Making Music
Bono - Evangelist
Bono, the lead singer for U2, has much to say about his faith that’s worth reading if you’re looking for examples of popular musicians who aren’t afraid to share their belief. In the book, “Bono: In Conversation with Michka Assayas,” by Michka Assayas, Bono has this to say about Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for the forgiveness of sins: “I love the idea that God says: Look, you cretins, there are certain results to the way we are, to selfishness, and there’s a mortality as part of your very sinful nature, and let’s face it, you’re not living a very good life, are you? The point of the death of Christ is that Christ took on the sins of the world, so that what we put out did not come back to us, and that our sinful nature does not reap the obvious death. That’s the point. It should keep us humbled... It’s not our own good works that get us through the gates of heaven.”
If music is your passion, and your friends as well, it couldn’t hurt to start a conversation about your faith using one of the biggest bands in rock n’ roll history as an example. Wouldn’t hurt at all.
Rock Opera!
You may have heard of (or seen) the musical “Godspell” and for sure have at least heard of “Jesus Christ: Superstar,” but there’s another rock musical that tells the Gospel story with a mix of hard rock, hip-hop, pop, along with a full-on multi-media blast called, “!Hero.” I haven’t seen it but I like the idea of it to reach the MTV generations out there. I’ve read some good reviews, mixed reviews, and there’s a double-CD of the musical you might want to check out as part of your musical witness. The rock opera was written by Christian music veterans Eddie DeGarmo and Bob Farrell. Their idea was to be seed planters by witnessing to the youth raised on music videos, computer games, and changing musical styles through a musical presentation of Jesus in a modern-day New York City where Christianity never existed and by playing out a Gospel message.
I say, rock on!
Your Career Path
Struggling with what career direction you should take? Try a Jesus Job. Looking at the life of Jesus, what types of jobs do you think He’d be suited to in our day? How about:
· Teacher
· Preacher
· Healer (Doctor)
· Professional speaker
· Public relations
· Sales person
I always thought Jesus would be the best sales person ever because He is honest, compelling, loves talking, sharing, and helping other people, is outgoing and personable, highly motivated, and truly believes what He is saying. I bring this up to you if you are the kind of person who is shy and uncertain, or even intimidated about how to share your faith – which is what this whole book is about. Try a career direction that challenges you, perhaps even frightens you, but you feel compelled to do (just as you do in wanting to share your faith). As they say, practice makes perfect and the more you get out there in front of people – in front of strangers – the more comfortable you’ll be, which in turn, will make you more effective and self-assured in sharing your faith.
That, and the commissions aren’t bad, either.
Combining Interests, Passions, and Faith
Motorcycling for Jesus!
Ever see groups of motorcyclists go by on the freeway? I read about this one group of Christian motorcyclists who have their group motto boldly displayed on the back of their jackets, “Born to Die.”
Christians in leather jackets – kinda cool.
Skateboading for Jesus!
Luis Palau is known for putting on these massive festivals that include cool Christian bands, skateboarders, and BMX bike riders – all in the name of spreading the Gospel to the younger generation. Sounds pretty cool.
Go to his website: www.palau.org for more information.
One of the dudes I read about that performs at these festivals is a guy by the name of Paul Anderson, who runs the Skate Church in Portland, Oregon. He is a neo-preacher with a groovy haircut who shreds on his skateboard and then tells the crowd of youngsters in attendance: "The Bible says that if you sin, you will die."
Whoa. Preach it, brother!
Boating for Jesus!
Another article I read spoke of a pastor who noticed more and more of his congregation taking Sunday off to go out on the local lake for some boating. So instead of being frustrated or upset about it, he decided to take Jesus to them out on the lake. Now he goes out on his own boat Sunday mornings and the congregation anchors themselves out on the lake in front of the pastor as he gives his sermon. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. The Word shall be heard!
Cowboys for Jesus
Ever hear of a Cowboy Church? There are a bunch out there, from Nashville to Texas and many other states, plus Mexico and Canada. The basic idea is to create a relaxed, western culture style church where the folks can wear coveralls and muddy boots if they want, and enjoy country and gospel music instead of hymns – creating a place to hear the Word of God but in an atmosphere for those not comfortable with the style of a traditional church. Instead of a pew, you might sit on a bale of hay. You’ll also see church services at rodeos, horse shows, and other western events through traveling rodeo ministries.
Bringing the saving message of Christ is the goal – whether sitting in a pew or sitting on a wool blanket covering the dirt floor of a barn, they are planting seeds – country style. Yee-haw!
The “Word” In Art
From Michelangelo to icons to animated films like “The Prince of Egypt,” art can express our faith in one image as opposed to a thousand words, just as a picture is worth a thousand words, as the saying goes. Going to a museum full of religious art from the medieval times might be a great way to explore faith with a fellow art lover.
For those with the artistic talent, here are just a couple of examples, past and present, of people using their skills to share their faith:
Drawing for Jesus!
Pixar artist Matthew Luhn has helped create many of Hollywood’s big-ticket animated flicks (such as “Finding Nemo,” “Toy Story 1 & 2”, and “Monsters, Inc.”), but he’s also interested in creating Christ-centered messages through his work. When he is on a project, Luhn tries to help craft good, entertaining stories that are consistent in theme to his Christian faith. (Source: “Drawing the Big Picture” by Frederica Mathewes-Green in “Christian Reader,” July/August 2003, Vol. 41, No. 4).
Lucas Cranach, 1472-1553
Lucas Cranach was one of the most important artists of his day as well as being a good friend of Martin Luther, even painting several portraits of the man. While his art was not exclusively religious, he represents a great example of a man who applied his faith within his career, impacting the culture with his Christian worldview captured on canvas. A fine example of Cranachs art is his “Rest on the Flight into Egypt” (housed at the Staatliche Museum in Berlin), which shows the Holy Family resting in the glade of a German pine forest.
Some Books You Might Want to Check Out
Revisiting Harry Potter
A lot has been written concerning the Harry Potter series about magic and occult, etc., etc., yada, yada. Fact is, the Harry Potter series can be used as an excellent source to bring in a conversation about your faith.
In an excellent article on “Christianity Today’s” website, the subject is brought up and opened up:
On magic, the article says, “In explaining his beloved “Chronicles of Narnia,” and in reference to Merlin in his sci-fi novel, “That Hideous Strength,” C. S. Lewis differentiates between two kinds of magic. Invocational magic is the dangerous kind that's warned about in the Bible, calling upon dark forces and ancient spirits to serve our selfish desires. Incantational magic, by contrast, is about harmonizing with the will of our creator—and that's the sort of spells we find in the works of Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkein, two of Rowling's favorite authors.”
On good and evil (one on my favorite subjects in the horror genre as you know), the article says, “One of the greatest strengths of the Potter series is its treatment of right and wrong. Rowling loves playing with duality in the characters, showing that we're all capable of good or evil, yet always clearly distinguishing the two. Things aren't always as they seem in Harry Potter, but we're always clear on right and wrong... Throughout the series, Rowling uses her heroes to champion the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. And conversely, evil is characterized by common sins like pride, wrath, and selfishness—all things that Harry faces and learns to overcome.”
(Source: “Redeeming Harry Potter” by Russ Breimeier posted on www.christianitytoday.com on 11/15/05).
And of course, there is much in the Potter series concerning the idea of sacrificial love—the quality that Christ exemplifies perfectly. So take another look at the Potter series. Don’t let the story context of witches and wizards keep you from a hugely popular book series that both children and adults love to talk about. Just remember to talk about it in terms of your Christian faith. Read the rest of the Potter article by searching on “Christianity Today” using the story headline.
(Another resource to explore on this subject is the book, “Looking for God in Harry Potter,” by John Granger).
Magazine Subscriptions
Okay, so this isn’t a book but it’s a magazine about books – and culture. Check out “Books & Culture: A Christian Review.” You can get a free issue to try it out so what are you waiting for? And don’t forget to renew your subscription to the excellent magazine, “Christianity Today.”
Heavier Reading
For those who really want to dig into the meat and potatoes of how Christianity and culture can both clash and complement, here is a list of books (some are textbooks but there are no tests or finals at the end so don’t be afraid to check them out) to explore:
“Selling God: American Religion in the Marketplace of Culture,” by R. Laurence Moore.
“Material Christianity : Religion and Popular Culture in America,” by Colleen McDannell.
“Christ & Culture,” by H. Richard Niebuhr.
“The Christian in Today’s Culture,” by Charles Colson and Nancy Pearcey.
“The Transformation of American Religion: How We Actually Live Our Faith,” by Alan Wolfe. While we want to use and tap into the popular culture that surrounds us in an effort to reach out to people with our faith, we need to be careful to not let that same culture transform our faith. In this book, Wolfe makes an argument that in the United States, “culture has transformed Christ, as well as all other religions found within these shores. In every aspect of the religious life, American faith has met American culture—and the American culture has triumphed.” Another observation of Wolfe is that Americans tend to withdraw from bearing witness to their faith if doing so might “make them seem unfriendly or invasive.” It’s an interesting and eye-opening read whether you agree with his analysis or not.
“Pop Culture Wars: Religion & the Role of Entertainment in American Life,” by William D. Romanowski.
Of course there are a lot more out there, but this will get you started on your way to expanding your brain cells. It’s good exercise. Take two chapters a day and call me in the morning.
Lighter Reading
Okay, you’ve done the textbook and heavy theory reading. Or not. Here are a few lighter titles that also dig into chunks of pop culture and turn it over for your inspection. Check ‘em out, yo.
“Taking the Red Pill: Science, Philosophy and Religion in The Matrix,” by Glenn Yeffeth (Editor), David Gerrold (Introduction). There are a bunch of books out on “The Matrix” and faith. Check ‘em all out if you’re a Matrix nut but this one is good if you just want one.
“Everyday Apocalypse: The Sacred Revealed in RadioHead, The Simpsons, and Other Pop Culture Icons,” by David Dark.
“The Gospel According to The Simpsons,” by Mark I. Pinsky. There are many “The Gospel According to...” books out there if you want to check them out, but I was always partial to Bart and Homer. Doh!
“Behind the Screen,” edited by Spencer Lewerenz and Barbara Nicolosi presents a look at the film and television industry through the eyes of Christian writers, producers, and executives.
“Eyes Wide Open: Looking for God in Popular Culture,” by William D. Romanowski. You can also download a wonderful study guide for free on the publisher’s website that goes through discussion points on each chapter of the book. Did I mention it is free? This is a great book for those who really want to get into the use of film in their witness. From the study guide: “Eyes Wide Open is a call for Christians to become more involved in God's good but fallen world as Christians, seeing with the eyes of your heart (Eph. 1:18), that is, from the perspective of faith.” (page 2)
In an interview by “Christianity Today,” Romanowski comments on four central features of the Christian cultural landscape in his book: “One, God is at work in the world; an invisible realm exists. Two, believing people inhabit this landscape, and faith is integral to all of life. Three, human sin is real, and evil exists. Four, God offers forgiveness and the possibility of redemption. These are the basic ways Christians look at the world, and any in film in which they are embodied, I’d say, is undergirded by a basic Christian worldview.” (Source: “The World Behind the Movie,” “Christianity Today,” February 5, 2001)
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