Tag Archives: Love

The Champion

Posted on July 30, 2009 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 612 Comments

I dart to the left and I dart to the right
I juke up and down as I enter the fight
My foe is a large and a villainous fiend
His army is great, yet they remain unseen
His evil is black and as dark as the night
He ripples with strength and a wickedly might
He takes greatest joy in the conq’ring of souls
To win o’er the Lord is his greatest of goals
He hates all the saints and he hates all their praise
He marshals his ghouls and sets them in array
In order to fight and he hopes yet to win
He’s in the foul business of having men sin

I dart to the left and I dart to the right
I juke up and down as I grit through the fight
I don the fair Helm of Salvation so sure
My frail waist I gird with God’s Truth very Pure
My chest is protected by Righteousness True
The Gospel of Peace I now wear as my shoes
The strong Shield of Faith keepeth me from his darts
So they might not enter and pierce through my heart
The Sword of the Spirit is my sure offense
The Word of the Lord is my surest defense
The Armor of God is my great gift to use
To fight the foul Devil and all his non-truths

I dart to the left and I dart to the right
The Grace of the Lord keepeth me in the fight
The Fiend uppercuts with his leathery hand
His claws are outstretched and my death is his plan
Both fists fall down hard on my weak Shield of Faith
The blow is so strong, it is Christ that he hates
I look in his eyes, and the glow is so bright
With hatred and foulness and all of sin’s blight
The eyes then grow big, and I know what’s to come
The arms go upraised, and I grow very numb
The arms start to fall with a terrible force
And suddenly stop, no more on their hard course

I look to my left, and I look to my right
It seems as another has entered the fight
A bright golden arm holds the sharp claws at bay
A strong voice speaks out, and I hear it then say:
“Begone foulest Devil, this one is not yours
He’s one of my Father’s, God’s Grace has been poured
Out on this dear one, this child of God’s
So go now you Devil and no more here trod”
Then with quickest rage and a menacing speed
The serpent strikes Christ, thus completing the Deed
The gold arm goes limp and it falls to the ground
My Hero is dead, and despair now surrounds

My Hero has left, and it does not seem right
I am all alone in this terrible fight
Why has my Christ died and left me all alone
Does my God and King not still Rule from His Throne?
Why does He allow the foul Devil to win?
Where now is my help, I’m afraid of my sin
I then come around and fierce laughter I hear
I am all alone and the Dragon I fear
The foul eyes then slit, and he lunges at me
I can’t now hold out, for soon dead will I be
“Give up now you wretch, your fair Hero is dead
Just curse God and die, I will now have your head”

A flash to the left and a bang to the right
My Hero and God has reentered the Fight
With terrible wrath and His Holiness Pure
A bright Sword swings out, with straight aim oh so sure
Black blood gushes out from a terrible gash
The Sword swings again with a terrible flash
My Christ is alive, to His Foe now defeat
My God’s slaughtered Death, the foul Devil is beat
With strength born of God, being armed with the Word
My Christ grabs the Dragon, and his wicked hoard
He then casts them into the fiery pit
Where sin rules, and wrath is, they would not submit

My Christ is Alive and has ended the Fight
He has beaten death and the rot of sin’s blight
He turns to me with loving eyes very dear
All that has thus happened’s becoming so clear
Who gave me the armor of my God to use,
To fight the foul Devil and all His non-truths?
Tis Christ my Commander, Redeemer, and Friend
My Lord and my Savior, my God to the end
Who comforts me when the hard fight gets too tough?
Who keeps me in safety when life gets too rough?
Tis Jesus my Comfort and Truth all too sure
My I AM, and Yahweh, my True Sheep so pure

Why have I been picked to be saved from the first
A rebel, deceiver, a man who was cursed?
Who’s long held me in His strong arms oh so tight
Though I was a worm and a miserable sight?
Who’s patient with me when I sin yet again?
Who holds all the seas in the span of His hand?
Who made all the world with a word plainly spoke?
Who fills up His Temple with fire and smoke?
Who’s holy and righteous, and merciful sure?
Who’s perfect and loving and awesomely pure?
Who saved us and keeps us in Him to the End?
Our Savior and Maker, our Greatest of Friends

All honor and glory and praise to His name!
Forever and always our God is the same!
Sing loudly you saints and sing loudly you sons
Our Savior and Warrior has our Vic’try won!
Come cling in His Truth, sink down into His Word
Come don your fair armor, come grasp now the Sword
Come don now your Belt and your Helm and your Shield
Your Sandles and Breastplate, you must not now yield!
Come enter the Battle you are called to fight
Trust now in our God and partake of His Might!
Sing glory and praises, our foe is now beat
Our hope is in Jesus, our One Mercy Seat!

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Posted in Art and Culture, My Writings, Poetic Prose, Poetry

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All Praise to Christ, I’m Free

Posted on July 21, 2009 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 87 Comments

I come before You honestly with shaking and temerity
I do not seek You faithfully, I do not love Your Word
The devil roars and roams about, so with my quaking voice I shout
“Lord Jesus come and save Your son, equip me with Your Sword!”

Your Word’s a Lamp unto my feet, a shining Light unto my path
By it I know Your Holy Will, by it I know of Christ
Protect me from my wickedness, and make me like my Savior blessed
To fear Your frightful holiness, and love Your tender Grace

Make me receptive to Your Word, to treasure Your Commands and Laws
So wisdom will be near and dear, I glorify Your Name
From You comes Truth and Knowledge sweet, and love from Christ, my Mercy Seat
I read Your Word, so You I’ll meet, and then Your fame proclaim

Incline my heart unto Your Truth, the Knowledge of my Savior God
By it I know I’m lost without the work and death of Christ
I am a sinner lost and frail, I need the Cross, the Thorns and Nails
Without Your Love I’m lost to Hell, but now in Christ I’m saved

By Jesus’ blood I’m justified, the Spirit works to sanctify
So I’ll in God be glorified and live eternally
A sinner lost who now is found, adopted urchin with a crown
Once sinner dead, now Glory bound, all praise to Christ I’m free!

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Posted in Art and Culture, My Writings, Poetry

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Content Perseverance

Posted on July 17, 2009 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 65 Comments

There once was a woman of age twenty-three
Her name was the fair name of Ruth
With fervor she served her Good Father above
She trusted in Him and his Truth

In college she worked three hard jobs at a time
Her fingers she wore to the bone
She labored to keep all her grades at an A
In sorrow she felt all alone

She wanted a husband, she wanted his love
She ached to be in his embrace
But God had not brought her the man that she craved
Nor did He reveal the man’s face

For three more long years she worked towards her degree
And finally her task was complete
Diploma in hand and her vigor renewed
She strode to take on greater feats

She worked in her job and she loved what she did
And still she felt such a great void
The love that she wanted had not been revealed
Her sorrow she could not avoid

She saw all her friends being married away
The wed and they left her alone
She felt so unwanted, she felt so unloved
In sadness she sobbed and she groaned

In one of these weddings a bridesmaid she stood
God works in mysterious ways
An elderly lady looked on her sad eyes
And for this fair maiden she prayed

So Ruth worked and labored for her dearest King
She ached for the love that she sought
She worked in her church, she did all that she could
Yet still her void filled every thought

Then one day in May, on a Sunday it was
An elderly voice called her name
“Come now dearest darlin’, let’s sit and let’s talk
You must stop with this cruelest game”

“It hurts this old woman to see your fair eyes
Be dimmed by the sorrow you feel
You must look to Jesus, the one perfect Man
And then your sad heart will be healed”

“Christ loved you when you never loved Jesus back
Pursuing, He called your fair name
With mercy he brought you in safe to His arms
He called you and your soul He claimed”

“He loves you more than you can love Him e’er back
All that you go through’s for your good
You’re called to be single right now where you are
You’re called to do all that you should”

“Don’t fret fairest darling that you don’t have love
A husband with whom you can live
For you have a Savior who is your First Love
He mercy to you freely gives”

With tears in her eyes, Ruth thanked her for her words
The old lady smiled and left
Then Ruth sat and pondered what she had just heard
And thanked God for His Greatest Gift

With new-found contentment, fair Ruth persevered
With joy found in Christ she did live
She still wanted marriage and still wanted love
But now for God’s will she did live

So for two more years she did all that she could
To live for her God and her King
Her life was a praise song to Jesus her Lord
Her outlook a song she could sing

And though it was hard to at times be content
And though sometimes hard to trust God
Ruth persevered through it by God’s Precious Grace
With thankfulness she through her life trod

Then one day at church a young man caught her eyes
A man who seemed ‘round twenty-eight
He strode to where she sat as she ate her lunch
He sat and with her he then ate

They met and they talked and they liked what they saw
Both inwardly knew this could be
A something both special and great to behold
A something that’s glorious to see

The following months were a time new to them
For both had been ever alone
But love was beginning, the fresh spring was now here
The winds of a change had now come

But both took their time, for they knew what love was
A thing to preserve and protect
For they had been kept from the thing that they craved
And now precious love was beget

They both persevered until God’s time was ripe
Contentment was their tool to use
But as apples ripen, their time fin’lly came
And both told their parents the news

The day finally came that Ruth dreamed ever of
She walked down the aisle in her dress
It now was her time to be wed to her man
And Ruth knew she was greatly blessed

The wedding flew by as Ruth’s head swam around
The feelings were ever intense
But then her eyes focused and she saw in the crowd
The elderly woman God sent

Ruth’s eyes were no longer the sad eyes of gloom
They were when she dwelt in the night
With tears in these eyes Ruth thanked her with a look
Then with them she gazed at her knight

The Lord in His mercy had taught Ruth a thing
A lesson both simple and sweet
That to persevere one must be e’er content
And trust Him who’s our Mercy Seat

So when you’re discouraged and feel so alone
Remember God loves you His own
You’re put where you are and He knows what you need
For God rules and loves from His Throne

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Posted in Poetry

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The Lord, Our Savior, and Our Friend

Posted on July 16, 2009 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 722 Comments

(set to the tune of “There is a Fountain”)

Lord when it’s hard to live for Christ
And when it’s hard to stand
Help us to fix our Gaze above
To our Eternal Land
To our Eternal Land, to our Eternal Land
Help us to fix our Gaze above
To our Eternal Land

Lord God it’s by Your grace alone
That we are justified
Please give us comfort in Your Blood
The Love in which You died
The Love in which You died, the Love in which You died
Please give us comfort in Your Blood
The Love in which You died

Lord give us grace to know Your Truth
You’ve given us Your Word
By it we know of Jesus Christ
By it we call You Lord!
By it we call You Lord, by it we call You Lord
By it we know of Jesus Christ
By it we call You Lord

Lord give us hope in Who You are
Our Maker and our Friend
Our Sovereign King, and Savior Sweet
Whose Mercy has no end
Whose Mercy has no end, whose mercy has no end
Our Sovereign King, and Savior Sweet
Whose Mercy has no end!

 

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Posted in Hymns, Poetry

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Chosen With Blood

Posted on July 15, 2009 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 710 Comments

He dwelt in Himself, in Him are no flaws
The One God of All, the Trinity Pure
Three Persons in One, One God who is Sure
This God then chose some, to all be His own
This God who is Just, and dwells on His Throne
He chose them with blood, the blood of His Son
The blood of the Lord has our vict’ry Won
For sin entered in, by God’s wise Decree
And death conquered man, he had not a plea
This sin’s not of God, He authored it not
This sin that brings death, and reeketh of rot
Mysterious thing, God’s glory we see
When sin entered in, by God’s wise decree
Our God is still just, and holy, and true
Our sin must be judged, or hearts made anew
How will it be paid, how will death be beat
How can we come in, to the Mercy Seat?
What’s our sacrifice, where can it be found?
To satisfy wrath, for death now surrounds
Where now is our Hope, where can it be found?
Despair closes in, it soon will surround
Just read in the Word, the Word of our Christ
The Gift of our God, of infinite price
Read Ephesians one, verse four and verse five
He chose us in Him, He chose us in Christ
Verse seven, verse eight; forgiveness is mine
The price has been paid, I’m no longer blind

We’re chosen with blood, the blood of the Lamb
The blood of our Lord, the blood of I AM
He obeyed His God, the Father Above
With Fellowship Sweet, and infinite Love
He died for His own, the chosen elect
He died for their sins, for every speck
He died for His Church, the Saints of the Lamb
The Body of Christ, the Bride of I AM

A virgin conceived, gave birth to a boy
The angels sang out, with marvelous Joy
The Savior had come, born like any man
A small helpless babe, ‘twas God’s Sov’reign Plan
The wise men then came, they knew who He was
The knew Him as King, the Lord of the Stars
The boy had no sin, perfection was His
The Great Sacrifice, the I AM who is
His life Jesus led, our Savior made man
Obeying God’s Will, His Life Jesus ran
And then it was time for Jesus to show
His power to all, so people might know
The Savior had come, sent by God above
The One Sovereign King, the Lord of all Love
He went up to John, the prophet foretold
And was promptly dunked, in water so cold
He started His work, His great Ministry
With wonders and signs, the blind He let see
The sick Jesus healed, the dead Jesus raised
His pupils He taught, His God Jesus Praised
And then it was time for Jesus to die
This Healer of Men, Hosanna they’d cried
But now all their screams were for Jesus’ blood
The once happy crowd was in a foul mood
They nailed hands and feet, they whipped and they scourged
It was Yahweh’s Will, set down in His Word
The blood trickled down, on down to the ground
And as it fell down, He made not a sound
Then after a shout, Christ’s head bowed down low
His body was dead, He gave up His Soul

We’re chosen with blood, the blood of the Lamb
The blood of our Lord, the blood of I AM
He obeyed His God, the Father Above
With Fellowship Sweet, and infinite Love
He died for His own, the chosen elect
He died for their sins, for every speck
He died for His Church, the Saints of the Lamb
The Body of Christ, the Bride of I AM

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Posted in Poetry

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HBC Live Streaming, 12 July 2009

Posted on July 12, 2009 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 601 Comments

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Posted in Live Video Feeds

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Derek Webb, The Gospel, and Doing Good Works

Posted on July 11, 2009 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 866 Comments

In light of the interesting discussions going on with regards to Derek Webb‘s latest album, Stockolm Snydrome, this is rather enlightening.  I took this video last night (10 July 2009) at the Blood Water Benefit Concert in Red Oak, Texas at The Oaks Fellowship.  You can judge for yourself where Webb’s mind and heart is.

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Posted in Music, Videos

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Quote of the Week – Brister on Parking the Great Commission

Posted on July 8, 2009 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 29 Comments

I’m led to believe that people are not as persuaded by those things as we think they are. What they are convinced by is the love of Christ communicated in real, tangible ways as they behold the church in action as well as being witnessed to in word and in deed.  A resurgence of the Great Commission does not need to be propped up by programs, personalities, or principles of church growth; rather, it needs a passion for the gospel, the mission, and the lost that provides more than what money can buy and points them clearly to Jesus our Treasure and Savior.

Keep it simple, centered, and strong, and park the Great Commission at the heart of the church.  Jesus will send you to the heart of your city where darkness needs light, despair needs hope, and death needs life.

-Tim Brister (http://timmybrister.com/2009/07/07/parking-the-great-commission/)

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Posted in Quote of the Week, Quotes

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Sermon Poetry – “Losing My First Love”

Posted on July 6, 2009 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 56 Comments

Pastor Jarrett preached yesterday out of Revelation regarding the letter from Jesus to the Church in Ephesus. In this letter Jesus commends the Ephesians for their doctrinal purity, patient persistence in the midst of trial and for their steadfast service to Him. Yet He (rightly) accuses them of leaving their first Love. Jarrett reminded us of Paul’s words that if we are living and breathing and serving without love, then all of our effort is of no intrinsic value and is unprofitable, worthless and generally rather annoying. These words hit me where it hurts! I love Truth and Persistence and Doctrine and Ideas (even if I suck at all of them!), but what good is that to anyone if I’m not loving (as Jesus first loved me)? Is it even Truth that I believe in if I’m not loving? Do I love the same people that Jesus loves? Do I love them the way that Jesus loves me? Or am I the guy who has been forgiven a massive 10 million dollar debt, but can’t forgive a measly five dollar IOU?

Do I love Jesus’ Church, His Bride and Body? Do I love the sick and the poor and the widow and the orphan? Do I love the unclean, the unrighteous, the homosexual, the adulterer, the murderer, the thief and the child abuser? Do I love those on the edges and margins of society? Do I love those who would commit heinous crimes against me? Do I have “faith” without the corresponding works of love (and it IS work!)?

Yet, a more profound and searching question must be asked. Do I love Jesus? Or do I love my understanding of Jesus? Do I love the teachings of Jesus more than Jesus Himself? Am I too much like the serving Martha in her bad moments (as important and godly dutiful service can be …) and not enough like the enraptured-with-Jesus Mary? Am I stuck-up, haughty, arrogant and prideful about my understanding and faith, or am I abased and humbled and broken and contrite before the One who saved a wretch like me?

Lord, break me and abase me before Your Son and be my strength to love you more and more each day! I’ve not the strength in my frame and I’ve not the will to obey, apart from Your Grace …

I love my Savior God
I long to do His Will
But oh my soul I’ve lost my way
Woe unto me, I’ve left my love

I’m steeped in doctrine pure
I know when error comes
With patience I endure so well
Woe unto me, I’ve left my love

I toil and bear for Christ
I’ve not grown tired yet
Like Martha, service is my Call
Woe unto me, I’ve left my love

Jesus with the flaming eyes
Jesus with the two-edged sword
Your eyes see all, your mouth speaks Truth
Woe unto me, I’ve left my love

You control the skies above
You calm the raging seas
And oh my God, come calm my heart
Jesus please show me Your Love

I do no love the one’s you love
A hypocrite is what I am
I show my knowledge is not complete
All of my brothers I don’t love

I know it was for me you died
Your love was pain and suffering
With patience you endure Your own
Jesus I know it’s me you love

Jesus bring me to the day
When pain will melt away
I’ll dwell with you for all the days
It’s you, my God, I love

Please protect me from myself
The sin that dwells therein
Until I die keep me from my sin
Jesus keep me in Your Love

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Posted in Poetry, Sermon Poems, Some Thoughts

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Movie Review – “Up”

Posted on June 11, 2009 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 669 Comments

Well, they’ve done it again.

Pixar’s latest animated masterpiece, “Up”, is nothing short of breathtaking.  The characters are relatable and reliably well-developed; the story is unique and involving; the mixture of humor and drama is almost perfectly blended and the visuals are (as expected with Pixar’s animation) absolutely stunning.

The story basically follows the interactions between a man named Carl Fredericksen and a little Wilderness Explorer named Russell as they experience imaginative adventures together in a remote corner of South America.

Specifically, the story begins with an especially moving sequence of a young Mr. Fredericksen and his adventurous and vivacious wife Ellie as they experience their life together.  This sequence is made powerful and moving through the absence of any audible dialogue, with a well-chosen and touching chronological montage of the Fredericksen’s married life.  In a very short time you’re permitted and invited to experience the joys and heartaches of life as they are married, as they purchase and refurbish their home, as they cope with the grief of not being able to have children , as they grow old together, as Ellie gets sick and finally as Ellie passes from this earth.

Without his Ellie, Carl is left with loneliness, her memories and their old house.  Seeing him in such a state is truly sad because of the sweetness of their lives together.  She completed him and when she left, the best part of him left with her.

Carl ends up losing the house and when developers are threatening to take him to a retirement home and bulldoze his house, he literally up and floats away in it!  The movie continues in typically brilliant Pixar fashion with Mr. Fredericksen accidentally taking Russell on his floating house with him.  During their journey, they meet a brightly colorful Snipe named Kevin, a silly talking dog named, appropriately, Doug, and a particularly bitter childhood hero of Carl’s, Charles Muntz.

Two things about this movie stood out in my thinking.  First is the power of memories.  Both Charles Muntz and Carl are men unable to let go of his past.  Muntz, the great explorer that he was, once discovered a massive bird skeleton only to be written off by the public at large as a fraud and a cheat.   Carl had lived, loved and lost the one person in the world he wanted to love.  Muntz’s existence consisted solely of finding that large bird and clearing his name, in hopes of regaining something of his former glory.  Carl’s was landing his house next to Paradise Falls (as his wife had once dreamed) in memory of her.  Yet it is only Carl who can let go of the past.  When he runs Russell off and ends up finding his wife’s old Adventure Book, he realizes that before her death she had filled up the “stuff to do” pages from yesteryear with images of her and Carl from throughout their time together.  At the end of these pictures she thanks him for the adventure and tells him its ok to move on.  It was only then that Carl is able to finally say goodbye to his dear wife and realize that there was a sad little boy who loved him and needed him.  Muntz died in his bitterness.  Carl found a son and a new reason to live.

I’ve rarely seen such a loving, tender, potent and poignant expression in cinema of the long-lasting, patient and persistent love of a husband and a wife for each other.  Carl and Ellie loved each other deeply.  They completed each other.  They stuck with each other, through the good times and the bad.  Their story truly is beautiful, yet sharply bittersweet.

Pixar has once again hit it out of the proverbial park and I cannot encourage you enough to go see this film.

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Posted in Movie Reviews

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Irish Proverbs – Of Unity and Strength

Posted on June 4, 2009 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 847 Comments

“Ni ceart go cur le cheile” – “There is no strength without unity”

There is a scene in Pixar’s “A Bug’s Life” where the evil villains, the Grasshoppers, are chilling under their sombrero hangout when Hopper, the gang’s ringleader, hears grumbling about going back to Ant Island to gather “The Offering” from the puny ants.  Hopper jumps over to the bar in typical grasshopper fashion, grabs a seed from their large seed dispenser at the Grasshopper bar and throws it at the complaining party.  He asks the guilty one if it hurt (it did not), throws another seed (“are you kidding” being the response) and then releases the whole bunch of heavy seeds onto the whiner, crushing him.  The moral of this story?  “There was that ant who stood up to me … if one ant stands up, they all might stand up”.

Just as that one seed did not hurt the grasshopper, so Flick (that one brave ant) did not stand a chance alone.  Yet, Hopper knew something profound: if those thousands of ants in that colony decided to stand together, as one, unified (which they finally did) then his evil reign of terror would end (which it did).

Unity is a powerful thing.  One strand of string is easily broken, but if you were to twist dozens of strings together into a rope, that string would suddenly be much more difficult to break.  One vote is hardly enough to swing an election (usually), but if you get a majority to vote the same way, as one unified voice, then democratic power can and does assert itself.  Yet, unity is not simply about numbers.  There might be thousands of soldiers fighting in a battle, but if those thousands are not fighting for a unified purpose or goal and do not fight as one, then they are easily dispatched.

Just as unity is vital for ants, strings, voters and warriors, it is so for followers of Jesus as well.  We are one body, in Christ.  The Church, Jesus’ Bride, is not made up of a bunch of self-autonomous parts.  We are joined and knit together, a unified, redeemed Body.  Yet, “unity” can be, and in our pluralisticly philosophical and cultural milieu, often is, misleading.  Believers in Christ cannot be unified with those who deny the insanely radical and thoroughly exclusive nature of Christ and the Cross.  Believers in Jesus cannot be unified with those who call Jesus a god but who do not ultimately bow their collective knee in abject submission to the Lamb.  Believers in the very Son of God cannot be united with those who deny the everlasting Love of Jesus and Grace of God.  Yet, with true believers and followers of Jesus, the Christian IS unified and this unity finds it strength not in the collective might of those unified but in the One who is the Great Unifier.  This unity and strength is for His Glory and for our Good.  It is not just strong, it is everlasting.

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Posted in Irish Proverbs

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Book Review – “The Celtic Way of Evangelism”

Posted on May 23, 2009 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 880 Comments

“The Celtic Way of Evangelism” by George G. Hunter III is an interesting, somewhat informative, trite and simplistic study of early Celtic Christianity and its historical role in missions and evangelism.

The book begins strong with a solid synopsis of Patrick, the “Apostle to the Irish” and does a decent job of telling the high points of Patrick’s life and ministry. Hunter does an equally good job in describing the community and lives of early Celtic Christianity, expressed in their loves for men and in their hospitality towards strangers. Hunter additionally goes to great lengths to articulate the Celtic Christian’s superb ability to relate to the culture around him and to contextualize the Gospel of Jesus to a lost and dying world. He describes the Celts’ love for art, music and story and he speaks of the Celtic Christian’s ability to craft music and narrative in such a way as to present the Gospel message to the barbarians of their day in the British Isles and to the lost on the European Continent in a meaningful and powerful way.

Hunter spends much of the last half of the book postulating how contemporary Christianity can communicate the Gospel message in the Celtic Way. By itself, this is not a bad goal. Hunter rightly notes the emergence of the post-Christian “New Barbarians”, making a semi-direct correlation between the New Barbarians of today and the barbarians of yesteryear. He notes in these New Barbarians the same worshipful regard for nature, the same disbelief in the God of the Bible and the same self-destructive behaviors of the barbarian. This is not necessarily a wrong correlation to make nor is it unwise to not only learn from past mistakes, but to learn from past successes and ask ourselves how we can use those means to communicate the Gospel. The problem in this book is with Hunter’s approaches to evangelism and Gospel Communication. Instead of asking himself first what the Bible says about missions, Hunter considers the task from a uniquely American and Pragmatic standpoint and asks the dangerous question: “What Works?”.

This faulty approach leads Hunter to trivialize the comparison of the Celtic vs. Roman ways of Christianity and because the Celtic Way “worked” in the British Isles, in Hunter’s mind it so dominates Roman means so as to leave Roman methodologies impotent to affect true change (no matter that Roman Christianity ended up winning and “working” in the long run). Hunter does make a valid point in his comparison, namely that it is better to aim for a people’s heart rather than the outward trappings of culture and society. Yet his pragmatic approach to applying the Celtic Way negatively colors his valid points and leaves the reader feeling his postulations are somewhat lacking.

The book is a good read and is, at the beginning especially, fairly thought-provoking. Hunter’s analysis of the Celtic Way is beneficial and it will cause the reader to desire to study the topic further. Still, the lack of thought given to the Biblical Way of evangelism and Gospel communication is disappointing at best and a dangerous precedent for the serious evangelist.

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Posted in Book Reviews

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Music Reviews – “Rebel” by Lecrae

Posted on May 19, 2009 by Andrew J. Nicewander| 8 Comments

Outside of the artists in the Square Peg Alliance, there is perhaps no musician today making better music or exhibiting more biblically edifying and encouraging music than Lecrae. This artistry is no more apparent than in his newest (and by far, best) offering to date, Rebel.

The album opens up with an awesome track aptly named “Rebel Intro”. This track sets the tune for the rest of the album with its direct statement that Jesus was a rebel, not because He was disobedient or rebellious per se, but because He was a “sanctified troublemaker” and obedient in perfection to the Father. The energy is maintained with the track “Don’t Waste Your Life”, and honest heart-felt appeal borrowed from the writings of John Piper to not waste your life on trivial pursuits, but to live life for the glory of God and for His renown.

Lecrae continues the plea to be a rebel in this world with the driving “God Hard” and the incredibly transparent, humbling and self-effacing “Indwelling Sin”, “Breathin’ to Death” and “Desparate”. The album continues with application in “Change”, “Fall Back”, “Live Free” and “Got Paper”.

Rebel ends in great encouragement with the songs “I’m a Saint” (reminiscent of Derek Webb’s “Saint and Sinner”), “The Bride” and “Beautiful Feet”. “The Bride” is an especially reassuring defense of the Church’s identity as Christ’s Bought Bride. Christians take a lot of flak in the World, many times justifiably so, yet this song asks us to consider ourselves not primarily as sinners, but as sinners loved by Jesus.

The whole album is worth a good long listen. Lecrae’s creative ability in songcraft is simply stunning, especially so when one couples the craft of the songs to their theological soundness and biblical consistency.  “Rebel” is worth the purchase cost and will be an encouragement to your soul.

“Don’t Waste Your Life” Sermon Jam (with John Piper audio), Download here

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