Batter my heart, three-person’d God; for You
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn and make me new.
I, like an unsurp’d town, to another due,
Labor to admit You, but Oh, to no end!
Reason, Your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captiv’d, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love You, and would be loved fain,
But am betroth’d unto Your enemy:
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again,
Take me to You, imprison me, for I
Except You entrall me, never shall be free,
Nor ever chaste, except You ravish me.

-John Donne-

• The Spring 2008 edition of the SBJT (Southern Baptist Journal of Theology) was just released today.

The Journal articles include:

• • Editoral: Stephen J. Wellum, “Reflection on the Kingdom of God”
  • Graeme Goldsworthy, “The Kingdom of God as Hermeneutic Grid”
  • Peter J. Gentry, “Kingdom Through Covenant: Humanity as the Divine Image”
  • Jonathan T. Pennington, “The Kingdom of Heaven in the Gospel of Matthew”
  • Brian Vickers, “The Kingdom of God in Paul’s Gospel”
  • Russell D. Moore and Robert E. Sagers, “The Kingdom of God and the Church: A Baptist Reassessment”
  • Todd L. Miles, “A Kingdom without a King? Evaluating the Kingdom Ethic(s) of the Emerging Church”
  • The SBJT Forum

The articles linked can be viewed online in PDF format; to inquire about getting the entire journal e-mail journaloffice@sbts.edu

• Harold Best, former emeritus professor of music and dean emeritus of the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music, will be lecturing at Sojourn Community Church as a part of their Cultivate Beauty art and film festival. Dr. Best is a renown lecturer, artist and author of the books, Unceasing Worship and Music Through the Eyes of Faith. (HT: Sojourn Music)

• The guys at Christians in Context provided a really neat link to some resources by G.K. Beale on Revelation and Biblical theology which also includes a list of good books on the topics.

Justin Taylor has been advertising these videos pretty heavily on his blog.  The videos are modern parallels of the parables of Jesus.  They come along with study guide material which could easily be used for small groups or Sunday School classes.  I must say that I truly appreciate the quality of these videos.  Some of the acting can be overexagerated, but that seems to be done only to stress the point of the parable.  Its refreshing to see Christians using the talents God has given them for kingdom work.  Hopefully these videos will light a fire under Christians with talents in the arts to produce quality Christian art.  What do you guys think of the videos?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbHU2XgGbfk&rel=1]

Sojourn Community Church’s worship album Before the Throne was given the indie spotlight in Christianity Today’s newest edition. The CD was given fives stars in the review by CT which praises the album: “Such genuine and honest moments that combine thoughtful lyrics with varied instrumentation make Before the Throne a winner from start to finish.” I have only briefly listened to the album but hearing many of the songs off the album played at Sojourn, I can say that the music brings a breath of fresh air to Christian worship music. The eclectic sound and gospel-centered lyrics provide a giant leap forward in the journey to reclaiming art for the God who created it. I encourage everyone to check out the album on the community band’s myspace page or off of their website.

Well I know that all of the contributors to Carver 319 have differing musical tastes, but I would find it hard to believe that any of the guys would disapprove of me endorsing the newest Caedmon’s Call album.  Regardless of the fact of the style of music you prefer, Caedmons always finds a way to write songs that pull off the blinders and cause us to turn our head towards real issues that are facing the church today.  Caedmons has always had this gift of speaking prophetically about culture and the church, not shying away from hard issues. 

Derek Webb has joined back up with Caedmons on this album and lends his skills on a few songs.  Derek’s wife, Sandra, wrote three of the songs on the album (one co-written with Derek) all of which Derek sings on.  Andrew Osenga and Randal Goodgame (member of The Square Peg Alliance) write the rest of the songs on the album.  There are two songs on the album which currently stand out above the rest for me, these two songs are “Hold the Light”, sung by Osenga, and Ten Thousand Angels, sung by Derek.  Both songs hold you captive, one with some honest lyrics about struggles in the Christian life, and one about the Love that has come to rescue us.  The title for the album, Overdressed, is taken from the first song on the album, Trouble, written by Derek Webb.  Caedmon’s drummer, Todd Bragg writes of the meaning of the title:

…Overdressed comes from the idea that since the Fall (see Genesis), in order to cover up our shame or our sin nature, we put on clothing that makes us look better before others and ultimately before God. Many times unknowingly trying to reconcile the broken relationship with our Creator.

The more I listen to the album, the more I enjoy it.  The vocals of Cliff, Derek, Danielle, and Andrew all mix nicely to bring the album an eclectic but well-integrated feel.  I’ve always loved Caedmon’s sound, but what makes Caedmons is the raw truth that is expressed in their albums.  So I encourage all of you , “Take and Listen.”

 Here is a teasing of lyrics from the album:

 ”oh my sister, my brothers
we’ve got history on our heels
and we’re running like we broke the law” - Derek Webb, Trouble

“my cup runneth over
and I worry about the stain” - Randal Goodgame and Andrew Osenga, Sacred

“standing around a willow weeping
we were praying in the backyard
in the chill of the night
the friendship light reminded me who we are” - Andrew Osenga, Hold the Light

“o lift up your heart now, to this unfolding
all that has been broken will be restored
here runs deep waters for all who are thirsty
love has come, love has come for you.” - Sandra McCracken, Ten Thousand Angels

 [HT: caedmonscall.net]

It is not a secret that Christianity has been failing desperately in the cultural arena of the arts. Christian music, clothing, and movies have become comedic relief to our culture instead of a representation of the beauty of God communicated through Christian image-bearers. Forbes magazine put out a very interesting article on “artistic evangelicals” and the resurgence of visual art into the life of the Christian and the Church. They mentioned a wide variety of evangelicals who are a part of this movement including Steve Halla from Southern Seminary who is over the school’s Center for Theology and the Arts. Halla comments on art and the church saying, “”If we as Christians believe that creativity and imagination is a gift from God, why have we neglected it for so many years?” Tell me what you think about the article.

A couple good quotes from the article:

“The very parched nature of evangelical visual culture is making people who have grown up in this culture thirsty for beauty,” he said. - Andy Crouch, editorial director for Christianity Today’s Christian Vision Project.

“For too long, Christian art has implied pale imitation,” Detweiler said. “We’re trying to get back to the days of the Renaissance, where the church was the patron of the finest art.” -Craig Detweiler, Brehm Center for Worship, Theology, and the Arts at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif.

- Matt G. (The American One)