Posts Tagged ‘stuff christians like’
I wrote this for my other blog – was posted yesterday – but felt it was life related as well, so i’m posting it again. sorry to those who read both blogs.
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So this weekend 2 major things happened. Well, major for me.
1. My Favorite Band – woldwide – The David Crowder Band announced that they are breaking up. This broke my heart. I have yet to see this band live. I’ve loved every album this band has put out, and was hoping there would be many more to come…but alas…
2. My Favorite South African Band won a SAMA. Happiness.
Now, with the breakup of DC*B, this leaves the top spot open. This post is gonna try to explain why VTW is now in the running for the top spot.
There is a satirical Christian blog called “Stuff Christians Like”. The title, if you didn’t already catch it, is taken from the blog “Stuff White People Like”. SCL is written by Jon Acuff and it lists some of the weird and crazy and funny things that we Christians sometimes do. The very first post was about how we Christians like to take secular pop culture trends and Christianise them, like turning “Got Milk?” into “Got Jesus?”, “Adidas” into “Add Jesus”, or even, you know, “Stuff White People Like” into “Stuff Christians Like”…ahem. Anyway, the problem with this trend is that we, as Chrsitians, believe that God is creative, that we are made in the image of God, which would make us innately creative. But when we take someone else’s idea and Christianise it, we are not being creative, we are stealing someone else’s ideas. If we really believe that we are created in God’s image, we would take this whole using our creativity thing more seriously, we would be forerunners in creativity.
All this to say, VTW won a SAMA for their album cover artwork. It is brilliant. It is creative. It is different. It is original. I’ve talked about that CD cover before on this blog. Anyway, members of the band, Rasheed Ferguson and Nicholas Smal, were the creatives behind the artwork. And they are Christian. They used their God-given creative abilities on this project, won an award for it, and gave all the glory to God for it. Love it!
Secondly, the media is, unfortunately, not very “normal christians” friendly. They love adding to hype when some crazy, fanatical, “christian” says something ridiculous “in the name of Christ” (rapture, Qur’an burning, etc). They like to paint Christians as these weird freaks/hypocrites (to be fair, we do give them a lot of amo). So, for a “Christian” band to come out and get positive media attention, based solely on their musicianship, and not some crazy weird hype, takes some serious talent I think. [the reason I used quotes on christian band is because, although the band members are outspokenly christian, "VTW don't bill themselves as an out-and-out 'Christian band', but their message is unequivocal and the lyrics address what seem to be personal histories of struggles with life and faith. They manage to serve this up without being heavy-handed, coming as they seem to be from a personal stance rather than being idealistic or preachy" quote taken from here ]
Which leads me to my third point: the first time i absolutely fell in love with this band was when they were performing a free show at the waterfront ampitheater and like halfway through the show, Rash started sharing about his faith and the hope which comes from his relationship with Christ, and like these two chicks who were sitting behind me realised for the first time that VTW (then New Altum) were a christian band and they were all “but they are so good though”. which made me sad and happy at the same time. VTW reaches those people who would usually not go to a christian concert. And they use the abilities God gave them to share the love of God and the hope their relationship with Christ has brought them without getting all preachy and offending people.
Ok, last point: amidst the craziness and ridiculousness of May 21st’s Judgement/Rapture Day jokes, VTW went on to 5FM and sang a song which talked about the second coming of Christ. That freakin takes guts/conviction of your beliefs. People around the world were making fun of the Rapture and Judgement Day and Chrsitianity as a whole, and here come these guys onto a national radio show and they sing about their belief in the second coming. I need to get those lyrics – was the first time hearing that song, but what I got was that they were were saying that the second coming is real but they also know that we don’t know the day or the hour, He will come like a thief in the night. And while we try to be prepared, we know that we don’t need to fear cos Jesus is on our side. He’s coming for us to lead us home. Our trials and tribulations on this earth only serve as a reminder to look to Him. We believe in the second coming, but, in Christ, we have security instead of fear.
holding on to their beliefs. loving Jesus.
that’s why i love versus the wolf
Reminder
Posted on: August 20, 2010
I’ve posted this on here before i think, or at least added it as a link on my reads of the week, but it’s a good reminder so here it is again. it is an excerpt from a post by John Acuff on Stuff Christians Like:
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The world is pretty big. There are a lot of countries, with millions and millions of square miles of people and land and ocean. The universe is even bigger than that. I’ve never been but from the photos I’ve seen it’s massive. Pathways of stars, belts of black holes and galaxies and planets. It’s just endless, and somewhere up there, God knows your boyfriend broke up with you.
Maybe He doesn’t. I mean, maybe He’s up there and He’s working on really big stuff. He’s healing famines and trying to bring peace to war torn lands. The greatness of His issues makes your little issues look ordinary and simple and maybe even boring. But every now and then I come across a verse that shakes my deep belief that I am beneath God’s radar. One that I love is Psalm 56:8. “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.”
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So if you’re feeling like you’re too small and insignificant, remember that in the 6 470 818 671 people on earth, He knows you by name, and He sees you, and He loves you!
Posted on: July 30, 2010
Out of nowhere, without looking up from the iPhone, L.E. said, “Oh hey, I became a Christian yesterday. I forgot to tell you.”
Turns out that at Vacation Bible School she had gone forward during an altar call and given her life to Christ. Wow, amazing times at the Acuff house. I was thrilled and walked into the kitchen to talk with my wife about it. Along the way I passed our 4-year old McRae coming out of the bathroom. I said to her, “Hey, I just heard L.E. is a Christian, are you a Christian?”
Without missing a beat, and with a melancholy that surpassed even that of the live in Paris version of the Counting Crows song “Round Here,” she said
“No, I’m not a Christian, I don’t pray very much.”
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this is just an excerpt…find the rest here.
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so, to say a sarcastic Christian blog – which is actually a rip off of a sarcastic “secular” blog – has played a major role in my walk with Christ is a bit much right…but it’s true. whether you are a Christian or not, you should totally have a a look at Stuff Christians Like. it made take a second look at what I call Christianity and what Christ calls us to…thanks Jon.
Reads of the week – 2010 – 8
Posted on: March 6, 2010
Blogs of the week:
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(Yes, I realise 8 is a little more that usual…but enjoy)
Holding on – letting go (In Recovery – Sean Tucker – @seantuck)
Mark Driscoll hates avatar (Jesus Needs New PR – Matthew Turner – @jesusneedsnewpr)
Pastors who mess you up (Stuff Christians Like – Jon Acuff – @prodigaljohn)
Ifi’da (What I learned today – Billy Coffey – @billycoffey)
All men shall know you by your hatred of gays (Irresistibly Fish – Brett Anderson – @brettfisha)
Boomerangs (Stuff Christians Like – Jon Acuff – @prodigaljohn)
Conservative group says sea world should obey the bible (and kill shamu!) (Jesus Needs New PR – Matthew Turner – @jesusneedsnewpr)
A slave to public opinion, false redemption and a jury of peers (The Blog of Author Donald Miller – Donald Miller – @donmilleris)
quotes of the week:
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“I love humanity. It’s people I can’t stand.” – Charles Schulz
The only thing we have to fear is fear itself…and cats taking over the internet to create LOLhuman websites. – Bryan Allain
Someone told me today that I would be 17% funnier if I had a beard. That someone was me. – Bryan Allain
Sometimes He calms the storm with a whispered ‘Peace be still’ He can settle any sea but it doesn’t mean He will sometimes He holds us close and lets the wind and waves go wild sometimes He calms the storm and other times He calms His child – Scott Krippayne
Reads of the week – 2010 – 5
Posted on: February 13, 2010
blogs of the week:
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Place where you get off (I wrote this for you – Please Find This – @pleasereadthis)
Jesus is not my boyfriend (Diaries of a Doubtful Believer – Fourie Rossouw – @jozuasbrother)
Fearing your prayer request is not “big enough” (Stuff Christians Like – Jon Acuff – @prodigaljohn)
Patience of Jeremiah 29 (very Much Later – Jake Lee – @muchlater)
One Word at a Time Blog Carnival: Patience (One word at a time – Bridget Chumbley – @bridgetchumbley)
and of course a little something for St. Valentine’s day:
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Surviving VD (for the singles) (Moral Fibre – Daniel Friedman – @moralfibresa)
Jesus is my valentine (Jesus Needs New PR – Matthew Turner – @jesusneedsnewpr)
Reads of the week – 2010 – 3
Posted on: January 30, 2010
Blogs of the week:
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Writing naked (What I learned today – Billy Coffey – @billycoffey)
We are all Tiger Woods (Becoming Last – Matt Windley – @becominglast)
Hope or hooey (Hey Look A Chicken – Katdish – @katdish)
One is too many (In Progress – Tam – @inprogress)(first in series on abortion)
One Word At A Time Blog Carnival: Peace (One word at a time – Bridget Chumbley – @bridgetchumbley)
Regret (Stuff Christians Like – Jon Acuff – @prodigaljohn)
Quotes of the week:
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Cole’s Law: Thinly Sliced Cabbage
Eat Right, Exercise, Die Anyway
God loves everyone, but probably prefers “fruits of the spirit” over “religious nuts!”
huked on foniks werkd fer me
I can handle pain until it hurts.
I tried being normal once . . .I didn’t like it.
I’m the kind of person my parents want me to stay away from
Reads of the week – 2010 – 2
Posted on: January 23, 2010
blogs of the week:
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digital fasts (Stuff Christians Like – Jon Acuff – @prodigaljohn)
5 questions (TrippCrosby.com – Tripp Crosby – @trippcrosby)
what’s in his name (Hey Look A Chicken – Katdish – @katdish) guest post by @arestlessheart
b-i-b-l-e (The Church of No People – Matt Appling – @MattTCoNP)
caring too much about failure (Stuff Christians Like – Jon Acuff – @prodigaljohn)
asking the pros to pray (Stuff Christians Like – Jon Acuff – @prodigaljohn)
How could i be a christian (The Church of No People – Matt Appling – @MattTCoNP)
quotes of the week:
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Piglet sidled up to Pooh. “Pooh,” he whispered.
“Yes, Piglet?”
“Nothing,” said Piglet, taking Pooh’s paw, “I just wanted to be sure of you.”
- A. A. Milne
Reads of the week – 2010 – 1
Posted on: January 16, 2010
Lots and lots to read cos it’s been quite a while…was super tough choosing the 947 (mild exaggeration) that were in my RSS feed when I got back from holidays. Enjoy.
blogs of the week:
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Stretched out (very Much Later – Jake Lee – @muchlater)
Sunday (Diaries of a Doubtful Believer – Fourie Rossouw – @FourieRossouw)
I have my doubts about this (The Church of No People – Matt Appling – @MattTCoNP)
He sleeps in storms (Hey Look A Chicken – Katdish – @katdish)
A warrior of light is never predictable (Paulo Coelho’s Blog – Paulo Coelho – @paulocoelho)
Lust Blog Carnival (One word at a time – Bridget Chumbley – @bridgetchumbley) – there was another one 2 weeks before this one on love, read up on those too if you have some time
Young and old warms my heart (My Experience As A Youth Pastor – Nick “The Geek” Croft – @puricristos)
Acting surprised when God doesn’t seem close (Stuff Christians Like – Jon Acuff – @prodigaljohn)
quotes of the week:
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If you really needed to change, you would do it. But people are programed to take the path of least resistance. – Matt @ church of no people [on new year's resolutions]
Since love will always outlast lust, the lover must take time for lust to fade so that love might grow just as a great tree must grow slowly until the weeds around it die and it can be in full sun and grow great and true… – Nick the Geek
Reads of the week 19
Posted on: December 12, 2009
blogs of the week
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Don’t talk with your mouth full (They’re tapping all the wires but it looks like they’re tapping their feet – Lize Kay – @beinglizekay)
Does the cost of the gift matter? (Rediscovering the church – Peter Pollock – @peterpollock //guest post by @katdish)
The good stuff (In Recovery – Sean Tucker – @seantuck)
Giving satan a free pass (Stuff Christians Like – Jon Acuff – @prodigaljohn)
Is it just me or does this make you want to vomit (Hey Look A Chicken – Katdish – @katdish)
Open Letter (I wrote this for you – Please Find This – @pleasereadthis)
Subtle worship distractions (Stuff Christians Like – Jon Acuff – @prodigaljohn // guest post by @curtishoneycutt)
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music of the week
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Wresterish
Reads of the week 18
Posted on: December 5, 2009
blogs of the week:
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Angels Unawares (Hey Look A Chicken – Katdish – @katdish)
If you were looking for porn… (The Church of No People – Matt Appling – @MattTCoNP)
The Invitation (poem) found via @anele
World Aids Day fround via @pleasereadthis
Grief Blog Carnival caution: you’ll probably need a whole box of tissues for these (Rediscovering the church – Peter Pollock – @peterpollock)
my ten dollar challenge…sort of (Hey Look A Chicken – Katdish – @katdish)
awesomeness of the week:
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the readers of Stuff Christians Like have raised US$60000 in 25 days to build 2 new kindergartens in Vietnam…seriously, a bunch of strangers got together and raised $60000 for a bunch of strangers… This is what happens when the Church acts like the Church…apparently one of the Stuff Christians Like is bringing Kingdom Come type stuff on earth!
