Perspective and Context (Part 1)
Bear with me here as this is a concept I am still trying to ‘flesh out’ myself, but I hope you can take something from it.
I was having a ‘Ministry’ chat with a friend of mine the other day and I really started thinking about some important things. Two of which relate to how we ‘perceive’ the Bible in today’s world and the ‘context’ in which the Bible was written.
DISCLAIMER: I want to start out by saying, yes, I know that the Bible is just as applicable ‘Today’ as it has ever been in the past…and I do think that God can ‘show’ us, through his word, wisdom for our life and current state of affairs. I am not challenging any of those ideas or thoughts.
1) CONTEXT – How often to we read the Bible trying to find a proof-text for a certain attribute of God, or wisdom concerning certain decisions, or even to enhance a message…especially to make it fit into whatever ‘series’ we are going through at church. Truth be told, alot. I do it all the time (not that it’s wrong) but it can become unhealthy. Lately I find it very beneficial to take a verse and the chapter before and after, just to get a basic sense of the context in which it was written…often times I find that the message being conveyed is not 100% about what I thought it was about. I would say what we do is similar to a newspaper or magazine interview article, where the writer picks a handful of quotes from the interview and formulates the idea he/she wants to convey with the article…it isn’t always a fair representation of the entire conversation.
PERSPECTIVE (To Be Continued…)
“Pay No Attention to What’s Behind the Curtain!?”
Remember that part of The Wizard of Oz? You know it’s when they meet the ‘wizard’ and Toto starts messing around with the big curtain to reveal a meek little man using a lot of smoke and mirrors to make himself seem bigger than life. The problem with the logic is that it works for some time until people start poking around deeper and deeper into you church, school, business, organization, etc. It simply isn’t enough to look good on the outside…people will eventually see right through it.
It reminds me of a recent trip my wife and I took to a popular mexican grill. (here’s a hint, they have burritos as big as babies and name entree’s after 80’s movies and sitcom characters). It was a wonderful meal. The steak Quesadilla was kicking, the cheese dip hot, and the coke was not flat. I said to Rebekah, um this is the best ____’s I have had in a long time! Before we left I went to the bathroom….um, I assume they weren’t expecting me. Let the pictures explain….
Hopefully these pictures aren’t too small to see all the grossness I found in there. It didn’t get this way in a couple of hours. Some of that ‘nasty ‘ was dried and caked on. It was like layers of grime were built up on the sink…it was just a ‘hot, hot mess’. So no matter how good the food was, this will make me think long and hard before I ever go back. It just simply isn’t enough to look good, the inside has to match the outside to effectively reach customers, students, employees, etc. And especially churches, Are you simply ok with looking good on Sunday Morning’s or are you operating out of an overflow of what God is doing week in and week out in your staff, members, attenders, and organizational structure. The truth is if you aren’t….your ‘curtain call’ may be right around the corner.
Warner Bros. Nashville, TN
So today I am hanging with my buddies down at Warner Bros. Nashville, TN studios. I am having a blast. This is what I want to do for a living!
I am sure most of these guys are very important in the music industry but I have no clue who they are. Paul Worley is here who did the first two Dixie Chicks records, and has won two Grammy awards. I am a little overwhelmed….
I never get tired of this town
So Rebek and I were in downtown Nashville a few weekends ago. we stopped at the famous Gruhn Guitars. So we go i and are immediately facing a ‘vintage’ wall. We see this love it and then look at the price tag….$18,500! yep that’s right, and it’s a cheaper one.
Man, 50 yr old guitars are expensive! Here’s a pic for you to love… it’s a 1952…I think I’d honestly be scared to play it.
Pretty Cool Saturday
This Saturday started off with some really cool stuff.
One I can’t share right now (legal reasons) that involves my wife and TV.
excited is an understatement…
Then I hung out with a friend from Wilmington, NC who goes to school in Nashville, TN.
We were on the set of a MUTEMATH music video all day….No Doubt.
NYE was off the chain (Pt. 2)
Ok…now for the cool stuff.
So I knew it was gonna be good when we got the tickets (tickets can be art)
I meet this guy. His name is Chris McHugh…he has played drums for everyone and anyone in Nashville (Country, Pop, CCM).
He is currently out on the road with Keith Urban!
Tom Bukovac, the number 1 session player here in town and personal guitar idol walked in and played bass, yep, bass. I guess all the guitar positions were covered…needless to say he was amazing and sat/stood about a foot from us.
I bumped into Steve Wariner (famous country artist and guitarist) before we left (his son played guitar for Jedd Hughes Band and was quite awesome himself).
I think we were part of something pretty special last night, both artists were of a different country breed than most down here. It didn’t feel very hardcore country, it was like Tom Petty and Fleetwood Mac on STEROIDS!!!!!
Daughtry @ The Ryman!
SO a friend of a friend of Rebekah’s called tonight about 6PM and said they had an extra ticket for the DAUGHTRY show at the Historic Ryman Auditorium (where the Grand Ole Opry used to be) for FREE!!!!Needless to say, I went. It totally rocked. There was a fair share of teeny boppers there, but that in no way hindered the ‘face-melting rock’ I experienced. He even threw in a few covers, Paradise City (Guns & Roses) ; Home Sweet Home (Motley Crue) ; Hey Man, Nice Shot (Filter) ; Walk the Line (Johnny Cash) and an odd reggae version of Crazy Train (Ozzie Osbourne).Here are a few pics I snapped with the iPhone:opening act, The Midway State
My First two weeks…cool, wierd, and not so great things…
So this week was very interesting.
Have I mentioned yet that this is the first place I’ve moved where I haven’t had ANY good friends already living or going there….But I am slowly meeting new faces and the like. Still on the job hunt, but excited about the cold weather and the snow I saw yesterday….
Now for few observances:
the cool: My guitars are being set-up by a touring guitar tech who happens to be home for the holidays. Hs artist roster includes ZZ Top, Skynyrd, Rob Thomas, Third Day, Toby Keith, Lonestar, Sammy Hagar. I networked a little with Carrie Underwood’s guitarist, and a few guys from Building 429 and By The Tree. They all love gear as much as I do!!!Yeah!!!
the wierd: I promised Rebek I would take here to get something to eat at , Mallard’s, a little hole in the wall diner in town. I heard a waitress talking about “Squirrel & dumplin’s” , and then a lady that said her ex-husband has kids from her and her sister…yikes! Sounds like those kids may be a little messed up when they get older…..Needless to say, I don’t think I’m going back.
the not so great: I am not a fan of ‘bubble tea’. It may be the hottest thing in Cali, but I feel like I am drinking rabbit turds…I nicknamed it ‘turd tea’ (gross)I also miss all my friends in Wilmington, NC (single tear)
My first weekend playing with lifechurch.tv
So I’ve been in town a week and was asked to play (at the last minute) for their 4 weekend services. I was a little overwhelmed at first (I attended there for the first time last Sunday morning, and to say their music was ‘good’ would be a complete understatement) . They have a few strict rules about their worship band/tech team, but all in all it was a good experience. Even though it is a small campus, they were on top of their game and everything done very professionally. Most of their musicians play for a living around town and/or tour with other CCM artists. I learned alot about what it takes to make it here as a musician, just in a couple of days. I actually was able to network a bit and have a possible gig lined up wit a local CCM for a Nashville showcase, should be fun……I digress. As far as the service goes, it is a video campus which I was not very used too, but I am starting to dig it. Lots of people around me and my wife’s age and share our same interests, made me feel a bit more relaxed. I think we’ve found a church home…
I am Alive
I am alive and well in Metro Nashville, TN. For all of you who read this…you can sleep easier at night. I promise to follow up with as many posts as possible about my first whirlwind week in Music City USA…
Nashville, TN
Music City, USA – Titan Town – Athens of the South – The Bible Belt Buckle – Cashville (Thanks Young Buck) -NashVegas….
we’ll see ya soon!
chad king 