Monday Music - Aloe Blacc Needs a Dollar

Aloe Blacc and this video delight me in so many ways. It's a great song, this is an amazing arrangement and performance, and he's a very interesting guy.  After hearing him interviewed on BBC News, I wanted to learn more about him, his music, and his humanitarian projects. He's got a great voice and big heart. It's wonderful to see him harnessing the power of a hit song to make a real difference in the world.

His song, "I Need a Dollar" has become a vehicle for him to spread awareness and mobilize resources to fight malaria around the world. You can read more about him on the Impatient Optimist page on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation website.  Click Here.

Sunday Supplication - Maturity and Purpose

O God, we thank you for your Son Jesus, our good shepherd. Help us to hear his voice, and know him as he calls us by name, and to follow him wherever he leads.

Lead us away from temptation. Free us from selfishness and pride. Give us the honesty and humility to recognize our need for your grace and mercy. Forgive us our sins and make us ready to forgive others.

O God, help us to press on and to strain forward that we might know you more and more. Help us to take hold of the maturity and purpose you have in mind for us.

Through Christ, we pray. Amen.

Saturday Smile - Gmail Tap

"I'm really excited to see where tapping takes us!"

Friday Family - My Dad and The New Way Singers

Way back in the summer of 1972, a little Christian college in Nebraska launched a summer choir program for high school kids called The New Way Singers. My dad was the music director who dreamed up that program for that small school, Nebraska Christian College, and I was one of the high school students who participated in that first group.

Years later, when the program grew to three choirs, my dad directed a choir, my brother, Joel, directed another, and I directed a third.  We all took our choirs on ten-day tours heading out in different directions across the country. Then, on the last last day of the tours, we would converge for one final concert on the NCC campus.

This year, 2012, marks the 40th anniversary of the New Way Singers, so Nebraska Christian College featured the program in it's 2012 Spring Newsletter. There are a number of photos in the newsletter, and a sharp-eyed detective might be able to identify the high school versions of Dave and Cheri Burkum. My dad wrote a nice little column for the newsletter, sharing some of his reflections and remembrances about New Way Singers. I've included it below.

You can download and view the entire newsletter HERE.

The summer of 1972 marked the beginning of the New Way Singers. The first group of high school sophomores, juniors and seniors consisted of eleven girls and fourteen boys from Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, Iowa and Minnesota. During the course of the short rehearsal week they became an outstanding performing group. But, more importantly, they developed a wonderful bond of Christian friendship which lasted and strengthened their personal witness for Christ when they returned to their homes. They had a sign made during the tour which we displayed on the bus. I think it set the tone for all the NWS groups in all the years since. The sign read, “NEW WAY SINGERS 1972 AND FOREVER.”

In those early years the number of singers increased, until with more than 120 students participating, we divided them into three groups (even four one year). They came from many states and even Puerto Rico and Sweden. One of the most memorable tours was the last year we had one large group in 1976. Our bus broke down in Viroqua, WI and I called the Antelope Hills church at Canby, MN to tell them that since it took all day to repair it, we would not be able to get there until at least 10pm or later so we would have to cancel our concert with them. But since several kids from their congregation and that area of Minnesota were in the group, the Canby church told me they still wanted us to come. So we did and were amazed to find a full parking lot and waiting congregation when we arrived. The folks had gone ahead with their fellowship supper, gone home and done their chores and returned for the concert which we began at about 11pm! Then they took the kids home and fed them afterwards. That event made the front page of the local newspaper and made an unforgettable memory for the NWS history.

Hundreds of young people have made decisions to attend NCC or other sister Bible colleges during their NWS experience. That had been my intent and dream when we started the New Way program. And many couples who later married and have been serving together in Christian ministry for years first met during their year(s) in New Way Singers.

It is gratifying to realize that after 40 years God is still using this program to bless and challenge young men and women to serve the Lord in the “NOW AND FOREVER!”

~ Lowell Burkum, former NCC professor an
founding director of the New Way Singers program

Thursday Thinking - Divided by God

Divided by God
New York Times - April 7
By ROSS DOUTHAT

Ross Douthat is an Op-Ed columnist for The New York Times. This very thought provoking op-ed column appeared in the New York Times on April 7 and was adapted and excerpted from his new book, Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics.

In the column, Douthat makes some astute observations that are helpful in sorting out the ways American religion has come to shape the nation's political tensions and discourse. The opposite direction of influence is also worth considering, and Douthat's insights shed light upon ways our national civic experience is influencing the general mood and perspectives of religious groups in America.

Here are a few short excerpts from the piece to spark your interest:

Barack Obama, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum all identify as Christians, but their theological traditions and personal experiences of faith diverge more starkly than any group of presidential contenders in recent memory. These divergences reflect America as it actually is: We’re neither traditionally Christian nor straightforwardly secular. Instead, we’re a nation of heretics in which most people still associate themselves with Christianity but revise its doctrines as they see fit, and nobody can agree on even the most basic definitions of what Christian faith should mean.
- - -
But there are costs to being a nation in which we’re all heretics to one another, and no religious orthodoxy commands wide support. Our diversity has made us more tolerant in some respects, but far more polarized in others.
- - -
Americans have never separated religion from politics, but it makes a difference how the two are intertwined. When religious commitments are more comprehensive and religious institutions more resilient, faith is more likely to call people out of private loyalties to public purposes, more likely to inspire voters to put ideals above self-interest, more likely to inspire politicians to defy partisan categories altogether. But as orthodoxies weaken, churches split and their former adherents mix and match elements of various traditions to fit their preferences, religion is more likely to become indistinguishable from personal and ideological self-interest.

READ THE ENTIRE COLUMN

Wednesday Words - Frost and the Speck

A Considerable Speck (Microscopic)
A speck that would have been beneath my sight
On any but a paper sheet so white
Set off across what I had written there.
And I had idly poised my pen in air
To stop it with a period of ink,
When something strange about it made me think.
This was no dust speck by my breathing blown,
But unmistakably a living mite
With inclinations it could call its own.
It paused as with suspicion of my pen,
And then came racing wildly on again
To where my manuscript was not yet dry;
Then paused again and either drank or smelt;
With loathing, for again it turned to fly.
Plainly with an intelligence I dealt.
It seemed too tiny to have room for feet,
Yet must have had a set of them complete
To express how much it didn't want to die.
It ran with terror and with cunning crept.
It faltered: I could see it hesitate;
Then in the middle of the open sheet
Cower down in desperation to accept
Whatever I accorded it of fate.
I have none of the tenderer-than-thou
Collectivistic regimenting love
With which the modern world is being swept.
But this poor microscopic item now!
Since it was nothing I knew evil of
I let it lie there till I hope it slept.
I have a mind myself and recognize
Mind when I meet with it in any guise.
No one can know how glad I am to find
On any sheet the least display of mind.

by Robert Frost, from The Poetry of Robert Frost. 
© Henry Holt and Company, 1969.

Tuesday Tome - Born Again / Chuck Colson

Chuck Colson Dead at 80

Obituary written by Sarah Pulliam Bailey
(Christianity Today, 4/21/2012)

The infamous convicted Nixon adviser became famous for prison reform, evangelical-Catholic dialogue, and his Christian worldview.

Charles Colson, respected evangelical leader and former President Nixon adviser, died Saturday afternoon at age 80 from complications resulting from a brain hemorrhage.

Over the span of several decades, Colson became one of evangelicalism's most influential voices within the movement and to the broader culture. Observers suggest Colson will likely be best remembered for his prison ministry, behind-the-scenes political involvement, work on evangelical and Catholic dialogue, and his cultural commentary.

In many ways, Colson's life encapsulated the eclectic nature of evangelicalism. His example shaped how evangelicals would promote ministry and social justice, evangelism and ecumenicism, cultural and political engagement, radio and writing, and scholarship and discipleship.  READ MORE...

Born Again (Chosen Books)
Publisher's Book Description

In 1974 Charles W. Colson pleaded guilty to Watergate-related offenses and, after a tumultuous investigation, served seven months in prison. In his search for meaning and purpose in the face of the Watergate scandal, Colson penned Born Again. This unforgettable memoir shows a man who, seeking fulfillment in success and power, found it, paradoxically, in national disgrace and prison.

In more than three decades since its initial publication, Born Again has brought hope and encouragement to millions. This remarkable story of new life continues to influence lives around the world. This expanded edition includes a brand-new introduction and a new epilogue by Colson, recounting the writing of his bestselling book and detailing some of the ways his background and ministry have brought hope and encouragement to so many.

Monday Music - Levon Helm

MICHAEL HILL, Associated Press
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) —

Levon Helm, The Band's commanding drummer and singer, whose solid beat and Arkansas twang helped define classics from the tragic "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" to the playful "Up on Cripple Creek," died Thursday. He was 71.

Helm, who was found to have throat cancer in 1998, died peacefully Thursday afternoon (April 19), according to his website. On Tuesday, a message on the site said he was in the final stages of cancer.

Helm and his band mates -- Rick Danko, Garth Hudson, Robbie Robertson and Richard Manuel -- were musical virtuosos who returned to the roots of American music in the late 1960s as other rockers veered into psychedelia, heavy metal and jams. The group's 1968 debut, "Music From the Big Pink," and its follow-up, "The Band," remain landmark albums of the era, and songs such as "The Weight," ''Dixie Down" and "Cripple Creek" have become rock standards.  Read More...


Here is an 2007 Levon Helm interview with Terry Gross on WHYY's Fresh Air.

Sunday Supplication - The Faith to See

O God, open the eyes of our hearts. Give us the faith to recognize you and to join you in your redeeming and healing work in our world.

O God, we humbly recognize our need for forgiveness and restoration. In our weakness and selfishness, we often fail each other, fail ourselves, and fail you.  Thank you for the hope and power we have through Christ.  Raise us and transform us by the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead.

Forgive us our sins, and make us ready and able and quick to forgive others, even as you forgive us.

O God, help us to delight in your will, and to walk in your ways, to the glory of your name. Open our eyes to your presence and work in our lives. Give us the faith to see the possibilities and purposes you have for us at our work, in our homes, with our families, and with our neighbors, and in our church.

Through Christ, we pray. Amen.

Saturday Smile - New Google App

Friday Family - Cactus Blossoms on BBC2

My sons, Jack and Page, The Cactus Blossoms, were featured on BBC2 Radio yesterday on the Bob Harris Country program. The song he played was, "Traveler's Paradise," which was written by Jack. You can hear it HERE at the 51:50 point in the program (this link is only good through April 25).


Bob Harris mentioned that the Cactus Blossoms are from Minneapolis and gave their album a five-star rating. Pretty cool to see their music making it's way across the Atlantic.

You can celebrate National Record Store Day and hear the Cactus Blossoms at Hymie's Records on Saturday, April 21, 12:30pm.

Thursday Thinking - Women and Church

The church I'm a part of is blessed by the many energetic, gifted, hardworking, and spiritually deep women. Valley would certainly not be able be what it is without them. Our Christian sisters serve, teach, lead, care, pray, sing, give, sacrifice, coordinate, communicate, and so much more. I'm so grateful for all they are and all they do.

Talking about the role of women in the life of the church is an easy way to stir up controversy, especially in conservative Christian circles (whether Catholic, Protestant, or Evangelical). I'm not looking to provoke an argument today, but I would certainly like to provoke some constructive thinking on the subject.

To do that, I'm passing along two short and surprisingly thorough videos from New Testament scholar, Ben Witherington. He covers a lot of ground in a tiny amount of space. He obviously doesn't answer all the questions, but he certainly demonstrates that the questions are more complex and have more possible answers than many people have considered. Then, as a humorous and thoughtful poke in the ribs, I'm also passing along a list of 10 Reasons Why Men Should Not Be Ordained that Tim Stafford posted on his blog a couple months ago.

Just a reminder, I moderate all comments for this blog and won't be publishing anything unedifying. I do welcome thoughtful, respectful, and helpful comments and questions.

Ben Witherington - Video 1


Ben Witherington - Video 2


Tim Stafford's Blog - 10 Reasons Why Men Should Not Be Ordained (by Paul Neeley)

10. A man’s place is in the army.

9. The pastoral duties of men who have children might distract them from the responsibility of being a parent.

8. The physique of men indicates that they are more suited to such tasks as chopping down trees and wrestling mountain lions. It would be “unnatural” for them to do ministerial tasks.

7. Man was created before woman, obviously as a prototype. Thus, they represent an experiment rather than the crowning achievement of creation.

6. Men are too emotional to be priests or pastors. Their conduct at football and basketball games demonstrates this.

5. Some men are handsome, and this will distract women worshipers.

4. Pastors need to nurture their congregations. But this is not a traditional male role. Throughout history, women have been recognized as not only more skilled than men at nurturing, but also more fervently attracted to it. This makes them the obvious choice for ordination.

3. Men are prone to violence. No really masculine man wants to settle disputes except by fighting about them. Thus they would be poor role models as well as dangerously unstable in positions of leadership.

2. The New Testament tells us that Jesus was betrayed by a man. His lack of faith and ensuing punishment remind us of the subordinated position that all men should take.

1. Men can still be involved in church activities, even without being ordained. They can sweep sidewalks, repair the church roof, and perhaps even lead the song service on Father’s Day. By confining themselves to such traditional male roles, they can still be vitally important in the life of the church.

Wednesday Words - Introduction to Poetry

Introduction to Poetry
by Billy Collins

I ask them to take a poem
...and hold it up to the light
like a color slide

or press an ear against its hive.

I say drop a mouse into a poem
and watch him probe his way out,

or walk inside the poem's room
and feel the walls for a light switch.

I want them to waterski
across the surface of a poem
waving at the author's name on the shore.

But all they want to do
is tie the poem to a chair with rope
and torture a confession out of it.

They begin beating it with a hose
to find out what it really means.

Read More about Billy Collins and His Poetry...

Tuesday Tome - GILEAD by Marilynne Robinson

Marilynne Robinson is one of the writers whose books I have been looking forward to reading. I have read a few of her essays and seen her interviewed several times, and my wife has read and raved about several of her books, one of which was the novel, Gilead, winner of the 2005 Pulitzer Prize.

This past week I started reading Gilead and I am truly enjoying it. I've read about a third of the book so far and find the experience similar to reading Jayber Crow by Wendell Barry. This is, from my point of view, a good thing, as Jayber Crow may very well be my all-time favorite.

Gilead (at least what I've read so far) is a long letter from an old man, a pastor, who because of his declining health and approaching death has decided to write a memoir of sorts for the future adult of the now seven-year-old son whom he had late in life. Here is an example of Robinson's exceptional writing in the voice of the aged Congregationalist minister, John Ames.

There was a young couple strolling along half a block ahead of me. The sun had come up brilliantly after a heavy rain, and the trees were glistening and very wet. On some impulse, plain exuberance, I suppose, the fellow jumped up and caught hold of a branch, and a storm of luminous water came pouring down on the two of them, and they laughed and took off running, the girl sweeping water off her hair and her dress as if she were a little bit disgusted, but she wasn’t. It was a beautiful thing to see, like something from a myth. I don’t know why I thought of that now, except perhaps because it is easy to believe in such moments that water was made primarily for blessing, and only secondarily for growing vegetables or doing the wash. I wish I had paid more attention to it. My list of regrets may seem unusual, but who can know that they are, really. This is an interesting planet. It deserves all the attention you can give it.

Robinson, Marilynne (2004-11-15). Gilead: A Novel (Kindle Locations 367-373). Macmillan. Kindle Edition.

When I finish Gilead, I hope to read Robinson's newest book, a collection of essays entitled, When I Was a Child I Read Books. Here is a recent Big Think video interview with Robinson.



Here is a wonderful appearance Marilynne made on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart promoting another book of essays entitled, Absence of Mind.

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
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