90's Christian Rock!

Christian music today tends to be bland. It's all "worship" music, meaning it's meant for Sunday morning services. There's nothing wrong with that, but where is all the storytelling in music these days? Aside from Christian metal, there is a vacuum of Christian rock and alternative bands. The older bands have morphed into worship, such as Audio Adrenaline and the Newsboys. So I was happy when I dug out some old CDs that I forgot I had, CDs that fall into the category of :

90's CHRISTIAN ROCK

Here are four bands that pretty much epitomize what I'm talkin' about.

1. The Waiting

https://youtu.be/qW8b_zxOa2A

There is a link above to their song 'Number 9'. It's a great track; go check it out.
These guys were popular twenty years ago, but have been on hiatus since 2003.They put out a few albums, all of them great. They are sort of like a Christian REM, but better in my opinion. I really dig this band, so much that I'm going to drop another link. This is for a song about Jesus (duh), called A Thousand Years is Not Enough. Enjoy it.
Anybody out there remember these guys? Speak, Hands in the Air, Never Dim, these were good songs...

2. DC Talk

https://youtu.be/Aomv5EtXA44

I know you know this trio. The mighty DC Talk! They were on top in the 90s, going platinum twice  and double platinum once for 'Jesus Freak'. You know, Jesus Freak: What will people think when they hear that I'm a Jesus freak, what will people do when they find out it's true...
Anyway, from left to right: Kevin Max, Tobymac, Michael Tait. In 2001 they split up and went solo, which was a good thing. Kevin went on to make some awesome alternative music , then as singer for Audio Adrenaline for an album; Toby is mega popular in and out of Christian music, beginning as rap/hard rock and doing more pop-hip hop-island type music, and Michael Tait had his own band, Tait. They made two albums, and the Mike became the singer for the Newsboys.
Above is a link to a live version of 'Dive', off the last album "Supernatural". Who remembers Colored People, My Friend, The Hardway, Mind's Eye?


3. Audio Adrenaline

https://youtu.be/9SVahsiPQx8

Ah, Audio A's big hit. Check out the link and listen to 'Never Gonna Be as Big as Jesus'. These guys had a sense of humor, and could rock, too. Listen to 'Secret' off of 'Bloom". Mark Stuart had that raspy, Rod Stewart-like voice. Sort of grungy. But he retired from AA because of vocal problems, which led to the band hiring Kevin Max as singer. He recorded one album and went on tour, and then went solo again. The band has  another new singer, and I don't think any of the original members are in the band anymore. Like Underoath or something...

4. Newsboys

https://youtu.be/fKe_VqqEAH8

The masterpiece of 90s Christian rock right here! If you click the link, you will be treated to 'Lights Out', a hard techno rocker. This album is fantastic, the whole way through. Christian or no, this will float your boat!
At this time, John James was singer. He sang on the next album, Take me To Your Leader, and then left due to 'pursuing ministry', aka drugs and women. You know, sin. A rocker's lifestyle.  He has since repented, and tours America talking about what God has done in his life. And throwing the Newsboys under the bus. But his time was the best time for the band. There was Not Ashamed , Going Public, and Take Me To Your Leader. All great albums. Peter Furler, the drummer, took over as singer and was there until 2009. They still make albums and tour, and might be bigger than they ever were, but in the 90s they were the best. Go listen. Strong Love, Elle G., Spirit Thing, Love Comes True; oh yeah! And listen to those bass lines!
Speaking of bass lines, I saw the Newsboys twice, but the first time I saw them blew me away. It was 1997 I think, right after Take Me To Your Leader came out. Maybe 1998. They were great, but around the sixth song Phil Joel's bass suddenly got louder and about knocked my pants off. No, seriously, my pants shook from the bass. It was awesome.

What these bands had that is lacking in today's Christian scene is talent. Or at least the desire to tell a story, to write a real rock song rather than an emotional tribute to one's self. They were clean, but they said it the way it was. They also had a sense of humor, such as in Newsboy's 'Breakfast', and The Waiting's 'Better off as Friends'. Gallows humor, but humor.

"When the toast has burned, and all the milk has churned
and Cap'n Crunch is waving farewell!
When the big one finds you, may this song remind you
that they don't serve breakfast in Hell!"

 

SAVED! What does that mean?

Thank you to Russia!
Somebody over there has been looking at this blog quite a lot this past week. Here is a new one for you:

Christians use the word "saved" like everyone knows what it means. But what does it mean? Saved from what? And how?
'Salvation' is a magnificent word, especially in New Testament terminology. It means to be rescued from damnation. When Christians say "saved", they are talking about being saved from the eternal consequences of sin. 'Going to Hell', as it is said. Jesus Christ is the One who saves. The Rescuer. He is the shepherd who goes out and finds the lost sheep and brings them home.
They become His.

Now let me explain a few things. This isn't religion. Religion is man's way of reaching God. It doesn't work. He isn't listening. If man invents a way to please God, how does he know that it's really pleasing Him? But if God tells man how to please Him, there's no question that it works. That is a relationship established by God. Notice that when Jesus came here, He didn't come here as a rule-enforcer. He came as the Savior. He healed people, raised the dead, comforted the hurting. He brought people back to Yahweh. He was and is the bridge to Heaven.

When a person gets "saved", it isn't a religious experience, it is being "born again", or literally becoming a new creation. Your flesh doesn't change, but your spirit does. There is a 'quickening', a rejuvenation that happens as God's Holy Spirit actually comes to live in your body and bond with your spirit. You are no longer alone! There is now an awareness that was not there before. An intimate knowledge of God that was impossible before. This is not simply an emotional response to a good sermon, but a transformation that only God can do.

Yes, people can get emotional when they become a Christian. They should! You have just realized your need of a savior and received His pardon. You were guilty of offending a holy God, and yet He forgave you anyway based on the sacrifice of His Son. Of course you should cry, or shout for joy!
But make no mistake: Christians, real born-again believers in Jesus, have what others do not, which is a relationship with the Creator. They know this because they have faith in the message they heard. And because of that faith, Jesus sends His Spirit to live in them and seal them for future residence in Heaven. God has made them aware of Himself. It isn't a person's imagination or fantasy-prone flare-up, it's real.

This is not easy to explain, but I can tell you that God really does live in me. At one time, He did not. Then He did. And there was a difference between the two states. Sure, at first that outward behavior did not change. Inside, however, was a new awareness of right and wrong, a heightened sense of conscience. I knew God was there with me. It wasn't a feeling, but an supernatural knowledge that was beyond emotion. Eventually the outward behavior changed and I wanted to know God more, to love Him and listen to Him.

Christians do get mixed up and manipulated, and can appear to be flaky and strange. And...sometimes we are! But that does not change the message: Man sins, he is unholy and does not deserve a place in a perfect Heaven. God loves man anyway, and prepared a sacrifice to atone for man's rebellion. That sacrifice is Christ. Believing in Him, trusting Him for your eternal life will bring the Holy Spirit into you, who will then save you from eternal punishment and prepare you for eternal life with God.

It's simple, yet difficult. Difficult to follow this Jesus. But the rewards are immeasurable!

 

Hal Jordan Sucks

Hal Jordan sucks. Yes, you read that twice. He blows. He's boring. Ryan Reynolds should not have played him. He should've been Kyle Rayner. Somebody ho-hum, like Josh Brolin, should've played Hal.

Hal was always sort of bland. His comic was good because  Gil Kane and Neal Adams drew it, and not to mention Green Arrow showed up for a while. Quite a dynamic there! All the cool Green Lanterns were there too: Guy Gardner, John freakin' Stewart, Kyle. They were definitely better than death-dealer Hal Jordan.

Neal Adams art

Forgot about that didn't you? Hal's little "issue". Let me recap:

"Hi, I'm Hal Jordan, well respected super hero. I'm sad because my home city got wiped out by a mega-powerful villain with a bad name (Mongul). So what I'm gonna do, what I am going to do is KILL all my friends and steal their rings so I can undo the deaths of millions of Coast City residents, including my girlfriend. That's right, KILL.

"See ya, Kilowog. Then I'm going to go crazy:

"Yes, loony, and become arch-villain #1 (Parallax). I will lose to Oliver Queen, who puts an arrow in my mighty chest, and disappear for awhile before I return to tackle a big black star-eating cloud (Sun-Eater). I have redeemed myself by dying! And then I become The Spectre, you know, the living embodiment of GOD'S Wrath.

"Later, I will return to life as good ol' Hal, and everyone will love me again! Even Kilowog. See, it wasn't really me, it was the one-armed man. Oops, wrong guy! It was the real Parallax, that evil yellow entity. It possessed me and made me do bad stuff."

Yeah, good one, DC. That's why nobody reads comics, because they're stupid.

Anyway, Hal is still boring in my mind. I haven't read the new 52, for the above reason. But come on, Hal should have stayed evil or dead. This "ret-con" junk is a dumb word for a dumb idea.

Bye Hal. I never liked you.

Give me John Stewart instead.