Devendra Banhart
Sunday, December 16, 2007


Devendra Banhart makes me smile. He's bizarre but he writes cool songs.

Posted byDan at 12:14 PM 1 comments  

Big week, New Year
Monday, December 03, 2007

This week I've done a lot of self evaluation in terms of how I have led the music team this year. I think that although there has been awesome progress, that is in spite of my leadership not because of it. Now is the time to start looking to next year and what we will do differently. One thing that I'm challenged with at the moment is the need to introduce new songs.
I used to be quite good at doing this but due to stress and a lack of time, have slowed down. I actually have about seven songs that I'd like to introduce to the band, but the problem is getting everyone together to learn them.
What do you think is the best way for a band to learn new songs? All at once? Over time? On a Sunday? At another time? The other consideration is the different needs of Morning and Night church congregations. Ideally I think I'd like them to both be doing the same songs but playing and arranging them differently. How is the music different between morning and Night at your church?
Next year is going to be exciting but with lots of challenges. Pray for us as we keep trying to help people feel what they know, through song.

Posted byDan at 7:52 AM 0 comments  

Dave Crowder interview
Thursday, November 29, 2007

On my way to work I almost ran a cyclist off the road. He hit my car and his buddies gave me the finger. I was on Galston Gorge so I couln't stop and apologise... I felt terrible though so I'm confessing online.
I got cheered up when I got here by an interesting interview with Dave Crowder. Go check it out.

Posted byDan at 7:59 AM 0 comments  

Big difference part II
Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Joel Brown at Doxologist says...

"As Christians we can't worship art as an end in itself, but it seems like more often than not, we're so afraid of doing so that quality gets sacrificed. Is God more glorified when our offering of worship is more excellent by human standards? I find it curious that so many of the greatest artists of all time have been in it for their ow glory and not the glory of God. What does this say? Can you not be simultaneously a worshiper of Jesus and someone whose craft is perfected in a more humanistic way?"

Posted byDan at 4:39 PM 0 comments  

NPR music

Thankyou Rolling Stone magazine for pointing me to npr.org/music a site with stacks of free streaming concerts and songs of the day plus more. Worth checking out! I'm currently rocking out to a set by New York band 'The Holdsteady'. I bought their album in the snow season so I'm feeling nostalgic for bruised hips and hot coffee. 

Posted byDan at 4:14 PM 0 comments  

What's the big difference?


Just read through the notes of a presentation Bob Kauflin gave at the Christian Musician Summit on 'Does God even like our music?'

I was helpfully reminded of the big difference between Christian music and Secular music and why they will always be different. Secular music is created ultimately to serve the needs of the secular artist. Although there may be a desire for people to get enjoyment and pleasure from listening to the music, this is ultimately so that the artist will feel good, get money or gain fame. 
Christian music is created for serving others and ultimately to be an artifact of worship to Jesus. The Christian musician desires Christ's fame above all other things.
This means that Christian and Secular music will always have differences. While the White Stripes (for eg.) may rock, their music has a flavour of arrogant pride about it that you would not want to see in a Christian music maker. What other stylistic differences should be expected do you think? 

Posted byDan at 2:24 PM 5 comments  

Derek Webb - Wedding Dress
Monday, November 26, 2007


Hey all. Downloaded a song this morning that is one of the best I've heard all year! Big call but there it is. Derek Webb is a Christian singer/songwriter from the states who also fulfills the role of frontman for Caedemon's Call. This song, Wedding Dress is about greed and the desire for God to bless us with riches. Rather than being a punk song that gets angry at false doctrine in others, Webb adresses the issue with humility and a sense of self awareness. The song is beautiful and I strongly reccomend downloading it. Here are the lyrics for you think over...

if you could love me as a wife
and for my wedding gift, your life
should that be all i’ll ever need
or is there more i’m looking for

and should i read between the lines
and look for blessings in disguise
to make me handsome, rich, and wise
is that really what you want

(chorus)
i am a whore i do confess
but i put you on just like a wedding dress
and i run down the aisle
i’m a prodigal with no way home
but i put you on just like a ring of gold
and i run down the aisle to you

so could you love this bastard child
though i don’t trust you to provide
with one hand in a pot of gold
and with the other in your side
i am so easily satisfied
by the call of lovers less wild
that i would take a little cash over your very flesh and blood

Posted byDan at 1:30 PM 1 comments  

The religion of the Mac
Thursday, November 22, 2007


I have been off the interwebs for a while. Mainly because I've been trying to get my head around my new computer. It's very exciting and white.

Apple has made it's way into my house and now I am really conscious of design lines in everything. If you go to the apple site and watch some of their tutorials you will soon see that even the apple people have a cool look. Everyone looks a bit like they are from some prosperous North American cult. Actually I think that is exactly where they are from.
The IT guy at my school is brilliant with computing stuff and a cool guy to chat to. As he was setting up my Mac to be used at school he told me about how simple it was to use and how compatible it was with everything and generally how fantastic macs were. I asked him then, why doesn't he have one. His answer was very perceptive. He said that in 'my job I have to see computers as a tool. PCs are great tools but Mac users act like their computer is their God.'
It's true! Apple have created such an image with so much propaganda that I have inadvertently come to believe that my computer can solve all my problems. How stupid of me to put so much trust in a piece of machinery and to forget to trust the God who made the minds who thought up the imperfect gadget in the first place. Much better to trust God and look to Jesus.
P.S - While you are webbing (my word) check out 'commuting with Christ'. A new blog for Christian commuters. It's been made by a good friend of mine Joel and he is awesome.

Posted byDan at 8:37 PM 4 comments  

Music-review-a-go-go
Thursday, November 08, 2007

I get a weekly email from Christianity Today's music branch. Their interviews are pretty interesting and their reviews of CDs are really helpful and generally on the money. Many christian reviewers can be too positive in order to be loving. These guys are much more objective. You can get all their music reviews here. Make your next visit to Koorong a little more informed.

Posted byDan at 7:50 AM 0 comments  

The best book I've ever heard

I'm currently listening to 'The Religious Affections' by Jonathan Edwards. It's one of those books that I've never taken the time to read but knew that it would be worthwhile. This is why audiobooks are so cool! There is heaps to write about the book itself so I'll save that for another time but you should definately download it from here and have a listen. The dude doing the commentary has a silky voice (I can say that can't I?).

Posted byDan at 7:35 AM 3 comments  

My afternoon
Monday, November 05, 2007



This is me after hearing I couldn't get my macbook this afternoon.

This is me after hearing I can get a brand new fandangled model that just got announced today. I just have to wait two weeks.

Posted byDan at 6:38 PM 3 comments  

Crossing over to Mac

I'm buying a Macbook today. Very exciting. Dave said that you don't need to say you are crossing over to Mac because no one ever crosses the other way.

Posted byDan at 7:49 AM 6 comments  

Music and gospel growth
Saturday, November 03, 2007


Does music effect whether people will come to your church?
There are lots of differing opinions on this. Most people would say that they think the music should be as good as it can be, but what this means in practice varies dramatically.
Ideally I would say that people come to church because they want to find forgiveness and reconciliation with their maker, but in reality is this the reason people come or is it something that they find once they get to church?
Music has two attractional values that it can be judged by.
1) To what extent it engages culturally with the world
2) To what extent it engages emotionally with the heart

The world is a music saturated place. We now have the ability to carry around in our pocket more songs than previous generations heard in their lifetime. This means that more and more people have opinions on music. Through saturation it means that the standard is lifted. For churches that want to engage with culture, music is essential. Not only that, but good music is essential. Music that is done in church needs to avoid being a distraction for those who come in from the world and in fact can work as an attraction. Now how you attract people is a different topic altogether. You could attract them by doing the world's music really well and using it to worship the God of all music... or, you could provide a counter point to the world's music and attract people to a different style to what they are used to (R.C Sproul is an exponent of this thinking). I think that music for centuries has been used to attract. Isaac Watts put theological gold to popular bar tunes to get people to church and thinking about Jesus. It is not a new thing to match the world's music with our own. I believe that music should be accepting to the outsider musically but challenging spiritually. Which means you have great music that matches cultural trends and you don't fill up the lyrics with fluff but rather use the lyrics to present the gospel to hearts that need to sing it.

The second way that music is attractional is that it has the ability to engage the heart. We live in a culture that craves real feeling. It is a symptom of Post Modernity that people struggle to feel strongly about anything. That's why we have 'emo' culture - because those Post Modernists can only feel strongly when they despair. Music takes the truths that we know should shape us and it makes them emotionally engaging. It charges truth with feeling. No Post Modernist would come to a school hall hear a lecture and go home and feel as if they had been to something worthwhile. The Spirit works through the word so that people's hearts are changed and one tool of the Spirit is music. Music gives emotional legs to what can seem like abstract truths. It can turn an idea like Propitiation and give it personal implication.

Many will say that people don't come to church now for the music so why would things change. I'd say have a look at who your church is reaching. Perhaps your music matches their age bracket. Perhaps you r church has lots of people who in their minds know that what is important in church is for the Word to be preached faithfully from the pulpit, yet they can't explain why they aren't overflowing with thankfulness and joy. It will only be a matter of time before they leave and they won't point the finger at the music, they just won't feel like coming any more. Lets throw ourselves into making sure this tragedy never happens. Let's write and play music that engages culturally and emotionally and results in growth from people coming from outside and in growth from people owning the truths they already know.

Posted byDan at 6:38 AM 7 comments  

Music is special
Thursday, November 01, 2007


I love music. All kinds. Music is profound. It is just organized sounds that can shape our feelings and even have been proven to shape and assist in healing our physical bodies. It can be so tremendously complex that you could lose yourself within it's theories and mathematical formulae or you can skim the surface with a three chord pop song. Music is it's deepest and most profound when it is created to give weight or shine light on it's ultimate creator, God. Luther called music the 'handmaiden of theology'. Lots of people can become lost in music and totally miss the creator of sound himself who all music is created to point to. Instead we worship the creation and become idolaters. What a waste of such a precious resource. It's like going to the Taj Mahal and just looking at the lawns instead of walking down them to the monument.

Love music. I do. But love God who made it for you to shape and enjoy for his glory.
(Picture is of the score to the Mario Bros music)

Posted byDan at 7:56 AM 3 comments  

CCEC Nitechurch site
Monday, October 29, 2007

The art fart team have been busy! Check out our brand new Nitechurch web site. It's got a page devoted to music. Hopefully we can eventually post live recordings on there. Until then it will have some articles, cd reviews, vids plus a security enabled site for our music team to get chord charts. It's all rocking.

Posted byDan at 1:27 PM 1 comments  

crazy font
Thursday, October 25, 2007

sorry about the crazy font on that last post. It's because I don't edit in HTML cos I've never learned.

Posted byDan at 5:08 AM 2 comments  

Three marks of a biblical music ministry: Joy
Saturday, October 20, 2007

I was reading through Redeemer Presbyterian Church's website last week and came across something interesting in the worship and music section. They said that 'artistic expression is such an important part of everyday life that God wants us to engage in it with joy, originality and with intellect.'

I thought it could be useful to do a quick summary of all three and what they may look like in a church context.
joy
Psalm 67:4 says this:
'May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples justly
and guide the nations of the earth.'
Joy and singing are inextricably linked in the Bible. They are seen together all over the place. Check these verses if you have the time: Gen 31:27, 1Sam 18:6, 1Chr 15:16, 1Chr 16:23, Neh 12:27, Job 38:37, Psa 5:11, Psa 27:26, Psa 28:27, Psa 33:1, Psa 33:3, Psa 43:4, Psa 65:13, Psa 71:23, Psa 81:1, Psa 89:12, Psa 90:14, Psa 92:4, Psa 95:1, Psa 96:12, Psa 98:4, Psa 98:8, Psa 100:2, Psa 107:22, Psa 126:2, Psa 126:5-6, Psa 132:9, Psa 132:16, Psa 137:3, Psa 145:7, Psa 149:5, Isa 12:6, Isa 16:10, Isa 35:10, Isa 42:11, Isa 44:23, Isa 49:13, Isa 51:3, Isa 51:11, Isa 52:9, Isa 54:1, Isa 55:12, Isa 65:14, Jer 31:7.
Now that you are 50...
Joy is an inner thing. It is both compulsive and can be learned. We feel inexpressible joy towards God for so many reasons. I feel joy when I remember God's goodness in creation, in election, in saving, in mercy, in grace, in love, in restoring, in justifying, in atoning, in sanctifying and in promising an eternal home where we can know him face to face. He himself brings us joy because He is good.
Singing is an overflowing or an outpouring of that inner joy. You feel joy so you sing. Like how when you feel happy you smile. In the Bible the two are connected because one reflects externally an inner reality.
Would you describe your music ministry as joyful? When you sing do you seem to be singing from a heart overflowing with thankfulness or do you seem to be going through the motions? Often our music can look like it's just something we have to do before the sermon while the seats are still being filled. If joy and singing are linked, then it should seem as if we cannot help but sing. You should be just giving words and a tune to the joy pouring out of the restored hearts within your church. Perhaps if you are leading singing you should ensure that you look joyful. Not because you have to be cheesy, but because it will encourage the people watching you to be reminded of their own joy. Before church remind yourself of the incredible things that have been done for you by Jesus. Think on each song and the truth that it promotes. Be naturally joyful and sing your heart out.

(Who can name the band at the top of this post?)

Posted byDan at 7:28 AM 3 comments  

Best church drama ever
Friday, October 19, 2007

Church drama is often cheesy. This video brought tears to my eyes and I don't tear up very often at all. There are some things I would change about the drama but it's pretty awesome. Watch till the end.

Posted byDan at 12:17 PM 7 comments  

Paul Baloche continued
Thursday, October 18, 2007


If you still are unaware of who Paul Baloche is Christian Music Today did an interview with him that you can read here. Again, his new album, 'Our God Saves' sounds like it's going to be awesome! You can hear soundclips from it here.

Posted byDan at 7:51 AM 0 comments  

Art and the Artist
Wednesday, October 17, 2007


I was browsing the interwebs when I came across Sojourn Community Church in Lousieville, Kentucky. They are an Acts 29 church that are seeking to reach their culture with the gospel. One intiative that they have is called 'The 930'. It's an art studio/music venue that they sponsor because they believe that they have a mandate to support the arts.
I was thinking... what is the role of visual art within Christianity. I dig art. It's one of my things. I can definately see a push within some Christian circles to 'take back the arts.'
Three great reasons I can see for doing this are:
1. God is creator, we are creatures who use creation creatively. It is part of or nature to shape creation. Adam did it through gardening, Beethoven did it with music, why not do it with art?
2. Christians have always been at the forefront of art and music until recent times. Our faith has always reflected itself in creativity.
3. Art and media are cultural indicators. It is important that Christians maintain influence in these areas so as to be light in a world of darkness.

All this said - sometimes as we pursue art, we can find ourselves worshipping beauty rather than worshipping God. For eg, we cannot bear to meet somewhere unless it pleases us aesthetically, or we go home from church up or down based on the cool power point slides rather than God's word, or we give up coming under the word altogether and start just spending time listening or participating in music and creating art. The experience of art making and art participation is powerful because it stirs our emotions. We can begin trusting this experience to fuel us rather than trusting God and his word where he meets us.
Harold Best has spoken of this in one of his lectures at SBTS. He says that art while beautiful can never replace words for expression of the gospel. God uses words to meet his people and they will mainly come to an understanding of him through words (by the power of his Spirit). The spoken or written word has never been surpassed as a communicative form because it is stable, reliable, unchanging, and has much less abiguity than a piece of music or a painting.
All of that being said, Best argues that artifacts should be part of the christian life, not as a way of explaining the gospel, but as offerings of worship to the creator God. I draw a picture as an expression of the creativity God has given me, and people can see his creative nature through my work. He gets glory from art. Artifacts are offerings, not tracts.
Therein lies the balance. Don't worship art, worship God. Trust his word to communicate and use your gifts to praise. Keep being arty for God's glory.
Picture above is called 'redemption' from the exhibition 'How Quickly comes the Night' showing at The 930.

Posted byDan at 7:59 AM 1 comments  

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