Category: Gospel and Culture

Austin City Life Worship – I

Posted on June 16, 2009

I’m excited to announce the June 28 release of Austin City Life’s first worship cd One. You can preview the tracks at our ACL MySpace. The mp3s and chord charts will be available around June 28, (perhaps sooner). Keep an eye on the usual places: iTunes, CD Baby, Rhapsody, Noise Trade, and so on. You never know when stuff will leak out 🙂

The EP is a product of worship from a community for a community. Each of our three worship leaders have contributed to this 6 song album, drawing on their unique gifts and artistry to produce songs that don’t quite fit within the usual worship stream. Some of the distinctives include:

  • City focused
  • Gospel-centered
  • Martin Luther on the Spirit
  • High Colossian Christology
  • Ancient hymns to progressive tunes
  • Reflective worship that builds and crescendos
  • Integration of Gospel, Community, and Mission in the song writing

I hope you are compelled to worship  God in all of life through the power of his Spirit in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ through this music. May we lift our voices and our hearts in Christ-cherishing praise all our days.

Austin City Life Baptism

Posted on June 15, 2009

On Saturday we had our first church baptism. Baptism is an act of obedience that symbolizes faith in Jesus as Christ and Lord. It is a public declaration of repentance from false lords and faith in Jesus gracious, sovereign lordship. We wanted our public declaration of Jesus as Lord to be in a public place, so we chose Barton Springs in Austin.

It was about 100 degrees, the springs were packed with people “keeping Austin wierd.” Topless women, pot-smoking hippies, dogs and dog owners, families, and right in the middle of it all—people being baptized proclaiming their faith in Jesus as Christ and Lord!

Chrisbaptism

kristinbaptism

It was a great joy to baptise Kristin and Chris, to celebrate the gift of new life in Christ together! We followed the baptism with a time of prayer and singing. Afterwards, we had a big church cookout, played games, and just enjoyed one another.

More reflections on the baptism here.

Great Reasons to Read Fiction

Posted on June 12, 2009

In this very good article, Mary DeMuth gives us ten reasons, lots of good quotes, and penetrating insight into why reading fiction can be better than reading fact! Here are her 10 reasons with a few quotes sprinkled in:

1. Our view of the world beyond our door widens.

2. We learn empathy as you walk in a character’s different-sized shoes.

In The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon, I understood more about autism through Christopher’s eyes than if I had simply watched a documentary about the condition. Fiction plunges us into people. I am Scout in wide-eyed wonder outside a lone jail

3. God uses stories to heal.

4. Fiction unmasks us.“Everyone has secrets,” says novelist Susan May Warren. “Fiction allows people to see themselves in characters, to discover healing and truth when their ‘reputation’ or shame won’t let them pick up a non-fiction book…”

5. God’s redemptive story permeates. When I read The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini in its stark, horrific, life-altering prose, I clearly saw redemption. It can’t help but shine on such a dark tableau. God’s stories are everywhere.

6. Novels allow for paradox, causing us to ask the kinds of questions that help us search for God. Barbara Nicolosi writes, “Too many Christians think we are supposed to use the arts to give people the answers. We’re not. We’re supposed to use the arts to lead them into a question. And that is just one stage in their personal journey of divine revelation.

7. Reading novels critically helps us navigate the Scriptures better. “Because the Bible is a text, a well-read, sophisticated interpreter will have an easier time parsing difficult passages—not to mention easy ones,” asserts J. Mark Bertrand, author of Rethinking Worldview. “This is why, in seminaries and law schools, there ought to be an emphasis on reading ‘outside the discipline.’

8. Reading a novel connects us to the Creator

9. Reading a novel builds community.

10. Reading stories brings us face to face with Jesus, the grand storyteller.

Music for the Media Gorged

Posted on June 11, 2009

Matt Johnson is doing a nice series on how we should listen to music called Music for the Media Gorged. In addition to providing good advice on appreciating music, Matt is offering us a great example of thoughtful cultural engagement. Plus, the books he refers to are good!