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Praise and Worship Beat
Archives
February 2006
Hot Meals, Internet - the Necessities of Life
Quote of the day, from
David Crowder, talking to the Des Moines Register:
Crowder's wife, Toni , serves as road manager — shepherding laptop
computers and the rest of the band's techie paraphernalia from city to city.
"We need the Internet connection just below catering," Crowder said. "Hot
meals — Internet comes just right below that."
February 24th, 2006
Filmmakers Deserve a Second Chance
The buzz continues for Michael W. Smith and his movie "The Second Chance."
He talks to
BeliefNet about filming one character washing the feet of another:
We cried all day doing that scene—it's one of my favorites. I just think,
here's a guy who's probably not running on all cylinders—he's a janitor at
the church—and somehow he senses God speaking to him, that he overstepped
his boundaries and that he sinned on his brother who was one of his best
friends. He takes a risk, and grabs the bowl, and wants to ask for
forgiveness.
As you see in the scene, it totally annihilates Jake—it annihilates
everybody in our little staff—we're all deeply moved by what we're seeing.
But early reviews are just tepid. The
Columbus Dispatch headlines its review of the movie: "Lukewarm story
dilutes well-intentioned drama," and the
Seattle Times headline reads: "Positive messages banally delivered."
The
Rocky Mountain News rates it a C+.
The
Orlando Sentinel gives it two stars out of five and concludes:
There are pauses for music, making this a painfully slow movie, and the
ending is a cop-out.
Smith isn't much of an actor. If the meek are going to inherit the Earth,
Smith is going to be landed gentry -- no presence.
Still, The Second Chance has something to say. The smart way that message is
packaged in a story with real-world relevance, with flawed people making bad
decisions and then making right, means that these filmmakers deserve their
own second chance.
February 18th, 2006
David Crowder - Confronting the Death of a Friend
Excellent feature in the
Dallas Morning News on David Crowder and the death of his pastor.
February 18th, 2006
No Dismembered Teenagers, No Gross-Out Gags
Michael W. Smith's new movie, "The Second Chance," is attracting attention.
Here's the
Nashville Scene website:
On Jan. 18, as the rest of America’s independent filmmakers were
converging on Sundance, Steve Taylor went someplace about as far from
Indiewood as he could get. He went to church.
Granted, in size and clout, the Prestonwood Baptist Church could be
considered the Sundance of churches. Housed on a massive campus in Plano,
Texas, it’s a suburban cathedral with a 7,000-seat sanctuary and its own
food court. (The Starbucks goes without saying.) For Taylor, who mortgaged
his home to make a religious drama called The Second Chance, a stop in Plano
was as mandatory as an appearance at Park City by the Weinsteins.
On Friday, The Second Chance becomes the latest film to test the commercial
power of an audience Hollywood still regards somewhat warily: church groups.
Released by Triumph Films, a subsidiary of Sony Pictures, the Nashville-shot
feature opens in 35 cities, with more to come if its opening weekend shows a
mandate.
A starring vehicle for contemporary Christian singer Michael W. Smith, the
movie would present a challenge to a major-studio marketing department. It
has no steamy romance, no dismembered teenagers, no stunts or gross-out gags
to hype in the trailer.
February 17th, 2006
David Crowder - Inspiration on the Snow
What do Olympic snowboarders listen to out on the snow, to help push them to
victory? Plenty, including Christian praise and worship. According to the
New York Times:
The selections range from [Andy] Finch's favorites (punk bands AFI and
Flogging Molly) to [Kelly] Clark's mix (the Christian music singers Shawn
McDonald and David Crowder).
February 13th, 2006
Staying at the Top of the Christian Praise
Movement
The Dallas Morning News is
enthusiastic about Delirious? and "The Mission Bell":
After a series of stylistic flirtations that occasionally confounded
their fans, Delirious? veered back to rock-based worship music on last
year's "World Service," though they couldn't resist at least a few
electronic embellishments in the mix.
Delirious? (that's how they write the band's name) moves a step further with
"The Mission Bell," the most stripped-down, straight-ahead rock record the
boys from Britain have produced in years..
...With "The Mission Bell," Delirious? produces the kind of passion and
music that put them at the top of the Christian praise movement, and keep
them there.
February 11th, 2006
Praise and Worship Vs. Entertainment
The South Bend Tribune likes Chris Tomlin. The newspaper did a
great interview with him (scroll down) in advance of his concert in the
city. Now they have featured a
wonderful concert review:
When Christian music singer-songwriter Chris Tomlin performs in a concert
venue, as he did Tuesday night at the Morris Performing Arts Center, he
takes his songs out of the church, but he never takes the church out of the
songs.
As one of the leading forces in the modern Christian worship scene, Tomlin
has to balance being entertaining for his audience and keeping the focus on
praise and worship of God. He succeeded on both counts.
February 10th, 2006
Getting Our Hands Dirty
Christianity Today
interviews Martin Smith of Delirious:
I've always been a fan of the church. I'm part of it; I grew up in it.
It's what Christ is coming back for. What we write and sing about is always
coming from where we are locally. But we need a shake-up: What do we stand
for? What other things should we stand for? Things like justice and worship.
I can't comment on whether the whole church is doing well, but I do know
what God is doing in Westhampton [on the UK's west coast]. And there is a
big shift that is happening—to get our hands dirty. I know that phrase is
used a lot, but there is a move to infiltrate our locality. The song "Now Is
the Time" was written for our own people, and when it's sung at our own
church, it's really exciting to hear, "Now is the time for us to shine, to
shine the face of Christ divine."
February 8th, 2006
Chris Tomlin - Staying Humble
Great interview with Chris Tomlin in the South Bend Tribune, in
advance of his concert in the city tonight. An excerpt:
How does Tomlin...stay humble when he's become a central voice for the
church?
"How can you not?" he asks back. "For me, it is nothing that I've done. I'm
not smart enough. I don't have a good enough marketing plan. Our publishing
company is not that big or smart enough to do that. It is just God doing it,
His favor doing it. So, how can you not look at that and think it isn't
God?"
February 7th, 2006
Hillsong in London
Under the headline "Theatre of God," the BBC website writes about
Aussie
church Hillsong and its thrust into London. Naturally a big deal is made
of the fact that the church asks people to give money, but still it's not a
bad piece, with the conclusion:
It's quite unlike any church I know, but [Hillsong leader] Mr Nevison
believes Hillsong's unique style is crucial in reconnecting young folk with
God.
"Hillsong," he says, "is fundamentally about creating a new impression of
Christianity for a generation who have turned away from God."
February 6th, 2006
Second Chance - Unsettling, Believable
Christianity Today features a lengthy preview of Michael W. Smith's
forthcoming movie, "The
Second Chance."
The Second Chance may be a bit unsettling for those expecting an
unambiguous "message movie," which is why Smith insists, "I wouldn't
necessarily call this a Christian film." Yet, by zeroing in on the mundane
facets of church life and shattering our culture's stereotypes of
evangelical believers, it's probably the most believable Christian film
we've had in a long time.
February 6th, 2006
Not the Chrome-and-Flash Set
The Saginaw News finds lots to praise at a
Chris Tomlin concert:
Front and center Tuesday at The Theater at The Dow Event Center wasn't
the chrome-and-flash set, the catchy graphics playing across the screen or
even headliner Chris Tomlin, who definitely elevates the "cool" factor in
contemporary Christian music.
The focus wasn't on the music that had a respectable crowd on its feet all
night, a trip into the outer reaches of the universe through the high-tech
marvels of NASA or an after-show meet-and-greet open to all in the hall's
lobby.
Yes, those things made it a night that even had the performers singing its
praises. But from the first notes, the music a backdrop to
attention-grabbing screen graphics, Tuesday was a night of worship and
praise.
"This isn't about a famous name or a face on a poster," Tomlin said at one
point. "It's about the holy one."
February 4th, 2006
A Little Unsettling
The Knight Ridder Newspapers reviewer gives three stars (out of four) to
FFH's sixth album, "Voice
From Home," and a pleasant report, though he does seem to have trouble
believing that God really cares about our troubles:
Instead of praise and worship to God, the lyrics of these 12 songs are
written from the perspective of God talking to his children. The concept is
energetically delivered through piano-driven pop/rock songs such as "Worth
It All": "You are mine, you are loved/You have always been thought of /When
you hurt I feel it every time."
The ballad "Grand Canyon," perhaps the most well-written track on this
album, is full of touching and beautiful lyrics that remind listeners of
God's unwillingness to leave us.
While the band's intentions are noble and the music is encouraging, the idea
of God dealing with issues and misgivings like ours, as in "Great Big
Problem," is a little unsettling.
Nonetheless, "Voice From Home" is full of words from the heart of God,
anchored in Scripture but written in everyday language.
February 3rd, 2006
"Arriving" on Top
Congratulations to Chris Tomlin for "Arriving," named by the Gospel
Music Association as the
top-selling praise and worship album of 2005. According to the
Association, the year's top Christian/Gospel album was "Nothing Is Sound"
from Switchfoot, followed by "Lifesong" from Casting Crown.
February 2nd, 2006
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