10/31/2009
all apologies
Everyone can have their own interpretation to this song, and I know the writer would have to, and so do I - depending on my mood at the time. When I listen to this song now, I feel like so much of the time I find myself apologizing for things. God knows I'm not perfect, I mess up a lot, but I do try hard. Sometimes it feels like no one in the world understands me, people get the wrong idea or assume wrongly about me or misconstrue what I say or something. It's always something. But, no matter what, God is always there for me, to turn to, talk to, be comforted by, get understanding and peace, knowing He's got my back and will get me through whatever. He always loves and understands me, even if no one else did. I guess what keeps me going all the time is knowing that and having the hope that somehow I'm important here and I'm helping out in some way. The end of the song says, "all alone is all we are." Well, in a way we are all alone when it comes to facing God because at the end of the day we all have to face God on our own. We can't hide behind anything, everything is bared bones and the complete truth of who we are is revealed. But, with Jesus, we are never really alone because He stands with us. "Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord (Jesus) will be saved." (Romans 3:23)
A Mild Experiment
In the days of my law practice, I would come home each night after work, and if I didn’t have some social event or another to attend, I would fix dinner and plop down in front of the television for a couple hours of cheap entertainment. Those days, I was watching a lot of crime shows, and I saw my fill of murder and mayhem just before heading off for a night of peaceful rest.
What I began to notice, however, was a bit unsettling. Each morning after an evening filled with televised violence, I would wake up with this vague sense of… depression.
Look, it was clear to everyone involved, including me, that these were just dramatic characterizations I was seeing on television, and I don’t have a problem distinguishing fantasy from reality, at least most of the time. And I’m not really prone to being depressed; in fact, I like to think that I’m a pretty happy and fun-loving guy. So it really made me think about the impact that entertainment and media has on my life. On one hand, it saturates our environment; on the other, it was my choice to turn on the television.
“‘Everything is permissible’ – but not everything is beneficial. ‘Everything is permissible’ – but not everything is constructive,” the Apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 10. I was talking this concept over with several people on my leadership team, and we found ourselves wondering: How would we be different if we used this as our standard for the entertainment and media we consume? If we consciously decided to only to take in that which is beneficial and constructive, would we be better artists?
It is a question worth asking ourselves. How we each answer could define how dedicated we are to our respective crafts. Now I should mention that not only am I not the arbiter of what is and isn’t beneficial and constructive for people in terms of entertainment, I also wouldn’t want that position. And quite frankly, I still like watching crime shows on television.
But if the old adage “garbage in, garbage out” is correct, isn’t the opposite also true? If we consciously decide to consume that which is beneficial and constructive – the true, the beautiful, the admirable, and all the other attributes found in Philippians 4 – doesn’t that mean that the art we create will more likely be true, beautiful, and admirable?
It is not that we can’t explore the darkness and its nature, but if darkness is all we explore, we will be forever blind. As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. And our art, to a large extent, comes from whom we are, or at least it does when it’s effective art. Which means that our art will be a product of what we do with the ideas we take in from the entertainment and media around us.
So my leadership team is going to do a mild experiment – and you’re welcome to join us if you’d like – to test this concept. For the next month, we’re going to see what happens when we limit our entertainment to that which is beneficial and constructive. I anticipate that we will be better artists on the other side.
All my best,
Shun Lee
Director
Hollywood Connect
© 2009 All rights reserved.
www.hollywoodconnect.com
What I began to notice, however, was a bit unsettling. Each morning after an evening filled with televised violence, I would wake up with this vague sense of… depression.
Look, it was clear to everyone involved, including me, that these were just dramatic characterizations I was seeing on television, and I don’t have a problem distinguishing fantasy from reality, at least most of the time. And I’m not really prone to being depressed; in fact, I like to think that I’m a pretty happy and fun-loving guy. So it really made me think about the impact that entertainment and media has on my life. On one hand, it saturates our environment; on the other, it was my choice to turn on the television.
“‘Everything is permissible’ – but not everything is beneficial. ‘Everything is permissible’ – but not everything is constructive,” the Apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 10. I was talking this concept over with several people on my leadership team, and we found ourselves wondering: How would we be different if we used this as our standard for the entertainment and media we consume? If we consciously decided to only to take in that which is beneficial and constructive, would we be better artists?
It is a question worth asking ourselves. How we each answer could define how dedicated we are to our respective crafts. Now I should mention that not only am I not the arbiter of what is and isn’t beneficial and constructive for people in terms of entertainment, I also wouldn’t want that position. And quite frankly, I still like watching crime shows on television.
But if the old adage “garbage in, garbage out” is correct, isn’t the opposite also true? If we consciously decide to consume that which is beneficial and constructive – the true, the beautiful, the admirable, and all the other attributes found in Philippians 4 – doesn’t that mean that the art we create will more likely be true, beautiful, and admirable?
It is not that we can’t explore the darkness and its nature, but if darkness is all we explore, we will be forever blind. As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. And our art, to a large extent, comes from whom we are, or at least it does when it’s effective art. Which means that our art will be a product of what we do with the ideas we take in from the entertainment and media around us.
So my leadership team is going to do a mild experiment – and you’re welcome to join us if you’d like – to test this concept. For the next month, we’re going to see what happens when we limit our entertainment to that which is beneficial and constructive. I anticipate that we will be better artists on the other side.
All my best,
Shun Lee
Director
Hollywood Connect
© 2009 All rights reserved.
www.hollywoodconnect.com
10/29/2009
the time i saw a demon...
I remember one time in the middle of the night as I was sleeping I was suddenly awakened by something. I was so incredibly tired. I was on my back in my bed with my arm underneath my head. I was able to open eyes, despite my tiredness, and right in front of me I saw a demon. It was a scrawny thing, yet monstrous with a green face. Part of me felt scared, my heart was beating fast. The other part of me felt confidence in Jesus. Knowing that I have authority as a believer over the forces of darkness, I declared, "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus." Then, I felt anger and I declared, "I'll kill you!" Immediately, the demon disappeared. That was the first and only time up to this point that a demon was visible to my eyes.
10/28/2009
Came for a Job, Left with Jesus!
By: C28 Temecula - Posted on: 10/26/2009 10:52:47 AM
Brian came into the store to see if we were hiring. He had no idea we were a Christian store.
He said he didn't know where he would go when he died but he wanted to go to Heaven. I talked to him for a while about his sin and with the help of the Why Tree Shirt he knew that he had sinned against God and that he needed forgiveness.
I shared the Sacrifice T-Shirt with him and opened up a bible and took him to the 51st Psalm and explained what David was going through when he wrote it and that is was a picture of a repentant person.
He then LITERALLY got down on his knees and prayed to God for forgiveness. I gave him a bible and showed him where to start reading(Luke). I invited him to Bible Study. He was in tears by the time he left the store, he didn't want to leave.
It was amazing to see the transformation from death to life in a sinner who comes to repentance. Praise the Lord for His glorious Grace.
Kayla
C28 Temecula
www.c28.com
Sophie Agapios - U Girl
U Girl
Lyrics by Sophie Agapios
Music by Sophie Agapios (MCPS) / London Jones (Peer Music)
Produced by Robert Cosio / London Jones
©Squeaky Records 2002
Take my hand and follow me you
On the road full of pot holes too
Leave the baggage on the sidewalk there
Don't look back on those days of despair
Reach for the stars and you'll never know what
Throw a penny in the wishing well drop
Pick up the pieces of your battered heart
This route will lead you to a brand new start
U Girl have to let it go girl, you have to let it go girl
Leave behind the pain my friend, this is where your troubles end
Through the obstacles of life we'll weave
Going to a place where we believe
Will bring harmony to your soul
A place where we can achieve our goals
In the darkest night my girl
We'll use the wisdom of the pearl
To change the pain we oh so suffer
And reject this life that's just too tough huh?
U girl have to let it go girl, you have to let it go girl
Leave behind the pain my friend, this is where your troubles end
Save me, I'm drowning in this world
I'm drowning with this life
Unclose your eyes so you may see in life
Walk with your head held high
Have a little courage so you shall see
You can arrive and live out your destiny
Recorded and Engineered by Joaquin Fernandez, Jerry L Christie, Paul Wagner/ Mixed by Robert Cosio, David Frederick/Recorded and Mixed at Backroom Studios, Glendale, CA/Vocals Sophie Agapios/Backing Vocals, Drum Programming, Synthesiser Programming London Jones/Acoustic Guitar, Additional Drum Programming, Additional Synthesizer Programming Robert Cosio/Electric Guitar David Frederick, Brent Hoffort
First Battle of the 2009 Christmas Culture War is here
From AFA (American Family Association), October 27 2009:
Michigan's Macomb County Road Commission orders removal of privately maintained Nativity scene at crossroads of city...
Ask the Macomb County Road Commission to rescind their order removing a privately maintained Nativity scene set at the crossroads of the city. The Christmas culture wars for 2009 have begun and ground zero is the Detroit suburb of Warren, which for 63 years has hosted a privately maintained Nativity scene set at the crossroads of the city.
Join AFA's Merry Christmas campaign! The Nativity display had been maintained by Warren city resident John Satawa and his family for most of the municipality's history until the Macomb County Road Commission this year ordered the display removed because they say it "clearly displays a religious message" in violation of the "separation of church and state."
The Road Commission informed Satawa of its decision upon receiving a letter in December 2008 from the Freedom from Religion Foundation, which purported to act on behalf of a complainant in the city of 134,000 residents, saying the display violated the Constitution. (See letter here)
The Thomas Moore Law Center has filed a lawsuit on behalf of Stawa against the Road Commission. Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center, said that militant atheists attempt to do through the courts what the Taliban by force had done to Afghanistan: remove all the symbols of the country's national heritage.
The Nativity dates from 1945, just five years after the incorporation of the Village of Warren, which then boasted 582 inhabitants.
Click HERE to Take Action on this issue.
Listen all you God-haters: It is not illegal to set up Nativity scenes and tell other people Merry Christmas if you want to. This a nation that was founded on Biblical principles and "separation of church and state" does not mean getting rid of Nativity scenes and Merry Christmases. If you think that then you really have no clue what "separation of church and state" means. So, get over it!
Michigan's Macomb County Road Commission orders removal of privately maintained Nativity scene at crossroads of city...
Ask the Macomb County Road Commission to rescind their order removing a privately maintained Nativity scene set at the crossroads of the city. The Christmas culture wars for 2009 have begun and ground zero is the Detroit suburb of Warren, which for 63 years has hosted a privately maintained Nativity scene set at the crossroads of the city.
Join AFA's Merry Christmas campaign! The Nativity display had been maintained by Warren city resident John Satawa and his family for most of the municipality's history until the Macomb County Road Commission this year ordered the display removed because they say it "clearly displays a religious message" in violation of the "separation of church and state."
The Road Commission informed Satawa of its decision upon receiving a letter in December 2008 from the Freedom from Religion Foundation, which purported to act on behalf of a complainant in the city of 134,000 residents, saying the display violated the Constitution. (See letter here)
The Thomas Moore Law Center has filed a lawsuit on behalf of Stawa against the Road Commission. Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center, said that militant atheists attempt to do through the courts what the Taliban by force had done to Afghanistan: remove all the symbols of the country's national heritage.
The Nativity dates from 1945, just five years after the incorporation of the Village of Warren, which then boasted 582 inhabitants.
Click HERE to Take Action on this issue.
Listen all you God-haters: It is not illegal to set up Nativity scenes and tell other people Merry Christmas if you want to. This a nation that was founded on Biblical principles and "separation of church and state" does not mean getting rid of Nativity scenes and Merry Christmases. If you think that then you really have no clue what "separation of church and state" means. So, get over it!
10/26/2009
Randy Travis - Forever And Ever Amen
You may think that Im talking foolish
Youve heard that Im wild & Im free
You may wonder how I can promise you now
This love that Im feeling for you always will be
Youre not this time that Im killing
Im no longer one of those guys
As sure as I live this love that I give
Is gonna be yours till the day that I die -- oh baby
Chorus...
Im gonna love you forever, forever & ever amen
As long as old men sit & talk about the weather
As long as old women sit & talk about old men
If you wonder how long Ill be faithfull
Ill be happy to tell you again
Im gonna love you forever & ever, forever & ever amen
They say that time takes its toll on a body
Makes the young girls brown hair turn grey
But honey, I dont care, Im not in love with your hair
And if it all fell out well Id love you anyway
They say that time can play tricks on a memory
And people forget things that they knew
But its easy to see its happening to me
Ive already forgotten every woman but you --- oh baby
Chorus......
Just listen to how this song ends
Im gonna love you forever & ever forever & ever
Forever & ever forever & ever amen
10/24/2009
From the cross of Calvary--where the bleeding hands of Jesus drop mercy--the cry comes, "Look unto Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth!" From Calvary's summit, where Jesus cries, "It is finished!" I hear a shout, "Look unto Me, and be saved!"
But there comes a vile cry from our soul, "No, look to yourself! Look to yourself!" Ah, look to yourself--and you will certainly be damned! As long as you look to yourself--there is no hope for you. It is not a consideration of what you are--but a consideration of what Christ is, that can save you. You must look away from yourself, and to Jesus!
Oh! there are many who quite misunderstand the gospel; they think that their good works qualify them to come to Christ; whereas SIN is the only qualification for man to come to Jesus!
"It is not the healthy who need a doctor--but the sick!" Matthew 9:12
~ Charles Spurgeon
When I read this quote, I am reminded of a song by Casting Crowns that contain the lyrics, "Not because of who I am, but because of what You've done... not because of what I've done, but because of who You are." [italics mine] My hope and my joy in life comes from looking to Jesus rather than myself. I gave up seeking for self-confidence a long time ago, once I realized that I could put my confidence in Christ instead. I think Christ-confidence is a far better investment than self-confidence. "Christ in me" is a much more promising proposition than "me in me." I realize that my personal bank account of talent, treasure, and self-righteousness won't buy me one thing that will last beyond the grave, but Christ's power and perfection will purchase for me not only peace in this life, but eternal life and joy in the next!
~ Kirk Cameron
But there comes a vile cry from our soul, "No, look to yourself! Look to yourself!" Ah, look to yourself--and you will certainly be damned! As long as you look to yourself--there is no hope for you. It is not a consideration of what you are--but a consideration of what Christ is, that can save you. You must look away from yourself, and to Jesus!
Oh! there are many who quite misunderstand the gospel; they think that their good works qualify them to come to Christ; whereas SIN is the only qualification for man to come to Jesus!
"It is not the healthy who need a doctor--but the sick!" Matthew 9:12
~ Charles Spurgeon
When I read this quote, I am reminded of a song by Casting Crowns that contain the lyrics, "Not because of who I am, but because of what You've done... not because of what I've done, but because of who You are." [italics mine] My hope and my joy in life comes from looking to Jesus rather than myself. I gave up seeking for self-confidence a long time ago, once I realized that I could put my confidence in Christ instead. I think Christ-confidence is a far better investment than self-confidence. "Christ in me" is a much more promising proposition than "me in me." I realize that my personal bank account of talent, treasure, and self-righteousness won't buy me one thing that will last beyond the grave, but Christ's power and perfection will purchase for me not only peace in this life, but eternal life and joy in the next!
~ Kirk Cameron
10/21/2009
Greg Jones - Ordinary Day
As I boy I would run to my school,
Cutting through fields of clover.
Then they were gone: clean, good, and nice.
Covered by roads where cars now drive.
It's just an ordinary day.
I'm much to strange for this ordinary world.
It's just an ordinary day.
I'm much to strange for this ordinary world.
The more than I learn, the less that I know.
Never thought I would want to slow down.
Just focus on clouds in blue skies,
Above all the rain, the sun shines.
It's just an ordinary day.
I'm much to strange for this ordinary world.
It's just an ordinary day.
I'm much to strange for this ordinary world.
It's just an ordinary day.
A circus full of clowns.
It's just an ordinary day.
A circus full of clowns.
It's just an ordinary day.
A circus full of clowns.
It's just an ordinary day.
It's just an ordinary day.
I'm much to strange for this ordinary world.
It's just an ordinary day.
I'm much to strange for this ordinary world.
Vanity
Why do we waste so much time and effort on things that don't last?
Look for the interesting photo at the beginning and end of the video.
Kutless - Better Is One Day
Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. - Psalm 84:10
10/19/2009
Art has sent you a message on GROUNDED...
A Young Man had been caught in a daring act of theft and had been condemned to be executed for it. He expressed his desire to see his Mother, and to speak with her before he was led to execution, and of course this was granted. When his Mother came to him he said: “I want to whisper to you,” and when she brought her ear to him, he nearly bit it off. All the bystanders were horrified, and asked him what he could mean by such brutal and inhuman conduct. “It is to punish her,” he said. “When I was young I began with stealing little things, and brought them home to Mother. Instead of rebuking and punishing me, she laughed and said: ‘It will not be noticed.’ It is because of her that I am here today.”
“He is right, woman,” said the Priest; “the Lord hath said:
‘TRAIN UP A CHILD IN THE WAY HE SHOULD GO; AND WHEN HE IS OLD HE WILL NOT DEPART THEREFROM.’ "
A Young Man had been caught in a daring act of theft and had been condemned to be executed for it. He expressed his desire to see his Mother, and to speak with her before he was led to execution, and of course this was granted. When his Mother came to him he said: “I want to whisper to you,” and when she brought her ear to him, he nearly bit it off. All the bystanders were horrified, and asked him what he could mean by such brutal and inhuman conduct. “It is to punish her,” he said. “When I was young I began with stealing little things, and brought them home to Mother. Instead of rebuking and punishing me, she laughed and said: ‘It will not be noticed.’ It is because of her that I am here today.”
“He is right, woman,” said the Priest; “the Lord hath said:
‘TRAIN UP A CHILD IN THE WAY HE SHOULD GO; AND WHEN HE IS OLD HE WILL NOT DEPART THEREFROM.’ "
10/18/2009
10/17/2009
Mortal - Mytho X
1 Timothy 1:3-5
What you believe defines your reality. When reality consists of ideas forged into action; what you believe becomes excruciatingly important. Try God!
rebel, pariah
balanced on the tightrope of fear
hero, warrior
relics of a golden age
when i see the dying children
fighting desperately to breathe
then words cut to the heart
asking What do you believe?
what is real?
God, man, mytho-x
is He real?
is He real to you?
legend, demigod
mortal life is never enough
savior, messiah
ripped the revolution with love
all the empty people
walking the dead-end street
love by example
is to walk with Jesus' feet
it's time to make up your mind
cutting loose these invisible strings
stripped from worldly tethers
it all comes down to just one thing
What is real?
10/16/2009
I've been through some things in my life that a lot of people wouldn't believe. My own mother told me that most adults don't ever have to go through what I was going through as a teenager. The only thing that got me out of it and helped me to overcome and be strong was Jesus. That's part of why I love God so much and have a strong faith, and want others to know what I have come to know. It's not some "oh I grew up in church and I'm just telling u what I was told" because I didn't. No, it's my own experience and knowledge, my real life. I would have killed myself years ago if it wasn't for God. He literally rescued me from total darkness and hell. God has a love for you that is better and stronger than any other possible. That is why He sent Jesus, his only begotten son, to die for your sins and bring you into a right relationship with Him, and go to Heaven someday. He knows you're not perfect. He wants you to come as you are and He will take care of the rest.
10/15/2009
Make halloween a soul winning event.
Instead of actually participating in halloween's ungodliness or instead of turning off the lights in order to avoid it completely, try spreading the Gospel instead and taking advantage of the opportunity that there will be door-to-door, trick-or-treating kids. I no longer participate in normal halloween activities since I've become a Christian, but I do take advantage of the easy opportunity to reach out to those kids that come knocking on my door. I buy Gospel tracts specially designed for kids and some of them have more of a halloween theme to them (I buy them off www.chick.com and www.atstracts.org). Then, I pass them out. After a while, I go around the neighborhood and put them on peoples front porches or somewhere they will notice later on, and try to pass them out to a few people as well. By that time, the younger kids are gone for the most part and it's really just the teenagers that are roaming about. I've never had a complaint about them, only a couple of adults that weren't interested. But, the kids accept them and never look down on it. Some of them look excited when they see what I have to give them (one boy said "I love these!"). I give them something different. They can get candy anywhere else, but at my house they get a kid-themed Gospel tract. Most of the ones I give out are in comic-book style only with a story that leads up to the Gospel message. I also hope that their parents will read it and it will give them something to think about. I pray before and after the event that God will use it to bless those kids and hopefully their families as well.
Here are some tips about using Gospel tracts on halloween (from www.chick.com):
1. Let Trick-or-Treaters pick from a tray stocked with different Chick tracts. (my note: or just hand them out like candy which is what I do)
2. Pass out Chick tracts at Haunted Houses.
3. Put a Chick tract under windshield wipers at adult Halloween parties.
4. Leave tracts in the candy section of stores.
5. Set up a table and give Trick-or-Treaters Chick tracts as they pass by your church.
6. Go house to house saying, "Trick or Tract," then hand the person a Chick tract.
7. Share Halloween tracts at school.
8. Leave Chick tracts at Costume shops.
9. Hit the streets, shouting, "Free comic books!" You'll be swarmed with requests.
10. Won't be home? Leave a box of Chick tracts at your front door with instructions.
11. Give some of your tracts to your Christian friends to get them involved.
12. Organize a church-wide Chick tract distribution project.
13. Hand out tracts at places where they sell Halloween pumpkins.
Buy Chick Tracts here.
Buy ATS Tracts here.
Here are some tips about using Gospel tracts on halloween (from www.chick.com):
1. Let Trick-or-Treaters pick from a tray stocked with different Chick tracts. (my note: or just hand them out like candy which is what I do)
2. Pass out Chick tracts at Haunted Houses.
3. Put a Chick tract under windshield wipers at adult Halloween parties.
4. Leave tracts in the candy section of stores.
5. Set up a table and give Trick-or-Treaters Chick tracts as they pass by your church.
6. Go house to house saying, "Trick or Tract," then hand the person a Chick tract.
7. Share Halloween tracts at school.
8. Leave Chick tracts at Costume shops.
9. Hit the streets, shouting, "Free comic books!" You'll be swarmed with requests.
10. Won't be home? Leave a box of Chick tracts at your front door with instructions.
11. Give some of your tracts to your Christian friends to get them involved.
12. Organize a church-wide Chick tract distribution project.
13. Hand out tracts at places where they sell Halloween pumpkins.
Buy Chick Tracts here.
Buy ATS Tracts here.
Jars Of Clay - Dead Man (Carry Me)
January 1:
I've got a lot of things on my mind.
I'm looking at my body
through a new spy sattelite.
I try to lift a finger,
but I don't think I can make the call.
So tell me if I move,
'cause I don't feel anything at all.
Oh, oh, oh...
So carry me!
I'm just a dead man,
lying on the carpet,
can't find a heartbeat.
Make me breathe!
I wanna be a new man,
I'm tired of the old one;
off with the old plan.
I woke up from my dream
about an empty funeral.
But it was better than the party
full of people I don't really know.
Well, they've got hearts to break and burn,
dirty hands to feel the earth.
I've got something in my veins,
but I can't seem to make it work...
...won't work.
So carry me!
I'm just a dead man,
lying on the carpet,
can't find a heartbeat.
Make me breathe!
I wanna be a new man,
I'm tired of the old one;
off with the old plan.
Can you find a beat... Inside of me?
Any pulse? Getting worse...
Any pulse? Getting worse...
Inside of me... Can you find a beat?
Carry me!
I'm just a dead man,
lying on the carpet,
can't find a heartbeat.
Make me breathe!
I wanna be a new man,
I'm tired of the old one;
off with the old plan.
Carry me!
(Carry me!)
I'm just a dead man,
lying on the carpet,
can't find a heartbeat.
Make me breathe!
(Make me breathe!)
I wanna be a new man,
I'm tired of the old one;
off with the old plan.
Song: Dead Man/Carry Me
Artist: Jars Of Clay
Album: Good Monsters (2005)
Stryper Turns 25
By Andy Argyrakis, senior music editor, GospelMusicChannel.com
It would be impressive enough to celebrate multi-platinum sales status, a plethora of hit videos on MTV and sold-out shows all across the globe, but in the case of Stryper, that also includes being the first faith-based band to successfully embark on a major crossover to mainstream. And now 25 years after the yellow-and-black-outfit-wearers first found fame, the original foursome is back and just as explosive as before, honoring the milestone with a 54-city North American tour this fall, followed by international dates throughout 2010.
New tunes, classic sounds and themes
Given the band’s hit-filled heavy metal history, it’s no surprise to see shows in all corners of the globe packing out with die-hards and newcomers alike thanks to an undeniable resurgence of ‘80s rock. Nonetheless, the crowds being drawn are nothing short of a surprising and surreal experience for frontman Michael Sweet, guitarist Oz Fox, drummer Robert Sweet and bassist Tim Gaines.
“I don’t think we had any expectations in the very beginning of this blowing up into what did,” Fox tells GospelMusicChannel.com backstage at the band’s recent House of Blues show in Chicago. “In the ‘80s, there were a lot of bands, but only a handful that were really successful and we’re thankful we got as popular as we did. And to continue to do that 25 years later, wow, what do you say to that? We’re just very thankful.”
Though the monumental anniversary is certainly a reason to head out on the road, the other catalyst is a brand-new studio CD called Murder By Pride, which hearkens back to the group’s melodic glory days, coupled with shades of the current hard rock climate. All the while, the message is just as seeker-friendly as it is grounded in the Gospel, continuing in Stryper’s tradition of witnessing to the world and encouraging the church at the same time.
“When I wrote [the title track] I was certainly thinking of myself [and the idea of] going to church on Sunday, hearing the message and leaving feeling like a new man,” Sweet explains via email. (Publicist Brian Mayes of Nashville Publicity Group is keeping the singer in strict “vocal preservation mode.”) We’ll have to let him slide just this once given the grueling tour schedule and fact that Stryper’s notes are just as sky high as members’ hair used to be. “But then you go throughout the week getting beat up by the world and by your own pride. I have a lot of pride – we all do – and we are being held back and murdered by it. [Even so, it’s all about] moving forward and not letting pride hold you back, but rather moving forward in Christ.”
Blazing a crossover trail
As Murder By Pride amasses fan and critical acclaim, it’s also sparked renewed interest in the band’s discography, which includes such blockbuster albums as mid-‘80s staples Soldiers Under Command, The Yellow and Black Attack and To Hell with the Devil. During that time period, singles like “Free” and “Honestly” became some of the most requested videos on MTV, followed by a GRAMMY nomination, plus a slew of secular radio and late night television talk show appearances. The band also ignited a media frenzy due to its color coordinated spandex outfits, striped instruments, outrageous hair styles and even bolder messages, simultaneously becoming the subject of enormous adulation and intense scrutiny.
(continued from page 1)
“We were called to do this and we needed to make a statement, presenting the gospel in a different way to places where traditional gospel music wouldn’t reach,” Fox recalls of Stryper’s initial strategy. “On the mainstream media side, there was quite a bit of eyebrow raising from Time and Newsweek, who thought Christian metal was controversial, and then on the Christian side, there were people saying metal was Satanic in general. When we would tour, we’d always have secular groups open for us in hopes that it would draw in non-believers thinking it was just a regular rock show. We got flack for that from some churches, but...you’ve gotta let that stuff slip off and trust God.”
As times have changed and Christian culture has become much more accepting of alternative music (not to mention a number of mainstream Christian acts) Stryper’s ministry techniques don’t seem as extreme as they once did, though they remain just as effective. In fact, the guys still hold onto their pattern of throwing Bibles into the crowd (even at club and bar shows) in hopes of influencing someone who came to the concert based off their celebrity rather than Christianity.
“This year we’ve partnered with an organization called One Verse,” Sweet continues. “They do Bible translations in languages that don’t yet have God’s word in their native language. We believe everyone, regardless of their beliefs or background, should have the opportunity to read the Bible.”
Laying a legacy
Thus far, that plan’s proven quite effective, not only when it comes to saving souls, but also continuing the group’s spiritual and pop culture legacy. Though Mayes has worked with the band since the release of 7: The Best of Stryper on Hollywood Records in 2003, response for the new album and anniversary tour is by far the most overwhelming he’s witnessed.
“You would have to be a recluse to avoid seeing Stryper references these days,” he asserts. “Just in the past few months, there have been mentions on ‘Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,’ ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ and the band even shows up in the new Drew Barrymore film ‘Whip It’ as a major plot point. Stryper opened the doors for everyone out there playing Christian rock today. Before Stryper, there was nothing like this – and they not only broke ground, but carried the cross for it as well. They were criticized and protested, but they continued on. Younger music fans may not realize that Stryper was the first Christian band to go double platinum and the first Christian band to get airplay on MTV.”
Canada’s red hot rockers Manic Drive credit Stryper as being key influences on its career thus far (even if its musical stylings are decidedly more modern). The trio is absolutely thrilled to be opening up the anniversary concerts every evening. The highly coveted slot came as a result of both bands sharing a showcase slot during Gospel Music Week and being personally chosen by the headliners.
“These shows have been packed out and the energy in the audience is always great,” verifies Manic Drive guitarist Michael Cavallo. “They’re definitely pioneers and they’ve made it cool to be bold, between throwing Bibles on stage to touring with Bon Jovi. They were being strong in faith and encouraging people with positive rock well before P.O.D. and Switchfoot, laying the foundation and encouraging bands like us to go for it as well.”
---
About the Writer
Andy Argyrakis is a Chicago-based entertainment writer/photographer who appears in the Chicago Tribune, Illinois Entertainer, Daily Journal, Concert Livewire, Hear/Say Magazine and Image Chicago (to name few). His record label writing credits include Warner Brothers, Atlantic, Curb, EMI and Universal, with additional photo credits for Fuse TV, Live Nation, Nikon, Pollstar, Celebrity Access, Paste Magazine, MTV.com and Vibe.com. He’s also the author/narrator of "Access Matthews" (an audio CD tracing the career of Dave Matthews Band) and spends considerable time on tour, including outings with Arlo Guthrie, The Guess Who, Madina Lake (on Linkin Park’s Projekt Revolution) and Gospel Music Channel’s very own "Gospel Dream" (where he served as season one judge).
© 2009 Gospel Music Channel
It would be impressive enough to celebrate multi-platinum sales status, a plethora of hit videos on MTV and sold-out shows all across the globe, but in the case of Stryper, that also includes being the first faith-based band to successfully embark on a major crossover to mainstream. And now 25 years after the yellow-and-black-outfit-wearers first found fame, the original foursome is back and just as explosive as before, honoring the milestone with a 54-city North American tour this fall, followed by international dates throughout 2010.
New tunes, classic sounds and themes
Given the band’s hit-filled heavy metal history, it’s no surprise to see shows in all corners of the globe packing out with die-hards and newcomers alike thanks to an undeniable resurgence of ‘80s rock. Nonetheless, the crowds being drawn are nothing short of a surprising and surreal experience for frontman Michael Sweet, guitarist Oz Fox, drummer Robert Sweet and bassist Tim Gaines.
“I don’t think we had any expectations in the very beginning of this blowing up into what did,” Fox tells GospelMusicChannel.com backstage at the band’s recent House of Blues show in Chicago. “In the ‘80s, there were a lot of bands, but only a handful that were really successful and we’re thankful we got as popular as we did. And to continue to do that 25 years later, wow, what do you say to that? We’re just very thankful.”
Though the monumental anniversary is certainly a reason to head out on the road, the other catalyst is a brand-new studio CD called Murder By Pride, which hearkens back to the group’s melodic glory days, coupled with shades of the current hard rock climate. All the while, the message is just as seeker-friendly as it is grounded in the Gospel, continuing in Stryper’s tradition of witnessing to the world and encouraging the church at the same time.
“When I wrote [the title track] I was certainly thinking of myself [and the idea of] going to church on Sunday, hearing the message and leaving feeling like a new man,” Sweet explains via email. (Publicist Brian Mayes of Nashville Publicity Group is keeping the singer in strict “vocal preservation mode.”) We’ll have to let him slide just this once given the grueling tour schedule and fact that Stryper’s notes are just as sky high as members’ hair used to be. “But then you go throughout the week getting beat up by the world and by your own pride. I have a lot of pride – we all do – and we are being held back and murdered by it. [Even so, it’s all about] moving forward and not letting pride hold you back, but rather moving forward in Christ.”
Blazing a crossover trail
As Murder By Pride amasses fan and critical acclaim, it’s also sparked renewed interest in the band’s discography, which includes such blockbuster albums as mid-‘80s staples Soldiers Under Command, The Yellow and Black Attack and To Hell with the Devil. During that time period, singles like “Free” and “Honestly” became some of the most requested videos on MTV, followed by a GRAMMY nomination, plus a slew of secular radio and late night television talk show appearances. The band also ignited a media frenzy due to its color coordinated spandex outfits, striped instruments, outrageous hair styles and even bolder messages, simultaneously becoming the subject of enormous adulation and intense scrutiny.
(continued from page 1)
“We were called to do this and we needed to make a statement, presenting the gospel in a different way to places where traditional gospel music wouldn’t reach,” Fox recalls of Stryper’s initial strategy. “On the mainstream media side, there was quite a bit of eyebrow raising from Time and Newsweek, who thought Christian metal was controversial, and then on the Christian side, there were people saying metal was Satanic in general. When we would tour, we’d always have secular groups open for us in hopes that it would draw in non-believers thinking it was just a regular rock show. We got flack for that from some churches, but...you’ve gotta let that stuff slip off and trust God.”
As times have changed and Christian culture has become much more accepting of alternative music (not to mention a number of mainstream Christian acts) Stryper’s ministry techniques don’t seem as extreme as they once did, though they remain just as effective. In fact, the guys still hold onto their pattern of throwing Bibles into the crowd (even at club and bar shows) in hopes of influencing someone who came to the concert based off their celebrity rather than Christianity.
“This year we’ve partnered with an organization called One Verse,” Sweet continues. “They do Bible translations in languages that don’t yet have God’s word in their native language. We believe everyone, regardless of their beliefs or background, should have the opportunity to read the Bible.”
Laying a legacy
Thus far, that plan’s proven quite effective, not only when it comes to saving souls, but also continuing the group’s spiritual and pop culture legacy. Though Mayes has worked with the band since the release of 7: The Best of Stryper on Hollywood Records in 2003, response for the new album and anniversary tour is by far the most overwhelming he’s witnessed.
“You would have to be a recluse to avoid seeing Stryper references these days,” he asserts. “Just in the past few months, there have been mentions on ‘Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,’ ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ and the band even shows up in the new Drew Barrymore film ‘Whip It’ as a major plot point. Stryper opened the doors for everyone out there playing Christian rock today. Before Stryper, there was nothing like this – and they not only broke ground, but carried the cross for it as well. They were criticized and protested, but they continued on. Younger music fans may not realize that Stryper was the first Christian band to go double platinum and the first Christian band to get airplay on MTV.”
Canada’s red hot rockers Manic Drive credit Stryper as being key influences on its career thus far (even if its musical stylings are decidedly more modern). The trio is absolutely thrilled to be opening up the anniversary concerts every evening. The highly coveted slot came as a result of both bands sharing a showcase slot during Gospel Music Week and being personally chosen by the headliners.
“These shows have been packed out and the energy in the audience is always great,” verifies Manic Drive guitarist Michael Cavallo. “They’re definitely pioneers and they’ve made it cool to be bold, between throwing Bibles on stage to touring with Bon Jovi. They were being strong in faith and encouraging people with positive rock well before P.O.D. and Switchfoot, laying the foundation and encouraging bands like us to go for it as well.”
---
About the Writer
Andy Argyrakis is a Chicago-based entertainment writer/photographer who appears in the Chicago Tribune, Illinois Entertainer, Daily Journal, Concert Livewire, Hear/Say Magazine and Image Chicago (to name few). His record label writing credits include Warner Brothers, Atlantic, Curb, EMI and Universal, with additional photo credits for Fuse TV, Live Nation, Nikon, Pollstar, Celebrity Access, Paste Magazine, MTV.com and Vibe.com. He’s also the author/narrator of "Access Matthews" (an audio CD tracing the career of Dave Matthews Band) and spends considerable time on tour, including outings with Arlo Guthrie, The Guess Who, Madina Lake (on Linkin Park’s Projekt Revolution) and Gospel Music Channel’s very own "Gospel Dream" (where he served as season one judge).
© 2009 Gospel Music Channel
10/14/2009
Never Stop Believing In Miracles
The following email was sent to C28 Palm Desert store manager, Dana Karr. This is a great reminder to never stop believing in Miracles!
===========
Dana,
Guess what God did? Just got back from the orthopedist, and our prayers were answered!!!! You prayed for my 16 year old son Daniel when I came into the store.
Daniel had a severe bend in his spine for the last two years, with his orthopedist, chiropractor, and physical therapist all telling me that it would never get better, we could only hope for it not getting worse. There was much talk about surgeries, etc. Before I left the store, you asked me if you could pray for anything for me. You asked God for a miracle for Daniel that day. I was so touched by your prayer, and I realized that I had not been believing God for a miracle, rather just praying that it wouldn't get any worse. Your prayer ignited my faith, and I began asking others to pray for a miracle for Daniel. The x-ray today showed Daniel's spine has straightened out 10 degrees, putting him into the 'normal' range!! The doctor said he doesn't ever need to be seen by him again.
Thank you so much for standing in faith with me and boldly asking God for a miracle. I am sure it hasn't sunk in for Daniel yet, but I know that God healed him, not just to help him physically, but to show Daniel His great love for him.
Fondly,
Susan E.
C2:8, Inc ©2009 - - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
http://www.c28.com/stories/fullstory.asp?StoryID=726&adid=10-15-09
===========
Dana,
Guess what God did? Just got back from the orthopedist, and our prayers were answered!!!! You prayed for my 16 year old son Daniel when I came into the store.
Daniel had a severe bend in his spine for the last two years, with his orthopedist, chiropractor, and physical therapist all telling me that it would never get better, we could only hope for it not getting worse. There was much talk about surgeries, etc. Before I left the store, you asked me if you could pray for anything for me. You asked God for a miracle for Daniel that day. I was so touched by your prayer, and I realized that I had not been believing God for a miracle, rather just praying that it wouldn't get any worse. Your prayer ignited my faith, and I began asking others to pray for a miracle for Daniel. The x-ray today showed Daniel's spine has straightened out 10 degrees, putting him into the 'normal' range!! The doctor said he doesn't ever need to be seen by him again.
Thank you so much for standing in faith with me and boldly asking God for a miracle. I am sure it hasn't sunk in for Daniel yet, but I know that God healed him, not just to help him physically, but to show Daniel His great love for him.
Fondly,
Susan E.
C2:8, Inc ©2009 - - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
http://www.c28.com/stories/fullstory.asp?StoryID=726&adid=10-15-09
10/10/2009
Who's The Real Winner?
People can look down on me, laugh at me and say all kinds of evil against me, but who's the real winner? Me. Still, I never hate anyone. I only love. I just feel sorry for them bcuz they don't understand how wrong they are and how much they are hurting themselves Someday there will be justice, but for now there is mercy. If God is for me then who cares who's against me. What can mere man do to me? You can kill my body, but you can't kill my soul which is alive and renewed through Christ Jesus. I have an eternal home in happiness and God's divine Spirit within me.
10/09/2009
Dealing With Hurts/Anger
By Charles F. Stanley
As a young man, Jim wanted to be a medical doctor. Yet when the time came for him to go off to college, his father forced him to stay on the family farm and work. By age 23, Jim had taken all he could. He packed up his belongings, loaded up his car, and left. He drove away with a heart full of bitterness and resentment towards his father.
Everywhere Jim went, he had a difficult time getting along with others. He seemed unable to make long-lasting friendships and suffered from rejection and isolation. Consequently, he found himself moving from job to job; he was never able to settle down.
Finally, he met a woman who really cared for him, and after a brief engagement, they were married. Yet within three weeks of the wedding, Jim had an unexpected outburst that marked the beginning of over 40 years of hell on earth for his loyal wife. Right up to the last days of his life—when he was senile, nearly blind, and unable to care for himself—the poison of bitterness continued to eat away at Jim’s heart. And all because he failed to deal with the rejection and hurt he experienced as a teenager.
Developing an unforgiving spirit
From years of talking to people, I have noticed ten common phases related to hurtful situations and forgiveness. Not everyone will pass through each stage, but most people with an unforgiving spirit will be able to identify with several of these scenarios.
1) We get hurt. The seeds of unforgiveness are planted when we are wronged or hurt physically, emotionally, or verbally. We may feel pain, abandonment, embarrassment, hatred, or some other negative emotion. But I believe all hurt has its roots in rejection. Feeling rejected, then, is the first stage in developing an unforgiving spirit.
2) We become confused. Often our first response to hurt is bewilderment. In this stage, we may think, This is not really happening. We may even have a physical reaction, such as a deep feeling of emptiness in the pit of the stomach. This phase is usually short-lived.
3) We look for detours. Since all of us have a desire to avoid discomfort, we find ways of avoiding painful thoughts and memories. We take mental detours. This drive motivates some people to drink heavily or become addicted to drugs.
We also take physical detours, avoiding certain people, places, and things. Anything that reminds us of the hurt becomes off-limits. For instance, a minister’s daughter, who was full of bitterness towards her father, told me, “I would never marry a preacher.” To her, clergymen were to be avoided at all costs.
4) We dig a hole. After rearranging our thought patterns and lives to avoid contact with any reminder of our hurt, we attempt to forget that the painful experience ever occurred.
5) We deny it. This phase is characterized by our denial that we were ever hurt or that we are covering up anything. We may say, “Oh, I dealt with that” or “I forgave him long ago.” Breaking out of this stage can be tough. I have met scores of adults who are carrying around a load of bitterness—it’s demonstrated through their tempers or other negative behaviors. But they see no connection between a turbulent childhood and their problems as adults.
6) We become defeated. Regardless of how successfully we think we have buried our hurt, resentment will still work its way out through our behavior. A short temper, oversensitivity, shyness, a critical spirit—all of these can be evidence of unresolved rejection. We can move, find a new job, change friends or spouses, make New Year’s resolutions, memorize Scripture, get counseling, or undertake any number of spiritual exercises, but until we deal with the root of the problem, transformation will not be possible.
7) We become discouraged. This is often where we seek professional help or bail out of our present circumstances altogether. In this stage, one might end a marriage because the spouse will not change or because the couple cannot rekindle the love they once shared. Furthermore, an unforgiving spirit destroys respect, which is critical to the health of a relationship (1 Peter 3:2). A lack of respect can dissolve the loyalty and dedication that hold a marriage together during tough times. Then divorce becomes a real option to couples who pledged an unconditional lifetime of commitment. Such is the power and poison of an unforgiving spirit. In fact, at this stage, people may begin to depend on alcohol and prescription drugs to make it through the day. Tragically, some choose to escape by taking their own lives.
8) We discover the truth. Through someone’s help or by God’s grace, we discover the root of bitterness. The pieces finally fit together, and we are able to see the connection between the past and the present.
9) We take responsibility. In this stage, we decide to quit blaming others or expecting them to change. We open our hearts for God to have His way, regardless of how it might hurt.
10) We are delivered. For those who are willing to deal with an unforgiving spirit, the final outcome is deliverance. My friend, you can be free of that embarrassing, inappropriate, family-splitting behavior. You say, “But you don’t know what has happened to me. You don’t know what I have been through.” You are right. But I have known people in all kinds of circumstances who have been delivered and restored.
Do you see yourself in any of these stages? If you find that unforgiveness still holds you in its grip, I pray that you will do whatever it takes to find healing. Talk to a pastor, get counseling, or simply ask the Father to show you how to find freedom. Getting started on the healing process will be worth the effort.
For more information, please see “Steps to Forgiving Others.”
Adapted from “The Gift of Forgiveness” (1991).
© 2009 In Touch Ministries® All Rights Reserved.
http://www.intouch.org/site/c.cnKBIPNuEoG/b.5114493/k.C8C6/Dealing_With_Hurts.htm
Bible Study "How To Handle Anger Pt. 1"
Sermon "Letting Go Of Anger Pt. 1: Are You Angry?"
Steps To Forgiving Others
As a young man, Jim wanted to be a medical doctor. Yet when the time came for him to go off to college, his father forced him to stay on the family farm and work. By age 23, Jim had taken all he could. He packed up his belongings, loaded up his car, and left. He drove away with a heart full of bitterness and resentment towards his father.
Everywhere Jim went, he had a difficult time getting along with others. He seemed unable to make long-lasting friendships and suffered from rejection and isolation. Consequently, he found himself moving from job to job; he was never able to settle down.
Finally, he met a woman who really cared for him, and after a brief engagement, they were married. Yet within three weeks of the wedding, Jim had an unexpected outburst that marked the beginning of over 40 years of hell on earth for his loyal wife. Right up to the last days of his life—when he was senile, nearly blind, and unable to care for himself—the poison of bitterness continued to eat away at Jim’s heart. And all because he failed to deal with the rejection and hurt he experienced as a teenager.
Developing an unforgiving spirit
From years of talking to people, I have noticed ten common phases related to hurtful situations and forgiveness. Not everyone will pass through each stage, but most people with an unforgiving spirit will be able to identify with several of these scenarios.
1) We get hurt. The seeds of unforgiveness are planted when we are wronged or hurt physically, emotionally, or verbally. We may feel pain, abandonment, embarrassment, hatred, or some other negative emotion. But I believe all hurt has its roots in rejection. Feeling rejected, then, is the first stage in developing an unforgiving spirit.
2) We become confused. Often our first response to hurt is bewilderment. In this stage, we may think, This is not really happening. We may even have a physical reaction, such as a deep feeling of emptiness in the pit of the stomach. This phase is usually short-lived.
3) We look for detours. Since all of us have a desire to avoid discomfort, we find ways of avoiding painful thoughts and memories. We take mental detours. This drive motivates some people to drink heavily or become addicted to drugs.
We also take physical detours, avoiding certain people, places, and things. Anything that reminds us of the hurt becomes off-limits. For instance, a minister’s daughter, who was full of bitterness towards her father, told me, “I would never marry a preacher.” To her, clergymen were to be avoided at all costs.
4) We dig a hole. After rearranging our thought patterns and lives to avoid contact with any reminder of our hurt, we attempt to forget that the painful experience ever occurred.
5) We deny it. This phase is characterized by our denial that we were ever hurt or that we are covering up anything. We may say, “Oh, I dealt with that” or “I forgave him long ago.” Breaking out of this stage can be tough. I have met scores of adults who are carrying around a load of bitterness—it’s demonstrated through their tempers or other negative behaviors. But they see no connection between a turbulent childhood and their problems as adults.
6) We become defeated. Regardless of how successfully we think we have buried our hurt, resentment will still work its way out through our behavior. A short temper, oversensitivity, shyness, a critical spirit—all of these can be evidence of unresolved rejection. We can move, find a new job, change friends or spouses, make New Year’s resolutions, memorize Scripture, get counseling, or undertake any number of spiritual exercises, but until we deal with the root of the problem, transformation will not be possible.
7) We become discouraged. This is often where we seek professional help or bail out of our present circumstances altogether. In this stage, one might end a marriage because the spouse will not change or because the couple cannot rekindle the love they once shared. Furthermore, an unforgiving spirit destroys respect, which is critical to the health of a relationship (1 Peter 3:2). A lack of respect can dissolve the loyalty and dedication that hold a marriage together during tough times. Then divorce becomes a real option to couples who pledged an unconditional lifetime of commitment. Such is the power and poison of an unforgiving spirit. In fact, at this stage, people may begin to depend on alcohol and prescription drugs to make it through the day. Tragically, some choose to escape by taking their own lives.
8) We discover the truth. Through someone’s help or by God’s grace, we discover the root of bitterness. The pieces finally fit together, and we are able to see the connection between the past and the present.
9) We take responsibility. In this stage, we decide to quit blaming others or expecting them to change. We open our hearts for God to have His way, regardless of how it might hurt.
10) We are delivered. For those who are willing to deal with an unforgiving spirit, the final outcome is deliverance. My friend, you can be free of that embarrassing, inappropriate, family-splitting behavior. You say, “But you don’t know what has happened to me. You don’t know what I have been through.” You are right. But I have known people in all kinds of circumstances who have been delivered and restored.
Do you see yourself in any of these stages? If you find that unforgiveness still holds you in its grip, I pray that you will do whatever it takes to find healing. Talk to a pastor, get counseling, or simply ask the Father to show you how to find freedom. Getting started on the healing process will be worth the effort.
For more information, please see “Steps to Forgiving Others.”
Adapted from “The Gift of Forgiveness” (1991).
© 2009 In Touch Ministries® All Rights Reserved.
http://www.intouch.org/site/c.cnKBIPNuEoG/b.5114493/k.C8C6/Dealing_With_Hurts.htm
Bible Study "How To Handle Anger Pt. 1"
Sermon "Letting Go Of Anger Pt. 1: Are You Angry?"
Steps To Forgiving Others
SELF DESTRUCT IN THE OZARKS OFFICIAL AD
Self Destruct is hosting the first annual Self Destruct in the Ozarks festival. It's gonna be 3 days of music, ministry and tons of fun. October 23, 24 & 25th 2009. Check it out at www.teamselfdestruct.com/festival
10/08/2009
Biblical Instructions
A sermon series by my pastor Brother Bill Simmons about Biblical instructions to wives, husbands, children, parents, employers and employees, and a sermon about family from our youth pastor Brother Steven...
Instruction To Wives
Instruction To Husbands
Instruction To Children
Instruction To Parents
Instructions To Employees and Employers
Family Matters (Brother Steven)
Instruction To Wives
Instruction To Husbands
Instruction To Children
Instruction To Parents
Instructions To Employees and Employers
Family Matters (Brother Steven)
What? Me Worry?
Hollywood Connect E-Newsletter (10-08-09)
I’ve been spending a bit too much time in the dentist chair recently. Don’t get me wrong – I’ve got a kind and competent dentist, and together we’re working towards a million-dollar smile that would make any good leading actor’s ego swell dramatically. But lately it seems like I’ve gotten a little too familiar with staring up at the drab, acoustical ceiling tiles, my face stuffed with cotton, and the terror-inducing whine of dental instruments starting up somewhere behind me.
When you begin to recognize which tools are your friends and which ones are about to test your pain threshold, you know you’ve been sitting there way too long (and may have had one too many shots of novocaine).
A year or so ago, I went to a dentist whom I had not seen before, and as I sat there in his chair, supine, mouth agape, I listened to him calmly relay his assessment of each tooth to his assistant. “Overall condition of the gums are good,” he intoned. Pause. “Previous fillings on numbers two, fifteen, eighteen, thirty-one.” Pause. “The patient frets.”
What? I wanted to ask, but couldn’t because I had a periodontal probe and most of the dentist’s left hand in my mouth – no, seriously, if I had swallowed hard, he probably would have lost his wristwatch. The patient – meaning me, of course – frets? Well, yeah, maybe, but how did my dentist know? Isn’t that more appropriately within the field of study for a psychologist or counselor or someone like that?
It turns out that a dentist can tell when someone is the fretting type (and by that I mean a worrier, not a guitarist) by looking at your teeth. When you fret or worry, you tend to grit and grind your teeth, typically in your sleep, which over time can wear down the enamel on your teeth. And your dentist can tell. This grinding is also known as bruxism, which I know mostly because Google told me so.
It turns out that when we worry, it shows. It affects everything we do – from the quality of our art to our relationships, from our business decisions to how we sleep at night. If you haven’t already experienced this, I’m certain a good internet search will back me up on that one too.
In Psalm 37:8, we’re reminded not to fret because it will only lead to harm, and I’m pretty sure that the Psalmist was speaking of more than just damage to our teeth. With so many anxiety-inducing pressures surrounding us in the arts & entertainment world, however, his admonition may seem at times like an impossible task. Don’t fret? Are you kidding me, Mr. Psalmist? I’m in the entertainment industry, and I don’t think you understand what you’re asking for here… I have to prepare for that big audition or cover rent or find an even better manager or fire one of my production assistants or fix that relationship with my friend or pay for those ever-growing dentist bills.
Don’t fret. It’s a simple command in a complex world, a world filled with stress and tension, and you would be right in dismissing the possibility of fulfilling that command if there was no better place to put our worries. But we are assured that there is a better depository for those worries if we are humble enough to put them there:
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in
due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7)
How odd that our first and best resort is who we turn to last and only when things are at their worst. It takes humility to admit we’re not able to deal completely with the anxieties this world hands us, but in reality, the more we try to carry these burdens on our own, the more harm we do and the more gnashing of teeth we have to endure. We simply were never created to carry these worries in the first place.
So whatever anxieties you are carrying right now – be they in your art, your business, your relationships, or any other area – toss them on God as His responsibility. But whatever you do: Don’t fret. He cares for you.
All my best,
Shun Lee
Director
Hollywood Connect
(c)2009 Hollywood Connect
http://www.hollywoodconnect.com/
I’ve been spending a bit too much time in the dentist chair recently. Don’t get me wrong – I’ve got a kind and competent dentist, and together we’re working towards a million-dollar smile that would make any good leading actor’s ego swell dramatically. But lately it seems like I’ve gotten a little too familiar with staring up at the drab, acoustical ceiling tiles, my face stuffed with cotton, and the terror-inducing whine of dental instruments starting up somewhere behind me.
When you begin to recognize which tools are your friends and which ones are about to test your pain threshold, you know you’ve been sitting there way too long (and may have had one too many shots of novocaine).
A year or so ago, I went to a dentist whom I had not seen before, and as I sat there in his chair, supine, mouth agape, I listened to him calmly relay his assessment of each tooth to his assistant. “Overall condition of the gums are good,” he intoned. Pause. “Previous fillings on numbers two, fifteen, eighteen, thirty-one.” Pause. “The patient frets.”
What? I wanted to ask, but couldn’t because I had a periodontal probe and most of the dentist’s left hand in my mouth – no, seriously, if I had swallowed hard, he probably would have lost his wristwatch. The patient – meaning me, of course – frets? Well, yeah, maybe, but how did my dentist know? Isn’t that more appropriately within the field of study for a psychologist or counselor or someone like that?
It turns out that a dentist can tell when someone is the fretting type (and by that I mean a worrier, not a guitarist) by looking at your teeth. When you fret or worry, you tend to grit and grind your teeth, typically in your sleep, which over time can wear down the enamel on your teeth. And your dentist can tell. This grinding is also known as bruxism, which I know mostly because Google told me so.
It turns out that when we worry, it shows. It affects everything we do – from the quality of our art to our relationships, from our business decisions to how we sleep at night. If you haven’t already experienced this, I’m certain a good internet search will back me up on that one too.
In Psalm 37:8, we’re reminded not to fret because it will only lead to harm, and I’m pretty sure that the Psalmist was speaking of more than just damage to our teeth. With so many anxiety-inducing pressures surrounding us in the arts & entertainment world, however, his admonition may seem at times like an impossible task. Don’t fret? Are you kidding me, Mr. Psalmist? I’m in the entertainment industry, and I don’t think you understand what you’re asking for here… I have to prepare for that big audition or cover rent or find an even better manager or fire one of my production assistants or fix that relationship with my friend or pay for those ever-growing dentist bills.
Don’t fret. It’s a simple command in a complex world, a world filled with stress and tension, and you would be right in dismissing the possibility of fulfilling that command if there was no better place to put our worries. But we are assured that there is a better depository for those worries if we are humble enough to put them there:
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in
due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7)
How odd that our first and best resort is who we turn to last and only when things are at their worst. It takes humility to admit we’re not able to deal completely with the anxieties this world hands us, but in reality, the more we try to carry these burdens on our own, the more harm we do and the more gnashing of teeth we have to endure. We simply were never created to carry these worries in the first place.
So whatever anxieties you are carrying right now – be they in your art, your business, your relationships, or any other area – toss them on God as His responsibility. But whatever you do: Don’t fret. He cares for you.
All my best,
Shun Lee
Director
Hollywood Connect
(c)2009 Hollywood Connect
http://www.hollywoodconnect.com/
10/04/2009
Hold On
There is hope in the midst of trials and tribulations. There is a light in the darkness. There is love above all the mess. Hold on to it.
10/02/2009
Friend Request
You have a friend request.
Jesus Christ (Son of God)
wants to be your friend.
You may have friends in common.
Confirm?
"I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and the open
the door, I will come in... - Rev. 3:20
http://shop.kerusso.com/p-1449-friend-request.aspx
Jesus Christ (Son of God)
wants to be your friend.
You may have friends in common.
Confirm?
"I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and the open
the door, I will come in... - Rev. 3:20
http://shop.kerusso.com/p-1449-friend-request.aspx
Exploring The Mystery
There’s a thought that’s been nagging at me for some time now, and that is this: It is important to remind ourselves that there is an aspect of being an artist that goes beyond simply giving answers to people. The artistic voice is a prophetic one, or at least it was meant to be, in that its purpose is to communicate Truth and Beauty, even in – and maybe especially in – circumstances that are adverse or antagonistic to them.
A fallacy that artists and prophets can far too easily buy into is that, because we are the communicators of Truth and Beauty in our culture, we are also the authority on Truth and Beauty. That is far from the case, and it’s a dangerous mistake, because it leads to the incorrect assumption that, contained in our brains, so wonderful and so finite, are all the answers the world needs.
This is a fatal error for an artist because it results in the artist ceasing to recognize that there is much more out there than he or she already knows, which leads to a gradual failure to explore beyond the answers already accumulated, which ultimately leads to a loss of wonder.
It is wonder, this sense that there is a world bigger than we know, that makes artistry worthwhile as a continuous pursuit. It takes humility to admit that there are things we don’t yet understand. But those who believe they already have all the answers and who approach their art from that standpoint end up missing so much. They miss all the wonder and awe that is essential to their craft. The calling of creative artists is to explore the mystery and to communicate it, unencumbered by over-simplified answers, to a world that has lost its wonder.
The same is true of us as believers as we explore the Source of that mystery. We must not get so focused on the aspects of God we do understand that we fail to worship the aspects we don’t. I must allow all of God to live inside of me – both the parts that I understand as well as the parts that remain a mystery. All of these aspects are Truth and Beauty, whether I understand them or not.
It is either all or none. It is either an invitation to the God of both revelation and mystery to make His home in me, His handiwork, or it is to rely on my own limited understanding and create a god of my own choosing, a god who is my handiwork. Since the very essence of God will not – cannot – be limited by my finite understanding, the latter is really not an option worth considering.
The depth of our faith and artistry is determined by how we relate and respond to Truth and Beauty – both that which is known and that which is unknown. So take a moment to thank God for mystery – that which you do not yet understand – and let’s go exploring.
All my best,
Shun Lee
Actor & Writer
Director
Hollywood Connect
(c)2009 Hollywood Connect
www.hollywoodconnect.com
A fallacy that artists and prophets can far too easily buy into is that, because we are the communicators of Truth and Beauty in our culture, we are also the authority on Truth and Beauty. That is far from the case, and it’s a dangerous mistake, because it leads to the incorrect assumption that, contained in our brains, so wonderful and so finite, are all the answers the world needs.
This is a fatal error for an artist because it results in the artist ceasing to recognize that there is much more out there than he or she already knows, which leads to a gradual failure to explore beyond the answers already accumulated, which ultimately leads to a loss of wonder.
It is wonder, this sense that there is a world bigger than we know, that makes artistry worthwhile as a continuous pursuit. It takes humility to admit that there are things we don’t yet understand. But those who believe they already have all the answers and who approach their art from that standpoint end up missing so much. They miss all the wonder and awe that is essential to their craft. The calling of creative artists is to explore the mystery and to communicate it, unencumbered by over-simplified answers, to a world that has lost its wonder.
The same is true of us as believers as we explore the Source of that mystery. We must not get so focused on the aspects of God we do understand that we fail to worship the aspects we don’t. I must allow all of God to live inside of me – both the parts that I understand as well as the parts that remain a mystery. All of these aspects are Truth and Beauty, whether I understand them or not.
It is either all or none. It is either an invitation to the God of both revelation and mystery to make His home in me, His handiwork, or it is to rely on my own limited understanding and create a god of my own choosing, a god who is my handiwork. Since the very essence of God will not – cannot – be limited by my finite understanding, the latter is really not an option worth considering.
The depth of our faith and artistry is determined by how we relate and respond to Truth and Beauty – both that which is known and that which is unknown. So take a moment to thank God for mystery – that which you do not yet understand – and let’s go exploring.
All my best,
Shun Lee
Actor & Writer
Director
Hollywood Connect
(c)2009 Hollywood Connect
www.hollywoodconnect.com
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