Dirty Three for $4.99

Dirty three

Dirty Three is some of my very favorite, go-to music for reading and concentration-based study. It's beautiful and different: violin, guitar, and drums. It's like a post-rock classical style, but you have to hear it to understand. So cool. A bunch of albums are $4.99...

2012 Reading Plans

Bible-Reading

I'm working on choosing (or tweaking) a Bible reading plan for my family for 2012 so the kids can each work through some of their ESV Student Study Bibles, and so we can enjoy daily family discussions on what we are all reading at the same time. Thought it might be nice to list a couple of resources I'm looking at for the Bible as well as other good theological and devotional resources. 

Justin Taylor has a wonderful (fairly comprephensive) post on many reading plans out there, including options you may not think of on your own. He also has a post that includes a reading plan for Calvin's Institutes.

Joe Thorn's reading plan for the Puritan prayers found in Valley of Vision might be a great way to start the year devotionally.

The ESV has a number of plans available, and the ESV Journaling Bible I now use daily has a plan in the back I'm considering. 

David Murray, who has quickly become one of my favorite thinkers through his blog and Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary podcast, has a yearly children's morning and evening Bible reading plan. The explanation is here, and the plan is here.

Please feel free to share other plans you recommend or the plan you are using next year.

TONS of Good & Cheap Music 12.24.11

Music brain away

Amazon is having a massive sale on MP3 albums. All are $5 or cheaper. Nearly all of my Best Albums of 2011 & honorable mentions are super-cheap! And there are many more great albums for sale beyond my list. Check these out!

NEW = Recently found & added to the original list

From my Best Albums of 2011 list...

Honorable mentions...

 Other recommended albums for $5 and under...

Bad Art & the Tortured Beauty of the Cross

Wonderful, thoughtful discussion between Scotty Smith (Pastor, Christ Community Church, blog), Greg Thornbury (Union University), and Mike Cosper (Sojourn Music) on good art and bad art. I've been thinking through some of themes they discuss as they relate to some music I've been listening to this year. I'm working on a post on one singer/artist in particular who I think many Christians would hate, but for all the wrong reasons.

Anyway, that post is for another day. Watch this great discussion (via). And by the way, this is the best video thumbnail of my friend Greg Thornbury EVER.

Coach the People Who Get It

John-wooden-huddle

Bob Logan with another helpful post on coaching the people who 'get it.' 

Among people who indicate receptivity to missional living, some will be willing to go the extra mile in living it out. Look for those who “get” missional living and are willing to take risks, even if they’re not great at it.

These are the people you need to be investing in...

He then offers some simple questions to use in coaching them...

  • Where are you now?
  • Where do you sense God tugging on your heart lately?
  • Where does God want you to go?
  • What actions might God be leading you toward?
  • What are the next steps you can take?

Go read Logan's entire post, and follow his blog. Solid stuff there regularly. For example, I recently posted on his post, "Creating a Coaching Culture."

Huge Discount on Pursuing God

23

From Jim Elliff and Christian Communicators Worldwide...

We want to partner with you in evangelism next year by offering one of our most popular books very close to our cost.

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(by 10s, 100s or case only)
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100 pack 275.00 ea (reg $310)
Prices good up to Dec 31 midnight.

I've reviewed Pursuing God and recommend it. Grab a bunch! And check out the online discussion guide.

Sojourn | A Child Is Born

Sojourn

I'm a huge Sojourn Music fan because I like their music and the rich content of their songs. More than that, I love their music because I love their focus on the Gospel as a church. They are friends and one of my favorite churches around.

I've given a couple of listens to Sojourn Community Church's new Christmas album, A Child Is Born. My word for this album would be "challenging." It's challenging to your ears as it's anything but a typical Christmas album. It's not even close. Their version of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" is "punk-rock inspired," "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" is poppy, as is "Silent Night." Some of the more subdued and lovely moments on the album are from lesser known lyrics retooled. I love the voices that are now very familiar to me: Brooks Ritter, Jamie Barnes, Megan Shaffer & others. They are always a joy to hear again on new projects. The cover design is lovely and simple.

In many ways, this isn't supposed to be an easy album to hear. From Sojourn's website...

There’s a place for joy, a necessary and central place for celebration, but that joy and celebration has it’s most weight when seen in the context of the suffering and longing from which it emerges. So Christmas music at Sojourn has always had a dark edge, a sense of tension and angst, which points us to the darkness of our own hearts that longs for the light of Christ.

For me, A Child Is Born is an odd album. Taking the familiar and making it unfamiliar. Taking songs typically wrapped in seasonal sounds and re-wrapping them in something unseasonal and unusual. It may not be an easy album for you to like, though I've heard from many who are liking it a lot! Sojourn takes some serious risks in genre and style that will shake your Christmas world. But you will have to be the judge if this darker, grittier version of Christmas is something that will be in your rotation year by year. If nothing else, Sojourn for me has earned a listen as they continue to make music in service of the Church that is out of the ordinary.

Buy A Child is Born: Amazon or for $5 at Grouptune

Also check out: Over the Grave | The Water & The Blood

Good & Cheap Books

N2self

David Murray of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary & the blog Head, Heart, Hand has listed Joe Thorn's book, Note To Self, as his #1 book of the year. If you don't have it, get Note To Self.

I’ve never been impacted so much by such a small book. Came at just the right time in my life. It’s a primer on “preaching to yourself,” which in Joe Thorn’s hands is a kind of meditation with muscles. Short, punchy, meaty, heart-searching, and encouraging chapters that make an ideal warm-up for daily Bible reading – at least that’s how I used it. I’ve also found it a great book for mentoring others. With this book, Joe Thorn became my favorite modern Puritan! Hope that doesn’t harm your ministry, Joe!

Cheap Kindle books (several from Shepherd Press)...

Best Albums of 2011

Mc_psp_loud

Time for my Best Albums of 2011 list. I don't listen to everything out there (who has the time? or money?), but I listen to a lot. I hope my list will help you discover some new music. I'll give comment to the higher picks and I'm happy to discuss any of the albums, why I liked them, why some albums are not on my list, etc. Please list your favorite album(s) in the comments. Love to hear'em.

See my Best Albums of 2010|2009|2008|2007|2006

HONORABLE MENTIONSAtlas SoundParallax | The Black Keys: El CaminoThe Low AnthemSmart Flesh | Other LivesTamer Animals |  Panda BearTomboy | RadioheadThe King Of Limbs | SepalcureSepalcure | Smith WesternsDye It Blonde | Gillian WelchThe Harrow & The Harvest | Youth LagoonThe Year of Hibernation

ARGUMENTATIVE

tUnE-yArDsW H O K I L L | As creative as it gets, but not as good of a listen as some say. When I listen, it stretches me but leaves me somehow unsatisfied. I want to both celebrate this accomplishment and punch it in the face.  

ALBUMS 35-21

35. GirlsFather, Son, Holy Ghost

34. CultsCults

33. Real EstateDays

32. Okkervil RiverI Am Very Far

31. Washed OutWithin or Without

30. My Morning JacketCircuital

29. Explosions in the SkyTake Care, Take Care, Take Care

28. Ryan AdamsAshes & Fire

27. Crystal Castles(II)

26. War On DrugsSlave Ambient

25. DoloreanThe Unfazed

24. Ha Ha TonkaDeath of a Decade

23. WilcoThe Whole Love

22. The Pains of Being Pure In HeartBelong

21. GlasserRing

ALBUMS 20-11

20. Joy FormidableThe Big Roar | Running through thorn bushes at full speed.

19. Fleet FoxesHelplessness Blues | Dancing through willow branches in slow motion.

18. Middle BrotherMiddle Brother | Love these three guys. Love what they created. But I still like what they do separately better than collectively. That said, it's a great album.

17. The HorrorsSkying | Eerie flight. Bending notes. Worthy of both their name and the album's name.

16. King Creosote & Jon HopkinsDiamond Mine | Fragile Scottish lullabies. Delicate & delightful. Pipe smoking. Peat beneath my feet.

15. The Roots: Undun | Concept album well conceived. Arrived late, but deserves much attention. Looking forward to more listens.

14. BeirutThe Rip Tide | Not sure they can make a bad record. Distant world flavor. Horntastic. Seasoning for a bland day. 

13. The AntlersBurst Apart | Please keep making music! They are doing amazing things, first through Hospice and now with Burst Apart. A wonderful follow-up to a crazy-good album.

12. James BlakeJames Blake | Audio playground. A sonic dance. Ear candy...that's good for you. A blend of a powerful voice and eclectic editing and creative processing. It continues to grow on me.

11. DawesNothing Is Wrong | Opening song, "Time Spent in Los Angeles," is one of my favorite songs of the year. I think I once listened to it 5 times in a row. Songwriting excellence. Lyric-driven rock'n'roll. 

TOP 10

December

10. DecemberistsThe King Is Dead | Their best-ever album. So many good songs. Thoroughly enjoyable. Completely accessible, yet it's well-crafted art and deserving of high praise. "Bear your neighbors' burden within reason." Singable. If you are weirded out by indie music, let this album invite you in.

Frank

9. Frank TurnerEngland Keep My Bones | Passionate. Straight-forward = says what he means. Atheistic worship songs, but don't let that discourage you. Redemptive themes throughout. It's incredibly informative, enjoyable, and artistic. Loud, but acoustically controlled loud. Sing-along with beer in hand. Punk sensibilities. Masterful. At times it's old-school Avettastic screamishness.

Low

8. LowC'mon | Some of the most memorable lyrics of the year are here. Some because of word choice, and some because of how they are presented. The critical calling out of "all you guys out there tryin’ to act like Al Green, y'all are weak." "I'm nothing but heart" repeated for 6 minutes in a slow, heavy, glorious swell. "Try to sleep" and "don't look at the camera" on the opening track captured by a wonderful, memorable melody. As a whole this album is a slow crawl... beautiful, often delicately heavy, and always unsettlingly moody. A haunting album that won't leave you alone.

Wyeoak7. Wye OakCivilian | Moaning. Longing. Power on the edge of letting go. Back-n-forth between cleanly crafted & fuzzy heaviness. Dark. Haunted. A sense that something isn't quite right in the world. Uneasy. Wonderfully disjointed at times. What you create after a disturbing dream brings you to your knees.

Field

6. The FieldLooping State of Mind | It is looping, ambient soundscapes. Perfect for work, reading, etc. Or, and maybe more important, it's perfect for putting the headphones on, laying down, turning it up, and riding along. These steady slow builds and gradual descents are a joy to navigate. And beyond mere ambient sounds without structure, that can be a pleasure as well, these tracks are guided by heavy beats and basslines. So while the music soars, it also stomps, stomps, stomps along. 

Garrels

5. Josh GarrelsLove & War & The Sea In Between | Listened to this album more than most. Poetic. Rhythmic. Completely Christ-haunted and distinctly Christian, yet some of the best music of the year Christian or otherwise. I can't believe how little buzz I've seen about this album. It's really wonderful. And it's 100% FREE, which means everyone should be checking out and loving this album. And then you'll want to check out Josh's other albums.

Bon

4. Bon IverBon Iver, Bon Iver | I wanted to rate this lower simply because I loved For Emma, Forever Ago so much. I need objectivity! Stupid me. While losing the romance of discovery of Justin Vernon's falsetto and magical soundscapes that came with For Emma, this album establishes his genius as a lasting force. I ranted last year on Twitter that Vernon should stop making side projects and stick to Bon Iver. My goodness. He did.

M83

3. M83: Hurry Up We're Dreaming | I enjoyed M83's 2008 album, Saturdays = Youth, though I seem to remember finding it late. I was interested when I hear a new album was coming. I didn't know I should be this interested. It adds more soar, more lift, more joy to 80's shoegaze. It also adds more epic views of despair. It really is a masterpiece that I, so far, haven't been able to stop listening to. The first five songs alone are worth the price of the album. I wish John Hughes was around to hear this.

Pj

2. PJ HarveyLet England Shake | A remarkable album. Disturbing. Poignant. WWI, war-time, yet universal at all times to the war-torn everywhere. Quirky. Odd. Rare. PJ's voice is a perfect kind of shrill (if there is such a thing) for these creative arrangements. On deck during a colossal battle, the siren of the ocean sings beyond view through the storm & cannons. The guts of dead soldiers are clearly in view.

Poison

1. The Poison TreeThe Poison Tree | Lovely & subtly massive. Cinematic. Baritone vocals. Literary. Charming. Moody. Introspective. Wistful. Barely wet city streets. Black and white. Hands-in-pockets. Collar pulled tight. Good penmanship, elegant words, antique fountain pen on an antique journal on an antique table in a sparsely decorated and lonely room. Life...experienced. Calmly dramatic. This album is almost completely and shamefully neglected. It's a rarely reviewed 2011 masterpiece. It's not #1 because it's neglected. It's #1 because it's gorgeous and brilliant. Please buy it...and be moved.

Life On Mission | Jeff Vanderstelt

Jeff Vanderstelt of Soma Communities talks about how missional communities (mc's) do mission. If you aren't familiar with missional communities, or the way they are done at Soma, this is fascinating. He talks about every member mission, how and why mc's write their own covenants after choosing a people group they intend to reach together, how the church commissions them for the mission, coaching mc's get, and more. The covenant answers: "What would it look like for us to radically reorient our lives on a daily, weekly, monthly basis to reach those people together?"

Lots-o-Links 12.15.11

Web link

5 Ways Wives Can Encourage Their Husbands | Jared Wilson

When you nitpick and nag, you give mouthpiece to the accuser who wants your husband to know not only does he not have what it takes, he is worthless because of it. So find ways to constructively criticize and help him repent, but more than that, tell him what you like about him, how you find him attractive or admirable, how you respect him or are impressed by him. Outdo him in showing honor (Rom. 12:10).

Coming Together On Culture, Part 1: Theological Issues  | Tim Keller

On the surface, the Reformed and evangelical world seems divided between "Cultural Transformationists" and the "Two Kingdoms" views of these things. Transformationists fall into fairly different camps, including the neo-Calvinists who follow Abraham Kuyper, the Christian Right, and the theonomists. Though different in significant ways, they all believe Christians should be about redeeming and changing the culture along Christian lines.

Pencil Does Not Fade | Joe Thorn

A cursory search on the internet shows most people stating as fact, “Writing in pencil will fade over time.” Rather than trust the opinion of some random dude on Yahoo Answers who hasn’t even read an article on the subject, I thought I would ask some people who could give me better direction. So I contacted the National Archives. They were happy to answer my questions quickly and provide helpful references. After a few email exchanges with people who spend their time in historic documents, here is the bottom line for those wondering if writing in pencil will fade.

Graphite pencil is a very stable material.  It does not fade in light. It does not bleed in water unless other dyes were added.

Mark Dever - Reading Sibbes Aloud | After purchasing the 7 vol Works of Richard Sibbes I was reminded that Mark Dever, who literally wrote the book on Sibbes, has read aloud a number of Sibbes sermons. A nice idea, and worth checking out.