Ep 90: Brian Doerksen on His Song "215"

Brian Doerksen is a songwriter, worship music leader, and teacher who recently wrote "215" a call for lament and repentance from within the Canadian church for the atrocities committed against Indigenous children at numerous church and state run boarding schools. He joins PostConsumer Reports to discuss his process in writing the song, what it means to write from a place of sorrow and loss, and to reminisce with Chris about his past worship songs (those he still sing and those he's moved on from. You can discover Brian's music at his website as well as find out how to watch his "Christmas at Our House" concert film.

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Google Play, Tunein, and PocketCasts.

Related Podcast Episodes:

Ep 88: Rachel Wilhelm on Composing a Modern Requiem

Ep 87: Harmony Smith—Vineyard Worship Leader, Songwriter, and Pastor

Ep 68: E. Byron Anderson on his book Common Worship

Ep 62: Stephen Backhouse on the Life of Kierkegaard

Ep 50: Stu G on the Beatitudes Project

Ep 26: Zac Hicks author of The Worship Pastor

Ep 47: Dr. Lest Ruth on the History of Contemporary Worship

Ep 81: Rain For Roots 

Ep 67: Singer-songwriter John Van Deusen

Ep 52: Fernando Ortega's The Crucifixion of Jesus

Let's Not Think About the Election! Let's Listen to Music!—Songs Telling the Story of God

Let's not think about the election! Let's listen to music! 

It's the week before the 2016 presidential election but let's pretend it's not happening. Instead, if you happen to find yourself reading this article, please take a few moments to stop what you're doing, click play on the tracks below, and take in some beauty, truth, and goodness. I have curated a play list worthy of your consideration. May they work their way into your soul, embed themselves into your mind, and stir your strength into edifying action.

Today's list (Part 3 of 3):
Songs Telling the Story of Redemption
There is a story being told in our world that gets heard more than all the others. It is a story that makes you afraid. It tells you that if you don't do all you can you will lose everything. It is the kind of story that makes you want to win at all costs. It is a story of power and dominance and progress and accumulation. In this story we pick sides and if you aren't on my side, well, get ready to face the consequences.

But there is an alternate story being told. It is the way of Christ. It is the laying down of our lives willingly for the sake of others. Christ poured himself out and gave life to all the world. This is the story of new creation, of rebirth, of redemption. This is where justice reigns and truth finally wins. God is sovereign in this story and he has told us how the story ends. "Your mercies are new, new every morning..."

Featuring the songs of Rich Mullins, Fernando Ortega, Sara Groves Keith Green/Annie Herring, Andrew Peterson, Matt Redman, and Audrey Assad

Let's Not Think About the Election! Let's Listen to Music!—Songs of Hope & Peace

Let's not think about the election! Let's listen to music! 

It's the week before the 2016 presidential election but let's pretend it's not happening. Instead, if you happen to find yourself reading this article, please take a few moments to stop what you're doing, click play on the tracks below, and take in some beauty, truth, and goodness. I have curated a play list worthy of your consideration. May they work their way into your soul, embed themselves into your mind, and stir your strength into edifying action.

Today's list (Part 2 of 3):
Songs of Hope & Peace
When the whole earth is shifting beneath our feet, when everything around us seems to be crumbling, we desperately need a sure foundation on which to stand and a refuge from the chaos. These are songs that root us in the hope of Christ, of finding peace in him through times of trouble. Allow yourself to rest in these songs, but even more than that, allow yourself to rest in God our Savior in whom all things were made and in whom we live and move and have our being. Featuring the songs of Switchfoot, Rich Mullins, Phil Keaggy, Newsboys, Matt Redman, Delirious?, and Fernando Ortega.

PCR Podcast Ep30: Vicky Matthews Director of Choices Women's Clinic

Vicky Matthews is the Executive Director of Choices Women's Clinic in Orlando Florida and the president of Life Steward Ministries (http://www.choiceswomensclinic.com/ & http://www.lifestewardministries.org/). Vicky travels around the country speaking about and raising funds for women's pregnancy centers, while also serving as the director of her own center. In our conversation we discuss the pro-life movement, changes that are being made in pregnancy centers, and the challenges set before the Church to help pregnant women in need and the unborn children in our communities. It's some thought provoking material worthy of consideration. 

If you listen to the end of the episode you can hear what Vicky's
reaction was when I showed her this comic.

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Related Podcast Episodes:
Episode 07: Pastor Luke Edwards on "why churches should stop giving stuff away"

Episode 08: Dr. Jeremiah Gibbs on Postmodern Apologetics

Episode 11: Thom Blair on the Hebrew English Interlinear O.T. and Logos Bible Software

Episode 27: Dr. Michael Danner on an Anabaptist Approach to Politics

Episode 23: Joe Johnson on the importance of reading theology

Episode 24: Eric Olsen author of "Why Every President Sucked"

Episode 25: The Speeches of Eisenhower and Kennedy

Let's Not Think About the Election! Let's Listen to Music!—Songs of Protest, Satire, & the Apocalypse

The current political season leaves bloggers like me with a dilemma. In what can only be viewed as the most polemicized election of our lifetime(s) do we even bother with bothering people about our piddly little blog posts? Personally, I have a few articles I've been working hard at for the past several weeks, but at the moment I hardly see any point in adding to the noise. I'd like my thoughts to actually get heard and considered, so why waste the effort of putting out another article when people's psyches are already over-saturated with the latest scandal or with attempting to sift through what is fact and fiction in the media's neverending truth manipulation game? 

More than anything, I believe people are increasingly weary of the whole thing. We are tired of fighting each other. Tired of the lies and cover ups and conspicuous tactics of both sides. We've all been spun by the media's spin and I believe if we slow down enough we'll become horrified that often we are the ones doing the spinning ourselves. Having been spun we continue on spinning others... That is, if we are wounded as a nation, a lot of the wounds are self-inflicted...

With all this in mind, I have decided to hold off on my "important" articles for a couple of weeks (or more....We'll see where everything settles in the aftermath of the election). Instead, as a blogger, with something of a public forum for propagating the importance of art and faith in our culture, I am asking us to slow down and listen and ponder and take in some truth, beauty, and goodness. So...

Let's not think about the election! Let's listen to music! 

This is a sincere call. If you happen to find yourself reading this article, please take a few moments to stop what you're doing and click play on the tracks below. I have curated a play list worthy of your consideration. May they work their way into your soul, embed themselves into your mind, and stir your strength into edifying action.

Today's list (Part 1 of 3):
Songs of Protest, Satire, & the Apocalypse
"Listen to the words of the prophet..." These are finger-pointing songs. These are songs that hurt us to our core. They catch us at our most hypocritical. At first we think they are singing about Someone Else, but if we keep on listening we come to find that no, they are singing about us too. Yes, we are culpable for the same crimes we accused others of committing. It would seem some repentance is in order.

But these are also songs that make us laugh...uncomfortably so...at the horror of it all. Sometimes a good bellyache can help us see the world differently and in seeing the world differently we begin to live differently and thus a laugh is never just a laugh. Sometimes a joke can change the world. 

Today's list includes: Bob Dylan, Larry Norman, Keith Green, Randy Newman, Arcade Fire, and Steve Taylor.

PCR Podcast Ep 27: Dr. Michael Danner—An Anabaptist approach to politics

Dr. Michael Danner is the Executive Minister of the Illinois Mennonite Conference. I invited him on the podcast to discuss a "liberal Christian" political perspective, but soon realized he was instead offering me an Anabaptist Christian perspective. While discussing pacifism, "socialism", abortion, and free market capitalism, Michael lays out how the Church can declare the coming Kingdom in the political realm by following in the way of Jesus.
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Related Posts:
A Letter to my Christian Brothers and Sisters Who Still Support Donald Trump

I've Been Thinking of Getting Into Politics (thoughts on N.T. Wright)

Podcast Episode: Eric Olsen, author of "Why Every President Sucked"

A Letter To Christians Who Still Support Donald Trump

To those in Christ who still defend Donald Trump and see him as a viable candidate for president of the United States,

I too am highly suspicious of why the tape of Donald Trump's conversation with Billy Bush was released now, as this article by Ben Carson points out ("I cannot Condone Donald Trump's Comment. But Let's Recognize What Progressives Are Doing Here"). Maybe one day the truth of where the leak came from will come out, but for now how can we help but believe it can all be traced to Clinton's camp or someone who is an ardent supporter of her? As many Americans have said already, this whole election is a mess and America is in a sad and troubled state with the choices before them.

Nonetheless, when people we know and prominent Christian leaders keep defending their vote of Mr. Trump you need to realize it makes us lose respect for you and makes us not take what you say seriously any more. We are done. We are ashamed of our Christian brothers and sisters who do not denounce this man. We are grieved. We do not understand why you hold so dearly to a political ideology. That means nothing to us compared to who we are in Christ. We ask again: Please take away any support for him and refrain from showing any confidence in his ability to lead our nation justly and competently.

PCR Podcast Episode 25: The Speeches of Eisenhower and Kennedy

This episode features rare interviews from Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy taken from the Presidential Profiles record series. In preparation for the 2016 election it is time to start considering politics at a deeper level. These speech excerpts and brief bios offer insights into the actions and lives of our presidents and in so doing act as a somewhat sober counter to our currently manic political culture. Also, there is still time to support the Kickstarter campaign for the book "Why Every President Sucked" (You can listen to my interview with the book's author here). Follow these links to find out more: 
http://www.whyeverypresidentsucked.com/
or
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1929635985/why-every-president-sucked-hardcover-book

Subscribe to the podcast on itunes 
Check out the podcast page to subscribe on Stitcher, Tunein, and PocketCasts.

Related Articles:
Lost in the Swirl of the Gun Control Debate
The Walking Dead, Gun Control, and the Syrian Refugee Crisis: Linking Zombies to Current Events
"I've been thinking of getting into politics...": N.T. Wright's Understanding of the Kingdom of God

PCR Podcast Episode 24: Eric Olsen, Author of "Why Every President Sucked"

Eric Olsen is the author of Why Every President Sucked, and is putting on a Kickstarter campaign until the end of August in order to get the book published. In our conversation we talk about looking at America's presidents with fresh eyes, even the ones we love the most. The book isn't as negative as it sounds, but is an attempt open us up to the simple idea that our presidents were people too and they all made mistakes. To find out more and to support the Kickstarter campaign please visit: http://www.whyeverypresidentsucked.com/
or
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1929635985/why-every-president-sucked-hardcover-book



Subscribe to the podcast on itunes 
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Related Episode:
Ep25: The Speeches of Eisenhower and Kennedy

A Commentary on Ben Hur—Part 2

Here continues part 2 of my commentary on the 1959 classic epic film Ben Hur staring Charlton Heston. Click here for part 1.

A Commentary on Ben Hur—Part 1

Ben Hur is one of the most iconic movies of all time. I recently got a library card (which I highly recommend) and started checking out classic films that I cannot currently lazily stream through Netrix or Amazon Slime. PSA: libraries are incredible resources. Support your local library! 

I began watching Ben Hur, only to realize this was too interesting not to write about. Here is my scene by seen (zing!) assessment of the film. Feel free to grab your own copy and read through the article as you watch it yourself. Every point is basically a stand alone thought. That is, I am making no attempt at a formal essay—I just logging my thoughts as I go.

Click here for Part 2 of my commentary.

Let's Stop Daylight Savings Time! Here's a list of what you can do

NOTE: please expect me to continually bother you about DST until it is done away with

Can we be done with this already?

Twice a year we are all (or at least most of us are) forced to change our sleep schedules. That's right, twice a year there is a culturally enforced time-shift. 

This is a societal absurdity and it needs to stop. Some people say "It's just an hour, why complain about the clocks? Why are you wasting time on this?" The facts point us to something beyond surface-deep complaining.

Here is a list of the negative affects from the enforced time-shifts for the sake of "Daylight Savings Time":

• Increase of depression (especially for people prone to depression).
• Increase of overall energy consumption and costs.
• Increase in car accidents and workplace injuries.
• A significant decrease in work productivity.
• It significantly throws off families with younger children for weeks afterward as children adjust to the new schedule.
• Increased risk of heart problems and stroke
• A potential increase of overeating and poor eating habits (due to sleep deprivation)

On top of all this, if this article is true and the main reasons DST continues is to help the retail industry drum up more business, then this whole sham of a law is even more shameful. 

Let me be clear: I care very little whether we get more or less sunlight (though I would prefer to get more sunlight and thus stick with what we know as Daylight Savings Time where we are "an hour ahead" from spring until fall), but instead am seeking to bring an end to end enforced time shifts. This more than anything else is what needs to stop. Instead, we should be allowed to adjust with the naturally shifting sunlight of the seasons.

I have been trying to think of a parallel example of something so basic to human existence between forced to change but am having trouble (please feel free to leave a comment if you think of one). Even being forced to miss one meal every day does not leave people feeling utterly disoriented.

Look, I know there are plenty more important issues to deal with in our country and world. But this is exactly why we should move so quickly to end DST. For the safety, economic productivity, and overall well-being of the American people this is a "no-brainer", to use common parlance. I see this as a politically bi-partisan issue. It's a society-wide nuisance that should be eradicated as quickly as possible so we can get on with our lives and tackle much larger issues that plague our world. Quite frankly, if we all got better sleep, we would be much better suited to actually focusing on those problems. DST (forced time-shifts) isn't a real problem in the world—it's a problem we created for ourselves, unnecessarily so, and can be stopped as soon as well all agree to.

I believe there will be a time when we look back on this and go "Why exactly did we do the daylight savings time thing again?" "Actually, I don't even know...it doesn't make any sense..." May that time come sooner than later.

Here are some ways you can help gain momentum to eradicate DST as well as some resources to educate yourself on the facts:

Contact your local government representatives (it's easy to send them a message!)
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members
For state representatives and state senators: simply Google "state representatives for _______" (fill in with your state)

End DST Groups:
http://www.standardtime.com/
Facebook group to end DST

Different ongoing petitions:
1.) http://www.petition2congress.com/6284/end-daylight-savings-time/
2.) https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/eliminate-bi-annual-time-change-caused-daylight-savings-time
3.) https://petitions.whitehouse.gov//petition/end-bi-annual-time-change\
4.) https://www.change.org/p/government-stop-daylight-saving-time

Articles listing negative affects or advocating to end DST:
1.) Let's Not Spring Forward 
2.) Change in Missouri
3.) DST is Bad For Your Health Effects
4.) Time to Kill DST
5.) Daylight Savings Time Affects Your Health 
6.) States look to end Daylight Savings Time 
7.) DST Could End in California

Various Illinois Representatives (the state where I live):
Senator Dick Durbin
Senator Mark Kirk
Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth:  repjgordon@gmail.com 
State Senator David Koehler: koehler@senatedem.illinois.gov
State Senator Chuck Weaver
Illinois State Senators and Representatives

A please enjoy these satirical/humorous videos. If only humor could bring about actual change: 






____________________
Related Articles:
I've Been Thinking of Getting Into Politics
Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, and the Tragedy of Satire
Lost in the Swirl of the Gun Control Debate

Lost in the Swirl of the Gun Control Debate (as a Christian)

To read a thoughtful response to this article by Scott Fritzsche, please go
here: http://unsettledchristianity.com/lost-in-guns-and-i-dont-know-much/

Lately I have engaged in a few debates about gun control on Facebook.

It is the end of 2015 and in America many events have occurred that either make people want to enact much stricter gun control laws (or do away with the 2nd Amendment entirely) or make people be firmer advocates for gun rights among the general populace as a means of protecting our communities whenever a mass shooter situation arises. Speeches have been made and articles written by such prominent Christian leaders as Jerry Falwell Jr., John Piper, and a slew of others. (I recommend you read those articles/speeches in order to understand the context of what I am about to say).

The Walking Dead, Gun Control, and the Syrian Refugee Crisis: Linking Zombies to Current Events

To quote Zach Handlen of the A.V. Club on the kind of world zombie TV show The Walking Dead has created for itself: "At heart, The Walking Dead is really only interested in one theme: What do you have to become to survive in a world like this one? It's an issue that's come up again and again and again over the years, and the inherent limitation of that theme is the one thing, at least for me, that keeps the show from achieving true greatness"

In Handlen's estimation the show is limited in its range because there is only so much you can do with a plot where everyone is continually forced into the extremes of human behavior. I mostly agree with him and perhaps the answer to this is to set an end date for a serial television show of this kind. There is only so much explicating on the questions "Should I or should I not kill this person, and how!?" a television show can do before it becomes grievously redundant.

TV Review: The First Week of Late Show With Stephen Colbert

How did I do?

In my opinion there is not a smarter person on television than Stephen Colbert. Despite the comedic facade there also is not a more sincere person, a person who cares more about their craft, and about connecting with people through their craft. I am speaking in superlatives I know, but there does seem to be something about Colbert that differentiates him from all the others (and not just his late night competition) and there seems to be something different in how he is shaping the new Late Show.

What Marc Maron's Interview With President Obama Means

I have let it be known before that I am pretty skeptical of any and all politics and politicians. Be they right, left, or independent I do not think they have merited much of a reason for me or any of us to trust them. I mean really, in a post-Nixon world, will we ever be able to believe in politicians again, believe they are in reality the kind of person they said they are, believe they will do what they said they will do, and believe why they said they would do it? This recent Fresh Air interview with the author of a new book on Nixon and his recently released personal records leads me to believe not. My cynicism of the political process is something I will forever be working out.

"I've been thinking of getting into politics...": N.T. Wright's Understanding of the Kingdom of God

Anyone who knows me knows that I really try to avoid talking about politics.

On many levels I do not consider myself a political person, which to me means, 1.) I hardly know where I stand on a lot of the big issues (i.e., health care, immigration, "the economy", American foreign policy, and 2.) I find the whole political process, globally and domestically, either uninteresting or completely soul-killing. I just wanna minister to people and make art n' stuff, you know man?

But really my disassociation with politics also stems from being more concerned with how the Church as a body should behave morally and ethically—both to those inside and outside the church—rather than with how I should act as an American citizen in the politics of said country, whether locally, nationally, or internationally. This is because my identity in Christ (which is eternal and will endure to the new heavens and new earth) supersedes my identity as an American citizen or the citizen of any country (which is a temporary and accidental label to attach to oneself).  Here is a concrete example: I really have no idea what the government should do about poverty in our nation, but I could come up with a number of viable ideas with longterm effects for my congregation to help the impoverished in my own city.

So yeah, down with politics! and all that, because I'm a Christian and the Church don't need no politics!