Ephesians & Emphasis, Part I
By Charles Peters

some thoughts on Christian living and community

Recently I’ve been living in a camp of people in Christian community, a group of people trying to share the gospel truths with children. Their denomination doesn’t register to me, their politics are a mute point and their life experience doesn’t even come into play with what we are attempting to do: trying to live the way of Jesus. From a group of people whom I don’t understand or all the time enjoy I have learned exponentially more about trying to live the way of Jesus from any Mars Hill podcast.

Let’s start at the climax for a change, I was sitting at the top of the mountain reading the scriptures. I read the whole book of Ephesians in one sitting. Through Paul’s writing more about the struggles we were having began to make sense. Paul spends three and a half chapters focusing on theology and describing the love, freedom, dimensions and restoration found in Jesus and His work on the cross. These aspects and understanding of salvation are essential before he gets into the “how to live” part of the book.

That understanding is fundamental. However more often than not, we do it ass-backwards. We focus on the external behaviours found in the book, particularly the not swearing, taming our anger, discipline and reading the Bible. But we can modify our behaviour all we like it does not change our hearts. I can go about not steal all I like but it doesn’t teach me the deep implications of how theft interrupts order.

But that’s not the key part. From what I’ve witnessed we skate over the how and why we’re saved half in the book of Ephesians. Then we’ve missed the point of not swearing and the whole nine. Paul uses this phrase a lot “for this reason.” It’s a phrase that means that his point was essential to the application. Paul talks about knowing that we can understand the immeasurable depths and boundaries of God’s love for the world. If we work from that stand point it’s easy to understand that the people around us are people that God died for and loves and they aren’t people to become hostile with because God removed the wall of hostility.

to be continued…

This blog entry was written exclusively for TheChristianManifesto.com. Please do not post elsewhere on the Internet or quote extensively without prior written consent from TheChristianManifesto.com. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views and positions of The Christian Manifesto. All views expressed are solely those of the blogger.

By Glynn Young

I recently read Robin Parrish’s novel Offworld, the story of a group of astronauts returning from Mars who discover that the world’s 10 billion people, or almost all of them, have disappeared. The novel was published by Bethany House, a well known and well respected Christian publisher. The author is a Christian. And the novel is, well, the novel is not an Amish romance.

It’s not even overtly Christian. No big gospel message. No struggles with faith. And an incredibly riveting and well-written story.

I didn’t think this was a big deal, until a few weeks later, someone commented on a blog about the novel: “I didn’t like it. Offworld didn’t edify me.”

I have all kinds of problems with that statement, not the least of which was the assumption that the novel’s purpose was to “edify me,” both an arrogance and a self-centeredness that the commenter likely didn’t intend.

A debate rages off and on about what is, and isn’t, “Christian” fiction. Some have offered these qualifications: written by a Christian author; published by a Christian publishing house; absence of cursing, sex, raw violence; some moral lesson; explicit goaspel message; good always wins in the end. Some go much farther than this. Novelist Ted Dekker recently ripped on the content guidelines of Christian romance publisher Steeple Hill; some pointed out that under those guidelines, even the Bible wouldn’t be published. Dekker eventually apologized, and everyone agreed to “move on,” a euphemism for acknowledging that the parties don’t, and probably won’t, agree. Another way to look at it, though, is to say Mr. Dekker knows his art and Steeple Hill knows its market. Publishing is a business, after all.

Suspense writer Mike Dellosso and writer Mike Duran have been utilizing their blogs lately to raise questions and invite discussion. Both go beyond the “defining guidelines” kind of controversy, and ask more pointed questions. What is “Christian” fiction? Is there such a thing? Can there be? For those who say that some write from a “Christian worldview,”  what does that mean? And the audience question: what is the purpose of “Christian” fiction – to evangelize or build up the church? Who do Christians write for? Who should we write for? If we’re writing only for other Christians, are we keeping ourselves not of this world and out of it?

The discussion, even with the occasional outrage, is healthy. And it’s important. It begins to get at the purpose of writing and fiction, of creation and art. It leads us to this “separate but equal” life and lifestyle we Christians often live in today’s world.

And it can point us in a different direction. Switchfoot singer Jon Foreman, writing in The Huffington Post just recently, called the artist “the bridge between hope and despair.” (Read the whole article.) I think Foreman is right. I’d add that this bridge, this essential function, happens most effectively when we Christian writers understand we are that bridge.

This blog entry was written exclusively for TheChristianManifesto.com. Please do not post elsewhere on the internet or quote extensively without prior written consent from TheChristianManifesto.com. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views and positions of The Christian Manifesto. All views expressed are solely those of the blogger.

Glynn Young is a writer who lives in St. Louis, MO. A native of New Orleans, he still can’t find the perfect fried shrimp poor-boy anywhere else. An award-wining speechwriter, he works for a Fortune 500 company where he leads the Online Strategy & Communications team. He loves Jesus, his wife, his two sons, his daughter-in-law, his grandson-to-be, his dog and biking.

By Brian Hall

GENRE: POP/ROCK/ALTERNATIVE
LABEL: INPOP RECORDS
RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 2010
RATING: 4 OUT OF 5

Last year, we bid farewell to Peter Furler, when he left his position of 12 years as lead vocalist for the Newsboys. With the announcement of Furler leaving, another announcement was made; Michael Tait (DC Talk, Tait) would take his place. The decision was met with very mixed emotions, the most common one being uncertainty. After seeing Mike perform with the guys at a festival in the summer of 2009, my mind was eased slightly. He brought a fresh face to an aging franchise and even moved towards a more edgy sound (screaming during “Jesus Freak”?!). However, I held in my momentary excitement as I really didn’t want a DC Talk 2.0. Now, attendees of the 2010 WinterJam tour have the option of ordering a copy of the new Newsboys album, “Born Again” due out in June and receive a special 6 song preview Born Again EP. I think a collective sigh of relief was heard coming from the venue on the first date that EP was available.

This is still very much the Newsboys. The Pop/Rock sound we have grown familiar with is still mostly intact. There is a noticeable difference though. The first single and title track from the album showcases classic elements of the Newsboys (synth heavy AC rock) and the edginess of DC Talk (a guitar solo and production that rips into your speakers) and the pop mutant that was “Tait” (R&B/Pop/Rock… think Lenny Kravitz minus the cool guitar riffs). The sweet piano and acoustic guitar intro to “On Your Knees” is a classic NB ballad. “Light Up” is a dance rock anthem that is certain to be a concert favorite, but I wouldn’t expect this to be played on some AC stations if it’s released as a single. “I’ll Be” is worth listening to once or twice, but it isn’t and outstanding track and it is the only place on the EP where I take issue.  Finally is “One Shot”. This is a great last impression song that leaves you wanting more like it.

This is an overall win/win. The Newsboys have reinvented themselves enough to appeal to a broader audience, while keeping their already established fan-base appeased. I would highly recommend heading over to a local Winter Jam stop or visiting the Newsboys official Facebook page to get your hands on this impressive project.

Review copy provided courtesy of Inpop Records.

By Thomas Jenkins & Lydia Akinola

GENRE: LIVE WORSHIP
LABEL: INDEPENDENT
RELEASE DATE: AUGUST 17, 2009
THOMAS’ RATING: 2 OUT OF 5
LYDIA’S RATING: 2.5 OUT OF 5
OVERALL RATING:  2.25 OUT OF 5

THOMAS’ REVIEW:

Praise and Worship is an interesting thing. It can be an awesome experience for the listener, and I myself have been moved time and time again by a heartfelt worship experience. That being said, it’s extremely hard to translate that experience onto a cd, especially if the style is the typical contemporary pop sound that everybody’s heard, and even more so without the experience of actually being at the event. Thirdly, whoever is leading the worship will often make a decision to prolong a verse, play a chorus several times in a row, or just generally make a song longer than it normally would be. And don’t get me wrong, whatever the worship leader feels led to do by the Lord is great, and only adds to a great worship experience. Yet again though, this isn’t something that can translate to a cd, and although that isn’t a huge problem with One Life it rears its ugly head a few times through the course of the album.

One Life has a nice cover and a few songs would sound great in a church setting (as they’re played in the album) and those are the two best things about it. This album is incredibly long. And incredibly boring. And I mean that as nicely as possible. This is the typical worship fare that we’ve heard for years on end, and Anthem reproduces that sound perfectly. From start to finish, they deliver song after song of repetitive music that I’m willing to bet would be fun to listen to live, but is just plain boring on a cd. To make matters worse, almost all of the songs in the middle of the album start off with a quiet piano intro, crescendo a little bit towards the third chorus, and generally manage to stay remarkably constrained during their 3-4 minute time period. A few of the songs near the end of the album give the impression of wanting to get a little bit louder and excited, but even then the songs are so formulaic and repetitive that they’re still hard to like. And although this isn’t a huge issue, a few of the songs just feel stretched way beyond their intended time limit and just continue on until the listener finally presses the skip button or sits through in agony.

I probably sound like I hate this album and all worship music right now, but even if it may be hard to believe that’s not the case. I don’t hate this album, but there’s almost nothing in it worthy of note. I don’t want to insult something that’s so clearly aimed at glorifying the Lord, but it could be done so much better. I don’t have anything against Anthem, and I hope they have success in their work. But this album can be summed up in a single sentence: We’ve heard it before, and we’ve heard it done so much better.

LYDIA’S REVIEW:

Trying to be another ‘Hillsong United’ isn’t exactly a recipe for success. Failing at that… doesn’t bode well. Navigating the “modern worship” genre can be like swimming in shark-infested lakes. Care is critical. One Life is a sad example of how underwhelming the over-crowded genre can be.

Recorded live at one Cornerstone Church of Ames, Iowa, One Life sounds too much like a worship service trying to be a rock concert, with none of the passion or talent that lifts contrived formulae into an extraordinary experience. Throughout the album, I anxiously awaited a climax or defining point that stopped all the tracks from blending into one.

The operative word for One Life is ‘safe’. In trying to replicate experiences of other live services, Anthem has missed an opportunity to express themselves, and to offer up their work in worship. The result is disappointing. “Anthem exists to give the next generation a lyric and melody to express their passion and love for Jesus Christ. God is at work all over the world, adding to the song of His redeemed ones. We are just another of his many choirs, giving glory to Jesus for his life, death and resurrection” states their press release. The closing statement “we are just another of his many choirs…” is correct, at time it seems like Anthem has made no effort to stretch musically or develop stylistically.

The good stuff, (as Christians, we must always point  out the good ) is lyrically the content is solid. The songs are song of praise, the words glorify God, and each chorus is meant to be used in a modern worship service. The vocals are not bad, and I cannot really fault the musician’s ability. It is really only the execution, the overall delivery that is in urgent need of some inspired thinking.

Maybe One Life grows upon acquaintance, but I’d say it would be better to give this album a miss.

Review copy provided courtesy of Anthem Worship.

By C.E. Moore

GENRE: SINGER/SONGWRITER
LABEL: INDEPENDENT
RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 15, 2009
RATING: 5 OUT OF 5

The Civil Wars is the brainchild of Christian pop songstress Joy Williams and the very Johnny Depp-esque looking John Paul White. And if their Poison & Wine EP is any indicator, they may be the best singer/songwriter that you’ve never heard of or listened to. Even with all the bands and albums I’ve heard about in the last couple of years, I just heard about them recently through an interview with Seabird’s Ryan Morgan…and then promptly forgot about them. My mistake. Thank God for people tweeting their suggestions for review material.

Anyway…

The Civil Wars’ Poison & Wine EP is a beautiful piece of poetry that speaks the language of so much brokenness dancing with pain and relentless love. It is strangely depressing and oddly hopeful at the same time. Title track “Poison & Wine” tastes of bitterness, longing, frustration, and faith. The lyrics flow over mournful acoustic strumming, “You only know what I want you to/I know everything you don’t want me to/Oh your mouth is poison, your mouth is wine/Oh you think your dreams are the same as mine/Oh I don’t love you but I always will…” These are the kind of lyrics that, melded with the perfect music, will cause a man or woman to weep bitterly and claim, “Those are the words I’ve been looking for, but could never find.” Love and loss held in tension.

“Go” is the most whimsical piece on the album. In the hands of lesser artists, I think it might threaten to throw off the feel of the overall venture. But, given that it is an EP, if one views it as a foretaste of more to come, it is forgivable. But, I don’t see it as a mistake to be forgiven anyway. It conjures visions of running through meadows with dreamlike abandon and flight of the imagination.

“Pressing Flowers” is a fantastic and haunting piece that I could imagine making any number of indie film soundtracks. William’s and White’s voices complement each other perfectly ear, recalling the darker work of Out of the Grey. This is a brooding song about holding one’s secrets and hopes in confidence: “Meet me in the garden where the grass grows tall/Down by the gate/I got a secret that I might tell/It’ll give me a way/Oooooo whatever you do/Oooooo keep it with you…”

“Tip of My Tongue” is what the other songs on this short project seem to build to. Ultimately, love wins. Not some ethereal, fleeting romantic feeling. True love that has been fought for through the tension. The duo sings, “You’re a red string tied to my finger/A little love letter I carry with me/You’re sunlight/Smoke rings and cigarettes/Outlines and kisses for silverscreens…” Again, I cannot comment enough about how stellar the writing is here.

The thing about this album is that the lyrics would be nice as just poetry. It conjures images of a smoky poetry corner, complete with berets, a stool and a spotlight, and snapping fingers. But, at the same time, something would be missing. The music adds a layer of complexity to their words that takes the listener from a state of confusion to a state of their soul being laid bare.

And somewhere amidst this beautiful mess is God…

Review copy provided courtesy of sensibility music.

You can listen to (or download) the interview here.

You can browse the entire Profess Interview Series library here.

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Born Rameses Echevarria, CL spent most of his life incarcerated. It was there, behind those metal bars that his musical passion, talent and most importantly God, became his way out. Now more than 5 years later, Cheno Lyfe is one of the industry’s most versatile artists, with his unique Miami Style and Down South Crunk.

This is evident in his first album. In a city known for marquee names such as DJ Khaled, Rick Ross, Trick Daddy, a man stands completely against the grain…Cheno Lyfe. Winner of the 2008 MIM (Miami Music Conference) embarks on his debut studio album entitled “HOME”. From the first record, a glimpse into CL’s heart is quickly seen as he intros the album with the burden that encompasses the project…his HOME! The hit singles “HOME” & “Won’t Stop” have already encouraged many as countless testimonies have come forth. Listeners are left with a powerful message embedded in the hearts. CL’s unique Miami style and down south crunk make HOME an instant “none skip”. With ground breaking productions by G Roc of The Beat Mekanicz, G Styles, Juice 2020, to name a few. Varying from club bangers to crunk, east coast to even a slow rock worship record, the album has a sure commercial appeal for all. Collaborations include the Dove Award winning Pablo from Group One Crew, KDrama, DMaub, Rhema Soul, Gnotes, and more. With over 1000 pre orders already, HOME is a breath of fresh air in the industry!

To follow Cheno Lyfe on Twitter: @ChenoLyfe

To find out more about Cheno Lyfe go to www.myspace.com/chenolyfe.

We’d like to thank the Cheno Lyfe for answering some of our burning questions.

You can listen to (or download) the interview here.

You can browse the entire Profess Interview Series library here.

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: An all-star athlete and his girlfriend find their lives spinning out of control when Jake loses a childhood friend.  Help comes when he reaches out to others who are hurting, and he realizes some people are just dying to be heard.

The movie asks…

How far would you go?

How much would you risk?

How hard would you fight…TO SAVE A LIFE

To find out more about the film, check out www.ToSaveALifeMovie.com

We’d like to thank Jim Britts & Joshua Weigel for answering some of our burning questions. A very special thank you Lori Lenz of Biscuit Media Group for setting up the interview for us.

By Kyle Kiekintveld

GENRE: ALTERNATIVE
LABEL:  INDEPENDENT
RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 1, 2009
RATING: 3.5 OUT OF 5

The Incredible Story of Mr. Birch has few falls when you examine the album bit by bit. The lyrics don’t stumble deeply into cliche’s and cookie cutter pop music. The music itself offers listeners a wide range of styles all done fairly well. It should be a great album.

“The Hero” stands out as the best track of the album. It is one of the tracks that also proves to be a flaw of the band entirely. It is musically original, and lyrically it isn’t cliched either. Yet the overall the song doesn’t quiet stand out and make the listener thing of Ives The Band.

“Funfair” is easily the most addictive, pop infused, toe tapping track in the album. It is simply positive energy brought through the speakers. The lyrics don’t quiet stand out against the music during the entire song but at the same time it doesn’t seem problematic either. The long intro and outro are quite nice, even though they sound reminiscent of other bands.

The problem with The Incredible Story of Mr. Birch is that it does not stand out in a heavily populated field of great indie rockers. The band seems obviously heavily influenced by the indie rock scene, and this is a damn good album but it doesn’t seem groundbreaking, or frankly, memorable.

In a nutshell, The Incredible Story of Mr. Birch is a solid, addicting album by Ives The Band. It features refreshing lyrics and a solid musical backing that runs through a variety of  musical stylings.  The only problem with the album is that while it is good, it doesn’t stand out against the barrage of independent bands and great indie albums.

Authors Note:  I am biased. When I think of indie music I think of the indie music snob. The one who looks down at all major label, or commercially popular music as bad. Well I give my props to indie music for making some amazing albums. Yet this one just seems almost great, but too trendy, too ‘of the moment’ to be great. Again I am biased, and I think a few people may truly love this album. I do look forward to hearing other albums by Ives The Band.

Review title provided courtesy of Ives The Band.

By Brian Hall

GENRE: R&B/SOUL
LABEL: GEFFEN RECORDS
RELEASE DATE: DECEMBER 21, 2009
RATING: 3 OUT OF 5

Mary J Blige has forged a career for herself that is certainly one for the history books.  She has worked with amazing talent like Rihanna, U2, Raphael Saadiq and Beyonce and she continues to add to her repertoire with Drake, T.I. and Trey Songz on Stronger withEach Tear. This album has a very strong focus on true love and commitment, which bothered me considering the recent video showing her punching her husband at the release party for this very album, but the other portion of the album, is about female empowerment. I suppose she decided to align herself with that element of the record. I say this because this affected the way I listened to the album. I found that I would start chuckling to myself when I heard lyrics like “Aint nobody gonna treat you better, aint nobody touch you better, aint nobody gonna love you better, more than I am…” I forced myself to ignore those factors while reviewing her album for the sake of being objective.

Overall the album is standard R&B fare, which is where a portion of my hesitation to give the album four stars comes in. It is standard. While the first few tracks are fun and distinctive, a good portion of the rest of the album is very normal. “The One” is a great party song that features Drake for a rap interlude (apparently this is a prerequisite for any Top 40 success lately) that is not only shockingly squeaky clean, but it borders on being chivalrous. But this lies in stark contrast to other tracks like “I Feel Good” and “I Am” that sound like 80% of the other songs that you hear on any radio station out there.

I would recommend this album for the first three tracks, the peppy “Kitchen”, the honest and touching “We Got Hood Love” and probably the truest MJB song on the record, (also the song from the soundtrack for the film “Precious”) “Color”.  The rest of the album isn’t bad, it’s still enjoyable. Sadly however, it is just that.

Review copy provided courtesy of Geffen Records.

By Lydia Akinola

GENRE: PRAISE & WORSHIP
LABEL: INO RECORDS
RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 26, 2010
RATING: 3 OUT OF 5

Anthony Evans has become Undisguised. Such statements tend to make me wonder about just exactly how some CDs get titles. If he is only taking off the mask now, what about his other projects- weren’t they authentic too? Regardless, my job is to give my opinion about Evan’s latest album. The opening declaration appears to be true, Evans seems to have figured out who he wants to be, stylistically, thematically and lyrically.

Undisguised is full of songs of praise and worship, which is can mean nothing new at all except, unlike The Bridge, Anthony Evans actually wrote the majority of the tracks. I liked this improvement; it shows a level of development and maturity in a musician. It means that one has to formulate and render their own message, rather recycle someone one else’s.  The other big difference in Undisguised is unification. On the whole, a more traditional interpretation of the worship genre is employed, alongside the occasional gospel-bent, but this album is more definable musically than any previous project. But, despite these obvious improvements, the album still lacks a certain something that transforms the good into the great.

I found myself desperately wondering at times when we would learn the true depth of feeling behind the voice.  The beginning of Undisguised seems to mesh into one long track, as tracks fail to distinguish themselves from each other, and significantly a lot of other tracks in the ‘Contemporary Worship’ genre. The ogre called ‘Lack of originality’ once again releases its ugly head, at times right next to the beast called ‘Formulaic and contrived’.

That is not to say that there is nothing to love in Undisguised. Evan’s vocals are as soulful as ever, and pleasant to listen to. “Rejoice” features the talented Kari Jobe, and they work very well together, evoking an atmosphere of calm, as their voices blend.  “You Alone” one of the more upbeat tracks reminds us that no one compares, could ever be like our marvellous Saviour. Here some much needed passion is let out, making it one of the most memorable tracks.

Nevertheless, “Love Is” is by far and away the best track. The chorus alone speaks volumes. It makes me wonder why Evans, instead of doing 3 covers, didn’t think about sharpen his own pen. Don’t get me wrong, I like new takes on old classics, but introducing lyrics such as “Love is willing to get hurt /Love gives needing no return/When Love lives it needs no words/ I’ve learned that’s what Love Is” to the world will always be more significant.

Despite considerable growth in key areas, I believe that Anthony Evans still has more potential than he has shown in re-singing “Mighty to Save” or “Amazing God”. And that is the crux of the matter, if Undisguished is all that can be laid bare, then that would be a true pity. If however, it is just matter of getting started, then I cannot wait for discoveries that are yet to be unearthed.

Review copy provided courtesy of INO Records.