Wednesday, November 26, 2008

O Holy Night

I love Christmas and Christmas music.

I haven't been able to say that the last seven years, however.

I'm sure it's because I've been doing worship ministry for the last seven years, and for a worship minister who leads worship in a modern rock-style (read: can't read music), it's a stressful time of the year. Trying to take these amazing Christmas hymns and songs and converting them into a format that isn't so traditional - and I know that some people like going back to traditional Christmas services, but the churches I was at, that's not what we were about - is hard work. It's demanding. And it's, let's be honest, humbling. I think one reason I haven't been excited at Christmas is because doing Christmas songs really separates those who know music from those who don't. And every year, I was on the "don't know music" side. Yeah, I'd always get encouraging comments, and I think that some of the arrangements that we did of certain songs were pretty cool and different, but it was the one time of the year where I felt I was back at school where the gifted and the "challenged" were separated from the normal kids - and in this case, I was in the challenged room.

But this year, since I have no worship ministry responsibilities, hearing Christmas music without thinking "Oh crap, how am I going to change that into a song that our worship band can do" is rather refreshing.

What in the world are you talking about Adam?

Well, here in the Dayton, OH area, there is a radio station that I think started playing Christmas music in August. Well, maybe not that far back, but close. I don't know if they're competing with another station to see who could be the first one to audaciously start playing Christmas music - kind of like back in Colorado, you had these two ski areas, Breckenridge and Loveland who were always trying to be the first one to open up their ski area - but it's awfully early. And I've been loving every minute of it.

My favorite Christmas song is O Holy Night. I love the melody of it, I love the words, and even though Celine Dion sang it on her Christmas CD, I still love the song. It's even written by a guy whose last name is Adam. Hah! However, in most versions of this song, you only hear the first verse. The other day I was listening to that radio station, and they played a version that had the second verse (actually, according to Wikipedia, it's the third verse. Hmmm.). And it captivated me. This is what that verse says:

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother;
And in His name all oppression shall cease.

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! O praise His Name forever,
His power and glory evermore proclaim.
His power and glory evermore proclaim.

Wow. What a thought during this Christmas season. As God has given me this passion to free child slaves and stop child trafficking, this little glimmer of hope in the midst of my favorite Christmas carol is amazing. Isn't that what Christmas is all about? That Immanuel, "God With Us" came near to break our chains of sin - so that we might do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with Him - by helping cease oppression and by helping our brothers and sisters who are enslaved?

I will never be able to hear this song again without being reminded of what God wants for all of us. Freedom.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Love146's Craigslist Campaign Successful!

I'm excited to find out through the Love146 Blog that their Craigslist Campaign has worked!

From the Love146 Blog:

If you have been involved in Love146, you will remember our Campaign to end trafficking on Craigslist. It has been a long road, and so many of you have been involved. Out of our efforts a coalition was formed to combat human trafficking on the Internet (End Internet Trafficking Coalition: ). We received some good news today. Jim Buckmaster, CEO of Craigslist, has been working with Attorneys General throughout the country, law enforcement, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Craigslist will be working together to fight predators, which includes verifying phone numbers, and charging the "erotic services" category. 100% of profits from this will be contributed to charity. An external accounting firm will be retained to track the details. Craigslist will not profit from this.

That is very good news!

ABC News reported about this momentous occasion here.

You can hear it from the horse's mouth (craigslist) here.

Great job Love146 and all those who helped out with this campaign.

Re:Light Campaign Store

I'm really excited about what's coming up - I'm designing an online store with shirts and other merchandise. Once it is setup, you will have the opportunity to buy "stop traffick" merchandise. Half of the proceeds will go towards the Cambodia 2009 missions trip that the student ministry of Life Church will be going on; the other half will go to support Love146.

Be on the lookout, the store will be open soon!

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Interesting Tidbit...

From the Call+Response facebook page:

"Here’s another fascinating connection between slavery and “call and response.” Many American slaves used the call and response pattern so often when singing from the hymn book by Dr. Isaac Watts (the man who gave us When I Survey the Wondrous Cross) that Dr. Watts’s name became synonymous with “call and response.” Well, it was Dr. Watts who urged a man named Phillip Dodderidge to write and publish his book entitled, The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul. And it was this book that sparked the conversion of none other than William Wilberforce, the man who abolished the British slave trade."

Who knows what our actions will cause other people to do? It's amazing how many spiritual movements have happened in the world because of a few small actions that were the spark for another larger action which then sparked a large movement or revival.

My prayer is that this would happen with the anti-human trafficking movement.

Matisyahu - Redemption Song

In the movie Call + Response, Matisyahu does an incredible cover of Bob Marley's song "Redemption Song". I can't wait for this movie to come out on DVD, I'm hoping to schedule a showing in Ohio at some point.

Anyway, spinner.com put out the Matisyahu video for Redemption Song. In the video, you can also some of the other artists who are featured in the movie: Natasha Bedingfield, Imogen Heap, Moby, Cold War Kids, and more, as well as Ashley Judd, Cornel West, Julia Ormond, and others. Here is the video.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Imagine...

This is a great video done by Love146. They showed this at the Ten Shekel Shirt concert I went to.

Monday, November 3, 2008

The Justice Mission

International Justice Mission and Youth Specialties have combined to put together a pretty cool student ministry curriculum. As the website states, "In The Justice Mission you and your youth group will discover:

How injustice works (and what they can do about it.)
How much God hates injustice (and how to hate what God hates.)
How to answer God's call to fight injustice (beginning where you are.)
How to trust God's resources (doing God's work, God's way.)"

There are five sessions in the curriculum. This is a good way to introduce students to the problems of injustice in the world. My prayer is that a revival will happen among the students in our churches, a revival that will spur them on to make a difference in their world by fighting injustice in the world.

As for what justice is, Cornel West in the movie Call + Response gives my favorite definition of justice: "JUSTICE is love out in public!"

The website for The Justice Mission can be found here.