Music Monday 1.29.07

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If you didn't see my Saturday post on music stuff, please check it out. 

I thought today I would point to a couple of online concerts that I've enjoyed.  They are all on Fabchannel.com.  Disclaimer: Some racy language on occasion.  Shouldn't have to say that, but I get all types here. :)

Though I don't own one of their albums, I liked the Midlake concert.  I own two albums and really enjoyed the concert of Explosions in the Sky despite less than ideal video/audio quality.  If you haven't heard Explosions before, you need to.  The Damien Rice 2003 concert is loud and a lot of fun.  Cold War Kids put on a great show last November, as did The Frames.  The Frames just entered my radar a few weeks back.  And, oh, I like Spoon. 

Feel free to offer links to online concert video you have enjoyed.

Beer, Darrin Patrick & The Journey

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JourneyWow.  Very interesting article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch about The Journey Church in St. Louis and their pastor, Darrin Patrick.  It's called, ahem, "Beer and the Bible."  Darrin is a friend and someone who I think is doing an unbelievable job pastoring.  They are associated with the SBC as well as Acts29 (Picture credits to the StLP-D).

It seems, according to the article, that there are some frustrations in the Missouri Baptist Convention because they loaned The Journey money to buy a building and then found out some at The Journey drink (like Jesus).  The Journey has a regular theology event called Theology at the Bottleworks where they discuss all sorts of issues, and yes, some drink a beer there. 

Theology at the Bottleworks is run by a wildly successful congregation of young St. Louisans called The Journey. The Schlafly program is part of the church's outreach ministry. And it works.

Every month dozens show up at the brewpub to drink beer and talk about issues ranging from racism in St. Louis to modern art controversies to the debate about embryonic stem cell research. First-timers are invited to check out the church on Sunday, and Journey leaders say many have. Theology at the Bottleworks is just one of The Journey's ministries, but it has helped the church grow from 30 members in late 2002 to 1,300 today.

Read this article.

Fix You

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Sorry, couldn't wait on Music Monday.  This is one of the most awesome things I've seen done musically.  (HT: Ben)

Joe Thorn found this.  Wow.  Speechless.

Super Bowl Shuffle...Again

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"There's no one here who does it like me.  My Super Bowl Shuffle will set you free."

Note four guys.
1. Steve Fuller (#4) has no rhythm or talent in this video.  Awful stuff.  Is his voice still changing? 
2. Richard Dent (#95) has the best voice for the song.  Cool man, really cool.
3. Gary Fencik (#45) was fierce on the field.  It's hard to believe this is the same guy.  Geez.  What the crap is going on here?  "Were going to do the Shuffle then ring your bell."  Ugh.
4. William "The Refrigerator" Perry (#72) looks small compared to today's football players.  He's like a dorm fridge.

Church Leader Roundup

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Here are a few things I've read recently that you might want to check out.

Kent Shaffer: 5 Ways Your Church Can Build Trust In Your Community
Mark Driscoll: Twenty Leadership Questions for Building a City Within the City (including Driscollian chest fur)
Tony Morgan: 10 Signs You're Not Ready for Change
Drew Goodmanson: The Future of Spirituality and What Is After Postmodernism
Steven Furtick: Irreplaceable
Mark Dever: Baptists and Elders (best for Baptists who don't have elders)
Joshua Sowin: A Guide to Writing Well
Acts29: An Expanded List of Books for Missional Church Planters
ESV Daily Readings (I'm doing this one)

Music Monday 1.22.07

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One of my favorite ways to find good music is to find the year end recommendations from people, magazines, websites, and so on.  The Metacritic "Best Albums of 2006" not only gives you the Metacritic list, it also lists more than 40 other year end lists.  Fantastic resource.

So now is when I start finding some music from the last year that I missed.  Here are a couple I'm listening to and enjoying.

The Beatles: Love

This is a remix/rework of classic Beatles songs for the Cirque du Soleil show in Vegas.  I've never thought of myself as a Beatles fan, but this album is amazing. 

Jeremy Enigk: World Waits

Thanks to those of you who recommended this album to me.  It's a good atmospheric rock album.  Enigk's voice is not the best I've heard, but it's appealing for its realness.  I'm really enjoying this CD.

Bonus...

Sparklehorse: Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain

I found this by accident in a Borders bookstore.  I liked the cover, and I remember reading a review or two but couldn't remember what they said.  So I listened to a few songs and loved it, bought it, and it's been in regular rotation since.  The musical structures and sounds are wonderfully constructed, though it may take time to appreciate.

Declassified

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Both Stephen Shields and Scot McKnight tagged me, so I'm to release 5 newly declassified items about me you don't already know.  Because of the nature of blogging it's hard to tell what has and hasn't been shared before.  So here's my best shot...

1. In High School my brother and I traveled around central IL in the summers to lip-sync contests and scored tons of small town bling.  The name of our lip-sync team?  The Star Search Rejects.  Our niche?  Lip syncing to Weird Al polka medleys.  We were big time, baby. 

2. I currently have a poster of Jack Bauer on the wall of my office.  Yes, he is holding a firearm.

3. When I as a little kid (maybe 3 or 4?) I got up in the middle of the night, raided the medicine cabinet and downed several birth control pills.  My parents woke up and found me still eating and called my uncle, a doctor.  He said to make me drink soapy water so I would vomit.  I chugged it.  Then Mom stuck her finger down my throat.  I think that worked.  But to this day I have yet to get pregnant.  Coincidence?

4. One summer in the early 90's I listened a dozen times or more to a Rush Limbaugh audio book.  Now he drives me nuts.

5. While at Southern Seminary I emailed a key seminary leader about something a professor told me in a conversation.  It was an email questioning whether the different SBTS schools were heading in different directions.  Within a week I found myself in a meeting with three professors including a dean of one of the schools.  I thought I must have said something wrong and was in trouble, but they simply wanted some info from me and to convey the unity of the schools at SBTS.  None of it ended up being a big deal, but it freaked me out a bit.  Now the prof in question is a friend and it all was nothing to really sweat over.  Go figure.

The Office

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The_office_2I'm through season one of The Office and a few episodes into season two.  Man, this show is funny. 

I know there are a bunch of Office lovers out there.  Anyone have a favorite episode or moment?  So far my favorites are Diversity Day and any time Dwight says or does something.

My Grandpa

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Dsc_0091_1I just found out my Grandpa (Dad's dad) died this morning.  He was with us at my Mom and Dad's house for Thanksgiving, looking old but pressing on.  A few weeks ago his doctor said he is declining and wouldn't make it until next Christmas.  Yesterday the doctor said he may not make it through the weekend.  He barely made it to the next morning. 

E.J. McCoy was a man of the town (Pontiac, IL), a friend to many, loving and generous, quick to locate the sweets, active and fun.  I remember once he was telling a really dumb joke on the golf course (it was the 17th hole) and he was crying over how funny it was to him.  He could barely finish the joke.  I remember sleeping on the pull-out couch in his condo in Venice, Florida.  He took us to the beach to fish with live shrimp and we watched him try to get the hook out of the mouth of a stingray he caught.  I remember how Grandpa was stubborn and how he would win every argument, even after he lost.  I remember how his eyes would light up when he would see our kids.  And I remember how when we went to visit him over the Holidays his health was so poor that he could barely open his eyes to see our kids. 

I could say so much more, but it's enough to say that I loved and will miss my Grandpa.