After viewing Friday night’s Larry King Live with Jennifer Knapp, pastor Bob Botsford, and Ted Haggard, I was struck with the question:

Why is it that whenever a proponent of Christianity’s historical view of sexuality goes head to head with an advocate for gay rights, the traditional Christian almost always loses the argument?

Read the transcript from Friday’s roundtable discussion here. Watch as the traditionalist pastor seeks to be loving and gentle, and yet still gets pelted with the pejorative term “judgmental.” Why is this so?

I’m convinced that we continue to lose the argument about homosexuality and Christianity because the traditionalist almost always makes his case within a conversation that has been framed by the opposing viewpoint. The Christian doesn’t lose the argument at the micro-level. The argument is lost from the beginning because of how the discussion is framed.

I only know Jennifer Knapp through her music. (Kansas is one of the best albums in Christian music, as far as I’m concerned.) I do not want the rest of this post (or the comments) to focus on her particular story. Instead, I want to analyze the Larry King appearance as a launching pad from which we can think clearly about how we might re-frame this discussion in ways that benefit the traditionalist position.

Here are four ways to get started:

1. We need to shift emphasis from the truth that “everyone is a sinner” to the necessity of repentance.

“We’re all sinners” comes up again and again in discussions like this. In her Larry King interview, Knapp realized the power of having the pastor admit that he too is a sinner. Once she received this admission, she had the upper hand in asking, “Then why are you judging me instead of me judging you?”

Whenever the discussion centers on “homosexuality is a sin… but we’re all sinners,” the traditionalist inevitably comes across looking like he is singling out homosexuality as a worse sin than all the rest. His protests to the contrary always ring hollow.

But this is the wrong way to frame this debate. We are not saying that some of us are worse sinners than others or that homosexuality is a worse sin than pride, stealing, etc. We are not categorized before God as ” better sinners” or “worse sinners.” Instead, we are either unrepentant or repentant. True Christianity hinges on repentance. The pastor on Larry King Live eventually made this point later on in the broadcast, but the rhetorical damage had already been done.

If we are to reframe this discussion along biblical lines, then we must emphasize the necessity of repentance for the Christian faith. The point is not that the pastor and the Knapp are both sinners. It’s that the pastor agrees with God about his sin, while Knapp remains in her sin without repentance. That is why he is questioning her Christianity, for Christian teaching makes clear the necessity of repentance as the entryway into the Christian family.

Ultimately, the debate is not about homosexuality versus other sins. It’s about whether or not repentance is integral to the Christian life.

2. We must not allow ourselves to be defined by our sexual attractions.

There is a difference between homosexual attraction and homosexual behavior. Whenever this discussion takes place in public, the homosexual advocate inevitably merges these two concepts together and then fashions an identity based upon this attraction. The traditionalist is then considered judgmental for telling the homosexual that she should not be true to herself.

But the assumption that we are defined by our sexual attractions is a modern one and should be questioned. If I lust after a woman other than my wife, and yet choose not to act on that sexual urge, am I not being true to myself? Is it not better to be true to someone else rather than true to one’s desires on certain occasions? Could it be that the suppression of an illicit sexual attraction can also be considered true to oneself?

This is where the whole idea of Christian virtue needs to be revisited. Our goal is not authenticity. It is to be true to the self that is redeemed, transformed by the gospel and the power of the Spirit, under the authority of God’s Word.

That is why we must make distinctions between sexual urges and sexual behavior. One might not choose one’s temptation (the “I was born this way” argument is true of all sinners, after all), but we do choose our behavior. We are not animals, led helplessly by instinct.

Right now, the gay rights advocates are claiming that their opponents have a low view of humanity. Actually, it’s the traditionalist who has the high view of humanity, understanding that we are more than our sexual urges and we have an inherent worth and value that leads us to do more than simply act on whatever instincts we feel.

3. We must expose the arrogance and judgmentalism of those who would so flippantly dismiss the witness of Christians for two thousand years.

No matter how gentle and humble the traditionalist may be, the notion of being “judgmental” will continue to be thrown at him by those who see homosexuality as a legitimate behavior for a Christian. I thought the pastor did well in his stated affection for Jennifer and his insistence that ultimately God is Judge.

But why is it that the debate always takes place with the homosexual as the one “being judged”? Knapp positions herself as the martyr, facing condemnation for her beliefs, though it is she who advocates views that directly contradict the testimony and witness of Christians for the past two thousand years.

Despite the veneer of humility (she admits her lack of knowledge in Greek and Hebrew), Knapp points to recent scholarship that says we have misunderstood the Scriptures that appear to deal with homosexual behavior. This point of view is not humble at all. Knapp has flippantly dismissed the consensus of two thousand years of Christian scholarship and witness, not to mention the vast majority of Christians outside the West who continue to see homosexual behavior as sinful.

Unfortunately, the arrogance and imperialism of this view is never exposed or questioned in these discussions. For once, I’d like to see someone gently point out the implicit judgmentalism of the “homosexual behavior is legitimate” view.

4. We need soft hearts toward Christians struggling with same-sex attraction.

Jennifer Knapp’s point of view appears to be liberating and compassionate. It’s actually condemning and dismissive. How so?

Consider the people in our churches who are struggling with same-sex attraction and temptation. Consider these believers who are walking alongside other Christians, choosing daily to remain celibate, to crucify these desires as a part of their painful sanctification. Knapp dismisses the legitimacy of struggling with such attractions by saying that one should just give up the fight, for homosexual behavior is not even a sin. This kind of hard-heartedness toward fellow pilgrims is not coming from the traditionalist pastor, but from Knapp, who considers herself to be liberated from that struggle.

In closing, it is good for us to remember those who are struggling in our churches. For too long now, Christians have acted as if this struggle is non-existent or we have questioned the sincerity and salvation of those who wrestle with this specific temptation. We ought to repent of our rush to judgment, our cruel jokes about this sin, and our mockery of those who struggle in this area.

Even though we continue to hold to the increasingly unpopular view that homosexual behavior is sinful, we recognize that many Christians are involved in the struggle – whether silently or openly – and we should commit to prayerful pilgrimage with them.

All of us are sinners. True Christians are repentant sinners. And God’s grace is mighty to save us and change us – every one of us and every part of us.

This is one of my favorite lesser-known Christmas songs.It was first sung by Perry Como, and then by the Carpenters. The latter version evokes a sense of quiet majesty that builds as the song progresses.

So many Christmas carols practically dehumanize the baby Jesus. This one does not. I especially like the line: “Hear him crying in the manger” juxtaposed by the line “King of heaven, Son of God” – leading to worshipful response to such mystery: “Alleluia!”

Take a few moments for quiet reflection on the hidden majesty of Christ’s first coming.

In my desk drawer at home, I have a large collection of CDs. Years have gone by since I last touched many of them. Yet I still listen to the music, now conveniently stored on my computer hard drive. My big CD collection is now a large iTunes playlist. I know I’m not the only music-lover who has gone digital.

Ripped: How the Wired Generation Revolutionized Music tells the story of the transformation of music that has taken place in the past decade. Digital music has changed everything. The music industry has faced an unprecedented number of challenges, leading one analyst to call the changes “a technological freak out.”

The internet has led to the democratization of music. New artists without an official record label can market their music online. Old artists who saw success in the past are scrambling to keep their music from being illegally downloaded.

Ripped author, Greg Kot, is on the side of music lovers. He makes the case that Napster fans should not be considered criminals. He celebrates the success of iTunes. He points to the large attendance at concerts thanks to an artist’s internet presence.

Reading this book, I was reminded how expensive CDs used to be. Remember the frustration of wanting to purchase one song only to discover you would have to buy an entire album?

But the transformation of music has both positive and negative aspects. Some of the recent developments in music cause me to say, “This is wonderful!” Other times: “I really miss this or that.” As thankful as I am for 99 cent tracks on iTunes, I think music fans lose something when we no longer support the idea of an artist putting together an entire album that tells a story or makes a compelling statement.

Greg Kot’s book is interesting, even if his analysis of music is sometimes simplistic. (Example? He demeans the “simplistic response” of conservative country anthem “Have You Forgotten?”, and cheers the complexity of “John Walker’s Blues” and “George Bush Does Not Care About Black People.” It seems to me there is plenty of simplicity and silliness on both sides of the political aisle.)

What can church leaders learn from a book like this? Two things.

First off, consider this quote from Howie Klein (a longtime executive of Reprise Records):

“We were there for the short-term needs of Wall Street, which is antithetical to the needs of a company that is supposedly founded on music. The industry was built on signing artists with a strong vision, and trusting that vision to do good work over a long period of time. Your job as a record-company man was to help them realize that. ‘If it’s a real artist, you can never go wrong.’” (8-9)

Klein recognizes that good bands often need time to carve out a niche, find a wide audience, and hone their artistic skills. Unfortunately, the focus on success now can lead to a diminishing quality of music in the long term.

Plenty of churches make the same mistake. Pastor search committees look for a visionary pastor who can lead them to immediate numerical growth. Pastors are expected to bring about instant success. This kind of pressure leads to a diminished view of the pastorate in the long term. Future effectiveness is sacrificed for immediate impact.

Secondly, the democratization of music means the digital revolution should impact how pastors and churches release information and resources. I am amazed that so many preachers and conferences still charge money for sermons online. The world of lucrative cassette-tape ministries no longer exists. Listen to the words of an e-zine editor:

“People weren’t going to buy music unless they could hear it. That is what college radio and MP3 blogs were for. It is to the band’s benefit for people to hear their music because we’re in a day when nobody buys music unless they’ve heard it. We don’t trust anyone really.”

The way that the young generation views music is the same way that we view preachers. Few young people will show up at your conference unless they have been exposed to the teaching online. Some of the evangelical leaders who lament the recent resurgence of Calvinism in Desiring God, Together for the Gospel and The Gospel Coalition fail to notice the correlation between free online resources and conference attendance (not to mention book sales).

Ripped tells the story of how the wired generation is changing music. The question for church leaders is this: will we be able to anticipate how the wired generation is leading to widespread changes in our churches?

I thought I would pass along ten of our favorite artists who have terrific Christmas CDs. If you have some recommendations to add to this list, please do!

1. Home Alone, Home Alone 2: Original Score
John Williams

 
The original scores for these two movies make for great Christmas music. A must-have for Christmas fans. “Somewhere in My Memory” is one of the prettiest Christmas tunes ever composed.

2. MIRACLES, FAITH, WISHES
Kenny G

      
Romance! Nothing quite compares with the sweet sound of the saxophone at Christmas time. Kenny G captures the Christmas sound with some fantastic arrangements of great Christmas songs.
Highlights from these CDs: “The First Noel,” “We Three Kings/Carol of the Bells,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Away in a Manger,” “O Holy Night,” and “Jingle Bells”

3. CHRISTMAS COLLECTION
The Carpenters

  
The Carpenters’ Christmas Collection is a double-CD set that includes all of their Christmas music from the late 70′s, and early 80′s. There is nothing like Karen Carpenter’s warm voice on a cold wintery day and Richard Carpenter’s creative arrangements. I like these two CDs because each song leads into the next as if the album were a suite of Christmas music.
Highlights: “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” the slowed down version of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” the awe-inspiring quietness of “Christ is Born,” and the fun “Sleigh Ride”

4. CHRISTMAS & CHRISTMASTIME & IT’S A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS
Michael W. Smith

    
Even if you’re not a big Michael W. Smith fan, you’ll probably enjoy his Christmas music. The first CD (from the 80′s) is arguably better than the second, but both are terrific. The third CD was released last year and is a worthy addition to your collection The orchestral sound and terrific original compositions give the later CDs a “timeless” quality about them.
Highlights: “No Eye Has Seen” with vocals from Amy Grant, the boy choir on the spine-tingling “All is Well,” the revved up “Gloria,” and the instrumentals on Christmastime.

5. A CHRISTMAS STORY & WINTER WONDERLAND
Point of Grace

   
There’s just something about the harmonies of Point of Grace that go over great at Christmastime. Both of these CDs are terrific. Point of Grace follows the Carpenters’ formula and utilizes the “suite” mentality on the first CD, letting songs flow right into each other. The new Tennessee Christmas features the best of both original CDs.
Highlights: the big band version of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” “One King,” the a cappella “In the First Light,” “Let it Snow/Sleigh Ride,” and “Jingle Bells.”

6. CHRISTMAS COLLECTION
Manheim Steamroller

20 years might have passed, but these instrumental CDs from Manheim Steamroller remain a Christmas staple for our family every year. Creative sound, standard Christmas hymns, beautiful orchestration.
Highlights: “Carol of the Bells,” “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” “Still, Still, Still,” “O Holy Night,” “Little Drummer Boy,” and “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”

7. THE MUSIC OF CHRISTMAS
Steven Curtis Chapman

I’ve enjoyed this Christmas CD the past few years. There are some fantastic arrangements of classic Christmas songs, as well as a few original songs that quickly become favorites.
Highlights: “Christmas is All in the Heart” with CeCe Winans, “Carol of the Bells” played on the guitar like you’ve never heard it before,” “Music of Christmas,” a medley of Christmas songs done instrumentally, “O Come All Ye Faithful” and “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” to a different tune.

8. A CHRISTMAS ALBUM, HOME FOR CHRISTMAS, A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER, THE CHRISTMAS COLLECTION

Amy Grant

   
No Christian artist does Christmas quite like Amy Grant. Her 4 albums get spun a lot around our house during the Christmas season.
Highlights: “Emmanuel,” “Christmas Hymn,” “Breath of Heaven,” “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “Silent Night,” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”

9. NOEL
- Josh Groban

Great vocals (it’s Josh Groban, after all) combined with some really creative arrangements.
Highlights: “Angels We Have Heard on High” with Brian McKnight, “Little Drummer Boy” and a rousing rendition of “O Come All Ye Faithful”

Honorable Mentions

What favorite Christmas CDs are you listening to this year?

written by Trevin Wax  © 2008 Kingdom People blog

The newest release from Red Mountain Church is a Christmas album. Several months ago, I hosted a podcast with the singers and musicians that make Red Mountain Music. (Listen here.) Now, their Christmas album, Silent NIght: Advent Hymns from Red Mountain Church has been released.

This is a different album. First off, the songs are not old hymns put to new music. The musicians made the decision to maintain the original tunes.  Choosing to keep the original melodies makes the album more appealing.

Secondly, Ashley Spurling is the only vocalist. A wise move. Spurling’s vocals are flawless throughout. Her vocal talent is best showcased on the slow and quiet songs like “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent” and “What Child Is This?” She communicates a certain longing with her voice, a sense that contributes well to the desire for redemption that marks the season of Advent.

The only complaint I have with this album is that the group chose not to do what they do best: take an unknown hymn and introduce it to a new generation. I would have enjoyed one or two Gadsby Christmas songs thrown into the mix – songs unknown to most listeners and given new life on a RMC album. Instead, Red Mountain Church chose to play it safe with the classics.

But let me say this: they do the classics well. The arrangements are creative enough to sound fresh, but not so creative that they get on your nerves. A true feat indeed in the crowded Christmas-music market today.

Click here to sample some audio clips from the album.
Download Silent Night from Amazon.com.

written by Trevin Wax  © 2008 Kingdom People blog

A couple of years ago, I was browsing the LifeWay bookstore at Southern Seminary and came across an odd-looking red CD called The Gadsby Project by a group called Red Mountain Church. I listened to a couple of tracks and was intrigued by the forgotten hymns that were included on the project. I bought the CD and went home to listen some more. The next day, I went back to the bookstore and bought all their CDs.

You might be unfamiliar with Red Mountain Church. The group is based in Birmingham, Alabama. They take old hymn texts and put them to new music. They have five CDs available (and one on the way) – all of which are worthy of attention.

I recently recorded a podcast interview with three of the main musicians/singers for Red Mountain Church: Brian Murphy, Clint Wells, and Ashley Spurling (the main vocalist… listen to a couple of her songs and you’ll realize why). The interview also includes snippets of some of their songs.

Some of the questions I ask:

• Why the Gadsby hymnbook?
• How do you come up with the new melodies for the old hymns?
• What’s the writing process like?
• What project is coming up next?

Download the interview here: (Right-click, and then choose “Save Target As…” to your computer).

Visit their website to hear more clips.

Check out some of their lighter stuff on YouTube.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Sovereign Grace Music’s newest release, You and You Alone, the fifth CD in the Overflow series delivers music from father-son team, Pat and Joel Sczebel from Surrey, British Columbia.

A longtime fan of Sovereign Grace Music, I was looking forward to You and You Alone, thinking it would be in the same vein as Songs for the Cross-Centered Life and The Valley of Vision project. You and You Alone resembles the other CDs lyrically, but differs musically.

The CD begins with Joel (the son) singing the rock anthem “Trust in You,” a song that emphasizes the sovereignty of God. Dad and son switch mikes for “Over All,” another rock-flavored song that speaks of God’s rule over all creation. Things quiet down musically by the time “The Greatest of All” appears, complete with a bluesy piano and organ. My favorite song on the CD was “You Alone.”

You and You Alone contains PDF lead sheets and guitar sheets for each song, helping worship leaders easily incorporate the better offerings into their own worship sets.

Compared to some of the other Sovereign Grace CDs, I found You and You Alone somewhat disappointing. Rock worship music rarely does anything for me, so my comments are more about the style of the music than any supposed deficiencies in the production. The lyrical content is superb. But those who are not used to hard-hitting, rock-styled worship services will probably pass on Overflow 5.

written by Trevin Wax  © 2008 Kingdom People blog

Lifeway Research recently confirmed with statistics what we’ve all noticed in our churches. We’re losing the 20somethings. Break down the ages of most congregations, and you’ll see a startling absence of young people between 18 and 30.

I am currently teaching a Sunday School class that seeks to reach this elusive generation. I am a 20something who is ministering to other 20somethings. And while I don’t claim to be an expert on reaching my own generation, there are a few things I’ve learned along the way.

First up. Music does not bring people to church. People bring people to church. At this year’s Southern Baptist Convention, I was distressed at how many times I heard pastors mention “updating our music” as a way to reach my hard-to-reach generation.

Sorry to burst the bubble. But changing the music is completely irrelevant.

I talked to a handful of 20somethings who dropped out of church for a few years and are now back and engaged. When I asked them about the worship style of our church (we’re a mix between blended and traditional), the answers were all different. Most of them indicated that they would rather we sing less and get to the preaching quicker. “That’s what we’re there for,” said one. Others mentioned how much they loved the organ. A couple mentioned that the “hymns” could be hard sometimes, but that they wanted to learn them anyway, as they felt they were important.

My generation is musically fragmented. Some of my classmembers like Country music. Others like P.O.D. and Disciple. Some are into soft rock. One loves anything Classical. The majority like folksy rock, but there’s no consensus. The Iraq war veteran in our class (tattooed and tough) has a soft spot for the Carpenters, Celtic chants, and the crooners of the 40′s and 50′s. iTunes and iPods. We are a generation of many styles.

The idea that a “contemporary” music service is going to reach my generation just makes me laugh. No one in my class is there for the music. They are all there for the relationships and the Bible teaching. Not that the music is unimportant… it’s just not central.

Even funnier is the mindset among the Boomer generation that if we were to start using the organ and singing hymns again that all the young people would leave. The Boomer generation is making the same mistake that their parents did, thinking that what attracted them to church is what will attract their kids. Sorry. It isn’t happening. Furthermore, musical style isn’t much of a factor anyway.

For some reason, I have a feeling that most churches don’t really want to invest in the 20something crowd. It’s almost become an expectation that people will drop out of church between 18 and 30 and then return when they have kids and are ready to start “real life.” Meanwhile, the 20somethings are drinking their lives away, buying into the American dream of materialism, and starting off marriages on shaky foundations.

It’s easy to update musical style and think that this is the “sacrifice” it takes to reach the younger crowd. It’s much harder to actually invest in the relationships and serious Bible teaching that are actually more effective in reaching the 20somethings.

Let’s keep hoping in the 20somethings and stop cursing them with low expectations or old-fashioned ideas. ”Contemporary” worship is so old anyway. Let’s bring this generation back to the church with what they might have missed during their childhood and youth group experience: the gospel!

written by Trevin Wax. © 2007 Kingdom People Blog

Keith and Kristyn Getty (the writers of “In Christ Alone” and other modern hymns) have released a new song called “Love of God.” You can download the audio for free here.