Ch _ _ ch – what’s missing? U R ..etc.

Listening to Nicky Campbell on Five Live this morning just before 7am, Stuart Elliott the former Hull City player and NI international was being interviewed about his decision to quit football and become a Pastor.

It’s quite well known over here that Stuart Elliott is very open about his Christian faith, yet as he explained his reasons for becoming a Minister, and gave his opinion on a few different issues including why the Pope’s beliefs are not shared by him it became more and more cringeworthy to me. I felt a bit ashamed of myself.

Stuart wasn’t expressing views that surprised me. In fact, I agreed with most of it – but listening to him felt embarrassing. Perhaps it was the starkness of what he was talking about – no embellishments, no illustrations, just a simple articulation of what he believed.

I wouldn’t say it offended me, but definitely stirred a strong reaction, maybe almost the sort of reaction someone strongly opposed to Christianity might have, which shocked me a bit.

Over the years I’ve developed a nostalgic affinity with the old road signs, smart-alec slogans, sandwich boards, and megaphone men that are still around – rather than regarding them as constant reminders of why I am here and what I must do.

Perhaps the reality of the gospel and the Kingdom of God is closer to us than any billboard or radio soundbite.

Maybe it is so much under the skin of those who believe, or believe there is something else…a desire so close to us that it makes traditional gospel methods at times seem alien and intrusive.

I’m thankful for men like Stuart Elliott who stand up for their beliefs in the way they do, but also the anytime/anywhere nature of the Holy spirit, reminding us that the Kingdom of God is at hand.

I hope being embarrassed at the radio this morning was positive thing. A reminder that the gospel message is relevant and speaks to a deeper longing.

The New Jersey Turnpike to the Newtownards Road

I was down the Newtownards Road tonight for a community discussion on the history of Ballymacarrett in East Belfast. There were many rich, funny, poignant, and shocking stories shared by those present about the area’s heritage. Van Morrison was mentioned a few times as an East Belfast man who referenced the area in some of his songs. During the evening I kept thinking back to the American singer-songwriters I love, and how they have romanticised their hometowns to such an extent that millions of people travel to these places as a result. How are American artists so much better at this?

Twice in the past 18 months I’ve travelled across the New Jersey Turnpike on the East Coast of the US – referenced in so many popular songs by performers such as Simon & Garfunkel and Bruce Springsteen. Stopping at a service area it felt like just another road, and a badly pot-holed one too! I think the Newtownards Road could hold just as much mystique if done the right way. Some novelists have managed it with Northern Ireland as a setting, maybe its time for musicians.

There’s a Dr Feelgood video at the top of the page because I watched a brilliant documentary about them on the BBC iPlayer last week called Oil City Confidential. It’s everything a rock documentary should be – fast-paced, gives a social context, doesn’t take its subject matter too seriously. Anyway, the members of the band talk at length about how, inspired by American blues music, they wanted to create a romantic image of their home town Canvey Island as the “Thames Delta” using the oil fields of the estuary as a backdrop. It worked, as fans of the band travelled there from all over the world based on the scene that they created.

What stories and places from where you live would make a great song? Scrabo would be a good one.

I still owe money to the money to the money I owe

“The things that you mis-hear put yourself into it more”

I’ve misheard a lot of lyrics in The National’s High Violet album but just got used to singing them that way. Interesting to hear that Matt Berninger the main singer and songwriter mention at the beginning of this clip he actually hopes that will happen. It’s a curious point to make but a correct one – the songs with lyrics I can’t make out I do tend to play more, and then become more attached to them.

At the mercy of the next big thing

In November Belfast is hosting a major Christian conference featuring evangelical flavour of the month Mark Driscoll. His reputation as the “cussing Pastor” in the US has caused controversy when in fact he is no more radical than any of the old Baptist pastors that used to do the rounds when I was growing up. Take this sermon excerpt about the “Twilight” novels for example, the sort of patronising, artless, diatribe reminiscent of this guy. I could go on but would only risk becoming more grace-less.

The point I wanted to make was about the evangelical church’s depressing trend of trumpeting one man (I think Mrs Meyer’s position seems safe!) after another as the next big thing whose books/DVDs/CDs we should be fawning over because it is revolutionary or radical, when the reality is that they are just rehashing the same tired theology only adding an “-al” at the end or using fancy graphic design. I’m no theologian but initially I was encouraged by the seemingly new approaches promised by “transformational” or “missional” churches/conferences but realise now that most of it is  just the same – a subtle re-branding exercise to make us as Christians feel a bit less guilty about the way we’ve kept going about our business. Just a bit arrogant at times too.

Worryingly this approach often rides roughshod over local stories of faith that have developed painfully through years of work, especially in the field of community engagement. I was reading earlier today about this event – Be Part of a Transformational Church – being held in Northern Ireland this week. I can only hope that local pioneering projects in this area of work are involved in it but I wouldn’t be surprised if they weren’t.

The Papal visit has been making the headlines this week. At least the Catholic church is consistent with its idol. When the cussing one is no longer in vogue there’ll soon be another vintage Pastor reinventing the wheel.

Wilco play Belfast for the first time

10 September 2010 at the Open House Festival – does not get much better than this!

1. Ashes Of American Flags 
2. Bull Black Nova 
3. You Are My Face 
4. I Am Trying To Break Your Heart 
5. One Wing 
6. A Shot In The Arm 
7. Country Disappeared 
8. Impossible Germany 
9. Why Would You Wanna Live 
10. I’ll Fight 
11. Passenger Side 
12. Handshake Drugs 
13. At Least That’s What You Said 
14. Jesus, Etc. 
15. I’m Always In Love 
16. Via Chicago 
17. You Never Know 
18. Hate It Here 
19. Walken 
20. I’m the Man Who Loves You 
21. Hummingbird 
22. Encore:
23. California Stars 
24. The Late Greats 
25. Heavy Metal Drummer 
26. Red-Eyed And Blue 
27. I Got You (At the End of the Century) 
28. I’m A Wheel

If they’d chucked in “Misunderstood” and “Spiders (Kidsmoke)” it would just have been too much for me. Custom House Square has had a hard time this summer with gigs eg. David Guetta, Florence and the (relentless) Machine – so this was a perfect show to end the holidays with!

Recently, someone who read my blog entry on Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot as album of the decade asked me to contribute to a radio programme on student radio in Washington DC called Re:Stacks, based on people’s experiences of the album. It was all very random but fun, and exciting to hear the finished product here.