Favorite bands that talk to me about God

Ok last part, if you read my posts, you will know what this is.

Five Iron Frenzy: Ska band now defunct. These guys would do incredibly odd things, and sing very strange funny songs, then in the next breath. Sucker punch you with some of the deepest most thought out lyrics you can imagine. The song Dandelions is my all time favorite song, but songs like Every New Day, and Cloudy Day also top the list.

P.O.D. : For a band whose name stands for payable on death, this christian band goes largely un-noticed by the christian community in whole. Honestly these guys used to be my favorite band, I don't listen to them nearly as much as I used to, but I still have enormous respect for them. Why? well for a band who's fan base is mostly secular, they really don't tone down the message in there lyrics at all. 3-4 of their cd titles even having some pretty clear spiritual messages in them. Also this band has been to ozfest, a musical tour started by the self proclaimed "prince of darkness" couple that with their habits of telling their audience about God between songs, and you have a band that deserves some props.

Demon Hunter: A christian metal band, that currently has one of the most well recognized icons in the world of metal. First I give these guys props because they are incredibly talented. Ryan the lead singer not only screams, but can also sing, matter of fact he has a dove award, for some guest vocals he did with Jeremy Camp. As well as providing guest vocals for many other bands. he and his brother (who is also in the band) are also graphic artists providing art for many bands. Ryan is also the art director for solidstate records, and toothandnail. Also when the band relientk needed a new drummer, they snagged Ethen from Demon Hunter. All of that being said, in a style of music that is incredibly dark, and normally rages against God, sometimes even praising satan. Demon Hunter offers a much needed light. If there is one thing this band is not it is quite about their faith. From their name to the name of their latest cd "Storm The Gates Of Hell" their music is dripping with faith, hope and trust in God, to get through a very dark world.

RelientK: RelientK started as a pretty silly band, even now they have a love of puns. But this band has some very deep and heart felt lyrics. Some of the songs I had to listen to repeatedly to get some of the points like "I don't want to be who I am, I just want to be who I Am" if you don't get it read it a few times. Deathbed- a song about a life in ruin turning to God. Songs that are more song than prayer, and clever and deep lyrics. Bring me closer to God.

John Reuben: His music is classified as rap, but it is mostly acoustic, and more song like, and lyrically oriented. As opposed to strait repetition that fuels much of the rap seen. My favorite cd of his is "Boy vr Cynic" which despite Reuben's soft tone the cd is filled with quite a bit of rage. Not the hateful type, but the zealous type. And he doesn't pick sides, he tears into everyone. politicians, religion, musical artists, Hollywood, prescription drugs, even the kids buying his cds. This cd is awesome in the way it forces you to think. Theams like how God came for all of us, not just the well to do, arguing for the sake or arguing, telling people that popularity doesn't make them right etc.. And finaly the last song ending with hope. Did i mention I love this cd.

Switchfoot: I will describe this with a little story. As alot of Christian artists are going main stream, there is alot of worry about them losing their focus. Switchfoot was one of the bands I was worry about this happening to. Then I saw them in concert, I took my brother 6 to go see them in Richamond. Part way through their set it started to storm pretty bad, and they were forced to turn of their equipment for fear of lightning damage. Jon Forman then proceeded to grab an acoustic guitar and wade out into the crowd. where he proceeded to play until the storm let up. Now I couldn't hear a thing from where I was standing, this brought the band very down to earth for me. Also they played one of my favorite songs, from their older cds which lots of bands don't do "Company Car" which is about selling out.

The Almost: Araon Gillespie maybe better know as the drummer for the band "Underoath" started with many people interested in his music. However unlike most guys who decide to do side projects, "The Almost" sounds nothing like "Underoath" and as much as I like "Underoath" thats a great thing. because "The Almost" is really allowing Aaron to minister. And he does it in an incredibly humbled and broken way. Thats why I see God in his music.

David Crowder: David Crowder does not look like the type of guy who would be singing praise songs like he does. However he manages to write songs that are incredibly catching, but praise worthy. and they really hit the nail in the head. Because Jesus there will never, ever be anyone like you.

Favorite songs that talk to me about God

These are some of my personal favorite songs that talk about God. Unlike some of my other posts this is much more personal opinion than something im going to try and back up. Also the variety of the music differs greatly. If you would like to read the lyrics I will try to post links when I can. I don't want to post full lyrics because well it will take up to much room.

Ok I'm not going to try to do a count down list, so the first song that comes to my mind is definitely my favorite. Dandelions, by Five Iron Frenzy: This song speaks to me because it shows God's love for us in an incredibly rateable way, as a mothers love for her son. Personally I don't have any children so the whole parents love thing is mostly lost on me. However I can relate to bringing my mom dandelions, and seeing the look of love on her face when she received them. As I took this common invasive weed, and handed them to her how she saw a great beauty in this gift. Then we see God looking at the offering of our life's to Him. Just weeds, something that's really pretty undesirable, if you look at what the Bible says about the things we do. But then we see how much God wants that filth that is us anyway. As I said for me this analogy just works really well.

My Will Be A Dead Man, Project86: This song talks about killing our will. Like the lyrics say "I'm not talking about killing a man...There's no showdown here besides the one that's erupting inside my head" Which would bring forth the question why would you kill your will? This is something that nobody else does. Mater of fact normally they push their will to the front past everything else. And now we aren't just talking about putting our will aside but about waging a full out war and killing it.

Amazing Because It Is, The Almost: True this is just a rendition of amazing grace (which by the way is one of my favorite church songs) But what make this version stand out, and truly shine for me. Is the fact that when you hear this it sounds incredibly dirty, and broken. Which is sorta how it should sound when your singing something like "That saved a wretch like me" Those aren't strong words, they aren't proud words. They are very humble and broken, admitting how low we are, and yes how amazing it is that God saved a wretch. I had the privilege to see this preformed live, in a group of seen kids. In my own opinion a group of really messed up people, and let me tell you it was awesome.

American Dream, Casting Crowns: I think this song brings up a very real truth, that we all experience in some fashion. Some of us have been the boy in this song, some of us have been the dad, some of us have just seen this destructive cycle in another family. But really when it comes down to it, it doesn't matter one iota what we do here in the end its nothing more than sand, or trash even. Everything we work so hard for one day is just gonna get smashed by the waves. And there are other things like family, and God that are so much more important.

It's a Wonderful Concept Isn't It, Staple: Ok this isn't even a regular song, its the hidden track on one of their albums. This song is lust being called love, and in a culture where this is more and more what relationships look like. The band with lines like "love brought us together, so sex could spend the night" aren't beating around the bush.

Cassie, Flyleaf: This song is about the columbine. As the story goes one of the shooters asked a girl if she believed in God, and if she responded yes he would shoot her. The girl responded yes, and he shot her. I did some reading up on this song a while back, and apparently theres quite a bit of doubt as to if this conversation actually took place. But you know that really doesn't matter the point behind the song is still sound. Most of us go through our life's not standing up for much of anything let alone God, and we have so much less at stake. If it came down to it would you be able to say yes, and in doing so pull that trigger?

When You Were Young, The Killers: To my knowledge this bad has zero religious roots, however this song speaks to me. I see a woman who is looking for the right thing in a man, then ends up throwing it away for a smooth talker who is nothing like what she was looking for, or needed. So she finally settles for a guy who doesn't look a thing like Jesus. To me this is a sorrowful song.

Deathbed, Relientk: Ok this song is a whole ten minutes long, and you know what I don't lose my focus on it one bit, normally songs that long bore me really quickly. This song is about the very rapid destruction of one mans life. From starting to smoke, to having a shotgun wedding, to his wife having an affair, a messy divorce, she takes the kids, he drinks to forget, and after all this hes dieing alone because of cancer. All of these bad decisions, all of this hopelessness. And a decision made one night changed all of that. It didn't take all of his mistakes away, he still dies, but the life he squandered away here, has no affect on the life he steps into at the end of the song.

I have other songs, but these are the big ones I can think of now. One more post and this series is finished up.

Music

This is going to be the first part of three blog posts, I will put the others up when I have time.

For anyone who knows me, you might notice my love for music. And when it comes to music I tend to be incredibly opinionated. Music seems to find a way to take any mood or any situation you might find yourself in, and put it to a beat. For me it makes situations completely relate able, and speaks to the heart. With this being mostly a spiritual thoughts blog, I'm going to be talking about Christian music. Being a Christian is a key characteristic of who I am, so its quite understandable to me why I would turn to this if I am looking for something that speaks to me.

So here we go. Christian music in my humble opinion has two different paths it can go down. Two major focuses, that come second after worshiping our savior. The first of these roles, and perhaps the one most of us tend to be more familiar with, is the strengthening of a believers faith. This music helps build up the believer and bring them into a closer relationship with God. They tend to be lighter in sound, and relatively upbeat. These songs tend to be praise, and are typically what one will hear if he should walk into a church, or turn on a Christian radio station. These songs in general have little to no appealing nature to anyone who isn't already a believer.

Which brings me to role number two. Ministering to unbelievers. This type of music can be less widely excepted by the church. Because it doesn't sound as spiritual in nature. And is generally played by bands more likely to play in a pub, or club, then to play in a church. And are more likely to have people jumping up and down, as opposed to shouting hallelujah. These bands often have songs that don't talk about God at all, but will instead talk about heart break, troubles dancing, whatever. Then have a song that has much more depth to it, if your just willing to listen. Some of these bands ministry might not even be their music, but look at the person standing behind the music. With the music just being the means to get you to do that.

Obviously there is overlap of these two paths, many band do intersect them quite often. But of the bands that label themselves Christian, I think you will find, most walk one of these two roads. Personally my musical preference tends to lean more towards bands that follow the second path. And in the two follow up posts I will shed a little more light onto that I think. One being songs that speak to me, and the next being bands. And of course I will explain why they do so.

Storm

This song is sorta Job esc but sometimes that's just how you feel

As the sky begins to cry

So do I

Here comes the storm

And I'm soaked to the bone

In my heart I know

It rains on the just and unjust alike

But in my selfishness

I see no man more juster than I

And as the sky pours

The lightning strikes

So close that it singes the skin

God don't you see the pain I'm in

Some time these grey clouds

Will have to pass

blue skis, and sunshine

just over the horiz-in

-The Insignificant Other

America the beautiful

So July 4th has come and gone. The 5th was a Sunday so the service I attend had a few "patriotic" songs. One of which was America the Beautiful. The song actually has more than one verse. And the second verse where the first verse says "God shed His grace on the" it instead says "God mend thy every flaw"

Not really going to make any comments, just some food for thought.