Worship How To Video

It Was Funny at 11:30

My Art Pieces from Ap(art)

Okay, if you want to own a piece of my art there has never been a better time. Here are four pieces from the Ap(art) event. All money from these pieces goes to scholarships for kids so they can continue in art programs at Jackson School of the Arts.

Get out your checkbooks people. If you want a piece, you can bid here on this site in the comment section or send me an email at john@westwinds.org. I will contact you with current bid status and answer any questions.

If you aren't an art person, do it for the kids. We'll give the art you win away to someone else.

You can pay by check, cash, or credit card through our PayPal account if you win the bid.

#28 is an oil abstract on a 4X4 piece of 3/4inch plywood. The "frame" was routed into the actual piece with a plunge router and the color gives it depth and the illusion of being inset in a frame.

#33 is a black and white abstract with oil and bondo on canvas. There is a thick wire running around the perimeter of the piece. The contrast is brilliant.

#7 was inspired by the series we are in at Westwinds. The writing on the painting says, "YOUR CITY IS SICK SHE'S HURTING" and the words repeat four times with a different word underlined each repeat for a different emphasis. Your city is SICK. YOUR city. Your CITY. Your city is sick, she's HURTING.

#41 This is oil and bondo on ply. A boy kneels and ponders how he might shadow God in the redemption of the world.

Art from Ap(art)

Go online to the Ap(art) site and place your bid on any of this art. Click on a piece if you like it and place your bid in the comment section. We will update the site later today with the bid status. Every piece of art is at least at $50.00 currently. Some are over $150.00. All the money we raise goes to art scholarships for the Jackson School of the Arts.

Ap(art) 105.3 Interview

Evangelism in the 80's

HT: David McDonald

Playful Healing

This 4X4 piece was painted on 3/4inch plywood today. Bondo. Mixture of both oil and latex. This piece was inspired by the series we are in at Westwinds entitled, "Archetypes."

In the series, we are examining how individuals shadow God in the redemption of the world in relation to personality, spiritual gifts, dreams, etc.

Each week, we begin the message with a video short wherein the "King of the City" sends a letter to a different archetype and tells them he has a job for them to do in order to heal the city.

This painting captures a child juxtaposed between the innocence of a colorful and playful existence and their impending journey into adulthood. However, their mission to the city as an adult need not loose any of its innocence, playfulness, or satisfaction.

The Centre Promo

This is best seen by actually watching it from YouTube. It's in HD and too wide for this blog post.

Halloween. Time to Burn Bibles.

I don't think this is what is meant by, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." Oops, I should use my King James: THY word is a lamp UNTO my feet and a light UNTO my path." Wouldn't want my blog banned by this church.

There are so many painful things about this video, I would rather focus on the humorous to stop from crying.

Watch the video. Then, watch it again with the list below.

Noteworthy:

1. The pastor's incredible fashion sense
2. The amazing irony of the church name in light of this
3. The freefoto.com logo in the bottom of the picture of fire they used for their flyer.
4. The irony of "celebrating" (see flyer) Halloween with a bonfire of Bibles.
5. The length of their website URL http://www.amazinggracebaptistchurchkjv.com
6. The fact there are 39 characters in the URL which, when multiplied times the pastor's IQ equals 666. Coincidence?
7. At 0:25 seconds into the clip, Dale Gribble from King of the Hill is actually standing behind the pastor (see photo).
8. The incredible number of members. And, the souls "saved from Hell" (see sign).
9. "Bar-b-Que Chicken, fried chicken, and all the sides!" The chicken didn't speak English. He had to die.
10. Apparently God came for the English speaking people. And the people who speak whatever language this guy is speaking.
11. The event goes from 7:00PM - TILL. I didn't know what time TILL was, so I looked it up. Apparently, TILL time varies upon the crop. But, after everyone has burned the bibles, the tilling will begin. Make no mistake. It's about community.
12. The spelling of Mark Driscoll's name. "Driskol." Understandable. Phonetically, it sounds a lot like Skoal chewing tobacco. Thus, the K.
13. The flyer lists many kinds of music that will be burned--including C-o-n-t-e-m-p-o-r-y Christian music. I am not aware of what this is. I looked it up. The dictionary says, Contempory (ken-temp'-oh-ree) 1.(adj) a common misspelling of the word contemporary by people who burn bibles while eating fried chicken and all the sides.

I could go on but I'll stop at 13. Good number for Halloween.

see #7




HT: Various Parables (for the video)

Foo Fighters "Wheels" Video

Not only do they rid the world of Foo, they can't write a bad song.

The Tyranny of Theme Part 3

Hopefully, this is challenging you to begin thinking a little differently about music. My thoughts are not hard and fast rules.

You need to work within your own framework. I get it.

More food for thought . . .

Sometimes, you may hear a song that you are moved to cover in church but you don’t feel like it can really fit. Maybe you are stuck in an obvious-theme rut and you don’t see any light at the end of the tunnel.

Here’s a suggestion:

Sometimes, it is very appropriate to camp on a theme but we need to be creative in the way we approach it so we don’t sound like kindergarten teachers to our people.

Start with a song that grabs your attention. Ask tough questions about it. Pull out “themes” that may not be obvious at first. Pray through those themes. Journal your experience with the song.

Then, turn that song into a “pop up video” segment. Use it anywhere independent of the theme for the day or the theme of the series. It’s okay to bring multiple things to think about to the table on the weekend. Jesus gives us freedom.

Here’s an example of a pop up video we did this weekend. It didn’t necessarily fit the “theme” of the sermon—though it wasn’t totally disconnected.

The song was Space Oddity by David Bowie. Our video was stock outer space footage. The following journal ideas and multiple thoughts popped up during the song:

David Bowie recorded this tune 40 years ago. It remains timeless and relevant.

Rick Wakeman of the group YES played keys on this song.

Major Tom bought a lie.

Some say the song is about an addict. Someone who has removed himself from a painful existence and is trying to cope.

Space Oddity=alienation.

Major Tom opts to remain adrift rather than return to a planet where he—like so many of his generation—felt politically impotent.

“Planet Earth is blue, and there’s nothing I can do.”

Has anything changed?

“My friend, you and I have lived in serious times.” –John Adams to Thomas Jefferson

“Can you hear me Major Tom?”

“But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD.” Jonah 1:3

Escapism? Aceticism?

“Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” I Kings 19:3-4

Yes, we need healing. Yes, the city needs healing. Yes, our families need healing. Everything is broken. Misaligned.

“Sloth is the sin which believes in nothing, cares for nothing, seeks to know nothing, interferes with nothing, enjoys nothing, loves nothing, hates nothing, finds purpose in nothing, lives for nothing, and remains alive only because there is nothing it would die for.” –Dorothy Sayers

“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet.” –Jesus

“An individual is not distinct from his place; he is that place.” –Gabriel Marcel

What is my place?

“Feed my sheep.” –Jesus

“God's various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God's Spirit. God's various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God's Spirit. God's various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful . . . “ –Paul the Apostle

The Tyranny of Theme Part 2

Why is it that church musicians listen to Radiohead and say they are inspired and moved yet pick a Nickleback song for the weekend?

I want people to engage and have a deeper level of listening. When we explain art away, we open the door to passive interaction—the lowest level of listening.

When there is an unidentified noise in your home, you seek it out with due diligence. Where is it coming from? What does it mean? Is something broke? Am I in danger? Once you identify it, you deal with it. But, if someone says, “oh, that’s just the wind blowing the tree against the house” you stop listening. You “hear” it, but you don’t listen to it anymore.

When we explain art away and live under the tyranny of theme—especially obvious theme . . .

No one asks questions. They don’t need to.

No one arrives at their own conclusions about their own lives. We tell them what to think.

No one is bothered. We tell them it’s okay.

No one is convicted. There’s no element of surprise.

Often, people will ask me why we “use” certain songs at the Winds. But, I don’t think in terms of “using” art. At least not in the sense these folks are thinking of when they ask the question.

I certainly don’t think of music as something we “use” to get to the “real message” (sermon).

Music isn’t “used” to round out 60 minutes and offer something other than a talking head.

Music isn’t simply used to communicate one theme at Westwinds.

Our music, like everything we do on the weekend is about aggregates and gateways. Sure, we aren’t completely random. We pray. We think things through. We pick the right song for the right moment. But, we aren’t mono-thematic.

What I really, really, REALLY want to see happen is for the people who are in charge of music selections at their churches to look past obvious theme. I want to see us not be afraid of the world of metaphor, tension, concurrent subject matter, emotional and physiological response, and avant-garde.

So, instead of asking your network of music people if they know a good song about “money” because your pastor is doing a sermon on “tithing,” (which will garner obvious and overdone suggestions like Pink Floyd—Money, The Beatles—Money (That’s What I Want), and Calloway—I Wanna Be Rich) let’s think for a change.

If you are stuck in the theme mode, at least think about deeper layers of themes. A theme like “tithing” gives you a plethora of places to go from comfort, to sacrifice, to commitment, to mission, to obedience, to state of the heart, to lifestyle, to choices, to fear, etc.

OR . . . OR . . . don’t do a song at all!

OR . . . do a song that isn’t tied to the theme at all.

OR . . . do a song that is pertinent for other things your church or the world is experiencing.

OR . . . do a song because it is a good song and it needs to be heard.

One of the greatest things that ever happened to the church over the last few years was Willow Creek’s influence on music and the arts in the context of the Sunday gathering. But it is that very thing, that theme mindset, which “special song” approach, which sometimes keeps us hamstrung from being creative.

It makes us predictable.

So, we are left to search the internet for themes, ask our friends what worked for them, go to an old book like The Source, or post a frantic request to Twitter because our pastor is speaking on Homosexuality and we can only think of Queen songs.

(P.S. Scott Dyer, author of The Source, is a friend and a good man. The Source has been a huge impact and excellent resource for many. Sometimes, a book like this is exactly what the doctor ordered. But, it is not the only way to approach music selection and I’m sure Scott would agree)

So, church musicians, I dare you to break the mold.

Listen to the radio. Listen to the new iTunes releases. Pull up the playlist of the college station.

When a song grabs you, ask why.

If it makes you cry, you should probably share it. Soon. Because.

If it makes you smile, buy the chart.

If it bothers you, put it on the calendar.

The Tyranny of Theme Part 1

I see it every week. On Twitter. On Facebook. On various network loops I belong to.

The quest for the perfect “feature” or “special” song to use on a Sunday.

Typical scenario:

1) Someone decides upon a theme.
2) A team brainstorms what movie clip/music they can use to support said theme
3) Some songs make the cut and then the music person asks their network for ideas

Maybe there is a missions conference happening. So, the senior pastor puts it out to his “creative team” to find the most pertinent—ahem, most obvious—“mission” songs.

Typical Tweet: “Looking for a killer energetic opener for the missions conference. Last year we did “Takin’ it to the Streets.” Ideas?”

God forbid the theme is something like Ananias and Sapphira to send the poor music person on a quest for a song about an untimely death.

I’m having fun, but I think it is time for us to retool.

Food for thought . . .

Are we willing to let the song stand on its own? I seldom give a song a setup or explain away all the mystery. I want it to speak for itself. Art is dialogue.

Yet, in our theme-heavy church services, we take away the guesswork for people. The most fun and effective part.

Sometimes, usually because a pastor can’t live with tension or doesn’t want people to get the “wrong idea”, someone will give away the whole punch line of a song before it begins. Example: “This is a song about how we need to get along and stop bickering. It is a sad song about how a person is hurt by words. It is a great story about a dad and his daughter. Listen to the words. Ask how you use words. Do you need to change?” And one and two and three and four and . . .

Boring. No adventure. No discovery.

One of the things I love about watching LOST is the conversation that happens outside of the program. The endless search for deeper meaning. Clues. Suspense. Metaphor.

ABC did something with their new series, “FlashForward” after week one that made me furious. At the commercial breaks, the commentator gave us hints as to the clues. He would say, “did you catch that name? Could be important!” Or, “Did you see the kangaroo? That probably means something.”

I almost stopped watching. I’m not an idiot. Don’t dumb it down for me.

I wonder if we sometimes do that with our “creative” process. “Hey, everyone . . . here are the clues. Here is what to listen for. This is the theme for the day. Get it? Get it?”

The Downhere Christmas Album Doesn't Suck! Woo Hoo!

True confession: When it comes to Christmas music, I am usually pretty "Bah, Humbug." I get tired of it real fast. It always starts too early in the year in the stores. And, when it comes to new Christmas albums, it seems like I have to sort through quite a pile before I find anything fresh. I'm jaded. But honest.

Today, a Christmas album hit the street that is a breath of fresh air.

The guys from Downhere have turned out quality music for the past few years. Good poetry. Thoughtful. Engaging. Well produced. Fresh perspective. Well arranged. Good humor. Tight harmony.

"How Many Kings?: Songs for Christmas" has many great moments and makes me happy as opposed to the usual "I should have just downloaded the single for 99cents instead of wasting money on a whole album" feeling I usually get.

We are covering the title track at Westwinds on Christmas Eve. We are also doing their arrangement of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (a song that i have NEVER done at Christmas). Good King Wenceslas has a great little groove. Five Golden Rings was a fun little surprise and touch of Downhere fun. I love that these guys don't take themselves too seriously (p.s. buy their first album and stick around for the hidden track). Even the Silent Track is enjoyable summoning a bit of a Sigur Ros feel.

Thanks, guys . . . for not sucking.

I interviewed Jeremy a while back. You can read that interview here. I have always appreciated these guys. Buy the album. Rock stars need money. Click below for instant gratification.



Check out their video below:

God Told You I'm Supposed to Use This? OR 10 Things to Tell People Who Swear You're the Lennon to their McCartney

He brought his guitar with him one Sunday. He told me I had to sit and listen. "God gave me this song and told me to give it to you," he said. Awkward to say the least.

As an "up-front" artist, I often get approached by people asking me questions about songwriting/poetry/painting, etc. They range from, “how do I get started?” to “will you help me with _________ (music, lyrics, publishing, art, poetry, etc.)? to God told me you are supposed to help me.”

It’s hard to tell from a first meeting if this is going to be a creative-collaboration-match-made-in-heaven or it is going to be a nightmare where you’ve committed to reading someone’s Chicken Soup for the Soul poetry while wishing there was some sort of Kevlar headgear to protect you from oncoming clichés and hickory-dickory-dock meter.

In some of my most scary awkward moments, I’ve been handed notebooks of poetry after a set where someone tells me God told them to give me the poetry so I can turn it into songs. I have had people give me recordings of the song God told them I should do in church the next week. I was once handed a notebook of sketches that were "inspired by the Holy Spirit" for my use.

Honestly, in 20 years of ministry and dozens of these spontaneous meetings, I have never had many turn out real well.

The collaborations that work usually come about an entirely different way. Usually, the collaboration happens when artists collide while they are doing the hard work of honing and sharing their craft. And, the magic usually only happens when there is a relationship between two or more parties. Sometimes the relationship can be as simple as getting to know each other at a writer’s retreat or playing a gig together.

But, asking someone you're not in relationship with to spend their time helping you make your “art” better is mostly awkward, sometimes rude, and often strangely bizarre and unfair.

Unless you are part of a collaborative group, a dedicated retreat, an open mic talkback, etc. OR unless you are paying an expert for their services, time, and opinion, OR unless you have a great relationship with someone who is some kind of authority, OR unless that expert has made it known they would like to be a mentor, it is probably not a good idea to approach someone and guilt them into reading something or hearing something.

With all that said, not everyone is a sponge ready to exhaust you of your energy. Not everyone has bad poetry/art/songs. Some are just starting out and really need someone to give them direction. Some just need us to point them in the right way. Some are just socially awkward and don't know the "rules." Some respect you and want advice.

It’s not always easy to discern between them, however.

So . . .

This is the approach I take when put in any situation—awkward or not—wherein I am asked to give my opinion, read poetry, collaborate, etc. I usually say something like:

“It sounds like you and I share something in common . . . we write songs and poetry/paint/design, etc. The difference is, I have an outlet to share it with others. I understand your frustration because seeing something come to fruition is the best part for me at times.

With that said, I always feel awkward saying this but . . . I have so many ideas and songs I feel like I am driving myself crazy at times. It's enough to keep up with my own stuff. So, it's hard for me to imagine dropping everything and collaborating with something new.

Plus, songwriting/art/poetry is very personal. It’s difficult for me to be able to talk through these things unless we are either in a classroom setting where I am getting paid for my opinion or we are friends and trust one another a good deal.

But, I always want to listen to voices that may potentially be God speaking! So, here is what I suggest to anyone with your particular gifts:

1. Consider starting a blog if you don't have one. This is a great way to get your thoughts down and share them with the world and get feedback. Let me know when it is up and running so I can go read the goods!

2. Consider sending me some poetry to see if it something we can use in other ways beyond song--i.e. on screen, having it read, etc.

3. Consider starting a satellite group for poets. We have reading groups, visual art groups, and writing groups happen here. A group for poets to share and give feedback would be awesome!

4. If you have any musician/art/poetry friends, sit with them and share your thoughts.

5. Start taking piano or guitar lessons.

6. Consider paying someone to take your lyrics and help you write and rewrite them from a songwriter’s perspective. I would be happy to do that for you at $_____an hour.

7. Enroll in some music theory classes/poetry classes/art classes etc. at the Junior College.

8. Join our next songwriter’s retreat. Be ready to submit your stuff and get real constructive criticism. Be ready to grow thick skin.

9. Enter your lyrics in a poetry contest or your song in a songwriter’s contest. There are many of these that happen throughout the year.

10. Join any of our multiple teams around Westwinds and get to know some people. There are many young and fresh artists who are building community with one another. You should get to know them and serve with them!

All of these things are good starting points. We may find we have a good connection. On the other hand, I want you to understand it may not be a perfect match but, we never know until we try. It's the match that counts.

Art is strange. It is highly subjective in some ways and there is sometimes almost universal appeal in other ways. Sometimes, art is for the few and sometimes it is for many. Depends. I've written many songs that will never be heard but, they are great prayers and special to me. I have people that speak into that.

Kudos to you for being bold and looking for ways to serve God and bless others through your gift. I'm sure there is a great place for you. Let's see if we can find a good fit! Let me know how you want to move forward.”

Creepy Cracker Barrel Photos

On the first Friday of every month, Kasidy and I have an early Daddy/Daughter breakfast. This time, she picked Cracker Barrel. AKA "The Crack." The food is decent enough for breakfast.

But, it's the photos at our local CB that creep me out. Seriously, Cracker Barrel is ready for Halloween 365 days a year. Here are the most frightening. In no particular order.

Man Grandma
I don't know what creeps me out more--the fact that this "man" didn't even try to look like a woman or the fact that this "woman" may have not tried to not look like a man. This is something straight out of Hitchcock. Grandma looks just fine working in the kitchen till she turns around with that knife. What is he/she thinking? My guess: "Grandpa's not coming home today, kids."


Pirate Peg Leg Baby
Is it just me? Are those legs even in the right place? And, if you look close, I don't know that those are boots. I think I see toes on the left foot (right in the picture). In that case, this child has black legs.


Man Baby
If one of the Lollipop Guild people from the Wizard of Oz had kids with Dr. Evil, this would be the spawn. I picture this child speaking in a deep voice and in complete sentences. Perhaps quoting Voltaire. Perhaps he delivers your death sentence in a convoluted Dr. Seuss like rhyme. I'm pretty sure this is the look you get right before your head gets chopped off.

Angel Wing Mafia Man Baby
Where do they breed these kids? This child is obvious Italian mafia. I know. I'm part Italian. "You lookin' at me?" What is under his . . . onesie? The rest of the gang? Artillery? Pillows?


Varicose Horse
This is the horse that was in The Ring. His face veins are enlarged and tortuous. This is from years of being fed human flesh at the hands of Man Baby.

Weekend Promo for The Centre