Worship questions and concerns

This post is mostly going to serve as a quick 'n' dirty list of blogs that are (hopefully) helping me answer questions related to lyrics in worship music. So, not much discussion, though I'd love that in the comment section. Really, this is almost more of a bookmarking than a blog, but I digress.

• "10 Questions to Ask of Sunday Worship" by Trevin Wax/Bob Kauflin
• "What About 'Me' Songs?" by Bob Kauflin
• "Ten Questions to Ask of a Song's Lyrics" by Aaron Menikoff
• "Bethel Church: Pimping Heresy" by Pulpit & Pen
• "Popular Charismatic Worship Artist, Kari Jobe, Teaching Dangerous Theology" by Pen & Pulpit

I've been hugely frustrated by the amount of, what John Wesley called, 'amatory' phrasing, or phrasing that is based primarily on emotion and feeling. My immediate concern is regarding lyrics by Rend Collective, called "Alabaster." Here are the lyrics below (problematic lyrics emphasized by me):

VERSE 1

I am broken at Your feet

Like an alabaster jar

Every piece of who I am

Laid before Your majesty

CHORUS

I will bow my life

At Your feet, at Your feet

My lips, so lost for words

Will kiss Your feet, kiss Your feet

VERSE 2

Oh, the gravity of You

Draws my soul unto its knees

I will never be the same

I am lost and found in You

"...I will bow my life"

Yes, Scripture states that at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. Psalm 86 has been touted as a proof-text for using oodles of personal pronouns and personal ideas in corporate worship. The problem with that is, can't a Jew sing the same thing? What is it about Psalm 86 that directly applies to believers in Jesus, as one of the above-mentioned bloggers asked? Charles Spurgeon rightly states about verse 1, for instance, "In condescension to my littleness, and in pity to my weakness, "bow down thine ear, O Lord." In other words, my littleness, compared to God's bigness. In general, and has been stated by others commenters, Psalm 86 has a crystal-clear focus - God's preserving and governing. He alone is the one who holds us. While I am not necessarily in favor of using that phrase (which often comes across as come romantic embrace), it is God who upholds my faith in Him, not myself. Philipians 2:12-13 seems to give the proper balance: "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure" (emphasis mine).

And, secondly - are we threatening to bow our lives, or has he already commanded it? The ole' King James didn't always put will in those statements. I believe this should be more properly rendered, "I bow my life."

"...My lips, so lost for words/Will kiss Your feet, kiss Your feet"

There are some phrases that are more personal intimate in nature and should be kept that way. I believe this is one of them. While the Song of Songs does use kissing, there is no place in the New Testament, save the place this song references (Mary washing Jesus feet with her tears) where the corporate church will kiss Jesus' feet. Jesus very clearly states that what this woman has done will be spoken of as a memorial to her. In more places, the church will be given crowns and will immediately remove them and give them to Jesus. Also, I think given the current cultural environment, the church would do well to abstain from such phraseology until believers and unbelievers alike are better educated on the use of intimacy as it relates to Christ and His bride. It can easily be misconstrued as romantic, rather than what Solomon and the gospel writers intended.

I'm sure this entire article will be taken as being too divisive in the Christian church. Yet, I am told by Holy Writ to "contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints" (Jude 3, emphasis mine).

Please leave a comment below. Comments featuring filthy language will be banned. I welcome open dialogue about this all-too-important subject.

Today's WOD

Over the past year, I have become increasingly curious, as well as involved, in the paleo/crossfit community.  I remain a Biblical creationist and Calvinist.  While I've found a community of people who are, quite frankly, more loving and involving than many, if not most church-goers, I remain steadfast in the face of the evolution-based presuppositional arguments I've been presented with.  Remember, church - they are our friends.  "The world (system), the flesh (our fallen nature), and the Devil (Satan) are the enemy.  That said, there are some very out-spoken believers in the community (I refrain from saying "their" community, because it belongs to everyone, not just a faction of zoo-goo-you'ers), among whom is Rich Froning, Jr., the current and 3-time CrossFit Games Champion.  More on him later.

This article is not primarily giving an apology (reason) for my participation in the CrossFit community, though I have a few reasons.  It's to begin documenting a challenge given to me by Elliot Hulse.  "Do one thing for 90 days."  What is that one thing for me?  My challenge will be to workout 5 of 7 days, and not fret over trying to stick to one particular program.  I bring up Froning, because I will be following his approach to workouts - make it up on the spot, or, at least, not more than a few hours in advance.

Something you need to know about me...I'm a perfectionist about many things, except housework...(I'm working on that, Honey).   I've started programs and given up on them for various and sundry reasons, among which are boredom, lack of results, laziness, and miscellaneous distractions.  If I can stick to doing anything fairly physical for 15+ minutes a day, 5 days per week for 90 days, I win!  So, I'll explain more later.  In the meantime, here is today's WOD:

Warmup:

30 sec work/30 sec rest jump rope for 10 minutes.

Workout:

3 pullups

100 meter sprint

AMRAP until fail on pullups

Paleo, a hot bod and the Christian

Well, there's going to be more to this post than the Paleo diet, but that's what I really want to talk about today.  First, though, I should answer the question, "Why a post on nutrition on Biblical Christianity?"  I've been asking myself a lot of questions related to this, frankly.  Why more posts on something somebody else smarter than me has written about?  Well, two answers.  First, everyone has an experience that you can't replicate.  Two people eating the same ripe mango will have differing opinions on it.  Two people who read the same pericope (passage of Scripture) will apply it in vastly different ways.  Second, the book of Proverbs offers some great insight on this:  "Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed." Proverbs 15:22.  So, with that, here goes my post.

I'm not a great writer.  As Brian Regan would say, "I'm not even unilingual.  Well, I don't give myself enough credit.  I'm good enough to order ham in a restaurant."  While this post is not necessarily for those reading it, I hope you benefit from it, in Jesus' name.  This is for me.  A person writing in our local newspaper said keeping a journal is good.  And, for me, I can relate.  When I was finally to the point where I was ready to listen to God, I developed a LOVE for reading and a general appreciation for writing in a journal.  However, I'm also the most undisciplined person in the world.  Nevertheless, I digress...


So, last January, Crystal and I embarked upon a journey to get healthier.  Actually, this was another step in our journey.  See, I had always wanted a "hot bod."  I got interested in Body for Life, which led from one thing to another.  Call my journey "the YouTube of exercise" - get enough of the video to get the gist but not actually fully benefit from it before moving on to the next distraction.  Call it "squirrel."  During the last few years, Crystal also began running.  Between the two of us, we began being a bit more conscious of our eating and exercise habits.


Somewhere between 2005 and 2006, I started and completed a Body for Life 12-week program.  I dropped 25 pounds and wasn't looking too shabby...til my Dad had a stroke.  For the next 5 1/2 years, I went back to the same old lifestyle, only with the knowledge that my lifestyle was hurting me.  I also began to have other issues (some sort of scalp disorder, heavy snoring - sleep apnea, LOW energy).

Fast-forward to January 2012.  Our friend, Courtney, introduced us to the Whole 30 diet.  We were involved in a Dave Ramsey finance course with our small group and some people were talking about how this had helped them think about where they were spending their money in terms of food.  We simultaneously began this diet, unbeknownst to us that this was a form of the Paleo diet (more on that later), and this weekly produce co-op called Bountiful Baskets.  30 days later, I dropped 24 pounds, my scalp itching had subsided greatly and I stopped snoring.  Woohoo!  I hadn't felt this good in my entire life.

After a few weeks celebrating, I decided I wanted to start back up again, to no avail.  I'm not sure why that is.  I had, in the meantime, researched what this Paleo diet meant.  First, the diet is what everyone knows they need to do:  no grains, dairy (except eggs), or legumes. Only whole, natural foods including lean meats, veggies, fruit and naturally-occurring fats.  Crystal and I found that this diet is very doable long-term.  However, I later found that this diet is based in the presupposition of evolution, to a people that lived far more than 10,000 years ago, called the Paleolithic people, our supposed prehuman ancestors.  That might have put a damper on it, kind of like when a Messianic Jew finds out that the meat he just ate was sacrificed to idols.  The next visit, he might eat a bit before paying a dinner visit to his/her friends and politely refuse the food.

The only other issue...well, the real issue for me... is that I love food, and am a huge pushover.  Now, don't get me wrong.  I am enjoying life right now.  My wife and I are raising an almost 2 year old (see our blog, Sittin' On Go for more details), I'm not working or schoolin' this summer, and God is on the throne!  I just like eating grains, dairy, legumes and anything processed.  Since I'm not obligated to be true to a diet, I don't.  And, the Hartwigs (of Whole9 fame) make it clear that eating treats (not cheats) should come without guilt.  Sure!  I like that a lot!  And, for the most part, I don't feel guilty.  Tonight, I had some white potatoes with gravy and two small glasses of milk - yum!  However, I miss the higher energy, better nights of sleep and the no-brainer menu.  I know that it will take me, at least, two weeks to get back to that February feelin,' but I like the spontaneous visits to Taco Bell, Arby's and EZ Burger.


I think I'm above it all.  I'm totally not, is the problem.  And, frankly, I'm not so much feeling guilty as I am ashamed of myself for allowing me to be such a wuss about food.  And, my wife is confused out of her wits because I keep eating food from the "no" menu.  Poor Crystal.  She's incredibly patient with me.  Patience is one of her many awesome gifts from the Lord.


So, I'm reading C.J. Mahaney's Humility and realizing I need to step it up.  Now, not a lot of people will see this post, but those who do should know that I don't like being doted over.  I just want a place to converse.  So, I will end tonight's ramblings with the hopes of more to come.  I don't have an answer tonight, other than I need the grace of God through Jesus just like every other person in this world does, even when it comes to my seemingly petty issue about food and good health.