance. These kids are forgotten in the best cases and alienated and scolded in the worst cases. In between those cases, the kids are patronized by people who are genuinely trying to help but write off the situation as a phase. Something that you grow out of. You never grow out of being a metalhead, of loving rock music. That's why, if reached, these people could be the most hardcore, devoted disciples since Peter. (that whole getting crucified upside down thing was pretty hardcore discipleship)
The more I write, the more serious, and seriously possible and seriously needed, this seems to me. So, let's daydream a bit. Rev. Brad Bryan, Minister of Metal. Rev. Adam Mustoe, Minister of Pop/Acoustic/Hip Hop (for one of the white-est crackas I know, he's got a lot of hip hop) Rev. Mark Angleton, Minister of Ska. Rev. Adam Caldwell, Minister of Punk/Emo/Screamo. Rev. Andy Bryan, Minister of 80s/Doodlebops. Rev. Crystal Hughes, Minister of Jazz. Rev. Joel Kidwell, Minister of 90s/Alternative. Rev. Dennis Harper, Minister of Classic Pop/Rock. Rev. Jim Bryan, Minister of Old White Guy Music. Rev. Kevin Shelton, Minister of Music No One Has Ever Heard Of but Him.
Director of Music/Band Leader: Ryan McClouth (the greatest guitar player I have ever known)
Art Director/Stage Design: Ryan Delgado, one artistic Mexican.
Co-Directors of Lighting and Pyrotechnics: Rev. Ron Carlson and Rev. Shane Moore, can you even imagine. Ron in charge of the fire.
Door Managers (bouncers): Adam Leathers, Adam Gordon-Louch.
Ministers of Hospitality (bartenders): Rev. MegAnn Moore. Rev. Katie Trinter. (yeah, that's right Katie, i'm putting the girls in charge of hospitality)
I don't know about any of you, but this church sounds pretty badass.
Rock On People, Rock On.
BB
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Sola Scriptura
There's been a conversation happening in the comment section of my last post between my friend Mustoe (not Adam. Adam is Adam and Mustoe is Mustoe) and myself. Please feel free to read through this conversation. As you do, keep in mind that Mustoe and I are actually best friends and love each dearly, even dream of serving a congregation together sometime in our lives.
My friend brings up a good point concerning my Ten Most Controversial. (I hear the complaints of the fellas who actually have class with me and hear my backhand comments. Some of my viewpoints are simply not blog-worthy nor blog-appropriate)
How do we come to the conclusions we make? I sometimes wish that the "Jump-to-Conclusions mat" from Office Space actually exsisted. Wouldn't it be great if we could just lay out all the possible answers to all the possible questions on some sort of hopscotch board and whichever one we landed on, that's the one we take. No thinking, no debate, no fuss.
Alas, there is no such product. We are called, and really were created, to make up our own minds. At one point in Monty Python's Life of Brian, Brian-who is being confused with the Messiah and blindly followed by hundreds of crazed disciples-finally addresses the crowd with the thesis of the film. "Don't you see, you don't need to follow ANYBODY, think for yourselves."
Sola Scriptura refers to the belief that Scripture alone is sufficient to guide all moral, social and spiritual actions and decisions. Mustoe is very right to point out that I am adamantly against this view, especially as it is used by the "fundys" (Ryan Delgado has a great post on Facebook about the true nature of fundamentalism, btw). Anyone can, and everyone has, use scripture to support every point of view under the sun. The KKK, the extremist Jihadists, slave traders, Fred Phelps and his hate-mongering family. All say that there actions and viewpoints are guided and defined by Scripture.
I did not mean to give the impression that my interpretation of Scripture is the one and only support for my views on homosexuality, violence, luxury, etc. I don't use Scripture that way; as just another article to support my hypothesis like some holy debate team captain. I don't even like sermons that jump from verse to verse in order to prove the point of the message, usually taking all those verses far out of their original context and meaning.
As a Wesleyan, I believe in four things that must always guide our theology, philosophy, missiology and all the rest. Scripture is absolutely one of the four. The others are reason, experience, and tradition. And, I would add a fifth, conscience.
The views expressed in the last post are guided by my interpretation of scripture, my life experience, the tradition out of which I come, my own personal reflection and reasoning, and how each of those views sit on my conscience. In the case of homosexuality (which I MUST point out is not the conversation mustoe and I are having; we are having a discussion of conclusion making, not the specific conclusion) in my interpretation of scripture: 1. the homosexuality to which the Bible speaks is unequivocally wrong and sinful; it is idolitrous pederasty, having sex with young boys who serve in the Greek and Roman temples. 2. the homosexuality we know now, the loving, committed relationship between two people of the same gender, didn't exist or wasn't discussed when the Bible was written. 3. Jesus does quote the OT in the "man leave his home and take a wife" passage, but he does not say this is how marriage is defined in every case and the only way that it isn't sinful. 4. When it comes to Paul, he thinks we're all wrong for being married, gay or straight, so....5. Even if you consider homosexuality a sin, isn't there a strong message of grace and mercy and forgiveness in Scripture. Isn't there a "take the plank from your own eye" passage.
In my experience, homosexual people are no different than the rest of us. It's even hard for me to talk about homosexual people like another race, another subset of people. All of us are broken, wonderful, sinful, grace-filled people just trying to do the best we can in this life.
In my tradition, the UMC states that homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. (the reason i used the same language when referring to a life of luxury). I don't agree, but as a UMC pastor I must uphold this statement in my ministry. I hope to be a part of the church that changes this view in the Book of Discipline. (btw, it says the same thing about violence, war, and gambling) As far as my family tradition, I was raised to uphold, respect, love, serve all people regardless of...well...anything. I was raised to believe that all people should have access to the same rights and priviledges.
In my own reasoning, I think about the arguments against. It is sinful: well, so is smoking and I did that, so is drinking and i do that, so is lusting and I do that...a lot. It is unnatural: while I cannot picture being with another man myself, love and committment and relationship may be the most natural things in this world. It attacks the institution of marriage: marriage isn't doing so great in the hands of the heteros, my friends. I just can't get my mind to a place that thinks, or reasons, that homosexuality is wrong.
And the point I added, conscience: it FEELS wrong to me to say that homosexual people are sinful or wrong or not worthy of marriage or somehow not as worthy as I am to serve God in ministry. It FEELS wrong.
Deep breath.
Well, there you have it. Again, I don't mean to start the be-all-end-all of debates on homosexuality. The point of this post is method: how do we come to the conclusions to which we hold? In order to better understand the views of others, we must understand our own and how we arrive at them. Method is the basis of conversation, or dialogue to use a buzzword. I respect the views of those who have come to their conclusions through a long process of reflection, study, reasoning and discussion. I do not respect the view that this is wrong, that is wrong, I'm for Barack, I'm for Hilary, I'm for McCain, my point is the only acceptable point...but I really don't know why.
Discussion and conversation is the key. Or, we could just stand on either side of the line and scream random Bible verses at each other.
I love you, Mustoe. BB
My friend brings up a good point concerning my Ten Most Controversial. (I hear the complaints of the fellas who actually have class with me and hear my backhand comments. Some of my viewpoints are simply not blog-worthy nor blog-appropriate)
How do we come to the conclusions we make? I sometimes wish that the "Jump-to-Conclusions mat" from Office Space actually exsisted. Wouldn't it be great if we could just lay out all the possible answers to all the possible questions on some sort of hopscotch board and whichever one we landed on, that's the one we take. No thinking, no debate, no fuss.
Alas, there is no such product. We are called, and really were created, to make up our own minds. At one point in Monty Python's Life of Brian, Brian-who is being confused with the Messiah and blindly followed by hundreds of crazed disciples-finally addresses the crowd with the thesis of the film. "Don't you see, you don't need to follow ANYBODY, think for yourselves."
Sola Scriptura refers to the belief that Scripture alone is sufficient to guide all moral, social and spiritual actions and decisions. Mustoe is very right to point out that I am adamantly against this view, especially as it is used by the "fundys" (Ryan Delgado has a great post on Facebook about the true nature of fundamentalism, btw). Anyone can, and everyone has, use scripture to support every point of view under the sun. The KKK, the extremist Jihadists, slave traders, Fred Phelps and his hate-mongering family. All say that there actions and viewpoints are guided and defined by Scripture.
I did not mean to give the impression that my interpretation of Scripture is the one and only support for my views on homosexuality, violence, luxury, etc. I don't use Scripture that way; as just another article to support my hypothesis like some holy debate team captain. I don't even like sermons that jump from verse to verse in order to prove the point of the message, usually taking all those verses far out of their original context and meaning.
As a Wesleyan, I believe in four things that must always guide our theology, philosophy, missiology and all the rest. Scripture is absolutely one of the four. The others are reason, experience, and tradition. And, I would add a fifth, conscience.
The views expressed in the last post are guided by my interpretation of scripture, my life experience, the tradition out of which I come, my own personal reflection and reasoning, and how each of those views sit on my conscience. In the case of homosexuality (which I MUST point out is not the conversation mustoe and I are having; we are having a discussion of conclusion making, not the specific conclusion) in my interpretation of scripture: 1. the homosexuality to which the Bible speaks is unequivocally wrong and sinful; it is idolitrous pederasty, having sex with young boys who serve in the Greek and Roman temples. 2. the homosexuality we know now, the loving, committed relationship between two people of the same gender, didn't exist or wasn't discussed when the Bible was written. 3. Jesus does quote the OT in the "man leave his home and take a wife" passage, but he does not say this is how marriage is defined in every case and the only way that it isn't sinful. 4. When it comes to Paul, he thinks we're all wrong for being married, gay or straight, so....5. Even if you consider homosexuality a sin, isn't there a strong message of grace and mercy and forgiveness in Scripture. Isn't there a "take the plank from your own eye" passage.
In my experience, homosexual people are no different than the rest of us. It's even hard for me to talk about homosexual people like another race, another subset of people. All of us are broken, wonderful, sinful, grace-filled people just trying to do the best we can in this life.
In my tradition, the UMC states that homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. (the reason i used the same language when referring to a life of luxury). I don't agree, but as a UMC pastor I must uphold this statement in my ministry. I hope to be a part of the church that changes this view in the Book of Discipline. (btw, it says the same thing about violence, war, and gambling) As far as my family tradition, I was raised to uphold, respect, love, serve all people regardless of...well...anything. I was raised to believe that all people should have access to the same rights and priviledges.
In my own reasoning, I think about the arguments against. It is sinful: well, so is smoking and I did that, so is drinking and i do that, so is lusting and I do that...a lot. It is unnatural: while I cannot picture being with another man myself, love and committment and relationship may be the most natural things in this world. It attacks the institution of marriage: marriage isn't doing so great in the hands of the heteros, my friends. I just can't get my mind to a place that thinks, or reasons, that homosexuality is wrong.
And the point I added, conscience: it FEELS wrong to me to say that homosexual people are sinful or wrong or not worthy of marriage or somehow not as worthy as I am to serve God in ministry. It FEELS wrong.
Deep breath.
Well, there you have it. Again, I don't mean to start the be-all-end-all of debates on homosexuality. The point of this post is method: how do we come to the conclusions to which we hold? In order to better understand the views of others, we must understand our own and how we arrive at them. Method is the basis of conversation, or dialogue to use a buzzword. I respect the views of those who have come to their conclusions through a long process of reflection, study, reasoning and discussion. I do not respect the view that this is wrong, that is wrong, I'm for Barack, I'm for Hilary, I'm for McCain, my point is the only acceptable point...but I really don't know why.
Discussion and conversation is the key. Or, we could just stand on either side of the line and scream random Bible verses at each other.
I love you, Mustoe. BB
Monday, February 11, 2008
Brad's Ten Most Controversial
I'm all about conversation. The press and the politicians want us to believe that if we disagree we can't get along, we can't work together for a better world. As my friend Adam and I know, most people think that "doctrinal issues" are a reason for people to not be friends.
But, in order to be a part of the conversation, one must know where they stand, back up that stance with evidence and be able to support it. So here are my top ten controversial stances, political, religious, social and sometimes fun views that I hold close to my heart. So, here we go.
10. I truly believe that our nation is run EXACTLY how the X-Files said it was-a bunch of old, rich, powerful white guys, sitting around in a smoke-filled room behind closed doors making decisions for the rest of us.
9. Marijuana should have the same laws and regulations as cigarettes and alcohol. Cigarettes kill 1200 people a day. Alcoholism destoys lives and familes. And I've never met an unpleasant, hard-to-get-along-with or seriously troubled pot smoker.
8. If you still think George W. Bush was a "good" president, it's probably going to be hard for us to be friends.
7. If you drive a full-size pickup truck, there's a 60% chance that you're a jerk. Your jerkness is proportional to the size of tires, the amount and content of bumper stickers, the height of your lift and the relation of your truck to the actual work you do.
6. Hunting and conservation/environmentalism have NOTHING to do with each other.
5. Violence is bad, wrong and evil in every case-war, domestic violence, capital punishment, self-defense. All bad. "If someone strikes you on the cheek, turn to him the other."
4. Hand guns should be absolutely illegal for anyone but law enforcement.
3. It is REDICULOUS to think that evolution is still a theory. I can't believe we had presidential candidates who didn't believe in evolution. Isn't there an educational requirement to become the leader of the free world?
2. Driving a luxury car-a car over $50,000-is incompatable with Christian teaching.
1. There is no scriptural, reasonable, traditional or experiential reason that homosexual people should not be allowed, nay encouraged, to be married or ordained as pastor. The kind of homosexual activity in the Bible is more like To Catch a Predator than Will and Grace.
Bonus stance: Oprah is bad for America.
Let the conversation begin, BB
But, in order to be a part of the conversation, one must know where they stand, back up that stance with evidence and be able to support it. So here are my top ten controversial stances, political, religious, social and sometimes fun views that I hold close to my heart. So, here we go.
10. I truly believe that our nation is run EXACTLY how the X-Files said it was-a bunch of old, rich, powerful white guys, sitting around in a smoke-filled room behind closed doors making decisions for the rest of us.
9. Marijuana should have the same laws and regulations as cigarettes and alcohol. Cigarettes kill 1200 people a day. Alcoholism destoys lives and familes. And I've never met an unpleasant, hard-to-get-along-with or seriously troubled pot smoker.
8. If you still think George W. Bush was a "good" president, it's probably going to be hard for us to be friends.
7. If you drive a full-size pickup truck, there's a 60% chance that you're a jerk. Your jerkness is proportional to the size of tires, the amount and content of bumper stickers, the height of your lift and the relation of your truck to the actual work you do.
6. Hunting and conservation/environmentalism have NOTHING to do with each other.
5. Violence is bad, wrong and evil in every case-war, domestic violence, capital punishment, self-defense. All bad. "If someone strikes you on the cheek, turn to him the other."
4. Hand guns should be absolutely illegal for anyone but law enforcement.
3. It is REDICULOUS to think that evolution is still a theory. I can't believe we had presidential candidates who didn't believe in evolution. Isn't there an educational requirement to become the leader of the free world?
2. Driving a luxury car-a car over $50,000-is incompatable with Christian teaching.
1. There is no scriptural, reasonable, traditional or experiential reason that homosexual people should not be allowed, nay encouraged, to be married or ordained as pastor. The kind of homosexual activity in the Bible is more like To Catch a Predator than Will and Grace.
Bonus stance: Oprah is bad for America.
Let the conversation begin, BB
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Politics
Can anybody easily and succienctly (sp?) explain to me what the hell is going on?
Delegates, super delegates, primaries, caucausi. Obama won more states but less delegates. But, he says he won more delegates. But now matter what the actual people vote, the super delegates can vote however they want.
What the hell?
And, supplimental question, should I care?
BB
Delegates, super delegates, primaries, caucausi. Obama won more states but less delegates. But, he says he won more delegates. But now matter what the actual people vote, the super delegates can vote however they want.
What the hell?
And, supplimental question, should I care?
BB
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
The Difference
I am sitting in Hendrix Hall of St. Paul School of Theology, waiting for Ecumenical Theology and the Unity of the Church to begin its spring semester term. Appropriately, I heard yesterday a definition of the difference between myself and the Fundamentalist Evangelicals.
It came from an NPR interview with the first director of Bush's Office of Faith Base Initiatives and the new author of Godly Republic. I can't remember his name right now, but he is a non-Evangelical Catholic and professor of Religion and Politics somewhere.
In the course of his interview, he said, almost offhand, that the difference between him and Fundamentalist Evangelicals is that they do everything they do to get other people to be Christians. And he does what he does because HE'S a Christian.
Brilliant. That's what I see and I'm sure it's filtered through the media and my own lenses, but it's what I see. Evangelism, in terms of conversion to Christianity, is what guides the theology, preaching, mission and service and ecclesiology of Fundamentalists. Discipleship, or following the example and teaching of Jesus Christ, is what guides and defines me and my ministry.
I know that some of you will say that being evangelical is being a disciple. I get that point. But, conversion just never has been and never will be the focal point of my ministry. I preach, teach, serve, visit, comfort, study, invite, welcome and love because I am a follower of Jesus Christ not necessarily to make others follow Jesus Christ.
This is a question I think every Christian pastor and every Christian needs to ask themselves. Recognizing and reflecting on why we do what we do is an important part of discipleship. And, let me make this clear, i'm not saying that one is better than the other. I'm just saying that this difference exists. Some people on the extreme fringes of both sides think that differences in opinion mean that people can't work together and love each other. That's BS in my opinion. Differences make us human, and loving, liking and living with each other, working with each other to serve the world in spite of our differences is what makes us Christians. But, it is a question we all need to ask. Are you a Great Commission Christian? "Go and make disciples of all nations" Or, are you a Responding Christian? "Love others BECAUSE Christ loved you." Niether one is right, niether one is better. But it is important as followers of Jesus Christ to understand the reasons and drives that define your minstry. And, btw, you can be both.
I declare that my theology, ecclesiology, pedagogy, preaching, missiology and ministry are defined by my discipleship and following of Jesus Christ. I am concerned with evangelism in terms of spreading and showing the love of Jesus through my words and actions; not too concerned with the conversion of the world to Christianity.
Greatest Super Bowl Ever!!! gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggGGGGGGG-MEN!!
Peace, BB
It came from an NPR interview with the first director of Bush's Office of Faith Base Initiatives and the new author of Godly Republic. I can't remember his name right now, but he is a non-Evangelical Catholic and professor of Religion and Politics somewhere.
In the course of his interview, he said, almost offhand, that the difference between him and Fundamentalist Evangelicals is that they do everything they do to get other people to be Christians. And he does what he does because HE'S a Christian.
Brilliant. That's what I see and I'm sure it's filtered through the media and my own lenses, but it's what I see. Evangelism, in terms of conversion to Christianity, is what guides the theology, preaching, mission and service and ecclesiology of Fundamentalists. Discipleship, or following the example and teaching of Jesus Christ, is what guides and defines me and my ministry.
I know that some of you will say that being evangelical is being a disciple. I get that point. But, conversion just never has been and never will be the focal point of my ministry. I preach, teach, serve, visit, comfort, study, invite, welcome and love because I am a follower of Jesus Christ not necessarily to make others follow Jesus Christ.
This is a question I think every Christian pastor and every Christian needs to ask themselves. Recognizing and reflecting on why we do what we do is an important part of discipleship. And, let me make this clear, i'm not saying that one is better than the other. I'm just saying that this difference exists. Some people on the extreme fringes of both sides think that differences in opinion mean that people can't work together and love each other. That's BS in my opinion. Differences make us human, and loving, liking and living with each other, working with each other to serve the world in spite of our differences is what makes us Christians. But, it is a question we all need to ask. Are you a Great Commission Christian? "Go and make disciples of all nations" Or, are you a Responding Christian? "Love others BECAUSE Christ loved you." Niether one is right, niether one is better. But it is important as followers of Jesus Christ to understand the reasons and drives that define your minstry. And, btw, you can be both.
I declare that my theology, ecclesiology, pedagogy, preaching, missiology and ministry are defined by my discipleship and following of Jesus Christ. I am concerned with evangelism in terms of spreading and showing the love of Jesus through my words and actions; not too concerned with the conversion of the world to Christianity.
Greatest Super Bowl Ever!!! gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggGGGGGGG-MEN!!
Peace, BB
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Not So Surprising Revelations
Well, through my experience at this year's minister's school and conversations this week with my polity friends, I finally have enough material to make a new post. Acthung, Attention, Warning: I feel a rant coming on...
George Bush doesn't care about black people...in one unbelievable and yet totally believable statement, Kanye West summed up a huge problem in america.
Here's mine. The United Methodist Church doesn't know how to deal with young adult clergy or how to talk to young adults.
This year's conversation at Minister's School concerned The Emergent Church. This conversation is taking place 7 years too late as we are moving away from the Emergent Church into a new ditigal age. The best part of the three day event was the presentation by Tim Keel, the founding pastor of Jacob's Well in KC.
Here's the point: church can not be formulated. A Center for Congregational Excellence will not, can not, speak to the needs of all congregations or how to reach young people who have no interest in the church. There is NO MODEL that will work everytime, in every situation. I hope and pray that the Pathways commission of the UMC and the Centers understand this. Congregations are part of the neighborhood that surrounds them. The ministries of congregation must speak to the needs of the community of which they are a part. The methods and style of a congregation must fit within the reality of the community of which they are a part. And, the PASTORS of congregations should be experts in the needs and styles and character of the communities of which they are a part.
So, why would you move a 25 year old, relatively high-tech, pop-culture, rock and roll, city boy to two rural congregations made up of farmers and teachers? Because the UMC doesn't know what to do with young adult clergy. And because the itineracy system doesn't work anymore! Now, i love the people in my congregations more than i love myself. But, i am doing them a disservice because i don't know their needs and issues, what's important to them, i speak a different language than they do, i come from a different world than they do. I will preach, visit, lead worship, marry people, bury people and be faithful in my service to these churches for as long as I am appointed here. But, there is a limit to what I can accomplish here. And, yes, I know that we have faith in God who works without the aid of the church, and that God has plans for my congregations. But, in order to become a part of God's ministry, through the local church, the leadership of a pastor who relates to the community has to play a huge role.
I feel like I was in a setting in which I belonged with a community with which i could relate. I had a pastor who had a chance to become a great influence and mentor in my life and affect my whole career. Instead, i was told it wasn't working out and the DS's had to scramble to find a place for me.
I am in polity class right now. Learning about the itineracy covenant and the candidacy process. You really want to bring the average age of ordained ministers down: Let's talk about the ten years it takes become ordained, let's talk about the mininum salaries and lack of insurance support. let's talk about the probability of changing jobs, moving families, every three years. let's talk about the lack of respect and involvement and participation and opportunity if you're not at least commissioned.
The candidacy process is five years too long and five times too hard. There's is a better way to ensure the accountability and readiness of all clergy without taking ten years to get through the process. The earliest you can be ordained is 29. Fact. The better way to ensure accountability is through the connection and relationship between clergy throughout their careers. Supporting, encouraging, and strengthening the connections between colleagues should be the role of the Center for Pastoral Excellence, not creating a check list of effectiveness that's supposed to work for every pastor in every situation. The process has to be reformed. Instead of hearing everywhere we go to find future clergy in our churches, the process needs to be reformed.
The itineracy process is also something that needs to be dealt with in order to encourage young people to become a part of the clergy. The average person changes jobs every 8-10 years. We change jobs every 2-3, especially if we're in the process and not commissioned or ordained and on part time local church appointments. That's not attractive to people considering ministry. Why would they want to do that if they could get a good steady job, without 7 years of education, with health benefits that much much less demanding than this job is. The itineracy comes from a church-past when pastors actually rode horses from town to town. The world has changed, is changing, will change, and the church must change with it.
As part of the conversation with the Bishop at minister's I stood up and made some points about how this new ditigal age is just reality to people like me, not something to studied or a problem to be solved. And the more the church sees and lives into this new time as reality, the better. The bishop thanked me graciously for my points and then said he would love to get a group of commissioned and ordained young adults together to have more conversations just like this. Now, we're getting somewhere. Young adults want to do that too, most of us are just waiting to be asked. But, did you hear it? I am immediately left out of that converation because of the time it takes to become commissioned and ordained. I am neither. Does that mean I have nothing to give to the conversation of the church's reaching young adults? I am a young adult for crying out loud!!!!
There is no model, there is no formula. The old paradigms simply don't work anymore. The new model is intense, contextual studies of certain areas and their needs, wants, styles, and other demo. stuff. Something must be done.
For example, downtown KC has seen a mass influx of young upwardly mobile hipster type folks. The only UMC presence down there is Grand Avenue, with an unbelievable place in the history of worldwide homeless ministry. But there's an opportunity to build on the old and reach the new. Using the homeless ministry identity of that church, Grand Avenue could be rediculously effective as a young adult downtown, emergent/ditigal age church. And I'd love to be a part of it. But, as for now, I'm a lisenced local pastor, so it's hard to get people to listen.
The times they are a-changin'. And if something doesn't change in the methodology, polity, and ministry of the UMC, the times are going to leave us behind.
Stop throwing your young adults out in to the country (or for that matter your young adult rural pastors into the cities) Stop putting your young adults through hell to become a part of the ministry of the UMC. Stop asking pastors and their familes to move at an awful rate. Stop NOT offering your young adults benefits that only fulltime pastors recieve (if we boycott walmart for the same reason, what does that say about us?) And stop sitting around in conference rooms talking about how to reach young adults.....JUST ASK ONE OF US!!!!
Dedicated to the ministry of God on this earth and hopeful for the future of the United Methodist Church within that ministry, Reverend Bradley James Bryan.
George Bush doesn't care about black people...in one unbelievable and yet totally believable statement, Kanye West summed up a huge problem in america.
Here's mine. The United Methodist Church doesn't know how to deal with young adult clergy or how to talk to young adults.
This year's conversation at Minister's School concerned The Emergent Church. This conversation is taking place 7 years too late as we are moving away from the Emergent Church into a new ditigal age. The best part of the three day event was the presentation by Tim Keel, the founding pastor of Jacob's Well in KC.
Here's the point: church can not be formulated. A Center for Congregational Excellence will not, can not, speak to the needs of all congregations or how to reach young people who have no interest in the church. There is NO MODEL that will work everytime, in every situation. I hope and pray that the Pathways commission of the UMC and the Centers understand this. Congregations are part of the neighborhood that surrounds them. The ministries of congregation must speak to the needs of the community of which they are a part. The methods and style of a congregation must fit within the reality of the community of which they are a part. And, the PASTORS of congregations should be experts in the needs and styles and character of the communities of which they are a part.
So, why would you move a 25 year old, relatively high-tech, pop-culture, rock and roll, city boy to two rural congregations made up of farmers and teachers? Because the UMC doesn't know what to do with young adult clergy. And because the itineracy system doesn't work anymore! Now, i love the people in my congregations more than i love myself. But, i am doing them a disservice because i don't know their needs and issues, what's important to them, i speak a different language than they do, i come from a different world than they do. I will preach, visit, lead worship, marry people, bury people and be faithful in my service to these churches for as long as I am appointed here. But, there is a limit to what I can accomplish here. And, yes, I know that we have faith in God who works without the aid of the church, and that God has plans for my congregations. But, in order to become a part of God's ministry, through the local church, the leadership of a pastor who relates to the community has to play a huge role.
I feel like I was in a setting in which I belonged with a community with which i could relate. I had a pastor who had a chance to become a great influence and mentor in my life and affect my whole career. Instead, i was told it wasn't working out and the DS's had to scramble to find a place for me.
I am in polity class right now. Learning about the itineracy covenant and the candidacy process. You really want to bring the average age of ordained ministers down: Let's talk about the ten years it takes become ordained, let's talk about the mininum salaries and lack of insurance support. let's talk about the probability of changing jobs, moving families, every three years. let's talk about the lack of respect and involvement and participation and opportunity if you're not at least commissioned.
The candidacy process is five years too long and five times too hard. There's is a better way to ensure the accountability and readiness of all clergy without taking ten years to get through the process. The earliest you can be ordained is 29. Fact. The better way to ensure accountability is through the connection and relationship between clergy throughout their careers. Supporting, encouraging, and strengthening the connections between colleagues should be the role of the Center for Pastoral Excellence, not creating a check list of effectiveness that's supposed to work for every pastor in every situation. The process has to be reformed. Instead of hearing everywhere we go to find future clergy in our churches, the process needs to be reformed.
The itineracy process is also something that needs to be dealt with in order to encourage young people to become a part of the clergy. The average person changes jobs every 8-10 years. We change jobs every 2-3, especially if we're in the process and not commissioned or ordained and on part time local church appointments. That's not attractive to people considering ministry. Why would they want to do that if they could get a good steady job, without 7 years of education, with health benefits that much much less demanding than this job is. The itineracy comes from a church-past when pastors actually rode horses from town to town. The world has changed, is changing, will change, and the church must change with it.
As part of the conversation with the Bishop at minister's I stood up and made some points about how this new ditigal age is just reality to people like me, not something to studied or a problem to be solved. And the more the church sees and lives into this new time as reality, the better. The bishop thanked me graciously for my points and then said he would love to get a group of commissioned and ordained young adults together to have more conversations just like this. Now, we're getting somewhere. Young adults want to do that too, most of us are just waiting to be asked. But, did you hear it? I am immediately left out of that converation because of the time it takes to become commissioned and ordained. I am neither. Does that mean I have nothing to give to the conversation of the church's reaching young adults? I am a young adult for crying out loud!!!!
There is no model, there is no formula. The old paradigms simply don't work anymore. The new model is intense, contextual studies of certain areas and their needs, wants, styles, and other demo. stuff. Something must be done.
For example, downtown KC has seen a mass influx of young upwardly mobile hipster type folks. The only UMC presence down there is Grand Avenue, with an unbelievable place in the history of worldwide homeless ministry. But there's an opportunity to build on the old and reach the new. Using the homeless ministry identity of that church, Grand Avenue could be rediculously effective as a young adult downtown, emergent/ditigal age church. And I'd love to be a part of it. But, as for now, I'm a lisenced local pastor, so it's hard to get people to listen.
The times they are a-changin'. And if something doesn't change in the methodology, polity, and ministry of the UMC, the times are going to leave us behind.
Stop throwing your young adults out in to the country (or for that matter your young adult rural pastors into the cities) Stop putting your young adults through hell to become a part of the ministry of the UMC. Stop asking pastors and their familes to move at an awful rate. Stop NOT offering your young adults benefits that only fulltime pastors recieve (if we boycott walmart for the same reason, what does that say about us?) And stop sitting around in conference rooms talking about how to reach young adults.....JUST ASK ONE OF US!!!!
Dedicated to the ministry of God on this earth and hopeful for the future of the United Methodist Church within that ministry, Reverend Bradley James Bryan.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Brad's New Years Resolutions
For New Years 2008, I've decided to do things a bit more concretely. Usually, it's the generals-lose weight, read more, etc. This time, however, I've broken it into Brad's every day of 2008 resolutions.
1. Wake up at 7:00 from Sunday to Thursday like normal people.
2. Eat breakfast like normal people.
3. Exercise @ least 1 hour a day.
4. Study seven days a week.
5. Write a piece for my rock song devotional book-1 piece a day and it'll be written in a year.
6. Walk Fiona every day.
7. Do something for both churches every day. (I work hard, but not EVERY day)
8. Do something special for Lindsey every day.
9. Record my receipts every night.
10. Go to sleep before midnight like normal people.
Well, there you go. I guess we'll see how long it lasts this year. I hope everybody had a great Christmas and has a great New Year!
Peace in the Middle East, B
1. Wake up at 7:00 from Sunday to Thursday like normal people.
2. Eat breakfast like normal people.
3. Exercise @ least 1 hour a day.
4. Study seven days a week.
5. Write a piece for my rock song devotional book-1 piece a day and it'll be written in a year.
6. Walk Fiona every day.
7. Do something for both churches every day. (I work hard, but not EVERY day)
8. Do something special for Lindsey every day.
9. Record my receipts every night.
10. Go to sleep before midnight like normal people.
Well, there you go. I guess we'll see how long it lasts this year. I hope everybody had a great Christmas and has a great New Year!
Peace in the Middle East, B
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
What the Hell?
I really don't want to follow a post of my intelligent, funny, and kind nephew with this. but I feel like I must.
Michael Vick killed dogs. He bought dogs, watched as they ripped each other to shreds until one couldn't stand, bet money on the fights, and then killed the ones that lost and buried them in a forrest behind his house. His actions were dispicable as a human being, and as a football player, caused his team to completely fall apart and lose all hope of being successful for years to come.
So, why, why in the hell, would members of that team wear shirts that said "Free Michael Vick" to a Monday Night Football game? Why would players put Vick's number on their eyeblack? Last week, every player in the league put the number 21 on their helmets and gloves and everything, to remember a player who had, by all accounts actually turned his life around, and who was shot in his home protecting his girlfriend and his child. This week, Falcons members had Vick's number in the same place. Awful. Terrible. Disgusting.
If you aren't sickened and pissed about what Vick did, then be angry at him for doing this to your football team. Don't support a man who is personally responsibile for the failure of your team.
I myself am sickened and pissed about what Vick did. He should be exactly where he is, and I don't know anything about the law, but deserves what the law says he should get. He should never play in the NFL ever again. If Michael Vick shot a human in the leg, he would never come back. Vick killed, KILLED, dozens of dogs. Those are not the actions of a good human being, of a role model for millions of kids.
I am a Christian pastor, so I have to believe in forgiveness. I pray that Vick can change his life and stop hanging around with people who would actually do this. And that he use his influence and persona to change lifes, not only for the sake of young black men in this country, but for the sake of the most watched and loved sport in this country.
But, the NFL should not forgive him. The NFL should punish those that wore Free Mike Vick shirts, basically saying that there was nothing wrong with he did. Our sports organizations in this country must start holding criminals accountable. Why does tank johnson still have a job, carrying guns everywhere he goes? Why won't baseball say what everybody, including themselves, already knows? These are criminals, teaching the millions of children that love them, that worship them, that behaving like this is ok, that cheating and degrading the games that the country loves is the only way to break records. (that's right, America, I'm saying Barry Bonds absolutely used steriods and lied about it)
Paying your debt to society is one thing, God's grace is another. But, come on. NFL, NBA, MLB...grow a pair and finally say, if you break the law, your done. Time to take a stand.
Now, everybody scroll down and look at the picture of my crazy nephew. The world is still alright.
B
Michael Vick killed dogs. He bought dogs, watched as they ripped each other to shreds until one couldn't stand, bet money on the fights, and then killed the ones that lost and buried them in a forrest behind his house. His actions were dispicable as a human being, and as a football player, caused his team to completely fall apart and lose all hope of being successful for years to come.
So, why, why in the hell, would members of that team wear shirts that said "Free Michael Vick" to a Monday Night Football game? Why would players put Vick's number on their eyeblack? Last week, every player in the league put the number 21 on their helmets and gloves and everything, to remember a player who had, by all accounts actually turned his life around, and who was shot in his home protecting his girlfriend and his child. This week, Falcons members had Vick's number in the same place. Awful. Terrible. Disgusting.
If you aren't sickened and pissed about what Vick did, then be angry at him for doing this to your football team. Don't support a man who is personally responsibile for the failure of your team.
I myself am sickened and pissed about what Vick did. He should be exactly where he is, and I don't know anything about the law, but deserves what the law says he should get. He should never play in the NFL ever again. If Michael Vick shot a human in the leg, he would never come back. Vick killed, KILLED, dozens of dogs. Those are not the actions of a good human being, of a role model for millions of kids.
I am a Christian pastor, so I have to believe in forgiveness. I pray that Vick can change his life and stop hanging around with people who would actually do this. And that he use his influence and persona to change lifes, not only for the sake of young black men in this country, but for the sake of the most watched and loved sport in this country.
But, the NFL should not forgive him. The NFL should punish those that wore Free Mike Vick shirts, basically saying that there was nothing wrong with he did. Our sports organizations in this country must start holding criminals accountable. Why does tank johnson still have a job, carrying guns everywhere he goes? Why won't baseball say what everybody, including themselves, already knows? These are criminals, teaching the millions of children that love them, that worship them, that behaving like this is ok, that cheating and degrading the games that the country loves is the only way to break records. (that's right, America, I'm saying Barry Bonds absolutely used steriods and lied about it)
Paying your debt to society is one thing, God's grace is another. But, come on. NFL, NBA, MLB...grow a pair and finally say, if you break the law, your done. Time to take a stand.
Now, everybody scroll down and look at the picture of my crazy nephew. The world is still alright.
B
Monday, December 10, 2007
My Crazy Nephew
Sitting around one night, Wesley stands up in the middle of the room, and says, like its the best idea he's ever had. "I'm gonna put my pants on my hands and my coat on my feet!!!"
Ladies and gentlemen, the upside-down boy.
Monday, December 03, 2007
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Brianna
From 10 year old Brianna of Mt. Moriah United Methodist Church:
No Perfect People:
Why my life is so rough who knows. God must be seeing how much I love him. No one is perfect. God is great, but no one can put their whole heart in because everyone sins. If we sin we can not be perfect. So my point is proved that no one can be perfect. John 3:16 says God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son to die so we shall no die, but have eternal life. So this means we do sin but if we repent we shall be saved. Everyone (almost at least) are always nagging and saying repent, repent but is it truly bad. God is great. God has given his great, and only son, to die for us. So why can't the world see it? Why can't they understand that God has done so much?
Why, indeed?
No Perfect People:
Why my life is so rough who knows. God must be seeing how much I love him. No one is perfect. God is great, but no one can put their whole heart in because everyone sins. If we sin we can not be perfect. So my point is proved that no one can be perfect. John 3:16 says God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son to die so we shall no die, but have eternal life. So this means we do sin but if we repent we shall be saved. Everyone (almost at least) are always nagging and saying repent, repent but is it truly bad. God is great. God has given his great, and only son, to die for us. So why can't the world see it? Why can't they understand that God has done so much?
Why, indeed?
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Message to Al Gore
I was listening to a great Tower of Power song the other day called "Only So Much Oil in the Ground". There's a prechorus in the song that says "We can't cut loose, without that juice." AWESOME! Hilarious. Their concern for the earth's over-consumption of petrolium is directly-proporsional to their ability to party.
Then I thought more about it and thought that this would be a genious campaign for Al Gore for all the hipster, downtown, young adult liberals out there who are pretty much all talk and no action. Who bought Save Darfur and the Live Earth cd because it was trendy but still use too much hair spray, drive too much and smoke too much. There won't be any cool downtown loft apartments any more, no facebook, no apple martinis or whatever cool people do. We won't be able to listen to music, check e-mail, makes phone calls, surf the internet, and take pictures on the same machine if the seas start to rise. No spring break in Key West if Key West is under water.
Think about it Al.
We can't cut loose, without that juice.
BB
Then I thought more about it and thought that this would be a genious campaign for Al Gore for all the hipster, downtown, young adult liberals out there who are pretty much all talk and no action. Who bought Save Darfur and the Live Earth cd because it was trendy but still use too much hair spray, drive too much and smoke too much. There won't be any cool downtown loft apartments any more, no facebook, no apple martinis or whatever cool people do. We won't be able to listen to music, check e-mail, makes phone calls, surf the internet, and take pictures on the same machine if the seas start to rise. No spring break in Key West if Key West is under water.
Think about it Al.
We can't cut loose, without that juice.
BB
The State of Rock and Roll
Last week my brother Andy pointed out an op-ed in the Star about the state of rock and roll music. If I were my brother, I would have links to this article and maybe even remember the name of the guy who wrote the article. I'm sure Andy will include his name in his comment to this post.
Alright, first the article. The piece was based on a recent idea and program from Steven Van Zandt, Bruce Springsteen's rythym guitarist. It is a lament of the current state of rock music, the individualized and niche market nature of music today, and the general public's and musicians knowledge of American music history. He plans to produce for group who are making good rock music and start public educational programs to teach kids American music history.
Alright, first off, i'm pretty sure that this exact article was probably written about 50 years ago by the parents of these guys when rock and roll first started. It was too loud, too fast, too sexy, too protesting. And now Steven Van Zandt, probably the least important person in the Boss's 7-9 piece band, is that old, fat, bald guy who think music is too loud, too violent, too sexual, too influenced. This is the same old song and dance that we heard from preachers and politicians when Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Elvis started shaking their hips. The unfamiliar is always bad, wrong.
He makes an argument that the Rolling Stones wouldn't make it today if they were just starting out. Because of the niche markets that are out there today, they wouldn't get radio play and any PR guy at a record label wouldn't touch them and wouldn't know what to do with their sound. I agree. And I don't think the Rolling Stones would have any problem with that! In an interview last year, Ringo Starr said that what rock bands should be doing today is tearing down everything the Beatles ever did. That's what they did. They heard their parents music and hated it, and ripped it up and spit it out of their electric amps. That's what rock and roll is.
Next, the writer relates the story of Van Zant's discovery of the Beatles and how it changed his life. And that kids today don't have that experience. This is just another example of old guys not being in touch. Kids are still discovering the Beatles and it's still changing lives. I am a late Beatles convert and yes, it has changed my life. I went to a party over the holiday and met a guy my age who said he probably couldn't name and definately couldn't sing ONE Beatles song. I can't imagine a life without the music of the Fab Four. I know it's only rock and roll (but I like it) but there's so much life and joy and love in the Beatles. There's nothing wrong with the best rock music ever made-the beatles and led zeppelin-never being surpassed. No one will ever make better music than those guys. No matter what Steven Van Zant does.
Finally, I'd just like to say to the author of the letter (a nerdy looking guy with big glasses and the wrap-around-the-sides bald guy hair) and Steven Van Zant (an old, kinda fattening, good-not-great-guitar player who relys on Bruce Springsteen for a career) that rock music is just fine! Inspired by the article, I went to the iPod and created a rock only playlist. Looking across eras (one of the advantages of the ditigal age) with a "no metal" rule, I came up with one hell of a rockin' list. Here's some bands that rock, no niche market-just straight ahead rock and roll, Clutch, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Band of Horses, Wolfmother (who sound a lot like a little band called Black Sabbath), Black Crowes, Guns and Roses (really anything Slash plays), Kings of Leon, Louis XIV, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Arcade Fire, about half of Ben Harper's stuff, Cold War Kids, Eagles of Death Metal, Queens of the Stone Age and so many, many more.
Rock and Roll is meant for two things and sometimes a third: 1. piss off parents 2. get girls and (sometimes) 3. call for political change. Now, Steven Van Zant and the guy who's name I can't remember are the parents that are pissed off by the noise their kids are listening too.
Just because you're out of touch with rock and roll, doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it.
Long Live Rock 'n' Roll, B
Alright, first the article. The piece was based on a recent idea and program from Steven Van Zandt, Bruce Springsteen's rythym guitarist. It is a lament of the current state of rock music, the individualized and niche market nature of music today, and the general public's and musicians knowledge of American music history. He plans to produce for group who are making good rock music and start public educational programs to teach kids American music history.
Alright, first off, i'm pretty sure that this exact article was probably written about 50 years ago by the parents of these guys when rock and roll first started. It was too loud, too fast, too sexy, too protesting. And now Steven Van Zandt, probably the least important person in the Boss's 7-9 piece band, is that old, fat, bald guy who think music is too loud, too violent, too sexual, too influenced. This is the same old song and dance that we heard from preachers and politicians when Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Elvis started shaking their hips. The unfamiliar is always bad, wrong.
He makes an argument that the Rolling Stones wouldn't make it today if they were just starting out. Because of the niche markets that are out there today, they wouldn't get radio play and any PR guy at a record label wouldn't touch them and wouldn't know what to do with their sound. I agree. And I don't think the Rolling Stones would have any problem with that! In an interview last year, Ringo Starr said that what rock bands should be doing today is tearing down everything the Beatles ever did. That's what they did. They heard their parents music and hated it, and ripped it up and spit it out of their electric amps. That's what rock and roll is.
Next, the writer relates the story of Van Zant's discovery of the Beatles and how it changed his life. And that kids today don't have that experience. This is just another example of old guys not being in touch. Kids are still discovering the Beatles and it's still changing lives. I am a late Beatles convert and yes, it has changed my life. I went to a party over the holiday and met a guy my age who said he probably couldn't name and definately couldn't sing ONE Beatles song. I can't imagine a life without the music of the Fab Four. I know it's only rock and roll (but I like it) but there's so much life and joy and love in the Beatles. There's nothing wrong with the best rock music ever made-the beatles and led zeppelin-never being surpassed. No one will ever make better music than those guys. No matter what Steven Van Zant does.
Finally, I'd just like to say to the author of the letter (a nerdy looking guy with big glasses and the wrap-around-the-sides bald guy hair) and Steven Van Zant (an old, kinda fattening, good-not-great-guitar player who relys on Bruce Springsteen for a career) that rock music is just fine! Inspired by the article, I went to the iPod and created a rock only playlist. Looking across eras (one of the advantages of the ditigal age) with a "no metal" rule, I came up with one hell of a rockin' list. Here's some bands that rock, no niche market-just straight ahead rock and roll, Clutch, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Band of Horses, Wolfmother (who sound a lot like a little band called Black Sabbath), Black Crowes, Guns and Roses (really anything Slash plays), Kings of Leon, Louis XIV, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Arcade Fire, about half of Ben Harper's stuff, Cold War Kids, Eagles of Death Metal, Queens of the Stone Age and so many, many more.
Rock and Roll is meant for two things and sometimes a third: 1. piss off parents 2. get girls and (sometimes) 3. call for political change. Now, Steven Van Zant and the guy who's name I can't remember are the parents that are pissed off by the noise their kids are listening too.
Just because you're out of touch with rock and roll, doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it.
Long Live Rock 'n' Roll, B
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