Kindness - Steve Bell

Don’t overlook Kindness on the way to Pilgrimage

Kindness

Artist: Steve Bell (www.stevebell.com)

Label: Signpost Music

Length: 12 tracks/47 minutes

Steve Bell is marking his 25^th anniversary as a solo artist with Pilgrimage, a four disc set releasing on September 15, 2014.

                                                                                                                                                                 

In the meantime, I want to look at Kindness (2011), which I failed to negotiate when it was released. Bell’s only recording since then is Keening for the Dawn (2012), a collection of songs celebrating Advent.

If you are a stranger to Steve Bell, he seeks “to encourage Christian faith and thoughtful living through artful word and song.” Mission accomplished on Kindness.

The first and second songs are about the centrality of love and kindness. “Love is patient. Love is kind.”

We can never be reminded enough about kindness. Ravi Zacharias, an internationally known evangelist and speaker, once lamented that in his travels he often witnessed the lack of it between married couples. The quotation featured prominently on the inside of the CD cover reads: “I have sought how I might make God more loved by other souls … And have not found any other or more powerful way than kindness” (Lucie-Christine/1844-1908).

The title track lists Brian McLaren with the writing credit. It is an adaptation of Teresa of Avila’s Christ Has No Body, “Christ has no body but yours/No hands, no feet on earth but yours.”

This, like several of the other tracks, has a peaceful, acoustic sound. Here and elsewhere Russ Pahl’s pedal steel adds to the serenity.

Another standout is Mike Janzen on keyboards, who contributes a delightful piano solo toward the end of “About Love.”

If potential listeners are intrigued by the thought of combining poetry and music, this offers a wealth of it. The wildest form is “Stubble and Hay,” which sounds like the soundtrack for a Flannery O’Connor novel that was made into a Western. There is plenty of grit in sound and sentiment as singing collides with spoken word. This is not a typical Steve Bell song.

In stark contrast to the preceding, when Bell begins the next song with “God is everything to me/I myself can do nothing/Spare nothing, bare nothing,” it’s like following the “All is vanity” of Ecclesiastes with the sublime intimacy of the Song of Solomon. The lyrics, the vocal inflections and the graceful notes in “Birth of a Song” convey wonder and beauty.

Does having a sense of wonder matter? Without it, it’s like having eyes but not seeing, having ears but not hearing and having a heart that is lifeless. “I hear music,” said the character in the film as he tried to describe how he felt about his supposed lover. That describes the power of wonder. “Birth” makes my heart sing.

Listeners descend from that height, as they listen to King David lament in “Absalom, Absalom,” a song written by Pierce Pettis. The light acoustic touch makes this a pleasure instead of something heavy.

I cherish the opening lines, which express the desire for forgiveness: “Come and smear me/With the branches from that tree/Hyssop dipped in innocent blood/To make me clean.”

David admits that Absalom was watching when the former made a series of sinful choices. Absalom became “Caught in the tangles of deceit,” which foreshadowed his “Hanging lifeless from that tree.”

I first heard the closing “Was it a Morning Like This” on a Sandy Patty recording. Strings aside, Bell is not headed for overly inspirational territory. He succeeds in updating a well-written song that employs a device used in Scripture that here translates the joy of the Resurrection: “Did the grass sing/Did the earth rejoice to feel you again/Over and over like a trumpet underground/Did the earth seem to pound He is risen.” Creation, as a stand-in for all things, is depicted as praising God for Christ rising from the dead.  

Shortly after I wrote the first part of this piece, I came across the following in an old, forgotten devotional (author not given): “Have you ever had your sad path suddenly turned sun-shiny because of a cheerful word? Have you ever wondered if this could be the same world, because someone had been unexpectedly kind to you? You can make today the same for somebody. It is only a question of a little imagination, a little time and trouble. Think now: What can I do today to make someone happy—old persons, children, servants—even a scrap for the dog or crumbs for the bird! Why not?” I’m sure Bell will be pleased if Kindness produces the kind of softening towards ones fellows that leads toward charity.

The Passionate Intellect - Alister McGrath

Pursuing a generous orthodoxy

The Passionate Intellect: Christian Faith and the Discipleship of the Mind

Author: Alister McGrath

Publisher: IVP Books (www.ivpress.com)

Pages: 210

“I hate theology!” my misguided acquaintance exclaimed as we walked down a corridor of the Bayshore Mall. Immediately, I rose to the defense, “Theology is the study of God!” My words did not register in a mind that suffers from mental illness.

It’s ironic that this mall-walking friend addressed his disdain to me. Though theology can be complicated, even frustrating, I treasure it. Though it can harm when distorted or misused, and be a source of contention, it can also be a means of knowing God and His ways more perfectly. It serves as a guide to walking with Him.

My love for truth caused me to respond with joy to the prospect of reading The Passionate Intellect by Alister McGrath. This former atheist has a scientific/naturalist background, which makes this volume all the more remarkable. He employs his keen intellect and research skills to show that faith in God is not only rationale but capable of meeting the challenges of our day.

Comprised of previously published lectures and addresses given between late 2007 and late 2009 in various European locations, the first six chapters make a case for the relevance of Christian theology. The common theme is the intellectual credibility of the faith. It not only makes sense in itself; it “has the capacity to make sense of other aspects of reality” (12).

The last five chapters deal with cultural engagement; specifically, the natural sciences, Darwinism, and the new atheism. The summary critique of the latter will help anyone that wants to gain a quick grasp of the claims of the new atheists and McGrath’s informed responses.

Throughout the book, there is a great deal of depth stated in summary form. The writing is accessible but college level.

What makes it especially rewarding is the winsomeness with which the author makes his arguments. He does not resort to demonizing those with contrary views. He is the opposite of what well-respected Christian leader J. I. Packer calls “entrenched intellectualists—rigid, argumentative, critical Christians, champions of God’s truth for whom orthodoxy is all” (20).

His is a voice of reason as he goes on to write, “I think we all know people who seem to have an obsession with what Packer calls ‘winning the battle for moral correctness’ and little interest in any other aspect of the Christian faith. They may love God, but they seem to have problems loving other people—especially when they disagree with them. It’s not always easy to discern how this fixation on theological correctness links up with the Gospel accounts of the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. Surely the better way is to pursue a generous orthodoxy, seeing disagreements in the context of the greater agreements which bind us together?” (20).

This broadmindedness permeates this volume while holding firmly to the faith entrusted through the Scriptures. I imagine that C. S. Lewis would look kindly at McGrath’s mere theology.

It’s also noteworthy that an entire chapter is devoted to George Hebert’s “Elixir.” In recent years there has been a surge of interest and recognition of the theological richness of the poetry of Herbert (1593-1633). “Underlying Herbert’s poetry is an understanding of the role of words to bridge the gap between heaven and earth, between the believer and Christ. Herbert’s use of evocative figures of speech (tropes) allowed him to establish significant links between the secular and profane world and the core themes of the Christian faith. His genius was to offer a way of expressing these themes that was powerful and imaginative compared to the learned biblical commentaries and dense tomes of systematic theology of his age” (47).  The words of a poet can express truth in a way that captures the imagination. The hymns of John and Charles Wesley are more remembered than their sermons.

One application McGrath makes from “Elixir,” regarded as Herbert’s most beautiful work, summarizes McGrath’s view of the importance of theology: “Theology makes possible a new way of seeing things, throwing open the shutters on a world that cannot be known, experienced or encountered through human wisdom and strength alone. Christian doctrine offers us a subject worth studying in its own right; yet its supreme importance lies in its capacity to allow us to pass through its prism and behold our world in a new way” (52).

My friend who walks the mall does not hate God. He freely acknowledges Him. The disconnect in his mind carries over into his thinking about God and theology. In his right mind, I believe he would view the latter as a gateway to seeing reality as God intends.                                                                                                                                   

Sing Your Praises: One Thing Live

Worship that reflects God’s diverse creativity

Sing Your Praises: One Thing Live

Artist: Various                                 

Label: FORERUNNERMUSIC (www.forerunnermusic.com)

Length: 12 tracks/73:42 minutes

For those not familiar with International House of Prayer (IHOP) recordings, this serves as a diverse introduction. Sing Your Praises: One Thing Live features 11 different artists leading worship in a live setting. They each have one song with the exception of Laura Hackett, who has two.

Included is “The Gift,” a closing piano ballad from Misty Edwards, who may be the most popular artist on the label. But each IHOP release that I have reviewed by other artists is similar in quality.

Part of the appeal is that they tend to be a little outside of the mainstream. These are not generic worship songs. The production values and artistry place them among the leaders in this genre.

This type of music gets its share of criticism, but I marvel at how far it has come. These IHOP releases reveal a maturity over early efforts in this field.

Frequent themes are a longing for Christ’s return, the reciprocal love between Him and His bride, the Church, and God’s majestic holiness.

If you are tempted to think, I’m more of a hymns person. I venture that Keith and Kristyn Getty, those superb modern-day hymn writers would applaud, “For I Was Far,” by Anna Blanc. If you hear it on the radio, you could think that you were hearing Kristyn. It would fit on a Getty album.

Another standout, for its uniqueness in perspective, is Jon Thurlow’s “Let Me See Your Face.” This is written and sung from God’s point of view. He woos His broken child asking that she but turn to Him. This is not Jacob wrestling with the angel. It’s the weary one, his way hedged-up with thorns, hearing a voice behind him saying, “This is the way. Walk in it.” God is speaking tenderly, “Just let me hear your voice.”

A favorite, for its recorder-like sound, dreamy guitar and peaceful atmosphere is Laura Hackett’s “The Love Inside.” Her other track is more dramatic, but does not have as much impact. The soft word carries more weight.

Imagine a crowded trendy club in some glamorous city, the air filled with anticipation as people wait for the show to begin. Suddenly, a DJ or master musician appears, starting the event with a high energy song. The crowd surges forward, pogo dancing in time to the throbbing beat. But something is different. There is more to this than music and dance. There are words of exaltation. The man in front is leading people in praise to God. Ascribe glory to God! That’s the setting I imagine for “Sing Your Praises” by Matt Gilman.  

I like the clear annunciation from Rachael Faagutu on the reggae-inspired “Survival Plan.” She proclaims truth about God, and her husband, Wallace, elaborates in response. Their voices join on the rapid-fire chorus. This is an artful use of a style not as common in praise and worship.

“We Make Room” by Jaye Thomas, which features The Cry, is decidedly gospel. Other tracks border on alt-rock.

This release certainly reflects the creative diversity that God has shared with the human race. He could have made just one variety of apples. Instead, we have many, and that is just one fruit. In a similar way, He allows a multitude of expressions and the use of creativity in worship. It’s all for the purpose of magnifying His glory.

Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings,

Ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;

Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness (Psalm 29:1-2 ESV).

Michael Dalton

Man on the Run: Paul McCartney in the 1970s - Tom Doyle

A realistic, non-critical, snapshot of a pivotal time in the life of a Beatle

Man on the Run: Paul McCartney in the 1970s

Author: Tom Doyle

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Pages: 230

I have a question for fans of The Beatles, and Paul McCartney in particular, who are readers. This is directed at those who have read some or many of the volumes pertaining to the Fab Four. What is the best book on Sir Paul?

Though Man on the Run by Tom Doyle is limited in scope, roughly covering the 1970s, it deserves a place in the pantheon of Beatles’ books. Chief among the reasons is Tom Doyle, who had unprecedented access to McCartney, and more than lives up to his reputation as a sterling music journalist. He is a long-standing contributing editor to Q, and his work has also appeared in Mojo and various publications.

McCartney may have warmed to Doyle being Scottish. McCartney enjoyed “a decades-long relationship with the country,” which is explored here, beginning with the purchase of High Park Farm and the Bohemian lifestyle that evolved from it. 

Doyle combines personal interviews and source material into a succinct but detailed narrative account of the aftermath of The Beatles, specifically McCartney’s journey to establishing a new identity. Doyle makes it a fascinating read, one that is hard to put down, and one that you want to continue.

The story provides the context for every recording from McCartney (1970) to Tug of War (1982). There is brief analysis of missteps, some bizarre, and successes. Much of the latter emerges after the birth of Wings, where McCartney reached another pinnacle. The eventual demise of Wings is also included with perspective from former members.

Scattered throughout are accounts of McCartney’s on and off relationship with John Lennon, who, as is known, could be quite surly. Nevertheless, McCartney could take solace in Lennon’s last words on their collaboration, “‘There’s only been two artists I’ve ever worked with for more than a one-night stand as it were,’ he said. ‘That’s Paul McCartney and Yoko. I think that’s a pretty damn good choice. As a talent scout, I’ve done pretty damn well’” (203). Yoko also assured McCartney, telling him “how warmly John had often talked about him in private” (205).

The author provides a poignant account of the impact of Lennon’s death on McCartney. In the aftermath, he was engulfed by a range of emotions that hung like clouds over his mind. It taught him an important lesson: “I’ll never fall out with anyone again in my life for that amount of time and face the possibility of them dying before I get a chance to square with them,” McCartney confided to Denny Laine (205).

Details like this make the book an enriching read. Though it does not always cast McCartney in a favorable light, it feels authentic, getting past the legend and closer to knowing McCartney as he is. Prior to this I had only read a couple of books about The Beatles, but it’s hard to imagine a better one covering this segment of McCartney’s career. He can point to this with satisfaction, recognizing a realistic, non-critical, snapshot of a pivotal time in his life and career.

The Joy of the Gospel: Evangelii Gaudium (Apostolic Exhortation) - Francis

Surprised by Francis

The Joy of the Gospel: Evangelii Gaudium (Apostolic Exhortation)

Author: Francis (As listed on title page)

Publisher: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Pages: 152

I share the interest of many in Francis, the simple designation the Pope uses in the Joy of the Gospel, which has an appropriate subtitle, Apostolic Exhortation. Fitting because, being addressed to Catholics from lay people to leaders, it’s a challenging call to live the life of Christ in every dimension for the sake of evangelization.

This is far from a how-to-win-souls book. Rather, it’s remarkable for its comprehension of the all-encompassing nature of evangelism, elevating it above drudgery to joy, which is as it should be. Those seeking a fresh vision can find it here under the following broad headings:

1.       The Church’s Missionary Transformation

2.       Amid the Crisis of Communal Commitment

3.       The Proclamation of the Gospel

4.       The Social Dimension of Evangelization

5.       Spirit-Filled Evangelizers

Francis may not be thought of as an academic like his predecessor—on the basis of what I had read and heard I was expecting folksy inspiration along the lines of his namesake. What a surprise to find such a scholarly outlook filled with practical directives that even I as an evangelical can apply to my own life.

The simple writing style is an encouragement to me personally. I’m not verbose and neither is Francis. He gets to the point with hardly a wasted word.

Each chapter is organized under sub-heads that have numbered sections containing an average of one to four short paragraphs. The sections are consecutively numbered from the beginning of the book.

There is treasure in readily accessible form in each of these 288 divisions. I could revisit them repeatedly and be enriched each time.

The author only lost me with an occasional reference to the Eucharist and in the concluding part that deals with Mary. The latter was a slight let down.

I realize that some might not even consider this volume because of their differences with the Catholic Church. If, however, one approaches it with an open mind to glean what is helpful rather than reading to find fault, one can be the wiser for it. I don’t want to be too proud to learn from anyone. That’s not to say there is no need for discernment.

It’s the capacity that one needs when reading N. T. Wright, John MacArthur, and one of my favorites, F. W. Boreham, or any other author. We grow in our ability to separate the wheat from the chaff in part by being exposed to views that differ from our own. Sometimes we need the help of contemporaries and/or ancients to help us find our way. This is part of the value of reading books.

Whatever we think we know, in a sense we know it imperfectly. I am wrong without realizing it. I fail in many ways and see imperfectly. It’s why we need to evaluate and avail ourselves of resources that God provides.    

There is one book that towers over and has inspired this and countless others in Christendom. If we have time for nothing else, the Bible must be our lodestar. Everything else must stand in the light of it.

In the Winter/Spring 2014 issue of Image, Kathleen Norris writes, “However the cultural winds are blowing, I believe that the task for artists of faith is the same as it has always been. Whether or not the culture accepts their work, their job is to reject the false and seek the true; to shun sentiment and formulaic happy endings in favor of passion and surprise” (83). Francis may not be considered an artist, but in this work he rejects the false and seeks the true. He shuns sentiment and formulaic answers. He writes with passion and surprise, which makes this a joy to read.

Sovereign - Michael W. Smith

A new label, a new dynamic

Sovereign

Artist: Michael W. Smith (www.michaelwsmith.com)

Label: Sparrow Records

Length: 12 tracks/54:33 minutes

Michael W. Smith is a musical virtuoso, but he may never be more dynamic than when he leads worship. Look no further than Sovereign, which is his latest and finest effort in this category. I might take this over any of his previous releases.

These songs are straightforward with restrained artistry, giving them broad appeal.

They exude the power that comes from combining rock and worship. The choruses are like the roar of many waters! The God of glory thunders and so does the music in the crescendos. In contrast, it is often like a gentle whisper at beginning and end when it’s little more than just Smith and a piano. I like hearing his earnestness and tenderness to sparse accompaniment.

Credit is due in part to partnership with a new label, Capitol Christian Music Group. Smith wisely chose to be open to input and direction, knowing that iron sharpens iron.   

Though it is a studio recording, it has the vitality of the live recordings that our popular in this genre. It’s easy to imagine it being performed in arenas filled with throngs of people singing along. It rivals its secular counterparts because of its object. The sense of majesty is but the dim reflection of God’s awesome glory, which is beyond description.

One of five cover songs is “Christ Be All Around Me.” It’s an excellent adaptation with a chorus derived from early Irish poetry:

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every one who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

It serves as a lovely reminder of the pervasiveness of God’s presence.

Two of my favorites, “Hide Myself” and “You Won’t Let Go,” are collaborations with a couple of the best songwriters in Christian music, Mia Fields and Seth Mosley. These songs are such a winsome blend of pop, praise and comfort. Does it anyone do it better than Smith?

I like the closing duet with Kari Jobe (“The One That Really Matters”), but it is a little long and repetitive. It detracts somewhat from the powerful thought that in the end, pleasing God is all that matters.

Sovereign debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200. Just prior to this, Smith and Cracker Barrel Old Country Store released Hymns, Smith’s take on classic hymnody. 

The Beatles, the Bible, and Bodega Bay - Ken Mansfield

The only book approved by The Beatles

The Beatles, the Bible, and Bodega Bay (http://www.fabwhitebook.com/html/meet_ken.html)

Author: Ken Mansfield

Publisher: Broadman & Holman Publishers

Pages: 299

“Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body” (Proverbs 16:24 ESV). In The Beatles, the Bible, and Bodega Bay (2000), Ken Mansfield, in writing about another Beatle insider book, said, “My greatest objection was the dark-side approach he (Peter Brown) took to events and the Beatles themselves. I think there must have been two John Lennons—I never met his!” (92). This is indicative of Mansfield’s viewpoint and what makes his book a delight.

His approach becomes even clearer when he describes the forces that eroded the band’s “childlike quality,” which he saw as “a common thread that ran through the very fiber and being of the Fab Four.” Mansfield writes, “My eternal naiveté and potato-bred simplicity saved me. I looked for and only found their goodness and gentle natures. I found them idealistic and still able to dream, vaguely unaware that they were being pulled into an externally induced nightmare” (243-244).

Their musical prowess made Mansfield into an awe-inspired friend. He admits that “he may have even forgotten what I don’t want to remember.” He knew that they liked him and was protective as a result. “I do know that they trusted me, and in order to dig up dirt or caustic observations about these times and these people, I would either have to become a fiction writer or betray that trust,” (245) he explains.

Even in relation to John Lennon, he offers a counter view to his much publicized caustic side. “It is unfortunate, but I fear most people never got to see the casual, lightness-of-being aspect of John Lennon. I am personally offended by the disproportionate amount of negative verbiage written about other areas of his brilliant life” (220).

It’s no wonder that this is the only book ever approved by The Beatles (Yoko One on John Lennon’s behalf). It’s honest and revealing without being critical.

Readers get warm glimpses not found elsewhere: “Life with George in these situations was always comfortable and natural, almost everyday like; he made it that way. He was easy to be with—gentle, kind, and caring. Although I was supposed to be taking care of him, he would always concern himself with how I was doing. He had a bashful, soft-spoken manner with friend and stranger alike, and always appeared to care about others” (137).

Ken Mansfield is the former U.S. manager of Apple Records. That’s him huddling from the cold against the chimney between Yoko and Maureen Starkey when the Beatles gave their final performance on that rooftop. 

Despite the weather and a host of adverse circumstances, it was a triumph that led Mansfield to conclude, “After thirty years in the heart of the record business—offstage, onstage, and backstage with everyone from Roy Orbison to Don Ho—I personally feel that the Beatles were the greatest rock and roll band of all time” (110). Mansfield sees it as the “one event that stood out above all the others during the time” (105) that he worked with the Beatles.

It would be disingenuous to let someone think that the book is merely recollections about The Beatles. Sandwiched in between these wondrous accounts are dispatches, some 20-30 years later, from Bodega Bay, known as the setting for Alfred’s Hitchcock’s The Birds. Far from the dread and fear in that movie are the serene Christian reflections inspired by the natural beauty of the fishing village’s coastline.

These are not lightweight devotionals. It’s a mature Christian seeing God’s hand in all the created wonder that surrounds him. They are much like the Psalms, expressing a full range of human emotions.

At first the transition from one time period to another can be a little jarring, and depending on preference, one can easily want to get through the sections they like least, but that would miss the beauty found each and not see this as a whole. It is a journey from the pinnacles of the music world to the riches of a life lived simply in Christ.

The book features many rare photos and images from Mansfield’s time with the group, along with timelines in the chapters showing significant dates of recordings and other events.

Mansfield also wrote The White Book, The Beatles, the Bands, the Biz: An Insider’s Look at an Era (2007), Between Wyomings: My God and an iPod on the Open Road (2009) and Stumbling on Open Ground: Love, God, Cancer, and Rock 'n' Roll (2013).

Mansfield humanizes The Beatles in a winsome way. This is far removed from the books that disillusion and dissipate hope. These gracious words are sweet to the soul and health to mind and body.