The Christian Music Thread Genre • Page 44

That Glorious Unseen album is excellent. Never been a huge fan of most worship music, but they did everything right with that one.

 

The ambience if it was phenomenal and I absolutely agree. Wasn't much of a fan of their 2nd album but that one I was obsessed with for a long while after it came out.

Like I said, still get that song stuck in my head randomly now, 10 years later.


I guess now that I think of it I kinda get that way with alot of Christian music that I listened to over the years getting up as well

 

I just heard a couple songs today for the first time and her vocals reminded me of Julien Baker for some reason. I'm probably off on that haha, but either way I'm intrigued to hear more.

What's a good song by Jess Ray?

 

I'm a simple man. I hear Julien Baker, I listen. Psyched to check her out.

I am loving "Gallows," "Did Not Our Hearts Burn," and "What Have We Found Ourselves In" so far. Not to overhype, but the album is the first potential AOTY contender for me this year along with Pedro the Lion.

 

Now I don't know if I'm meant to stop right now or just at an undetermined time in the future. HOW URGENT IS THIS RECOMMENDATION?!

But in all seriousness, I will check out both Jess Ray and Allie Paige.

Haven't listened to The Glorious Unseen for a long time but they were one of the more interesting and unique worship focused bands back in the day. Tonight The Stars Speak and Close To Your Heart were two of my favourite tracks.

 

I don’t know. You should probably listen ASAP just in case.

 

Allie Page is great. In your midst is a fantastic song. Definitely some Julien Baker vibes.

I loved that song Runaway by Jess Ray from a few years ago, definitely gonna check out her new album.

 

Wow loving Allie Paige. My first thought is that my wife is going to love this. Can't wait to show her.

Jess Ray sounds good too. Not immediately clicking with her voice like Allie Paige though - I'll keep listening.

 

Hope this will be good. I'll definitely check it out. I loved Hands but haven't properly clicked with Everything In Slow Motion yet. Their first full length was pretty good but then their EP got rid of a lot of what I liked about Hands.



Edit: just realised they're in a toilet!

 

Wow this Jess Ray album is amazing. O great light, when im with you, gallows. So many fun songs.

 

I went on a Christian album rampage. Here to report back.

Loved:
Lovelite - Apocalypse Hymnal
Allie Paige - Miles & Years
John Lucas - A Thousand Cathedrals

Liked:
Jess Ray - Parallels + Meridians

Neutral:
UPPERROOM - Moments
Laity - Still
Emilie Weiss - A Song of Ascent


Allie Paige and John Lucas really solidify how amazing 2017 was for Christian releases.

 

Switchfoot - New Way to Be Human vinyl available for the first time here:
Switchfoot - New Way To Be Human LP (SMLXL EXCLUSIVE)

 

Nice. That’s cool that it gets a vinyl and also wow that album is 20 years old

 

Definitely getting this! Hope they eventually release Learning to Breathe

 

Definitely the best of Switchfoot’s pre major label albums IMO.

 

I have just seen that Indie Vision Music are releasing a new Slow Coming Day record this week. Apparently they've reformed. Anyone listen to Farewell to the Familiar back in the day?

 

I share an office with some other businesses and have got to know the guy next to me a bit of the last year. He has a band that have just put out a four song EP so I thought I'd post a link in the event that anyone likes this kind of thing. The strongest song in my opinion is Tropical Cyclone Disaster so I've linked to a lyric video of that song.

 

I'm not sure if this is the correct thread for this, but is anyone else struggling with their identity as a Christian right now? Looking at all of the horribly un-Christian things that the government and American Evangelical church are doing right now, I just can't identify with any of what they stand for. I profess Jesus as my savior, but it makes me sick that so much evil is done in the name of Christianity, and I see nothing in common between my beliefs and the prevailing beliefs and actions of those in power in the church. How someone can call themselves Christian and support the imprisonment of refugees, the prosperity gospel, and a general fear and hatred of the other, is beyond me. Have these people actually read the Gospels?

I find myself getting angry about this more often, to the point that it is beginning to affect my mental health. I know that I shouldn't put any faith in the world, but it's so frustrating to see something so beautiful become so perverted. I don't like talking openly about my faith because I believe people will automatically make assumptions about me based on what they know of the church. Should I even call myself a Christian at this point? Would another term be more accurate?

 

Reaching out to encourage you with similar feelings.

I am a Pastor (over youth and children) at a SBC associated church. This church is full of love, certainly, but also this underlying "conservative because we always have been" mentality. I don't think there's anything wrong with conservatism ins all aspects, but its misuse in the American Evangelicalism is as bewildering as it is unsurprising.

I'm literally meeting with an old 80 year old married couple in a few minutes about asking them to leave the church due to the husband's predator like pursuit of a recently widowed woman over the past few years, and his wife enabling him (I finally just put the pieces together a few months ago as to what was happening). Leadership here did not take the proper steps to support the victim, and now that we have a new Lead Pastor as of this month, we are dealing with it harshly with their immediate removal.

I share all of this because I see the leadership changing. I see their passiveness of the past few years transforming into remorse for having not taken the proper steps to support the woman. I have stuck with this church, because I see the church capable of changing some of these staunchly unbiblical conservative values.

I believe in the Spirit's power to change us, to make us better capable of the love we are called to embody, despite years, even decades, of neglecting His prompting to be better. I'm witnessing some of these changes right now, slowly, sometimes frustratingly slow, but I wouldn't be sticking it out if I didn't see a future church making the right changes to be more like Christ.

 

Jars of Clay vinyl:
Jars Of Clay - If I Left The Zoo (Blue LP - SMLXL EXCLUSIVE)

 

Thanks for sharing your heart @SmashRipsaw. I find myself struggling deeply at times. I don't think it helps to live in a social media age where we are taking in every kind of opinion and belief in at one time. It's like drinking from multiple fire hoses, some of which give us pure water, others that give us poisoned water, but when it all comes down our throats at the same time how do we possibly know which is giving which? It's overwhelming and makes me want to just stop drinking anything in. That's where I find myself struggling the most.

In terms of looking at the failures of the American Evangelical church, keep looking at them. Shine the light on them. Don't be afraid of the Gospel because some of those around you pervert it. I'm also in an SBC-affiliated church and I'm even looking to possibly go to Southern Seminary soon, so I feel the pain when I see all the cases of abuse that have been covered up. My response to that is mourning, but I also have to give myself perspective. This is a fallen world. People are screw ups. It's that old phrase that keeps ringing in my head: "There but for the grace of God, go I." I have to keep turning that light back around on myself and surrounding myself with people who are exposing me, but also bringing an immeasurable amount of grace into my personal darkness. I've been given an embarrassment of riches in this area. I struggle with some deep stuff, but the Lord has surrounded me with godly brothers who love me enough to walk with me in and out of my sin. And if I can look at myself and know that I'm okay, it's much easier for me to look at the world with courage.

Just know this, man. You're a Christian. Don't be afraid of it. Perversions of the truth don't cancel out the truth just like perversions of love don't cancel out love. Don't say that bread can't cure hunger just because everyone around you is wearing it like a hat. It's not the bread's fault it's being misused by fools, ya know? Christ is still on the throne, His work is being done, and you're going to be okay. Even if the people around you are nuts. Just read Romans 8 and gain a little perspective.

And hey, if you don't have anyone around you who isn't nuts, consider relocating. I don't know what I'd do without wiser brothers and sisters constantly speaking truth, love, and clarity into my life.

I don't know if that helps, but just sharing my own heart with you. I'm also like you where I feel awkward sharing my faith on this site because I believe very differently than many people do but man it sure feels good to just go off. Hahaha.

 

I'm seeing this pattern in a lot of conservative-leaning churches and I've been deeply encouraged by the responses of people in the SBC. They're going to continue to get bad press, and that's probably a good thing for the sake of accountability, but man am I happy that the right kind of progress is being made in our churches. I'm watching so many of the harmful cultural aspects of the churches I grew up in quickly melt away and it's wonderful.

 

John Lucas is my favorite best-kept-secret that I've been trying to tell everyone about.

I got to interview him recently, too! Super nice guy.

If you're interested: Jesusfreakhideout.com Podcasts

 

So, funny story

For my podcast, I set up a panel of four hosts, where two people were going to defend the claim that Switchfoot is one of Christian music's all-time great artists, and two of us (including me) were supposed to argue against it.

In my preparation for the episode, listening through the band's discography twice, my thoughts on the band took a BIG TURN.

Here's the ep is anyone wants to listen: Jesusfreakhideout.com Podcasts

But also, if anyone wants to talk Switchfoot, I'm here, I'm down, and I've got years of catching up to do.

 

So do you still consider them a Christian band?