I have been listening to an artist named Shai Linne this week.  I didn’t know much about Linne, but an elder at my church recommended a CD of his entitled The Atonement.  I have a history of disliking rap in general, but I was introduced some time ago to a rapper who attended Boyce College, Flame, who has an amazing knack for bringing the gospel in clarity to a genre that has forever been associated with violence, sex, and self, so I decided to follow my elders advice and I checked out The Atonement and was blown away.  Mark Dever said about The Atonement, “I love words.  The complexity of the rhyming is dazzling…It is more theologically dense than any other music I’ve heard”  The theology that is found in this one CD is deeper and greater than you will be able to find in the entire discography of many Christian artists.  That is not to say that other Christian artists are not glorifying God through their music, but there is something to be said about an artist who can skillfully take the deep things of God and put them in a format that can be understood by the average Joe.

The Atonement is a work of art.  One of my favorite tracks on the album is “School Daze.”  Taken at face value, the song is from the perspective of Shai as he walks through a school and witnesses the deterioration of morals as he sees students smoking pot, the physical deterioration of the actual school building, and classrooms that are out of control.  But as the song continues, it is clear that this school is worse than even the worst school one could find in the US:

Looked in the courtyard, saw some burning crosses

Interrupted, I heard curses tossed from the nurse’s office

I’m not sure what developed there

But heard something about students on welfare denied health care

Many of the girls were already impregnated

Cafeteria segregated, people separated

In fact it was legislated- most could not compete

And sadly, only the rich kids got to eat

The poor kids and orphans were tossed the smallest portions…

What Shai is doing here is creating a microcosm–a miniature world.  In other words, this school represents the world and the students and their actions represent the various ways man has sinned and destroyed the world around them by their actions.

Another song on the album that is particularly intriguing is “Were You There?”  This song is simply amazing.  It takes you straight to the Garden of Gethsemane and gives you a front row seat to Christ’s agonizing trip to the cross.  The last three lines of the song are:  ”An angry mob who’s yelling out “crucify” / The way we treat the Lord of glory is debased and it’s foul / Ashamed, I bow because I see my face in the crowd.”  In this song we are not only given a front row seat to the cross, we are implicated as those who willingly crucified Christ:

We zoom in the lens on Christ’s agony on the garden

Doomed for His friends- His tragedy for our pardon

Foreseeing the Father’s cup of wrath- it has Him stifled and weak

He’s sweating blood with His disciples asleep

The Prince of Peace knows the beef shall increase

Since the thief approaches with the soldiers and the chief priests

His arrest is not just- neither is the trial

While Jesus is being treated foul, he sees Peter’s denial

He’s sent to Pilate, to Herod, back to Pilate

The violence of humanity at its finest

So now He stands before the crowd doomed to die

An angry mob who’s yelling out “crucify”

The way we treat the Lord of glory is debased and it’s foul

Ashamed, I bow because I see my face in the crowd

I highly encourage you to purchase this CD.  It is a wonderful listen, especially during this season of Lent as we approach Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday.  If you’re interested in hearing directly from Shai Linne about the genre of rap mixing with Christian lyrics, I would suggest that you listen to this 9Marks interview with Mark Dever.  The interview is about an hour and is worth the time you’ll take to hear it.

So what do you think about Christian rap?  Is rap a proper genre for theology and Christian thought?  Why or why not?  Does the beat of rap music lend itself to sensuality, or is it a valid form?  How does form (rhythm, instruments, etc.) affect us?

Now that you know what The City is, let me get to the heart of this post.  I was reading through comments others had made on The City‘s main page when I came across a reflection on favorite Christian songs of days gone by.  Members were encouraged to tell of their favorite Christian songs from their youth, and there was great response.  Some posted songs like the Newsboys’ Shine or D.C. Talk’s Jesus Freak.  Others went further back and recalled Michael W. Smith’s Friends are Friends Forever or Ray Boltz’s Watch the Lamb.  But for me one song trumped the rest.  So I did a google search, browsed some youtube videos, and found what I believe to be the crowning jewel of Christian music popularity in the ’80s.  So, with much anticipation I give you–Carmen’s The Champion, a live performance for your viewing pleasure. (Two words of warning: First, the first minute-and-a-half of the following video is Carmen thanking fifty different people, so you might want to start a bit into the video; and, second, you will want to keep your eyes open for the ’80s clothing the audience is decked out in…classic!)

The Lord of the Wine explores Jesus’ first miracle at Cana.  I am reluctant to give more explanation than this other than to encourage you to download the sermon and listen to it.  It changed my understanding of this miracle.  Here are a few of the questions that Keller addresses:

• Why is Jesus’ first miracle so — lackluster?  Why start your ministry and perform your first miracle to prevent a social fopah (not enough wine)?
• Why does Jesus answer his mother so harshly when she simply asks for his help?
• Why does Jesus have such a strange answer in response to his mother’s request for help?  It seems as if his mind is somewhere else…

This sermon changed how I thought about Jesus’ introduction to ministry.  What are your thoughts?

Lyrics to The Transfiguration :
When he took the three disciples
to the mountainside to pray,
his countenance was modified, his clothing was aflame.
Two men appeared: Moses and Elijah came;
they were at his side.
The prophecy, the legislation spoke of whenever he would die.

Then there came a word
of what he should accomplish on the day.
Then Peter spoke, to make of them a tabernacle place.
A cloud appeared in glory as an accolade.
They fell on the ground.
A voice arrived, the voice of God,
the face of God, covered in a cloud.

What he said to them,
the voice of God: the most beloved son.
Consider what he says to you, consider what’s to come.
The prophecy was put to death,
was put to death, and so will the Son.
And keep your word, disguise the vision till the time has come.

Lost in the cloud, a voice: Have no fear! We draw near!
Lost in the cloud, a sign: Son of man! Turn your ear!
Lost in the cloud, a voice: Lamb of God! We draw near!
Lost in the cloud, a sign: Son of man! Son of God!

Driscoll says “there is no such thing as Christian community or Christian ministry apart from a rigorous theology of the cross that is practically applied to the lives of real people,”[2] and Death By Love is structured in such a way that it promotes this idea of practically applied theology.  Each chapter is split into two parts.  Part One begins with a background introduction to a member of Mars Hill Church that Pastor Driscoll has counseled during his pastorate there.  Part Two is a letter from Driscoll to this person, addressing this person’s situation in light of some aspect of Christ’s atonement.  In following this format, Driscoll says, he is “following in the example of many books of our bible that were essentially letters written from a Christian leader to someone he loved.”[3]

And just as the letters in Scripture confront the ugliness of sin, Driscoll (in only the way Driscoll can) follows suit.  He addresses sin head-on in no uncertain terms and does not shy away from calling out depravity for what it is.  Take, for example, his reprimand to David, a father who calls himself a Christian but unnecessarily restricts his family to schedules and budgets that choke all passion and spontaneity from their lives:

You have somehow lost sight of the fact that some of the objectives of a husband and daddy include having fun, building fun memories, and taking the moments of opportunity that God provides for joy, which is usually not according to schedule.  Your dear wife is so constrained by your control mechanisms that she cannot even go out to coffee with her friends because the cash allowance you give her is solely for functional purposes such as groceries and gas, and she has no personal spending money.  Your children are also starting to rebel against you when you are not present.  They tell their friends and relatives that they enjoy spending time away from your home because they get to have some fun and occasionally eat a treat, and if they pull out blankets to make a fort or laugh really loud they do not get rebuked for making a mess or noise.  At the risk of sounding harsh, I think that you are a sinful and spiritually abusive father.[4]

Or take the opening to a letter Driscoll is writing to John, a child molester who is deeply shamed by his past sin:

Dear John,

You are a despicable human being.  Jesus knew you would be born and said that it would be better if a large millstore were tied around your neck and you were thrown into the sea (Luke 17:2)…no matter how much good you might do, you can never undo the terrible things you have done..,That world guilty continues to ring in your ears because it accurately defines you as a human being…In summary, you are depraved, dead, and at war against God.[5]

Driscoll is refreshingly honest, but never harsh unnecessarily.  He always and continually moves from showing people their sinfulness to pointing them to how Christ’s work on the cross specifically addresses their sinful hearts and actions.  In the example of David (see above), Driscoll shows him that Christ died to be his gift righteousness.  In other words, Christ died so that David could stop being a “religious person” and receive the free, unmerited gift of redemption through Christ Jesus.  In the example of David, Driscoll shows him that although he is guilty of molesting a child (and other sins beside), Christ’s death on the cross was offered as John’s justification so that he could stand before God and considered “not guilty.”

I want to share one last story in which Driscoll’s heart for sinners comes into clear focus.  In the chapter entitled, “I Am Going to Hell: Jesus Is Hank’s Ransom,” Driscoll unfolds the story of Hank, an old, overweight, unbelieving man whose sins were heinous and included raping his daughters, beating his sons, verbally and sexually abusing his several wives, theft, and violence, unloaded his sins on Driscoll and was seeking to make restoration so that he could escape Hell.  Driscoll relates his initial response:

To be honest, everything in me wanted to cuss out the haggard old man and give him the beating of his life.  I know that the Bible says that Jesus died to forgive sinners, but I had a hard time sharing the gospel with this guy because, truth be told, I wanted him to face Jesus for justice in hell.  I would have enjoyed whipping him like Jesus did the moneychangers much more than telling this man anything about the grace of God poured out through the death of Jesus.[6]

Driscoll shares clearly with Hank how sinful and despicable he is, and then tells him to go around for a week and tells him to write down all of the bad things he can remember saying or doing.  A few weeks later he called him and told him to write down beside each evil thing he ever did or said how he could make restoration for it.  The next time he called back, Hank, who was in bad health to begin with, was on his deathbed.  Driscoll asked Hank how he was doing on paying everyone back.  Following is his response and Driscoll’s interaction:

Hank said, “I cannot pay everyone back that I stole from and ripped off because I don’t have any money.  I can’t make up for the things I have done because it is too late.  I can’t even call the people I have hurt to say I am sorry because I don’t even know where to find them and some are dead.  I tried calling my daughters and they refused to even talk to me.  I am so sick that I can’t even leave my bed to try and make anything right.

I asked him, “So where do you think you are going when you die?”

“I am going to hell,” he said.

“Yes, you are,” I said, “and Jesus will meet you there and repay you for everything you have failed to do.  Since you cannot repay your evil, you have hell to pay.”

He was silent and the phone line remained quiet for some time as reality sunk in for him.  He then thanked me for my time and he was going to hang up when I began explaining to him the work of Jesus on the cross in his place for his sins according to the doctrine of ransom.[7]

I cannot say enough to recommend Death By Love to you.  You will feel the struggle of a pastor who loves those who come to him and truly desires to point them to Christ in the midst of their sin.  You will get angry at the depth of depravity that is uncovered in some and weep at the deep pains that others have suffered.  And you will learn from a pastor who truly gets how to apply the cross to people’s lives.

You can read more about Mark Driscoll at theresurgence.com, you can find out more about Death By Love and other Mark Driscoll books at relit.org and you can purchase Death By Love at amazon.com.

[2] p. 13

[3] ibid.

[4] p. 91

[5] p. 110-113

[6] p. 184

[7] p. 185-186

Before I go too far in my comments, let me say that I have not seen all the movies on CT’s list.  However, I can say that I am anxiously waiting for a few to come to DVD.  I’ll list here CT’s #10-#6 and you can see the list in full here.

10. Up In the Air

9.  Julie & Julia

8.  The Hurt Locker

7.  District 9

6.  Where the Wild Things Are

Numbers seven and six on the list are my favorite out of the five listed here.  District 9 was made with a low budget (Holywood standard, not Joe Blow standard) of $30 million.  The film explores an alien occupancy that is more brutal on the aliens than it is on the humans.  Thomas, the main character in the movie and a human, is contemptible almost all of the way through the movie.  Only after being infected with an alien agent does he begin a process of redemption–a process that is in no way smooth.  Definitely worth the watch if you can handle some of the sketchy language.

Number 6 in the list, however, is by far one of my favorite movies of 2009.  I grew up reading Maurice Sendak’s book, and the images were captivating.  While some reviews of the movie were less than appreciative of the adaptation (see, for example, Kenneth Turan’s review for the LA Times), others saw it as a beautiful rendition of Sendak’s original nine sentence book (see, for example, Rogert Ebert’s review for the Chicago Sun-Times).  While the story was changed for the film adaptation (nine sentences is difficult to translate to a full-length movie), I believe that the changes were for the better.  The opening scene is one of the best looks into the wild heart of a boy that I have seen, and the dialogue, which clearly reflects a young boy’s mind, gives the movie an authenticity that is lacking in many movies that attempt to achieve the same goal.  To see a different take on the movie, read Russell More’s insightful post here.

Filed under: Uncategorized ]]> http://arollingstonegathersnomoss.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/christianity-todays-top-ten-most-redeeming-movies-of-2009/feed/ 0 arollingstonegathersnomoss http://arollingstonegathersnomoss.wordpress.com/2010/02/15/william-gurnall-on-reconciliation/ http://arollingstonegathersnomoss.wordpress.com/2010/02/15/william-gurnall-on-reconciliation/#comments Mon, 15 Feb 2010 21:24:37 +0000 arollingstonegathersnomoss http://arollingstonegathersnomoss.wordpress.com/?p=320 ]]> Last semester I took a class on spiritual warfare with Dr. Chuck Lawless.  The class was more than I could have asked for and helped me to begin to think of Satan and his demons in more biblical terms.  While there were many aspects of the class that I could praise, perhaps the most useful tool I took away from the class was a collection of readings taken from the various writings of William Gurnall entitled, The Christian in Complete Armour: Daily Readings in Spiritual Warfare and edited by James S. Bell, Jr..  I was skimming this work the other day and came across this helpful section about reconciliation.  In ministering to people in general (and in searching my own heart), I have discovered that what people desire is a “get out of jail free” card when it comes to God.  In other words, they desire forgiveness and redemption, but they want to have it without having to deal with a relationship with Christ.  Gurnall puts this desire in clear relief:

It is plain to see today that many who pursue peace expect God to pardon them, although they care nothing for his honor and remain totally ignorant of Him and of His Son Jesus.  They want God to make peace with them while they make war with Him and His Word.  Like a thief at the bar, this kind of person implores the judge to spare his life by whatever means, right or wrong, legal or illegal.  What difference does it make as long as he is pardoned?  Does this man consider the honor of the judge?  Well, do not be deceived, because God will not make war among His own attributes to make peace with you.

Reconciliation must seek to have fellowship with God.   Suppose God should confide, “I am your friend — I have commanded that you will never go to hell.  And My hand holds your discharge so you can never be arrested for indebtedness to Me.  But as for fellowship, do not expect any.  I am through with you now and you will never know me better.”  If you heard the Father say this, how excited would you be about your peace?  Even if the tormenting fires were put out, the anguish of a hell would remain in the dismal darkness without God’s presence.

Absolom saw no middle ground between seeing his father’s face and being killed.  ”Let me see the king’s face; and if there be any iniquity in me, let him kill me” (2 Samuel 14:32).  ”If I am not worthy to enjoy my father’s love and presence,” he pledged, “I do not want to live.”  On the other hand, an ungodly heart gropes for peace without any longing after fellowship with God.  Like a traitor, he is ready to promise the king anything, if only he will save him from execution.  God will not talk with you as long as your sword is in your hand.  ”Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord” (Isaiah 1:18).

True reconciliation comes on God’s terms, not on our terms.  And praise God that when he chooses reconciliation with us it is on his terms and not our terms.  God, in his mercy for sinners, chose to send his own Son to die bearing the wrath that sinners deserved.  And Christ, for the joy that was set before him endured the cross (Hebrews 12:2).  Christ chose to save sinners, not so that we could get a “get out of hell free” card, but so that we could have true, personal relationship with him.  Praise be to God for true reconciliation and relationship with him!

South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford cheated on his wife in an affair that has become very public and widely scrutinized.  Jenny Sanford, however, who had every right to be angry and to respond with bitterness to the questions of reporters, speaks of her (soon-to-be former) husband using terms of pity rather than using terms of anger or spite.  I haven’t picked up her book, Staying True, but I am probably going to tack it onto my reading list after hearing her interview with Tom Ashbrook on the NPR show, On Point.  I encourage you to listen to the interview where Jenny talks of her faith and how faith relates to politics.  I don’t agree with her at every turn, but I must say that it is refreshing to hear from someone who holds her faith close in the midst of such a public scandal.

I am also poor at making firm commitments and keeping those commitments.  This can be clearly seen in my reading habits.  I am great at starting books, but finishing them is another matter.  And this is closely connected with my poor planning.  What usually happens is that I get started in three books at once and then two (or all) of them fall by the wayside after I make it halfway through.  But my lack of follow-through with my commitments extends far outside of my reading.  I have had to go to my family and to my brothers and sisters in Christ and repent for not keeping my word.  This is an area I need some major growth in, because as a leader I need to be known for following through with commitments I make.

So with these two things in mind—my poor planning and my need for growth in following through with commitments—I have decided to form a reading list for the year and to allow my readers (all three of you) to hold me accountable.  I am committing to read the following books by December 31, 2010 (a total of  13, 225 pages, or 41 pages per day).  I am also committing to write a review for each book that I read and post it on this blog.

In addition to all of this, I am committing to post five times a week for a full year.  This will facilitate my desire to write, and it will help me grow in my ability to keep my commitments.  So, without further hindrance, here is my reading list for the year:

February

Ministries of Mercy: The Call of the Jericho Road by Tim Keller

The Cross of Christ by John Stott

Death By Love: Letters from the Cross by Mark Driscoll

The Missionary Call: Find Your Place in God’s Plan for the World by David Sills

March

You Can Change: God’s Transforming Power for Our Sinful Behaviour and Negative Emotions by Tim Chester

Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands: People in Need of Change Helping People in Need of Change by Paul David Tripp

The Externally-Focused Church by Rick Rusaw and Eric Swanson

Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families & Churches by Russell Moore

Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ by Dallas Willard

When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor…And Yourself by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert

Whatever It Takes: Geoffrey Canada’s Quest to Change Harlem and America by Paul Tough

Manly Dominion: In a Passive-Purple-Four-Ball World by Mark Chanski

April

Encouragement: The Key to Caring by Larry Crabb and Dan B. Allender

The Gospel and Personal Evangelism by Mark Dever

Tell the Truth: The Whole Gospel to the Whole Person by Whole People by Will Metzger

Calvin in the Public Square: Liberal Democracies, Rights and Civil Liberties by David W. Hall

Justice in the Burbs by Will Samson and Lisa Samson

To Be Scheduled

The Trellis and the Vine by Colin Marshall and Tony Payne

Until Justice and Peace Embrace by Nicholas Wolterstorff

The Power of Words and the Wonder of God by John Piper, Justin Taylor, Paul David Tripp, and Sinclair B. Ferguson

The Good News About Injustice by Gary A. Haugen

Churches that Make a Difference: Reaching Your Community With Good News and Good Works by Ronald Sider, Philip Olson, and Heidi Unruh

The Cross-Centered Life by C. J. Mahaney

Womanly Dominion: More Than a Gentle and Quiet Spirit by Mark Chanski

The Presence and the Power by Gerald F. Hawthorne

God’s Lesser Glory: The Diminished God of Open Theism by Bruce Ware

Let the Nations Be Glad by John Piper

Radical Reformission: Reaching Out Without Selling Out by Mark Driscoll

The Kingdom of Cults by Walter Martin and Ravi Zacharias

The Transforming Community by Mark Lauterbach

Getting Things Done by David Allen

The Reformed Pastor by Richard Baxter

Bondage of the Will by Martin Luther

A History of Prophecy in Israel by Joseph Blenkinsopp

The Story of Christianity by Justo L. Gonzalez

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

Like a Rock by Andy Stanley

Not Ashamed: The Story of the Jews for Jesus by Ruth Tucker

Worship by the Book edited by D. A. Carson

Big Truths for Young Hearts: Teaching and Learning the Greatness of God by Bruce Ware

Homeward Bound: Building an Attractive Christ-Centred Family on Eternal Principles by Edward Hartman

Our Covenant With Our Kids: Biblical Nurture in Home and Church by Timothy Sisemore

Making Room by Christine D. Pohl

Open Heart, Open Home: The Hospitable Way to Make Others Feel Welcome & Wanted by Karen Burton Mains

The Hospitality Commands by Alexander Strauch

Face to Face: Meditations on Friendship and Hospitality by Steve Wilkins

Heavenly Hospitality: 250+ Everyday Ideas for Welcoming Guests into Your Home by Jo Ann Janssen

To the Golden Shore: The Life of Adoniram Judson by Courtney Anderson

Christ-Based Leadership: Applying the Bible and Today’s Best Leadership Models to Become an Effective Leader by David Stark

On Kingdom Business: Transforming Missions Through Entrepreneurial Strategies by Tetsunao Yamamori

40 Questions About Elders and Deacons by Benjamin L. Merckle

The Deliberate Church by Mark Dever and Paul Alexander

Planting Missional Churches by Ed Stetzer

Sticky Church by Larry W. Osbourne

Outgrowing the Ingrown Church by C. John Miller

Love Your Neighbor: Thinking Wisely About Right and Wrong by Norman Geisler

Deep Church: A Third Way Beyond Emerging and Traditional by Jim Belcher

Religious Affectations by Jonathan Edwards

The Pursuit of God by A. W. Tozer

The Knowledge of the Holy by A. W. Tozer