Here are a couple of gems we just found in our church studio featuring Julie Thompson (with the GLC Trio).
01 All Flesh Is Like The Grass
We still miss her….
Archive for the ‘Audio’ Category
There Is A Fountain
On April - 5 - 2013
There Is A Fountain to listen click here
Here is another song featuring Julie Thompson. We had a trio together (Julie, me, and Pam Noblit) and had a blast singing together. I cannot tell you how much I’m going to simply singing with her–much less everything else that she was (sister, Scott’s wife, mother of five, soloist, etc.)
What Miracle Is It?
On November - 8 - 2012
If there’s one band out there I greatly enjoy, it’s Third Day. And for full disclosure’s sake, we do several of their songs as congregationals at Grace Life Church, including “Your Love Oh Lord” and “Children Of God”. However, I was a bit disappointed the other day when I heard this particular song on the radio. It seems to be another in a long line of songs that just don’t say enough. Much of that has to do with trying to be marketable to wider audiences. But I wonder how much of it has to do with being ashamed of the gospel?
Here are the lyrics (you can listen to the song on YouTube here).
Well, late one night, she started to cry and thought he ain’t coming home
She was tired of the lies, tired of the fight, but she didn’t want to see him go
She fell on her knees and said, “I haven’t prayed since I was young
But Lord above I need a miracle”
(Chorus)
Well no matter who you are and no matter what you’ve done
There will come a time when you can’t make it on your own
And in your hour of desperation
Know you’re not the only one, praying
Lord above, I need a miracle
I need a miracle
He lost his job and all he had in the fall of ’09
Now he feared the worst, that he would lose his children and his wife
So he drove down deep into the woods and thought he’d end it all
And prayed, “Lord above, I need a miracle”
He turned on the radio to hear a song for the last time
He didn’t know what he was looking for even what he’d find
The song he heard gave him hope and strength to carry on
And on that night, they found a miracle
They found a miracle
In your hour of desperation
Know you’re not the only one, praying
Lord above, I need a miracle
I need a miracle
Several questions I have about this song:
*Are they endorsing the fact that having this life’s problems is the main problem?
*How are they defining this miracle? Is it God drawing a soul into seeing the depth of their sin?
*Where is the preaching of the gospel in this equation?
*Does the songwriter understand the difference between God-wrought conviction and felt needs?
*Are they trying to say that the girl in the first verse is a born-again believer (even though she hadn’t “prayed since she was young”)?
*Could the song not have better clarity with the characters as to their lostness?
*I totally agree with the song in that God uses trials and hardships to get our attention but what is the miracle that the characters in the song found?
*How many of these problems listed in the song were self-inflicted? The bible deals much more with change of behavior to see situations improve than it does supernatural intervention (especially if these characters are believers).
*Does this song just cater to a victim’s mentality?
I totally understand that people going through great trials calls for empathy from the Church. However, overlooking an individual’s contribution to those trials is not being true to the Bible. Believers should be holding one hand out to be held by the suffering individual while in the other hand presenting God’s solutions to them from His Word. Having heart-felt emotions for those in dire circumstances and even doing service ministry to those in need is only a part of the healing. Being reconciled to God through the gospel is the foundation for all healing.
All I ask is that Christian bands and songwriters be very specific even though the demands for artistic aesthetics are at play. When writing songs that are expressly Christian, including a ministry element, then art is created for God’s sake and not art’s sake. Fidelity to the revealed will of God as found in the holy scriptures is paramount paling in comparison to iTunes sales.
Brother Music Minister, I believe that this song is way too ambiguous to use in a church service. I will keep listening to Third Day but will have to skip over this song.
Tuesdays With Tom–October 30, 2012
On October - 30 - 2012
Here’s today’s radio interview with Monk on WSTS 100.9 FM out of North Carolina. We discuss the issue of choirs vs. praise teams.
Tuesdays With Tom–October 23, 2012
On October - 24 - 2012
In today’s radio interview we talk about an example of a great newer song, “Blessings” by Laura Story.
Tuesdays With Tom–October 16, 2012
On October - 16 - 2012
Here’s this week’s radio interview dealing with the issue of a capella-only music in the church.
Tuesdays With Tom–October 2, 2012
On October - 3 - 2012
Here’s yesterday’s radio spot I did with Monk and Boone on WSTS 100.9 FM. We deal with the connection between the spiritual condition of the songwriter/artist and the songs they sing/write. I wrote about it previously at the blog here.
Tuesdays With Tom–September 11, 2012
On September - 12 - 2012
Here is yesterday’s version of Tuesdays With Tom on WSTS 100.9 FM. In this segment we deal with the top five praise and worship songs that every church should consider dropping from their song lists.
Tuesdays With Tom–July 31, 2012
On July - 31 - 2012
Here’s this week’s installment of Tuesdays With Tom on WSTS 100.9 FM hosted by Monk Boone. Today, I give my top five praise and worship songs that every church should consider adding to their song list.
Tuesdays With Tom–July 24, 2012
On July - 24 - 2012
Here’s this week’s version of Tuesdays With Tom and Monk on WSTS 100.9 FM. Today I share my humble top 5 contemporary hymns that should be sung by every church congregation. However, the first few minutes are dedicated to Monk picking on my request for a theme song and minor surgery I had on my big toe yesterday. It’s about 5 minutes none of us will ever get back.
