Matthew Paul Turner's Hear No Evil made me laugh out loud. It's the story of an Independent Fundamentalist Baptist's passionate and sometimes illicit relationship with music, from childhood to puberty and beyond. Turner tells his story with a combination of self-deprecating honesty and deadpan sarcasm that will have all but the strictest of Fundamentalists dissolving in a fit of church giggles. Grab yourself a copy today from Amazon.com, but not before you scroll down and try your hand at winning a free copy from yours truly!
Having come of age in an Independent Baptist church in the late 80s and early 90s, so many of Turner's stories brought back memories for me. My forward-thinking and independent minded father was the pastor of our church, and he spent so much time trying to get the parishioners to step out of their IFB boxes. He convinced the elders to approve a contemporary worship service in the summer, and even country line dancing (can you imagine!!?!), but both activities had to be held in the semi-detached gymnasium. That way if God smote us, the organ and the baptismal would be safe.
Turner explains how much of an impact Christian music had on his life. Having an older brother who was a worship leader, and being a musician myself in the church at that time, I was right there with Turner when he was describing his wide-eyed love for the contemporary Christian artists of that time period. Thanks to my older brother Andrew, Keith Green was my first contemporary Christian music crush, but Amy Grant joined him as an object of my affection immediately the first time I heard My Father's Eyes.
And now, because he made me laugh out loud, Matthew Paul Turner has become one of my Christian Author crushes. Maybe he'll autograph my Bible someday...
Win a copy of Hear No Evil!!
To enter, all you have to do is post a comment in regards to music and church. It can be a childhood memory, an opinion, or simply a favorite song. At 10pm tonight, I will choose the comment that tickled my fancy the most, and announce the winner tomorrow morning at 6am. So try not to be boring, folks, and get your comments in by 10pm EST.
Follow Matthew Paul Turner on Twitter: @JesusNeedsNewPR
Matthew Paul Turner's blog
Follow Matthew Paul Turner on Twitter: @JesusNeedsNewPR
Matthew Paul Turner's blog
As a child, worship songs always gave me curious images in my head of God (akin to the image of a cookie-monster-like creature in the garbage disposal).
ReplyDeleteI tried to imagine God "puttin on the ritz" in Awesome God
I was disturbed by the thought of God "troubling the water" (what does that even mean?)in Wade in the Water.
And I always had a panic attack and had to kick my mind into hyper-drive to picture Him going from heaven to earth, earth to the cross, cross to the grave, grave to the sky before I could finally lift His name on high in Lord, I Lift Your Name on High.
Oh, and when I wanted to feel like a bad-ass rebel Independant Baptist, I threw on some Petra.
I went to a wildly progressive church as a child. We sang hymns in English rather than Dutch. Well, we'd occasionally sing "Ere zig God," but we knew it so well it was practically English.
ReplyDeleteI have the weirdest friends....
ReplyDeleteCopy of Hear no Evil $10.19; Amy Grants 'My Fathers Eyes' album $7.99; My rendition of "The First Noel" for the Childrens Christmas concert.... PRICELESS!
ReplyDeleteMy funniest church memory is sitting in the sanctuary waiting for the service to start. Right before the prelude started, we heard a sound like water running. 10 seconds too late the youth pastor realized what the sound was and before he could think about leaving we all heard the flush. (The pastor had his microphone on when he made a last minute trip to the men's room). As you can imagine, we all had a difficult time singing the opening hymn, "Come thou Fount of every blessing"...
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to reading Matthew's book.
ReplyDeleteIf you've lived in the IFB world, you know that rock-n-roll-music is one word said with a lip curl as if you or someone else in the room has tracked in dog feces. Always a dead IFB giveaway if someone can't use the short form--rock or even rock 'n roll.
Three words: D. C. Talk.
ReplyDeleteThey were my first concert ever when I was in sixth grade. Yes, sixth grade. "In the Light" was the first song that ever made me cry.
I grew up in a family where I wasn't allowed to watch X-men because it talked about evolution, Keith Green was seen as "too out there" for us to listen to, and Carmen was too "rocky". So, I was relegated to the Grants and Chapmans, but also other classics I don't hear mentioned much: David Meece I loved as a child, Ray Boltz's thank you was a staple, and Clay Crosse.
I remember literally dancing around the room to "Lord of the Dance" by Steven Curtis Chapman when I was in elementary school and trying to understand why, for the high school youth conference, Liberty University had Phillips, Graig, and Dean perform.
I ended my initial love affair with CCM, though, when I bought my first "secular, non-Christian" CD: "Human Clay" by Creed. haha.
More recently, I discovered Rich Mullins and much of this baggage has subsequently been healed, although I still don't get the musical continuity of the "verses" to "Awesome God", there's a reason no one sings those and just stick to the Chorus.
My favorite memory of a church when I was little. HUmmm. Had to be when I looked up at my Mom and asked her why we had to sing such slow songs if we were supposed to be happy and love Jesus. Needless to say, I asked VERY loudly and in between two songs. It was a small church, everyone heard including the music director and pastor. My mom was mortified. I grew up in a conservative Baptist church. Their music is still the same when I go back to visit! HA!
ReplyDeletei really love music and the church.. it allows me to connect with God in a way that I typically cannot throughout my day
ReplyDeleteI found myself a little self conscious when I was backstage moments before the start of my church’s children’s program. Even though I was in 7th grade the Children’s Pastor had asked me to be in the musical “Psalty the Singing Songbook.” I was excited to have the lead role, to have several solos and to have the attention of thousands of people. But just before going on stage for the first of five performances I realized that these thousands of people, including my friends, who were going to see me wearing blue tights. Wearing pantyhose, no matter what the color, is a poor decision to start out your Jr. High experience. Trust me.
ReplyDeleteLooks like I just missed the contest. Good luck everyone.
ReplyDeleteMPT is a good follow. Always entertaining.
--Terrace Crawford
www.terracecrawford.com
www.twitter.com/terracecrawford
I sang in the youth choir at our church. It was really a good way to be involved and do something I love to do.
ReplyDeleteKeep the comments coming, I'll wait a little longer to end the contest!
ReplyDeleteI met Jesus in a fairly open Pentecostal church when I was a teenager. They had a prayer room that was always open before services, and folks could go in there and pray together, or pray alone, or whatever. I went in there every chance I had, as it was a wonderful place where the presence of God met me.
ReplyDeleteBut on one specific occasion, probably 9 or 10 years ago now, there were only three or four people in there, all (other than me) at least late 40s. That's only relevant because they didn't have any music to play on the little stereo, and I asked if they'd like me to get something out of my car. They all knew I listened to various forms of extreme metal (though it was/is Jesus metal), but they said sure.
I brought in a Finnish death metal band, full of guitar solos, blast beats, double bass, and screaming. I wasn't sure how they'd respond, but they worshiped with it. They prayed with it. They really experienced the presence of God in music that must have been utterly foreign to them. It was lovely.
I remember my dad taking me to see my first concert at the age of 8...Petra's "Not Of This World" tour. One of the things that stuck out in my mind, beyond the lights, the stage setup, the songs, the decibel level...was the parachute pants. As a soon-to-be hip 9 year old, I knew having a pair of these rockin' trousers would thrust me to the heights of coolness, just like it did for Greg X Volz. Alas, after getting home and reflecting on such an amazing experience, I conveyed to my mother my desire to be the coolest kid in my Christian school by getting a pair of shiny, royal blue parachute pants. My mother's response?
ReplyDelete"No way. Those are too worldy."
Thus began a life inside Christendom that would include no parachute pants, being forbidden from watching cartoons like He-Man, and not being allowed to ride Six Flags' "The Demon" rollercoaster, simply because of the name.
I grew up in a Pentecostal Church. When I was in middle school, I'd raise my hands and worship to the music. While doing this one day, my leg started to shake violently- an obvious work of the Holy Spirit. I noticed that once I shifted my weight onto the leg, it stopped. After being convicted that I wasn't allowing the Holy Spirit to work in my life, I shifted back to allow the Holy Spirit to shake my leg.
ReplyDeleteThe Holy Spirit shook my leg for several weeks. I soon grew tired of it and stopped allowing Him to destroy my leg muscles.
I still remember the infamous "song cycle" in my old church I attended for 6 years. It LITERALLY made me hate evangelical music for years. I would sing along with it even though I was crying on the inside.
ReplyDeleteDon't even get me started about "Breath".
I don't mean to hate, but what is with some churches and their obsessive nature to only play music the congregation knows?
So they play no new music.
Always the same stuff.
Over.
And.
Over.
Now I'm in a church where there is ACTUAL variety of church music. I want to worship. I love to worship. I'm no Charismatic (no literally I'm not a charismatic), but last service I was "this close" to raising my hands.
I want you to understand the beauty and scope of that.
I've literally never raised my hands in a service. I've always felt that it would be awkward and a little too much "hey look at me", but I've been re-thinking this all over and when it comes down to it.
I really was worshiping God again. finally.
Coming from an entirely conservative (stand up, sing, shut up, sit down) perspective, this has been HUGE.
I thank the worship team I now know personally and love them very dearly for how they are using their gifts in the church.
So, yeah that's my story.
I have to admit, I have NEVER heard or seen that Keith Green song before. That gave me a very needed laugh. I actually kind-of enjoyed it though. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThe older I get the more I enjoy the worship music. Singing and musica in general is a wonderful way to bring glory to God.
ReplyDeleteI remember I started listening to strictly Christian music (by choice) when I was in 5th or 6th grade. That was in the late 90's to early 00's. Jump 5 instantly became my absolute favorite group. I thought there were the most amazing singers ever.
ReplyDeleteThat has, luckily, changed.
As a kid I wasn't even allowed to listen to CCM. What a wierd life that was. I still remember thinking Steve Green was pretty heavy music. LOL.
ReplyDeleteWhen I FINALLY started discovering the depth of awesomeness that is contained in The Beatles' music, I bought a Let It Be t-shirt and wore it a few times to Wednesday Night Youth Group.
ReplyDeleteThe two leaders (a husband and wife) confronted (yes...really...confronted) me about the shirt and asked me WHY I was wearing that shirt.
"...Umm...because they were amazing musicians, inspirational cultural icons, and most importantly because I enjoy their music."
"Well, you really should consider what they stand for to a lot of people."
"Like what?"
"The drug culture. Promiscuous sex."
"Uh...huh. Well, if anyone here thinks I'm endorsing the drug culture or promiscuous sex they obviously don't know me very well."
Yeah. I still got crap after that for wearing the shirt or ever talking about peace and love (what kind of people don't like those concepts?) and ended up ignoring it and doing what I wanted.
The Beatles didn't lead me away from Christ btw. Just in case you were wondering.
I was the crazy heathen that wanted to listen to Contemporary Christian music in a youth group led by a graduate of Appalachian Bible College. At the time, ABC was known for not allowing any music with drums.
ReplyDeleteOne time he "caved" and played "Shine, Jesus, Shine" for us. When I complained that we needed something faster and more upbeat, he said, "That was fast!"
we as christians should claim all that is good and true as from good, so hearing rock songs like Hem of your garment by Cake in church is great. i love my church thanks westwinds.
ReplyDeleteMy first (and second and third) concert was Carmen. His was probably the first "rap" music I'd ever heard. My church friends and I used to fight over who was better, Carmen or D.C. Talk. Who's in the house?
ReplyDeleteIs it too late to get in on the giveaway?
ReplyDeleteAlways 2 years late and 27 dollars short...but you'd love this book
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