Who are or have been the five most important people in your life? Take a moment and think about it. If you had a serious issue to deal with, who would you go to? Who's opinion would you respect and trust? Who could you trust to hold your deepest thoughts and emotions in confidence? Who would love you enough to firmly challenge you if they felt you were wrong? Who inspires you to achieve something fantastic and amazing with your life? Who makes you believe that you can achieve it? Who makes you feel truly loved? Who astonishes you with their concern and care for others above themselves? Who do you know that is truly courageous? What person that you know fights for what they believe in? Who inspired you as a child to believe in yourself? Who stuck with you when others walked away? Who recognized a greatness in you long before anyone else noticed it? Who always chooses to see the good in you no matter what? Who listens to you? Who cares about what you have to say? Who do you know that stands out from the crowd in a good way? Who do you admire? Who do you know that unites people instead of divides them? Who do you know that solves problems unlike anyone else? Who has allowed you the opportunity to fail over and over? Who gave you a chance when no one else would? Who sticks up for you? Who do you look at and pray that the good Lord would make you just half of the person they are?
Sometimes a significant person in someone that showed you how NOT to live your life. Who do you know that lets you down repeatedly? Who can you never trust? Who seems to be squandering their lives or talents? Who is constantly negative? Who always sees or assumes the worst in you or others? Who is always trying to get money from those around them? Who is always requiring of you but never giving back? Who has ruined their Christian witness? Who would rather avoid a conflict than deal with it properly? Who manipulates others with guilt or fear? Who has no empathy for others? Who is ungrateful? Who is hateful or unforgiving? Who will tell your deepest confidences to anyone and everyone? Who gossips? Who tears people down instead of building them up? Who is full of pride and arrogance? Who do you want to be the exact opposite of?
I'm sure no one person is all of these things for you. But it makes us think about those individuals that have had the most impact on our lives. Those that have really helped shape who we have become. So now here's the big question...who would say that YOU are one of their five greatest influences? And would you be one of the good influences or bad ones?
I remember Billy Graham being asked one time that if he could do anything over what would he have done, and he replied that instead of trying to impact large numbers of people as a whole, he would probably just pour himself into 5 people a year. Just REALLY pour his influence into them. And those 5 would each touch 5 each year, and each of those 5 each touch 5 each year, etc. etc. It's exponential, but it's a deep ministering to others.
It seems to me that we are living in an increasingly superficial culture. There are alot of reasons for this, but I want to encourage you to give this question of influence some thought and think about the legacy that you want to leave. Once you decide the person you want to become, then formulate a plan on how to get there.
In my band we have a regular prayer, that we desire significance over prominence. Although it appears grand, prominence is fleeting and superficial. Significance however, remains long after we have left this world. Seek significance.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Beauty In Diversity
A Musicians’ Look at the Body of Christ
I can remember being hit with sort of mini-revelation one weekend a few years ago. I was playing lead guitar with a worship band at a very conservative Church from a conservative denomination. A day or so before my own band had just played an outreach in a very bad part of town with a Church of tattooed bikers in leather and metal studs, playing largely to a crowd heavily impacted by the drug culture. And a couple days before that I had played in a very “contemporary” type worship service at my own Church with a very “seeker-sensitive” vibe. Three very different type of events, different crowds and congregations, purposes, and styles of music. So what did they all have in common? Jesus Christ. As I stood on stage getting ready to begin the worship set, I felt the Lord impressioning me with thoughts of just how much He loves the multi-faceted body of Christ, and how He chooses to use different ways to reach them. I also felt honored to be allowed to take part in each type of event and to be used in different ways.
In my band (The Steve Riddle Band), we are blessed to play about 50 percent Christian events and 50 percent secular events. And of the events we play they can vary greatly, everything from a secular blues club such as BB King’s in Hollywood, to a prison outreach with the Billy Graham Crusade, or leading worship in the local Church. Our attitude has always been to follow God’s lead into whatever opportunity He presents us (I have only had to turn down a couple situations where to play in certain environments would clearly have been to compromise significantly). We feel that in every one of these different types of events God has had us there to minister to some group of people in a different way.
I’m also reminded of an event back when two of my grandparents were still alive. They had just recently moved to California and were looking for a new Church. They came to my home Church and experienced their first taste of what I call a “contemporary seeker-sensitive” Church (although that’s very broad). The congregation was into it, everyone was involved in worship and coming forward for prayer and altar calls, etc. Afterwards I asked them what they thought of it. They both agreed that the music was way too loud, that there was way too much time spent on the music and not enough on the reading of scripture, and that everyone dressed way to casual. Months later they found a Church home in a denomination that they were familiar with. As I attended their Church as a guest it was apparent to me just how much my “style” of Church had changed over the years as I found many of the traditions I grew up with seemed to now be lacking to me. And that’s ok. But their Church was perfect for them. I felt that God had showed me through my grandparents just how necessary it was for the body of Christ to be so diverse. Each of us needed a different environment to flourish in as we worshipped and grew in the Word and in fellowship with other Christians.
So in conclusion I would just like to encourage you, wherever the Lord has you at the moment, and in whatever manner He is using you, to trust that your situation has been perfectly designed for you and your talents alone at this particular time of your life. Instead of worrying about worship wars concerning style of music, etc. let’s focus on the one we worship.
I can remember being hit with sort of mini-revelation one weekend a few years ago. I was playing lead guitar with a worship band at a very conservative Church from a conservative denomination. A day or so before my own band had just played an outreach in a very bad part of town with a Church of tattooed bikers in leather and metal studs, playing largely to a crowd heavily impacted by the drug culture. And a couple days before that I had played in a very “contemporary” type worship service at my own Church with a very “seeker-sensitive” vibe. Three very different type of events, different crowds and congregations, purposes, and styles of music. So what did they all have in common? Jesus Christ. As I stood on stage getting ready to begin the worship set, I felt the Lord impressioning me with thoughts of just how much He loves the multi-faceted body of Christ, and how He chooses to use different ways to reach them. I also felt honored to be allowed to take part in each type of event and to be used in different ways.
In my band (The Steve Riddle Band), we are blessed to play about 50 percent Christian events and 50 percent secular events. And of the events we play they can vary greatly, everything from a secular blues club such as BB King’s in Hollywood, to a prison outreach with the Billy Graham Crusade, or leading worship in the local Church. Our attitude has always been to follow God’s lead into whatever opportunity He presents us (I have only had to turn down a couple situations where to play in certain environments would clearly have been to compromise significantly). We feel that in every one of these different types of events God has had us there to minister to some group of people in a different way.
I’m also reminded of an event back when two of my grandparents were still alive. They had just recently moved to California and were looking for a new Church. They came to my home Church and experienced their first taste of what I call a “contemporary seeker-sensitive” Church (although that’s very broad). The congregation was into it, everyone was involved in worship and coming forward for prayer and altar calls, etc. Afterwards I asked them what they thought of it. They both agreed that the music was way too loud, that there was way too much time spent on the music and not enough on the reading of scripture, and that everyone dressed way to casual. Months later they found a Church home in a denomination that they were familiar with. As I attended their Church as a guest it was apparent to me just how much my “style” of Church had changed over the years as I found many of the traditions I grew up with seemed to now be lacking to me. And that’s ok. But their Church was perfect for them. I felt that God had showed me through my grandparents just how necessary it was for the body of Christ to be so diverse. Each of us needed a different environment to flourish in as we worshipped and grew in the Word and in fellowship with other Christians.
So in conclusion I would just like to encourage you, wherever the Lord has you at the moment, and in whatever manner He is using you, to trust that your situation has been perfectly designed for you and your talents alone at this particular time of your life. Instead of worrying about worship wars concerning style of music, etc. let’s focus on the one we worship.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Chinamerican Idol
I was so disgusted by seeing this article today. I am including it here with my commentary below:
From John Vause CNN
BEIJING, China (CNN) -- A little girl and her song captivated millions of viewers during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. But what they saw was not what they heard.
Yang Peiyi's voice was heard during Friday's opening ceremony, but her face was never seen.
Games organizers confirm that Lin Miaoke, who performed "Ode to the Motherland" as China's flag was paraded Friday into Beijing's National Stadium, was not singing at all. Lin was lip-syncing to the sound of another girl, 7-year-old Yang Peiyi, who was heard but not seen, apparently because she was deemed not cute enough. "The reason was for the national interest," said Chen Qigang, the ceremony's musical director, in a state radio interview. "The child on camera should be flawless in image, internal feeling and expression. ... Lin Miaoke is excellent in those aspects." The decision was made at the highest levels, Chen said.
"We had to do it," he said. "We'd been through several inspections. They're all very strict. When we rehearsed at the spot, there were several spectators from various divisions, especially leaders from the Politburo, who gave the opinion it must change."
Few who watched the Olympic ceremony realized the deception. "Tiny singer wins heart of nation," read the headline in Tuesday's China Daily newspaper. "Lin Miaoke might be only 9 years old but she is well on her way to becoming a star, thanks to her heartwarming performance," the article gushed -- without mentioning she never sang a note.
But as word has gotten out on the Internet, some Chinese bloggers are outraged.
"If you're not good-looking, no matter how well you sing, you'll not be onstage. Do you know you're twisting a whole generation?" read one comment. Another said, "If foreigners found out, they'd think we can't even find a girl who is good at both."
As for Yang Peiyi, she's been quoted as saying she was honored to have had a role in the opening ceremony, even though few realized just how big her part really was.
We all know how so many other countries are notorious for exploitation of women and children. China being no exception. So it shouldn't be surprising that this is another example of that. I guess the saddest part to me is that they would use her voice and prop this other girl up as the supposed singer in an Olympic competition. In effect making her the Milli Vanilli of the Olympics. That's fine if you are American Idol crafting the next pop wonderkind, but isn't there supposed to be something genuine about the Olympics? Isn't that why we test for steroids and performance enhancing drugs? Don't we teach kids that if they work hard they can end up on the Wheaties box? Now they are given the idea that if they don't look the part then they just don't measure up. Next time you go to the Opera try to see how many of those amazing voices are coming out of supermodels. Not many. In a world where we need to be encouraging the next generation of young men and women these leaders are ruining them. I'm glad CNN ran this story. Bring some shame to these people for their careless attitudes of who this girl is and should be. Is the Olympics genuine? Nope. I guess it's like everything else.
From John Vause CNN
BEIJING, China (CNN) -- A little girl and her song captivated millions of viewers during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. But what they saw was not what they heard.
Yang Peiyi's voice was heard during Friday's opening ceremony, but her face was never seen.
Games organizers confirm that Lin Miaoke, who performed "Ode to the Motherland" as China's flag was paraded Friday into Beijing's National Stadium, was not singing at all. Lin was lip-syncing to the sound of another girl, 7-year-old Yang Peiyi, who was heard but not seen, apparently because she was deemed not cute enough. "The reason was for the national interest," said Chen Qigang, the ceremony's musical director, in a state radio interview. "The child on camera should be flawless in image, internal feeling and expression. ... Lin Miaoke is excellent in those aspects." The decision was made at the highest levels, Chen said.
"We had to do it," he said. "We'd been through several inspections. They're all very strict. When we rehearsed at the spot, there were several spectators from various divisions, especially leaders from the Politburo, who gave the opinion it must change."
Few who watched the Olympic ceremony realized the deception. "Tiny singer wins heart of nation," read the headline in Tuesday's China Daily newspaper. "Lin Miaoke might be only 9 years old but she is well on her way to becoming a star, thanks to her heartwarming performance," the article gushed -- without mentioning she never sang a note.
But as word has gotten out on the Internet, some Chinese bloggers are outraged.
"If you're not good-looking, no matter how well you sing, you'll not be onstage. Do you know you're twisting a whole generation?" read one comment. Another said, "If foreigners found out, they'd think we can't even find a girl who is good at both."
As for Yang Peiyi, she's been quoted as saying she was honored to have had a role in the opening ceremony, even though few realized just how big her part really was.
We all know how so many other countries are notorious for exploitation of women and children. China being no exception. So it shouldn't be surprising that this is another example of that. I guess the saddest part to me is that they would use her voice and prop this other girl up as the supposed singer in an Olympic competition. In effect making her the Milli Vanilli of the Olympics. That's fine if you are American Idol crafting the next pop wonderkind, but isn't there supposed to be something genuine about the Olympics? Isn't that why we test for steroids and performance enhancing drugs? Don't we teach kids that if they work hard they can end up on the Wheaties box? Now they are given the idea that if they don't look the part then they just don't measure up. Next time you go to the Opera try to see how many of those amazing voices are coming out of supermodels. Not many. In a world where we need to be encouraging the next generation of young men and women these leaders are ruining them. I'm glad CNN ran this story. Bring some shame to these people for their careless attitudes of who this girl is and should be. Is the Olympics genuine? Nope. I guess it's like everything else.
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