Archive - June, 2011

“Having a Christian music industry is a lot of piffle”

June 28, 2011 in God, Jesus, music, supersimbo with 7 Comments

What now?

‘Having a Christian music industry is a lot of piffle’

My wife said this on Sunday as we re-watched the U2 performance at Glastonbury……

She was far more reserved in her assessment than I might have been….

Music really gets Christians all wrangled up though. I guess I am partially displaying that with this post….but, it really does divide opinion!

The musicians in Churches are often a tough bunch to work with! Rock stars for Jesus….. And, then you have the guardians of the Christian music industry who will tell us that, they write songs for the Church to equip us all for ‘worship.’

In response to this thinking, a friend recently said “Are we so stupid that we can’t discern what to sing in Church and need an entire industry to help us with that?”

Apparently we are that stupid……

But, where are the Christians on mission in the music industry? There are some…..aren’t there?

Living out their faith with all their flaws on display in – the – real – world? Being honest? Being real? Wrestling with the issues that the world throws in our faces? Writing about these issues and struggles and where God fits into all of that ……..and, not stuck in a bubble that is sanitised for nice religious people!

I know you may think I’m ranting…

Don’t take it personally!

Some thoughts about mission….

June 27, 2011 in church, God, Jesus, thoughts with 3 Comments

I’ve had a couple of interesting conversations with some folks about ‘mission’ recently….

Then I read this article which has got me thinking….

First off,

“If we’re Christians hooked up with Jesus, then we have become missionaries who are on a mission.”

I’m not sure we all get this? Maybe we do but, some of us still think ‘mission’ is when we go overseas to preach to under-developed nations and give them new shoes!

“……we are meant to reach out to those who don’t know Jesus out of the strength of our Christian community. If you are not in a community group, discipleship relationships, and finding your primary source of belonging from your Christian relationships, then it is inevitable that bad company will corrupt you (1 Corinthians 15:33).”

Do you have Christian friends? Who support, encourage and challenge you? Are you plugged into your local Church? The reality is that when we start to reject these things or are too busy to be connected to a Church community, then something is up!

“Many times, we don’t try to speak the gospel into people’s lives because we’re not really sure of it ourselves.”

Do we really understand the gospel? Have we gathered some phrases and cliches that don’t quite cut it? Do we depend too much on the preacher to tell others? Do we still think inviting people to Church is evangelism? Sure, it might be part of a process for some people but…..it’s not the whole picture.

And trust me, I am asking myself these questions. I am not preaching at you!!

So, are we on ‘mission?’

How does this look for you? In work, at home and even on the internet?

Currently listening to…..

June 27, 2011 in music, thoughts with 1 Comment

Bon Iver leave an impression on me……

The first album did and, perhaps this one is better…..

Ticket to Crossroads….

June 23, 2011 in music, supersimbo with 0 Comments

My brother Stephen is an exceptional guitar player…..

He teaches I don’t know how many kids every week to play guitar but, he has also recorded some instrumental tracks.

This is the latest one he has let us hear…..

Ticket To The Crossroads by Stephen Simpson

How about he duets with Seasick Steve or something like that?

Woody Allen & Lowered expectations….

June 23, 2011 in Bible, film, God, Jesus, supersimbo, thoughts with 0 Comments

When writing about the new Woody Allen film ‘Midnight in Paris,’ Mike Cosper says this;

“Allen’s conclusion—in this film and others—is lowered expectations. There is no “Golden Age,” only life, which was as full of dissatisfaction in the past as it is now. Christians shouldn’t be too quick to toss this conclusion off as fatalistic or too humanist. We live an incredibly narcissistic time where our expectations for life, love, marriage, and happiness are grandiose. We throw holy water on narcissism and count on our religious lives to generate the results we want. We romanticize all kinds of “Golden Ages” or “Golden Relationships,” imagining that Christian celebrities and leaders have the perfect lives we want, wishing we could step into their world, and imagining that the right combination of circumstances and religious obedience could earn them for us. “If I were married to (blank),” “If I worked at (blank).” Such narcissism needs the gospel to remind us that there has yet to be a “golden age” or a perfect situation, and that sin’s effects make all of life “a little unsatisfying.” We would do well to simply expect a little less.”

Read his full post here

I guess this post unintentionally follows on from my ‘no ambition’ thoughts…..

But, just as I asked in that post, here it is again……..what about your ambition?

How does it look?

Are you expecting too much? Or are your ambitions focussed on the wrong things?

Narcissistic perhaps?

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