Nina Nastasia: Heard her on some podcast, I think. Lovely acoustic music. Nina Nastasia MySpace.
Sketches for Albinos: Found this stuff a long time ago and forgot about it. Found a Sketches for Albinos MySpace link somewhere and listened again. Really interesting and worth checking out. Iceland represents.
I've been sharing links to Gary Rohrmayer's helpful posts on Engaging in More Spiritual Conversations. His newest addition provides "Ideas for Practicing the 3 x 5 Rule." From the post...
The 3 by 5 rule is simple: A leader seeks to find 5 contacts a day or35 a week until they get 3 meetings or sit downs to either share the
gospel or the vision of the church. A contact is securing a person's
name and contact information (a business card, phone number or email.)
A sit down is a follow up appointment with one of the contacts you have
generated.
The primary question generated by this rule is "How do you find 35
contacts a week?" There are three sources of contacts we will look at
today. 1) Follow-up Contacts 2) Networking Contacts and 3) Cold Calling
Contacts.
I really enjoyed Said at Southern's two-part podcast interview with Derek Webb (one, two) and encourage you to give it a listen.
One thing I love about Webb is his musical and creative progress, as well as his theological progress over the years from the gospel to the implications of the gospel. His Caedmon's and early solo writing is more gospel and his current stuff is more implications. This is how we all should progress, right? Some think that an album like Mockingbird shows gospel changes in Webb, but I think that's a steaming pile. His second interview shows that his thinking on the gospel hasn't changed except that he has actually tried to work out the implications of the gospel.
I also love the discussion on labels (they ask him several very good questions) and how hard Webb tries to avoid them and why. Even as the first half of this interview drew fire from the more reformed crowd, Webb proves himself more humble and more thoughtful and more generous than that crowd in the second interview (which was obviously recorded at the same time as the first and before he knew the response).
Some don't like Webb for his thoughts on politics, or friendship with Don Miller or Jim Wallis, but these interviews show that Webb is one of the most thoughtful, helpful, dynamic, engaging and self-aware artists out there. He personifies what it means to be able to hold tight to truth and theology while still listening to other voices.
Congrats to Tony and the Said at Southern folk. It was not only a good interview, but it challenged me to think about the gospel, faithfulness, music, and more. And I love the fact that this interview is done by a website that includes the name of Southern Seminary even as the interview brought fire on Webb from SBTS alumni. Funny...and sad.
Oh the joy of music! I've been bathing myself in some spectacular music lately. It's my pleasure to share this stuff with you.
Okkervil River (MySpace) might be the world's greatest band (I worded that carefully so as not to overstate my position).
After ignoring the buzz I finally decided to find them. I couldn't find their stuff in any stores. Then they suddenly appeared in my hand, at the checkout, in my car, on my computer and then in my iPod. I listened. I haven't stopped listening. This is brilliant stuff.
Something odd and wonderful happened on my first run through Black Sheep Boy (MetaCritic). I actually found myself skipping to the next song NOT because I didn't like what I was listening to, but because it was so compelling I had to find out where/if they ran out of amazing tracks. I have little doubt this album will be something that endures. It reminds me of some Wilco and Radiohead experimentation, in a reserved way.
Writing in first-person, Sheff traffics not in plots, but in
predicaments full of concrete details and clever wordplay. On "Black",
a man despairs to counsel and comfort his lover, who was abducted and
possibly abused as a child. "April 12th, with nobody else around; you
were outside the house...when he put you in the car," Sheff sings,
capturing the character's boiling frustration and romantic abandon.
Meanwhile, the band churns a bouncy pop energy, driven by Jonathan
Meiburg's keyboards and Zachary Thomas's rubber-ball bass, which pushes
and prods him along, intensifying the emotions even as it seems at
tonal odds with the dark material. But, as the music makes clear,
"Black" is a love song, a statement of determined devotion. (Pitchfork)
A Gothic thread runs through much of Black Sheep Boy, a lyrical
fascination with blood and blades and the blackest of emotions. Anger
and pain have rarely been so eloquently depicted. The appropriately
named song Black has to be one of the catchiest songs ever written
about abuse and revenge; Sheff yells: "And I tell you like before, that
you should wreck his life the way that he wrecked yours." It's complex
track, moving and powerful on a number of levels, full of impotent rage
and a rare emotional intelligence. Like so much on this album it
rewards repeated listens. (musicOMH)
With Black Sheep Boy, Okkervil River have made the kind of minor classic that will inspire obsessive-compulsive love affairs with the lucky people who stumble upon it. There’s not a single terrible track, and the presence of a poignant, unifying storyline takes it more than just a step beyond the band’s peers: Black Sheep Boy dances circles around them. Dynamite, indeed. (Coke Machine Glow)
Please don't miss the Black Sheep Boy Appendix (EP) which is just as striking as a follow-up to BSB.
Their newest, The Stage Names (MetaCritic), doesn't hold the same feel as BSB, but it holds it's own. These songs at first glance sound more upbeat and hopeful than BSB, but their lyrics tell other stories, sometimes painful stories. It's has beauty in the contrast.
Ultimately, The Stage
Names shows how a vastly talented
"mid-level band" (Sheff's words) sees itself, but there's no bitterness
here, just overwhelming self-doubt and
perseverance. Despite its density (they fit worlds into just nine
songs), the
album remains exciting and accessible, albeit highly sobering. It's
about the
folly of popular music and its attendant lifestyles, but these songs
are so
good and so moving that they only give us stupid, stubborn hope. (Pitchfork)
And that, maybe, is the secret to why The Stage Names is so
good. It's a layered piece of work, its joy on the surface, its bitter,
complicated wit buried beneath. No effort is required to enjoy the
album. You almost can't help but be swept away by its sheer exuberant
force. Yet effort, if you wish to expend it, will pay off, as every
listen reveals a new striking line, a skillfully placed flourish. (Dusted)
Wildly alive, majestic and by turns brooding and raucous—often within the same song—The Stage Names burns with all the loneliness and adventure of a never-ending road
trip. It makes sense—Okkervil has been touring the country relentlessly
for years, and in these nine compact songs, the journey’s raw, frayed
edges come to the surface. Will Sheff’s voice keens with emotion and
his utter lack of irony is refreshing—it’s nice to hear someone who’s
not afraid to fully express how sad the world can be. (Filter)
I pointed to this great video for "For Real" (from Black Sheep Boy in last week's post...
In other news, you need more White Stripes. It's all good. Here's "Seven Nation Army" from Elephant and "Icky Thump" from Icky Thump.
Love The Besnard Lakes. So good. Here's "Agent 13" from Are the Dark Horse.
Lastly, let me leave you with a few interjections...
You need to read the whole Storm's article for context, but I agree with him and loved this paragraph...
My question...is this: How can we claim to be "together"
or "united" for the sake of the gospel and turn away a brother or
sister from the very expression and proclamation of that gospel that is
so central to the life and testimony of the church? What does
this prohibition say to the world around us? What must they think of
our professed "togetherness" or "unity" when the elements of the
Eucharist would be withheld from a brother such as Ligon Duncan?
I wanted to send a quick shout out about Dan Cruver of Eucatastrophe, who has recently started working with Carolina Hope Christian Adoption Agency. I first got to know Dan about a year and a half ago. He emailed me about some Keller stuff and we have kept up on each other's blogs ever since.
My wife and I have considered adopting in the past, and we may revisit that idea again someday. It's good to know guys like Dan are working to bring small "r" redemption to little ones around the world. He writes on his blog...
My responsibilities are (1) networking with pastors/churches, mission
agencies, children’s homes, and other organizations to inform them of
Carolina Hope’s established full-service adoption ministry; (2)
speaking in churches, Bible study groups, and other venues to present
adoption within the context of the larger story of redemption; and (3)
writing content for Carolina Hope’s website and articles for
publication. If you know of a ministry that might be interested in
having me come to speak on orphan ministry in general and adoption in
particular, please let me know.
I hope by mentioning Dan's ministry here that someone might be able to connect with his ministry.
10. ACCOUNT FOR YOUR TIME How did you
spend your day? Write it as you go & evaluate how you did at the
end of the day. Now look for ways to improve and ask yourself, “What am
I going to do about this tomorrow?”
9. PLAN YOUR TIME OFFENSIVELY
Act like your time belongs to you! Learn to say no to the things you don’t need to do.
8. KEEP YOUR PRIORITIES IN ORDER
Remember if you don’t have priorities you can’t keep them.
7. DELEGATE TO THE FAITHFUL
What are you doing someone else can do? What is it, that only you can do?
6. PLAN FOR INTERRUPTIONS
When everything is said & done, there is more said than done. Things don’t always happen how you plan them.
5. RESPOND RATHER THAN REACT TO A CRISIS.
There is more than one side to every story. I’ve found in church work there are about 36. Do your homework. It’s okay to say, I’ll get back to you, I don’t know is a smart answer.
4. DON’T PROCRASTINATE
Do what you can do, don’t put it off.
3. GET SOME HELP
Make some calls, network, read a book, listen to a CD, get a mentor. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel.
2. PLAN FOR GROWTH Remember people follow people with a plan. Have a plan for spiritual growth, organizational growth, and numerical growth.
1. PRAY Things happen when we pray that don’t happen any other way.
Can't stop listening to Tegan and Sara. It's addictive. I'm stuck.
Derek Webb's new one, The Ringing Bell, is really great. I've loved all his stuff, but this one is by far his best art. I return to it often.
At the request of too many, I started a free trial on emusic. I picked up a live Over the Rhine album, the new Waterdeep album, and a couple of Linford Detweiler albums. All good stuff. The selection at emusic doesn't impress me. Too bad. Nice idea.
Discoveries...
E.S.T. or Esbjorn Svennson Trio. This is great new jazz...
Okkervil River. I've heard of these guys for some time, just never looked into all the buzz. I should've...
I found Ashton Allen when his music was featured on a movie podcast. I dig the sound. Very Winterpills-ish. What? You don't know Winterpills? Sinner.
My kids are digging Weird Al.
This is the green screen, Donny Osmond clip from "White and Nerdy" in full. Pretty funny.
Themeteors in this shower all appear to emanate from the constellation
Perseus. The best times to watch will be late night Aug. 12 through
dawn Aug. 13.
"The August Perseids are among the strongest of the
readily observed annual meteor showers, and at maximum activity
nominally yield 90 or 100 meteors per hour," said Joe Rao, SPACE.com's Skywatching columnist. "However, observers with exceptional skies often record even larger numbers."
<...>
To see
the show, one need only find a comfortable spot with a clear view of
the northeast horizon, away from local lights. A dark rural location is
best. Lie back on a blanket or lounge chair and scan the entire sky. In
the late evening, starting around 9 p.m. local time, sharp-eyed
observers might see "earthgrazing" meteors that skim the northeast
horizon.
"Earthgrazers are long, slow and colorful," Cooke
said. "They are among the most beautiful of meteors." But don't expect
more than a handful in an hour, he said.
Later and during the overnight hours, the shooting stars will be higher in the sky as Perseus rises. Some skywatchers enjoy counting the number of meteors they see per minute, per hour or during a 15-minute interval and comparing notes.
These were taken at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, IL on Monday. It was a sweltering day, and I was sick, so double sweltering. At the first aid station they had fan misters that were wonderful. Sarah is cooling off on a bench in the first pic. Danny is enjoying the misty blast in the second. See my other Six Flags pics and all my photography.
Grudem previously argued for "allowing both views of baptism [i.e.,
paedobaptism and credobaptism] to be taught and practiced in
denominations on both sides of the question." Grudem has since changed
his mind.
Evidently, Wayne is not so sure any more that we should make the effort
to overcome the divisions among evangelicals for the sake of welcoming
true brothers and sisters as members in the local church. I think his
first edition was closer to the biblical balance.
If
leaders are going to be serious about connecting with people they need
to uncover at least 5 new contacts a day, equaling about 35 a week,
which will lead to 3 "sit-downs" for a meaningful conversation.
2. Pray for opportunities
I remember praying one morning, “Lord, it has been a while time since I led someone to you. Open the doors and show me who I need to speak to today.”
3. Get out and into your community
I encourage church planters to think about tithing their time to community service and interaction.
4. Establish routines and cultivate relationships
I encourage leaders to establish routines and patterns so that you build relational presence with business owners and servers.
Gary concludes...
I learned a simple
lesson over twenty-five years ago from an old missionary who said these
words to me, “Gary you can’t serve God where you are not!” That
statement helped me move away from dreaming about future ministry to
engaging myself in the daily personal ministry right in front of me
every day.
Next week Gary will be writing about creating spiritual thirst in our conversations.
