Worship Leaders, plus A and B

I always think that musicians can get away with more heresy than writers can.  I remember when I was really opposing Rob Bell for his blatant opposition to tradition Christianity to the point of abandoning defining characteristics as important such as the Virgin Birth, Christ's Deity, and completely denying any hell, I listened a lot to "Church Music" by David Crowder.  I still appreciate Crowder and that rocking album, but there are universalistic themes on it.  "Oh Happy Day" says that "Everything Can Be Redeemed."  Now, someone will say, it says "can" and not "will."  Fair enough, but it does echo Bell's environmental call for us to build heaven hear on earth with no hope of help from God or promise of Jesus overcoming the world.  And the Bible clearly teaches that not everything can be redeemed.  God's not going to redeem the reprobate.  He won't redeem atrocities like the Holocaust or abortion.  Still, if I need good rock, I get out David Crowder's album.

I also greatly love Hillsong music.  Everything they write is excellent and lifts my spirits.  Their pastor in Sydney, Australia is known for his health and wealth preaching and has even teamed up with Smiling Joel Osteen whose hope in life is only for this world and not in Jesus as God's only salvation.  I still love almost everything Hillsong has put out musically.  It's like God really does infiltrate our plans to turn them to his glory, especially in music written for him.  Maybe not everything can be redeemed, but he can backfire our foolish plans for his glory.  I make no apology for enjoying Brooke Fraser Ligertwood, Darlene Zscech, and all the others.

I still have my doubts about people if they even sing a concert for Lakewood in Texas.  So many people I like, but they keep the wrong company.  Granted, so did Jesus, and I'm eternally grateful that he did.  I love Kari Jobe's music.  It has a lot of the same writers as the Hillsong music and Passion music.  Something about the way she stands on stage with her hands out looks to Eastern for my comfort.  It's stepping out of appropriate forms of worship.  It's not encouraged in the Bible.  In fact, the Bible repeatedly tells us not to worship our God the way other religions worship theirs.  We are to worship the way that he has prescribed.  (Yes, I do hold to Regulative Principles, but I'm quite liberal in them, too.  I love electric guitars in church!)  But just the same, she has a new album out and I get the same ecstasy I get when I listen to Hillsong.

Am I being a prude?  Probably.  My sins in worship are just as bad as everyone else.  I always get wary when people are overexpectant for miracles, signs, or they incorporate worship styles that were originally used in other religions.  It's like, folks think they can prance around God's throne and demand a healing and not allow God to say no, or wait, which is not only insulting to God, but also destroys faith when promises for healing don't come through.

Just the same, Kari did sing for House of Blues and has a fine album.  Either way, God spreads his Gospel.

Looks like April has started again so I will attempt to do some of the Alphabet Challenge, though not officially.

A is for Abandon.  I don't know much about this CCM band, but I like their name.  They have a song on the Positively Easter compilation called "Hero."  Christ truly is our Hero, and that song captures it will.

B is for Big Daddy Weave.  I really love the songs "Redeemed," "Yours Will Be" and "Hold Me Jesus."  They are on the radio every two seconds and are indeed good songs.  I listened to their Love Come to Life album.  It's good, but like so many bands, the songs rather sound the same.  Normally bands have better songs on the album.  But just as normally, I have to listen to an album about three times before I really get into it.

Anyway, have a good day.  Celebrate Autism Awareness for my birthday!