The Newsboys in Rowlett
Last Sunday night, we attended our second Newsboys concert at a weekend festival in Rowlett, Texas, about an hour away from our hotel.
These guys have a great sound, and they have so many hits that the audience expects to hear, that I suspect they get frustrated that there isn't much room left for other songs that they want to do. They also put on what is probably the best show in the Christian music biz.
But the thing that made the entire experience worth the drive for me on Sunday night was their worship set. Following the trend in modern worship, the music doesn't stop - for the most part - during that part of the program. The absence of any pause prevents the audience from stopping to cheer on the band, and maintains an appropriate, vertical focus.
After singing Amazing Love and He Reigns, and after a moving recitation of a psalm, Peter Furler - the lead singer spoke for about ten minutes.
I've said this in previous posts, but I really admire Peter. Even though he is a part of a band that is known for a lot of light, fun hits, he demonstrates profound spiritual depth in his words. On Sunday night, he eschewed the typical "altar call" type of presentation that you see at a lot of Christian concerts. Instead, knowing that his audience was almost 100% Christian, he spoke to us as fellow believers.
Peter talked about spiritual formation. He spoke of how Christians are no different from non-Christians any longer. He told us that we won't really experience any changes in our habits or personalities until we come into community with other spiritually strong believers, and until we begin to get serious about being in the Word. He encouraged us to be in prayer, asking God about our purposes in this world, and he discouraged us from the type of escapism that reads end times books and sits on the rooftops, waiting for Jesus to return.
He reminded us that the church should be a light in the world.
Words like that bring even more meaning to their albums. I find myself listening to their songs this week, hearing that same message again and again in the lyrics of songs like Shine and Live in Stereo.
Fun music. Deep lyrics. Hearts that long for God, and which seek to use their influence to restore His church. That is the real secret to the Newsboys' longevity and success.
These guys have a great sound, and they have so many hits that the audience expects to hear, that I suspect they get frustrated that there isn't much room left for other songs that they want to do. They also put on what is probably the best show in the Christian music biz.
But the thing that made the entire experience worth the drive for me on Sunday night was their worship set. Following the trend in modern worship, the music doesn't stop - for the most part - during that part of the program. The absence of any pause prevents the audience from stopping to cheer on the band, and maintains an appropriate, vertical focus.
After singing Amazing Love and He Reigns, and after a moving recitation of a psalm, Peter Furler - the lead singer spoke for about ten minutes.
I've said this in previous posts, but I really admire Peter. Even though he is a part of a band that is known for a lot of light, fun hits, he demonstrates profound spiritual depth in his words. On Sunday night, he eschewed the typical "altar call" type of presentation that you see at a lot of Christian concerts. Instead, knowing that his audience was almost 100% Christian, he spoke to us as fellow believers.
Peter talked about spiritual formation. He spoke of how Christians are no different from non-Christians any longer. He told us that we won't really experience any changes in our habits or personalities until we come into community with other spiritually strong believers, and until we begin to get serious about being in the Word. He encouraged us to be in prayer, asking God about our purposes in this world, and he discouraged us from the type of escapism that reads end times books and sits on the rooftops, waiting for Jesus to return.
He reminded us that the church should be a light in the world.
Words like that bring even more meaning to their albums. I find myself listening to their songs this week, hearing that same message again and again in the lyrics of songs like Shine and Live in Stereo.
Fun music. Deep lyrics. Hearts that long for God, and which seek to use their influence to restore His church. That is the real secret to the Newsboys' longevity and success.
posted by Matt at Thursday, June 30, 2005
2 Comments:
I totally agree with you brother! There is nothing light about the following lyrics if you read between the lines:
Hold the milk, put back the sugar
They are powerless to console
We’ve gathered here to sprinkle ashes
From our late friend’s cereal bowl.
Breakfast Clubbers, say the motto
That he taught us to repeat:
“You will lose it in your gym class, if you wait til noon to eat”.
Back when the Chess Club said our eggs were soft
Every Monday he’d say grace and hold our juice aloft
Oh, none of us knew his checkout time would come so soon
But before his brain stopped waving, he composed this tune:
Chorus:
WHEN THE TOAST IS BURNED
AND ALL THE MILK HAS TURNED
AND CAPTAIN CRUNCH IS WAVING FAREWELL,
WHEN THE BIG ONE FINDS YOU MAY THIS SONG REMIND YOU
THAT THEY DON’T SERVE BREAFAST IN HELL
Breakfast clubbers, drop the hankies
Though to some our friend was odd,
that day he bought those pine pyjamas
His check was good with God
Those here without the lord,
How do you cope?
For this morning we don’t mourn
Like those who have no hope
Oh rise up, Fruit Loop lovers-
Sing out sweet and low
With spoons held high
We bid our brother “Cheerio!"
Chorus:
WHEN THE TOAST IS BURNED
AND ALL THE MILK HAS TURNED
AND CAPTAIN CRUNCH IS WAVING FAREWELL
WHEN THE BIG ONE FINDS YOU MAY THIS SONG REMIND YOU
THAT THEY DON’T SERVE BREAFAST IN HELL
(Whistling Chorus)
Chorus:
(Repeat untill fade)
May we continue to be a light so that as many people on the planet can be at the table that new and glorious morning that is coming soon.
Joel-
You said it, friend!
I never get tired of listening Breakfast, but I have to admit that I can't completely figure it out, either.
I guess that I would describe it as a whimsical eulogy that reminds us of what really matters when the time comes to check out.
I have this video of the Newsboys doing a concert at the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. There are these guys that manage the Hall of Fame in the video. They don't look or sound much like that know anything about Christian music, the Newsboys, or even "Churchy" stuff.
Whenever I watch the video, I always wonder about how they react to this song. The audience just goes nuts over it, waiving Captain crunch boxes and jumping up and down. It certainly breaks a lot of stereotypes of Christians, and - I think - it does it in a good way.
I picture them looking at each other with puzzled faces saying: "Are they saying 'They don't serve breakfast in Hell?' What does that mean?"
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