Ride Again

I fear the biking season is nearly over.

Yesterday was great - a short, warm blast of heat. Just enough sun for a t-shirt and a quick ride to Orillia. The 35km ride gives me time to dial down from the daily stress. I can brainstorm ideas, make a list of things for Jen and Steve to do (haha!) and spend time with God. It’s always easy to praise God when I ride through beautiful scenery.

I was hoping to hit 3,000km for the season - looks like I’ll be short of that! I’ll see what I can do before the snow flies!

Radio/TV Tower

Wanna see something nuts?

Here’s a guy who climbed up a radio/TV broadcast tower – not sure how many feet up he is. And he’s doing pull-ups without, a harness!
Watch!

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Read The Book

I’m reading a book called “Stuff Christians Like” by Jonathan Acuff. Someone sent it to me anonomously, knowing the sarcastic poke at Christians would make me smirk. Or laugh. Which I did.

There’s a chapter called “Watching R rated movies, but only if they’re violent.” Something the violence in the Bible makes it ok for us to watch. But if there’s even a nipple visible in the movie, then it’s not ok.

Another chapter is about Christians who swear once in a while. When a Christian swears there is more impact because you don’t expect it. The author calls it a scientific fact. (You getting the sarcasm?)

The best chapter is the score card to determine if your worship leader is metrosexual. (A guy who has a strong concern for his appearance, among other things.) The chapter is hilarious!

Example – if the worship leader has a faux hawk hairstyle you score one point. If he has more product in his hair than your wife, score another point. If he has Rob Bell-style black-rimmed glasses, score another point. If he wears designer jeans on stage, score two points and if they are designer ladies jeans, then he gets 4 points. If his wife accompanies him on stage and plays a tambourine, lose 4 points. Ya get it?

After answering the 47 questions, you add it up. Pretty funny. A couple of worship leaders I know exemplify this!

Oh ya - another chapter is called “Let me pray about it”, which gives you a chance to get out of doing something you don’t want to do, until you pray – which is much later.

Acuff uses sarcasm to tell the story, but deep down I know this is really about me (and us) and our own hypocrisy.

I’ve not read a book like this, where we poke fun at ourselves. I think more than half of my friends would not enjoy this book – that’s why I’m telling you!

The Bucket List - Updated

You know the bucket list, right? Not the movie. I mean YOUR bucket list. Do you have a list of things you want to do before you kick the bucket? A friend of mine posted her bucket list on her blog. So, if that’s the thing to do, so will I. Fortunately, I can scratch off a bunch of them – which is good, coz, well, because, I have less time to get the jobs done.

OFF THE LIST

Shake hands with a Beatle.
Meet the real Batman.
Record a song and get played on the radio.
Go to Woodstock.
See Dick Clark.
See Chuck Berry.
Work at WAY-FM.
Teach school.
Write a book about radio.
See the Tour de France in Paris.
Work for Moffat Communications.
Ask Alice Cooper about his faith.
See Jim Morrison’s grave.
See Terry Fox’s grave.
Get a tattoo.
Sing with my favourite band.
Manage a touring band.
Join a band as a musician.

STILL ON THE LIST

Shake hands with Mick Jagger.
See Stonehenge.
Go to a taping of American Idol.
Meet Sylvester Stallone.
See Marilyn Monroe’s tomb.
Ride my bike on the A1A or Champs-Elysees.
Tour Alcatraz.
Swim in the quarry near Bloomington (from "Breaking Away")
Buy 1050 CHUM and make it Christian.

** If you can help make any of these things happen for me, thad be grrreat!

God's Chisel

Have you seen this video?

It's between God and a guy - God chisels away our imperfections. Enjoy!

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Let It Be

Were you at the Orillia Beatles Celebration on the weekend?

Each year the City of Orillia brings in Beatles tribute bands to perform at venues all over town. If you like the Revolver era, there’s a band named Revolver. If you like McCartney, there was The McCartney Years Band at the Opera House.

Last year a cover band played the “Let It Be” album, on the roof of a local business. About 1,000 fans watched from the street, imagining it was 1968 at this was the Abbey Road studio. I was there in Orillia. The band was amazing!*! I felt like I had been time-machined back to that very moment.

Ok, back to this past weekend.

Saturday night the original “Let It Be” movie was shown at Orillia Christian Church. (OCC bought the downtown theatres.)

The theatrical release was May 1970 which was the first time I saw it.

After all these years, maybe I don't remember it well after all. The scenes of Yoko getting in the way, and John and Paul fighting, and George quitting – those scenes weren’t in the movie. I guess I read so much about the Let It Be sessions that I told myself they were in the movie, which they were not.

The best part is the classic live performance on the rooftop of Apple and that’s how the movie closed. If I was reviewing the movie, I'd say the Beatles looked pretty happy together. (Ofcourse the arguing, break-up scenes were edited out.)

Now let's talk quality. It was filmed in 16mm and upgraded to 35mm for the theatre which compromised the imaging. The film I saw in Orillia was pretty poor quality. Very, very grainy and absolutely rotten sound (no bass). My gues is it was copied and copied and copied again. I have home videos that are better quality.

Anyway, since I could not rent a VHS store version, I waited 40 years to see the movie again. Glad I didn’t miss it.

Book Released at Last! Yeah!!

Friday, (September 17) my book “Good to Great – The Christian Radio Version” was published through Lulu.

My first involvement in Christian radio was in 1993 when I initiated a one-hour, once a week show in North Bay on CHUR and MIX 105 in Sudbury. I moved to Nashville to work full-time in Christian radio at WAY-FM in 1996. In 1998 I began working on the CRTC application for a new Christian station in Barrie and we launched LIFE 100.3 in the summer of 1999.

“Good to Great” is not a biography but rather a series of radio stories that I was involved in or heard as a listener - both mainstream and Christian. I also reminisce about the CHUM radio personalities that I heard as a teen and the influence they had on me.

The purpose of the book is pure ministry. I clearly see that my experiences in secular radio helped advance WAY-FM promotionally, and culminated in 1999, with the start-up of LIFE 100.3 in Barrie, where the ultimate purpose is to serve the Lord and His followers through radio.

Because this is ministry, each Program Director who works in Canadian Christian radio will get a complimentary copy next week by mail. If you’re not a PD – no problem. DJs and fans can order either a soft cover version for $15 or get the download for $10 thru http://www.lulu.com/.

Enjoy!

Alice

Since 1975 when “Welcome to my Nightmare” came out by Alice Cooper, I’ve been a fan. (“Scott, I thought you were a Christian!” Uh huh.)

About 20 years ago or so, Alice was healed from alcoholism and became a Christian. I wasn’t a Christian so I didn’t know about his experience with the Lord. Then I became a Christian.

Then I found out Alice was a Christian.

How can Alice Cooper of all people call himself a Christian? Well, he says Jesus is his saviour so I guess it’s between him and the Lord.

I think I’ve seen Alice on every tour that came near Toronto – every year. Still do.

He’s recorded one Christian album – “The Last Temptation”. Every album since then has Christian overtones of righteous, not choosing evil – or else.

After watching this video clip, you’ll think of Alice as a Christian. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oim4OWMANZ4&feature=related

Am I The Only One?

Seems like the longer I’m a Christian the more questions I have. Books and articles say “the more we know God, the more questions we have because there is no end to God.”

I’m ok with that.

So I ask a lot of questions. Questions about a Bible character, or a confusing verse, or how God feels about issues – the topics go on forever.

Recently a couple of people have told me that I ask a lot of questions, as if that is a bad thing.

Today I realized, nobody ever asks me questions. I’m the one doing the asking.

Am I the only one who doesn’t understand things?

I don’t understand how, if Jesus is the centre of everyday life, why nobody questions – anything.

I guess everything is ok with everyone. Everyone is happy where they are. No questions.

One of the best books I’ve read is “Velvet Elvis” by Rob Bell. (I can’t find my copy so I’ll have to give you a bad paraphrase.) The main idea I took away was that “we should be discussing, wrestling for answers and stretching our faith by digging for more”.

That describes me totally. After reading “Velvet Elvis” I felt like I wasn’t so far off base.

Am I hanging out with the wrong people or am I a goon for asking so many questions?

Leave a comment and yell at me.

Church

Today I was visiting First Baptist Church in Orillia. This is the new home for worship leader Jody Cross.

Pastor Paul Carter had a great message. He touched on several things.

God is multi-generational. “Abraham, Issac and Jacob” - 3 generations.

Worship is not your hobby.

1859 The Welch Revival. Gotta look this up on wiki!

We don’t need revival. We need reformation, which meanings re-building.

Lots of notes. Great day.

What Does This Mean To You?

As long as I’ve gone to concerts, I’ve seen thousands of fans throw their fingers in the air as they rock out to the music. Some people told me it was “the devil sign” and the fingers represent the devil’s horns.

Other people told me it means “yeah… rock and roll, man!”

So – the devil? Or rock and roll? Which is it?

I guess if you’re not a Christian you don’t care. It’s just what you do in “a cool moment”.

What about if you’re a Christian? Do you care if you’re making “the devil sign” or do you think you’re making the “rock and roll, yeah man” sign.

I never really knew what it meant, so as a Christian, I never made the sign. Oddly, I never asked either. Imagine that. Why didn’t I ask?

Someone brought it to my attention this week, telling me that it is the sign of the devil. Instead of taking their word for it I went on a journey to find out the meaning behind the sign. I did a survey, asking my musician friends and other music fans – what does it mean to you?

(Now, this isn’t scientific and I don’t have charts and graphs to support my findings, so – it is what it is. However my “research” is based on answers given by Christians.)

Group 1 makes up the smallest group. They claim it is “the devil sign”. They are certain. There were no musicians in this group.

Group 2 is a wee bit larger. This group has answers that range from defensive to moronic. “It used to be the devil sign but it no longer is”. I asked “Who made that decision?” I was assured, it just is. Like I should know better!

Group 3 makes up the vast majority – maybe 75%. (Remember, I only surveyed Christians.) Even the musicians, who make this sign from the stage, don't know if it's “the rock on sign" or “the devil sign” but they say, it's not a big deal. "It’s ok, coz it’s cool”. Ya, you're cool.

I’m a Christian. I don’t knowingly support something if I don't know what it is, especially if it's questionable. After all these years of not knowing, I took the time to dig up some answers. Hmmm ... it sure seems like “the devil sign” to me - and that’s not something I want to do. Even Group 3 - the majority - admit that it might be "the devil sign" but they're comfortable either way. Even if it's the devil sign.

I guess I’m in Group 1. The smallest group. I must be a legalist.

Jesus Is Not On Twitter

The night before I play drums at church I always have bad sleeps. I have anxiety about waking up late, 400 traffic, bad weather between Barrie and Alliston and being ready to practice in Alliston by 7:30am. Well, another bad sleep last night.

I’ve asked myself, often, why I volunteer to play once a month, knowing in advance I’ll have a lousy sleep, and after church (45 minutes each way) I’ll feel wiped out for the rest of the day.

After our first set, Pastor Gary thanked the worship team, mentioning the sacrifice of arriving at 7:30am and playing for two services. Sacrifice? I want to play. I’m not tired when I get to practice; I just don’t want the sleep side effects that go with it. I guess that’s part of sacrificing and serving.

Today, Pastor Gary was preaching about the disciples’ faithfulness and pointing out the consumer mentality (What’s in it for me?) of many 21st Century Christians.

We sang the song “Look What You’ve Done For Me”. The lyrics in the song remind us that our priorities are backwards. “It’s not a question of what you can do for me but what I can do for you, my Lord”. Yet we come before God, telling Him what we want from Him, instead of showing an attitude to follow.

Gary said:

The disciples stuck it out even when they didn’t understand Jesus.
Even after the disciples disagreed, they were still faithful.

Jesus wants disciples who not simply “follow Him” like he’s on Twitter, but follow his commandments. Jesus does not want perfect people, just people after God who are faithful and hungry and in love with their Saviour.”

SONGS
Because Of Your Love (Paul Baloche)
Forever (Chris Tomlin)
Holy Is The Lord (Chris Tomlin)
Look What You’ve Done For Me (Tree 63)

Moses Worked Too Much

My devotional (365 days) is “Experiencing God Day by Day”. Surprisingly, since I started, I’ve rarely missed a day. (This is a big deal for me.)

Yesterday I was reading about Moses. The story is about Moses settling disputes among the Israelites. I guess everyone was asking him to judge their situations and he was overwhelmed because he was taking on more work than he could handle. His father-in-law saw what was happening and told him to delegate the work to others.

Sometimes, well a lot, I take on more than I can handle. Then I get exhausted.

The devo reminds me that just because I see a need doesn’t mean that God intended me to pick up the slack. I don’t think God wants us to be overwhelmed. Maybe when we feel like that, we’re doing more than God is expecting. Maybe some of the needs we try to do are meant for someone else and we’re blocking the experience.

This story about Moses and his father-in-law – I have not heard. Exodus 18:14

I don’t know about you, but I’m trying to lighten my load of stuff to do. Half the stuff I do probably doesn’t matter to anybody but me.

So – why do it?

Hooked

My wife has me hooked on two TV shows.

“Million Dollar Password” and “1 vs 100”

Password. Since I was a kid I’ve played the home version of Password with my family; usually at Christmas when there’s a bunch of people visiting. We take anywhere from 10 seconds to a minute to think or answer a clue. And we can give ten clues! On the TV version those guys are blasting out clues every second! And they only have three clues per word! Neil Patrick Harris is amazing and Betty White – a password veteran is also very quick.

1 vs 100. I think what I like is the set – the lights, the rows of people that make up the mob. Everything happens fast. Bob Saget is a good enough host, but ever since I heard his rude stand-up comedy, I’ve had something against him. I don’t think it will have the clout to last long, not like Password or Millionaire, but it’s fun.

Deal Or No Deal is also pretty good at coming up with different angles but I think it's nearly out of steam.