The Christian Music Thread Genre • Page 57

I know this may have been posted before, but gosh I so can't wait for this

The trailer for this hits me so hard. I'm not the biggest PTL/Bazan fan but this looks great. As a person who grew up evangelic Christian/getting older now and deconstructing my faith I can't wait to see this.

It's so refreshing to see this done in such a honest/earnest way. I was a fan of the BC Pod when it first started, but I got burned out because it seemed to be controversial for the sake of it etc. I know people also feel that way about BC pod and quips about it.

I know this goes off the rails about what this thread is about and I know it's been talked about it before but need to get it off my chest just because it's been on my mind a lot.

I grew up in very Evangelical Christian/baptist church traditionalist type church. Also went to Christian school up until 9th grade. As I grew up, my home church/grew up in changed quite a bit. It was always a big church but started to become more modern/hip. Went to 3 services, added more praise and worship/hillsong type music with lights etc. Still the same pastor, but everything around him changed. Basically what I'm trying to say is it's weird to me how I've become disillusioned with both types of churches. The old traditional type I don't agree with politically, but miss the simpleness of hymns, more solid teaching/preaching. But with these new types of churches, I don't like the cheese/corny/hokeiness of it all. Not sure how to explain it. I know I'm the target audience of these new churches, but I dislike it so much. I know this is just me on my soap box, but I just needed to get it off my chest.

With that being said, is there any better podcasts that talk about deconstructing faith other than BC POD or in a more sincere/honest format?

 

Is there a "local church" community in your area that you're aware of?

 

You perfectly described the way I feel about modern churches, and one of the main reasons why church attendance is down with younger generations. Many of these modern churches are a lot of flash with little substance. We don't want big production values, we want something real. On the other hand, more traditional churches tend to be, well, stuck in the past. There must be a middle ground somewhere.

 

that’s exactly what I’m trying to say, couldn’t have said it better. I also live in Maine, which I believe is one of the least churched state in the US.

 

I’ve been in the position of both of you, especially once I transitioned to college and was on my own to seek out a new community. What has helped me is going to a “local church” that was fortunately brought to my attention while in college. With my time in one (about a year) it has been very straight forward with hymn singing, community support (instead of being a single church building it’s made of individual house churches that have large gatherings twice a month. Each house is usually open and anyone can eat/sleep/seek guidance at any house at usually any time), and a huge focus on just building up the body of Christ and helping everyone who is in the body, regardless of familiarity.

It really helped me at a time when my other options were traditional churches acting like they were still in the 70s or very contemporary and flashy churches. I know the “local church” isn’t for everyone and that’s okay but they are spread throughout the world with most cities in America having one if any of you wanted to give it a shot. After all, it’s very important to be able to have a community to worship with.

If you want to see if one is in your area the website with all of the locations in the world is localchurches.org and the collection of local churches in the area are just called “church in (insert city name)”

 

On the Bad Christian note, yeah, that whole thing is so annoying & lame. I'm not nearly as petty as I used to be, by God's grace, but I still love any opportunity to dunk on them, sorry not sorry. lol.

On the church culture note, the good news is that your feeling is also a growing feeling w/in the American church as a whole. Disenfranchisement w/ both politically conservative evangelicalism & the megachurch style/structure have been growing for a minute now. I'm very thankful to serve in a church w/ that mindset, which has relationships w/ others who do, too. Not sure how that helps you, since there's not necessarily a particular denomination or whatever where that's broadly the case, but, I dunno... Take heart that the overall movement is towards more simplicity, honesty, mission, justice, mercy, community, Holy Spirit, etc., I guess.

On the podcast note, even though I don't quite line up w/ them a lot (& they're not super active these days), I generally enjoy listening to the Deconstructionists Podcast. Lots of good nuggets in their interviews. They've had one of my absolute favorite human beings, Tim Mackie of the Bible Project, on twice, & have also talked to a wide range of other people including NT Wright, Tim Keller, Rob Bell, etc. Oh, & for a dope one-off episode I stumbled upon & revisit a lot, Audrey Assad was on Let's Give a Damn, & I loved so much of their conversation.

Side note: I think my biggest frustration w/ the Deconstructionists, & Rob Bell for that matter, & a lot of the deconstructing people who make a lot of great observations & who I relate to a lot, isn't even the theology that I differ on. Rather, I'm frustrated when I hear people talk about their journey of wrestling w/ belief (which I do a ton) w/out mentioning the Holy Spirit. Not frustrated at them, but frustrated at their situation. For me personally, I'm more sure that the Spirit works, & that He guides me & wants to empower me & for me to surrender more to Him (which is my current battle w/ myself), than I am sure of like 97% or so of theological beliefs, lol. Like, who gives a fuck how Genesis 1-3 & natural science interact, as long as the Spirit can make me pray a prayer w/ power & show me an area I need to grow in more, y'know? Why know things when I can know Him, albeit through the shadowy mirror that we're stuck w/ in this life?

Anyways, on a podcast, but not deconstruction, note, The Bible Project has a podcast where the creators talk through the theme videos they're developing, as well as interview people Tim's nerdy for (including NT Wright) & have q&a episodes from time to time. If you just wanna engage w/ Scripture divorced from the annoying ticks of modern American church culture, check it out.

 

I second the Bible Project podcast. Very great stuff.

 

I wish/don’t know? There probably is I just haven’t looked much honestly

 

I enjoy the Come & Live podcast. I don't always agree with everything they say, but I believe their hearts are in the right place and they have some very interesting guests.

 

thank you so much for taking the time and giving a thoughtful response like this. Definitely good/glad to know that I’m not the only one who feels this.

 

podcasts by Dan Koch (of Sherwood) are excellent around this.

 

I'm so with you about wanting to find a balance between those two different types of churches. Honestly I've been struggling my whole adult life to find a church that's the right fit. It seems like every time I like a church I discover something about it that ruins it for me. I think my wife and I have finally found a church we want to stay at, but we've felt that way before so I'm really praying that doesn't change haha

 

The Myriad is teasing something...

 

TobyMac's 21-yr-old son, Truett McKeehan, died suddenly.

Wow. This was his first kid, who would show up on all his albums as "truDog."

 

Tooth and Nail? They had a signing to announce today.

Terrible situation.

 

Oh wow, nevermind SLICK SHOES IS BACK

 

The Bible For Normal People has been very beneficial for me personally. I don't always agree with their positions or interpretations but find they are very honest. I also love listening to Pete speak....

 

You Can't Trust a Ladder is such an underrated album.

 

New John Mark McMillan!

 

My song "Shaping Season" is on iTunes and Spotify for anyone who's interested. Album is being finished and hoping for a January release date.

 

Beloved are actually back and I cannot contain my excitement.

 

WHAT.

The wild thing is, they're reuniting to play Furnace Fest, which has been dead for as long as they have.

They have a merch store, too; really want one of the long sleeve shirts.

 

WHAAAAAAAT.

 

Are they still gonna go by Beloved(US)?

 

Rumours are they’re going to play other shows next year too. They won’t make it to the UK, but I can dream of new music...