Comments for Storied Community http://scottemery.wordpress.com Learning the Jesus Way of Life Together Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:38:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ Comment on Tired of KLOVE music? Me too.; OR Flat interpretations of Jesus’ gospel no longer welcome. by Jim http://scottemery.wordpress.com/2011/05/04/tired-of-klove-music-me-too-or-flat-interpretations-of-jesus-gospel-no-longer-welcome/#comment-970 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:38:31 +0000 http://scottemery.wordpress.com/?p=660#comment-970 @craig: Not to be contrary but I’m 54 and straining to even be in the room one day a week (Sunday) with the current “Top 40″ of CCM. I’ve heard the arguments for why Tomlin/Redman/Hillsong/etc ….work for (most?) people to concentrate on worship. My personal issue is that I’m a worship musician (drummer) and for the very same reason that allows CCM to “Be all things to all people”, I am distanced from intimacy with God*. I pray through what happens in our service every week and position what I do as just that – service. Trying for excellence in execution but knowing I won’t be touched emotionally.
The formulaic approach now permeating the Contemporary Evangelical Western Church has robbed me of vitality and involvement. I feel especially low when someone says something like “Isn’t that a great song?” A rhetorical question to be sure, but if I were to bring into the conversation how musically poor or cliche the song is they are talking about, there would be the pained faces wondering if there is truly a spiritual problem at hand.
Paired with it for me is the level of musicianship that is allowed on the platform in the name of grace and/or budget. Not exactly Bach level. Certainly not DMB. If I threw some quality Carter Beauford style playing in, the DB meter appears and the not-so-friendly emails stream in to the worship leader. Yet the “good hearted” bass player or percussionist who doesn’t try to improve himself even to be just functional thrives as long as they keep their volume low and just show up.

But honestly it’s not about sophisticated drum parts or the demoralizing but common fight about volume level. I have been moved to tears by music that has just an acoustic guitar or gorgeous acapella choir. It was all things music that praises and honors Jesus should be. It did not sound like (my phrase) “Hooty and the Third Day” or New Zealand’s unintentional tribute to U2.

There IS fine, God honoring, deep music out there. I know because it occasionally comes across my path. Those moments are like an opening in the sky, sunshine pouring in. I’m hoping that the goals of accessibility, quality and creativity can come together to make the most beautiful of events: A warm, Christ centered, heart capturing event that is not cookie cutter.

*Just a side note: If this were just me feeling this way I’d shelve it. But it’s not just me. I know this.

]]> Comment on “Media As Epistemology”: Chapter 2 of Amusing Ourselves to Death by scottemery http://scottemery.wordpress.com/2013/06/16/media-as-epistemology-chapter-2-of-amusing-ourselves-to-death/#comment-969 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 00:47:30 +0000 http://scottemery.wordpress.com/?p=4498#comment-969 Thanks for adding, Bill. Goes to show our (my) legal/courtroom imagination is primarily shaped TV shows and movies. I had no idea about any of that stuff you mentioned.

]]> Comment on “Media As Epistemology”: Chapter 2 of Amusing Ourselves to Death by Bill http://scottemery.wordpress.com/2013/06/16/media-as-epistemology-chapter-2-of-amusing-ourselves-to-death/#comment-968 Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:55:52 +0000 http://scottemery.wordpress.com/?p=4498#comment-968 This is good stuff, from which many pages of discussion could follow. Although it is not the emphasis of the post, I was struck by the comparison to the wisdom of a tribal chief (drawing upon proverbs to effect justice) and a modern judge, who would be laughed at for doing so. True, but in that body of jurisprudence known as “equity” (the modern descendant of the ecclesiastical courts) “maxims of equity” are still used. There are many of them (“equity will not aid one with unclean hands” and “equity abhors a forfeiture,” for example) and they have weight in court. But equity is limited to family law, injunctions and a few other proceedings. Most cases are in “law” rather than equity, and the equitable maxims do not apply there (although some have law counterparts). In proceedings at law attorneys try to find cases (or cherry-picked sentences from cases) to cite as precedent, much like evangelical proof texting.

Too much to get into here, but just thought I’d throw that out for what it’s worth.

thanks for the great post

]]> Comment on Was Huxley Right?: Amusing Ourselves To Death by Neil Postman by “Media As Epistemology”: Chapter 2 of Amusing Ourselves to Death | Storied Community http://scottemery.wordpress.com/2013/04/01/was-huxley-right-amusing-ourselves-to-death-by-neil-postman/#comment-967 Mon, 17 Jun 2013 02:59:21 +0000 http://scottemery.wordpress.com/?p=3935#comment-967 […] of Show Business. I’d love for you to join me; consider this your formal invitation. Here is the first part, which is a general introduction to this work. This is the summation and thoughts on the first […]

]]> Comment on About Scott by len hjalmarson http://scottemery.wordpress.com/about/#comment-959 Fri, 31 May 2013 18:41:25 +0000 #comment-959 hey Scott, check this out — http://nextreformation.com/?p=11157
and if you email me or friend me on FB, I’ll send you the short version – a paper I am reading at the CETA annual meet in Victoria, BC this weekend. Place, parish, neighbourhood — seems a recovery of some essential elements of the gospel is underway!

]]> Comment on Journeying With Henri Nouwen: Solitude Part 2 by Morgan Guyton http://scottemery.wordpress.com/2013/05/14/journeying-with-henri-nouwen-solitude-part-2/#comment-953 Sun, 26 May 2013 20:44:50 +0000 http://scottemery.wordpress.com/?p=4350#comment-953 Definitely one of my favorite books. I believe it was his section on hospitality that helped me come to the realization that holiness is all about my capacity to show hospitality to others. If I’m riddled with addictions and idols, I can’t be present to other people. The more pure I am, the more I can give others my full presence.

]]> Comment on “A Day’s Journey into Nineveh” – How Theology is Rooted in Geography by scottemery http://scottemery.wordpress.com/2013/05/22/a-days-journey-into-nineveh-how-theology-is-rooted-in-geography/#comment-949 Thu, 23 May 2013 20:29:10 +0000 http://scottemery.wordpress.com/?p=4377#comment-949 It is great. I was re-reading a few sections in it last night when I came across this gem. The entire piece was too good to split up or section off a few key points.
I need to re-read all of my Peterson books. Unbelievably good stuff.

]]> Comment on “A Day’s Journey into Nineveh” – How Theology is Rooted in Geography by Kevin http://scottemery.wordpress.com/2013/05/22/a-days-journey-into-nineveh-how-theology-is-rooted-in-geography/#comment-946 Thu, 23 May 2013 11:59:47 +0000 http://scottemery.wordpress.com/?p=4377#comment-946 This is great. Now I’ve got to go back and read that book again. Thanks for sharing this, Scott.

]]> Comment on Complicity, Confession, and Forgiveness Within the (Missional) Church by Reconciliation Replay (May 23, 2013) http://scottemery.wordpress.com/2013/05/18/complicity-confession-and-forgiveness-within-the-missional-church/#comment-945 Thu, 23 May 2013 08:49:17 +0000 http://scottemery.wordpress.com/?p=4040#comment-945 […] on the need for humility and grace in reconciliation work: Complicity, Confession and Forgiveness by Scott […]

]]> Comment on Complicity, Confession, and Forgiveness Within the (Missional) Church by scottemery http://scottemery.wordpress.com/2013/05/18/complicity-confession-and-forgiveness-within-the-missional-church/#comment-941 Mon, 20 May 2013 23:51:18 +0000 http://scottemery.wordpress.com/?p=4040#comment-941 Thank you for your kind words.

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