Delirious are finishing as a band at the end of 2009. It seems unlikely that they will release another studio album before then. So, assuming they release no new material, here is the 'Best Of' that I would like to see.
Disc 1
God You Are My God
Now Is The Time
Inside Outside
The Message Of The Cross
Love Will Find A Way
White Ribbon Day
Take Me Away
Rain Down
I've Found Jesus
Touch
Investigate
Revival Town
Follow (White Ribbon Day remix)
Obsession
Disc 2
Did You Feel The Mountains Tremble?
Love Falls Down
Sanctify
All I Want Is You
Fires Burn
Majesty (Here I Am)
God's Romance
History Maker
Find Me In The River
Our God Reigns
God Is Smiling
King Or Cripple
Heaven
Feel It Coming On
Disc 3
The Mezzanine Floor
Here I Am Send Me
The Years Go By
Deeper
I'm Not Ashamed
God In Heaven
Promise
Jesus' Blood
Alien
Wonder
Mountain's High
Miracle Maker
Thank You For Saving Me
My Glorious
Monday, November 24, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Roundabouts
I love roundabouts. There are few experiences as satisfying as being part of a flow of traffic around a working roundabout. When everything just works and cars move when and where they should, it is bliss.
I get really annoyed when people get roundabouts wrong - especially when they don't move when they should, as happened this afternoon. Roundabouts are brilliantly designed, but sadly often ruined by drivers who can't grasp the simple rule: give way to the right. That means if there's something coming from your right, stop. Otherwise go! It's not hard.
Redman turns Rocker
Matt Redman, bestselling British worship leader, is actually the creative force behind glamrock band The Darkness.
The Darkness are most famous for their first hit single 'I believe in a thing called love' - see the video here. Pay particular attention to the guitar riff at 0.57, and then compare it to the opening of this, Matt Redman's 'The cross has said it all'.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
The Shack
If you haven’t come across it yet, The Shack is a novel by William P Young, which has been top of the NY Times bestseller list for about 6 months and is well within the Amazon top 100.
It’s a story about Mack, a father of four, set about 3 years after his fifth child, Missy, was brutally murdered and her body left in a shack in the wilderness.
Mack receives a note from ‘Papa’ (his wife’s favourite name for God), inviting him back to the shack for a meeting. Although not particularly religious, Mack decides to return to the centre of his Great Sadness. There he meets God, in all three of his/her forms. Most of the book is about Mack’s conversations with Papa, Jesus and Sarayu (the Spirit) and his process of healing and forgiveness.
The book covers a huge range of theological topics but probably centres on the problem of suffering – Mack finds that he cannot trust a God who allowed his 4-year-old daughter to be killed.
The reaction this book has received reminds me of that received by Steve Chalke’s The Lost Message of Jesus a few years ago. Some people have been revolutionised by it, and Eugene Peterson, author of The Message, says it’s as good and important as The Pilgrim’s Progress. Other people slate it completely and hold Young as a heretic.
My reaction?
Well, I think it’s quite good. It certainly says a lot of good stuff in very clever ways, and it made me view certain aspects of God’s character and my faith in new ways. If you haven’t come across some of its teaching before, it could probably change you completely. I had come across a lot of it before, but there was still new stuff there which interested and challenged me. I would definitely recommend it because it will almost certainly broaden your thinking about God, teach you new things about him and feed your relationship with him.
Having said that, of course he is a heretic. Yes, the book is good, but yes, there’s also heresy in there. But so what? I doubt there’s ever been a book written (Bible excepted) that doesn’t contain some heresy. People, chill out a bit! Books are written by humans, they’re going to have errors in them! But that doesn’t mean all books are worthless! This book (and Chalke’s) are really good and well worth reading. Neither book is perfect, so you have to read them carefully, take the good stuff, and dismiss the misleading bits.
The problem is, it’s harder to do this with a novel than with a normal theology book, because a novel such as this can be very subtly misleading. But I guess that’s part of the fun.
Seriously – The Shack is a good book, and I’d definitely recommend it. Not everything in it is spot on, but most of it is safe. Enjoy!
Friday, November 14, 2008
Year 8 residential
This last week I have been away for a week with 36 Year 8s from school. We went to an outdoor pursuits centre in Northumberland and spent a few days doing all the usual stuff - climbing, abseiling, zipwires, teambuilding games, archery, high ropes etc.
There was also a lot of time for the kids to chill out, chat, and just build their friendships. It was nothing less than awesome to watch this happening, because at the start of the week there were clear friendship groups (that I already knew about as I teach all but three of these kids), but by the last couple of days you wouldn't know it - all of them were mixing together. And this was without our coaxing or encouraging, and without putting them in specific groups - it just happened as they spent time together, living, eating, and playing together.
I've noticed before humans' innate ability to just get on with each other when thrown together, and it was exhibited wonderfully here.
Personally, I loved having the chance to get to know these kids on a more real level than would be possible in one hour a week. It reminded me why I first thought that teaching would be a good idea - I just love getting to know teenagers. It's my instinct to gravitate towards them rather than the adults, so I spent very little free time in the staff lounge, but spent most of it playing pool or table football with the kids, or just sitting and chilling with them.
In fact, the exclusivity with which the staff were treated really bugged me - things like getting a tablecloth on our table, getting larger portions, and getting orange juice at breakfast rather than squash. It was as though the centre (which, by the way, was generally very good) expected us to be very separate from the kids. Now of course, in a way we are - we are responsible for them and sometimes have to make it clear who is boss. But to give us special treatment would just have given them the message that they were less important, which is ludicrous - after all, the week was about their personal and social development! This really, really got to me!
Other than that, it was a great, if tiring week, and another reminder of how much more interesting, fun and inspiring I find teenagers than adults (no offense to anyone over 18!). Before this week, all but maybe a couple of these kids were just pupils that I teach; now many of them are amazing young people who I want to invest in massively.
There was also a lot of time for the kids to chill out, chat, and just build their friendships. It was nothing less than awesome to watch this happening, because at the start of the week there were clear friendship groups (that I already knew about as I teach all but three of these kids), but by the last couple of days you wouldn't know it - all of them were mixing together. And this was without our coaxing or encouraging, and without putting them in specific groups - it just happened as they spent time together, living, eating, and playing together.
I've noticed before humans' innate ability to just get on with each other when thrown together, and it was exhibited wonderfully here.
Personally, I loved having the chance to get to know these kids on a more real level than would be possible in one hour a week. It reminded me why I first thought that teaching would be a good idea - I just love getting to know teenagers. It's my instinct to gravitate towards them rather than the adults, so I spent very little free time in the staff lounge, but spent most of it playing pool or table football with the kids, or just sitting and chilling with them.
In fact, the exclusivity with which the staff were treated really bugged me - things like getting a tablecloth on our table, getting larger portions, and getting orange juice at breakfast rather than squash. It was as though the centre (which, by the way, was generally very good) expected us to be very separate from the kids. Now of course, in a way we are - we are responsible for them and sometimes have to make it clear who is boss. But to give us special treatment would just have given them the message that they were less important, which is ludicrous - after all, the week was about their personal and social development! This really, really got to me!
Other than that, it was a great, if tiring week, and another reminder of how much more interesting, fun and inspiring I find teenagers than adults (no offense to anyone over 18!). Before this week, all but maybe a couple of these kids were just pupils that I teach; now many of them are amazing young people who I want to invest in massively.
Sunday, November 09, 2008
10 albums you should listen to
Having harped on about my favourite album, No Name Face, I’d like to share another 10 albums with you, and say a few words about why they’re so good. The criteria for getting onto this list included excellent music, excellent lyrics, and that ‘something extra’ that means that an album really affects me personally. So, in alphabetical order by artist:
British Sea Power – The Decline of British Sea Power
British Sea Power are one of those unique bands that sound like no-one else. This is there first album and, after the first three slightly unusual tracks disappear within 5 minutes, the next 8 are stupendous, with soaring guitars, haunting vocals that manage to combine a scream and a whisper, and poetic imagery like you’ve never heard before.
DCTalk – Jesus Freak
This album is lyrically just so blatant and unashamed with songs like 'Jesus Freak' and 'Like it, Love it, Need it', but also raw and intimate with 'What if I Stumble' and 'Mind’s Eye'. The music is so (there’s no other word for it) cool, and In The Light has probably the funkiest intro of all time.
Easyworld – This Is Where I Stand
This album is packed full of catchy riffs, exciting tunes, and solid, driving rhythms, but the thing that makes it special is the vocals, which reach notes I didn’t think even existed. This is one of those albums that has a couple of ‘good’ songs, and the rest is absolutely brilliant.
Enya – A Day Without Rain
Enya’s music is just beautiful, and this album in particular. There’s not a weak track on it and it’s actually full of variety from the Latin chant 'Tempus Vernum' to the slow 'Only Time' to the upbeat 'Lazy Days'. The genius is that she does it all herself – all the instruments and all the vocals. The only word is beautiful.
Idlewild – The Remote Part
Idlewild are one of my favourite bands and this is their best album. It’s full of hits (You held the world, Modern Way, American English, Stay the same etc), and is one of those rare albums that doesn’t have a weakness. The melodies are inspired and the music uplifting. And the lyrics are typically beautifully obscure.
Matt Redman – The Friendship and the Fear
By far my favourite worship album, although only a couple of songs have ever been picked up for congregational use. This album is rawly intimate with both introspective and extraspective songs, and it’s the rawness that makes it so special - it's far more real and intimate than any other worship album. It’s also really long at a whopping 72 minutes!
Mew – Frengers
From the opening crash of 'Am I Wry' to the final epicness of 'Comforting Sounds', this album is full of really excellent songs, both heavy and soft. It’s one of those albums that you hear, and then you listen to nothing else for a month. Incredibly addictive, with beautifully written lyrics and wonderfully arranged music.
Sabio – Escape
Sabio only ever wrote 8 songs, but they’re all immense. This is a very honest album about chasing after God, and the lyrics are very open and real, with no messing about. The music varies from electronically influenced rockiness to mellow acoustic ballads, covering everything in between. 'Mother' is one of those songs that, when listening to it while driving, I’m always surprised that I manage to maintain control of the vehicle.
Sixpence None the Richer – Divine Discontent
Sixpence always make good music – simple, easy to listen to, music that practically anyone will enjoy – but what I love about this album is how it always makes me feel good about life. It’s not all happy music, but it always leaves a positive message, and some songs in particular on this album reach the beauty usually only produced by Enya – high praise! It’s also great to have a female vocalist for a change.
Stellastarr* – Harmonies for the Haunted
This album is just full of absolute tunes. The music is solid and incredibly catchy, with no pansying about, and the combination of male and female vocalists produces a unique sound. It is not possible to not get into these songs, making this one of my favourite albums for almost any situation.
British Sea Power – The Decline of British Sea Power
British Sea Power are one of those unique bands that sound like no-one else. This is there first album and, after the first three slightly unusual tracks disappear within 5 minutes, the next 8 are stupendous, with soaring guitars, haunting vocals that manage to combine a scream and a whisper, and poetic imagery like you’ve never heard before.
DCTalk – Jesus Freak
This album is lyrically just so blatant and unashamed with songs like 'Jesus Freak' and 'Like it, Love it, Need it', but also raw and intimate with 'What if I Stumble' and 'Mind’s Eye'. The music is so (there’s no other word for it) cool, and In The Light has probably the funkiest intro of all time.
Easyworld – This Is Where I Stand
This album is packed full of catchy riffs, exciting tunes, and solid, driving rhythms, but the thing that makes it special is the vocals, which reach notes I didn’t think even existed. This is one of those albums that has a couple of ‘good’ songs, and the rest is absolutely brilliant.
Enya – A Day Without Rain
Enya’s music is just beautiful, and this album in particular. There’s not a weak track on it and it’s actually full of variety from the Latin chant 'Tempus Vernum' to the slow 'Only Time' to the upbeat 'Lazy Days'. The genius is that she does it all herself – all the instruments and all the vocals. The only word is beautiful.
Idlewild – The Remote Part
Idlewild are one of my favourite bands and this is their best album. It’s full of hits (You held the world, Modern Way, American English, Stay the same etc), and is one of those rare albums that doesn’t have a weakness. The melodies are inspired and the music uplifting. And the lyrics are typically beautifully obscure.
Matt Redman – The Friendship and the Fear
By far my favourite worship album, although only a couple of songs have ever been picked up for congregational use. This album is rawly intimate with both introspective and extraspective songs, and it’s the rawness that makes it so special - it's far more real and intimate than any other worship album. It’s also really long at a whopping 72 minutes!
Mew – Frengers
From the opening crash of 'Am I Wry' to the final epicness of 'Comforting Sounds', this album is full of really excellent songs, both heavy and soft. It’s one of those albums that you hear, and then you listen to nothing else for a month. Incredibly addictive, with beautifully written lyrics and wonderfully arranged music.
Sabio – Escape
Sabio only ever wrote 8 songs, but they’re all immense. This is a very honest album about chasing after God, and the lyrics are very open and real, with no messing about. The music varies from electronically influenced rockiness to mellow acoustic ballads, covering everything in between. 'Mother' is one of those songs that, when listening to it while driving, I’m always surprised that I manage to maintain control of the vehicle.
Sixpence None the Richer – Divine Discontent
Sixpence always make good music – simple, easy to listen to, music that practically anyone will enjoy – but what I love about this album is how it always makes me feel good about life. It’s not all happy music, but it always leaves a positive message, and some songs in particular on this album reach the beauty usually only produced by Enya – high praise! It’s also great to have a female vocalist for a change.
Stellastarr* – Harmonies for the Haunted
This album is just full of absolute tunes. The music is solid and incredibly catchy, with no pansying about, and the combination of male and female vocalists produces a unique sound. It is not possible to not get into these songs, making this one of my favourite albums for almost any situation.
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