Do You See the Crowds?

Thats gonna be great, TT. I got a new song last night that I think is really moving. Its called "SOmetimes He Calms the Storm" (Scott Krippayne sings it)
All who sail the sea of faith
Find out before too long
How quickly blue skies can grow dark
And gentle winds grow strong
Suddenly fear is like white water
Pounding on the soul
Still we sail on knowing
That our Lord is in control

Sometimes He calms the storm
With a whispered peace be still
He can settle any sea
But it doesn't mean He will
Sometimes He holds us close
And lets the wind and waves go wild
Sometimes He calms the storm
And other times He calms His child

He has a reason for each trial
That we pass through in life
And though we're shaken
We cannot be pulled apart from Christ
No matter how the driving rain beats down
On those who hold to faith
A heart of trust will always
Be a quiet peaceful place
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Isnt that nice?

 

How about a Praise Song to go with all that nice, easy worship?

SHOUT FORTH (by me and some brothers!... haha!)

Lift your eyes to the One who gave you sight when you were blind,
To the One who gave you arms, raise up your hands!
Lift your voice and sing, to glorify the King of Kings,
To the One who gave you feet, rise up and dance!

CHORUS
For great is the Lord and worthy of praise,
From beginning to end, the Ancient of Days!
Shout forth His salvation among every nation,
Sing a new song to the One who is worthy of all praise!

He who has ears let him hear,
Let he who has a mouth proclaim,
That the Spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon us,
And the Son will come again!

CHORUS (with life!)

(C) 2003 TwiceBorn Ministries (by Kenny Johnston, Joshua Rhodes, and Jeremy Hathway)

 

I can see why the secular world will really grab this song. Nothing about God, the Holy Spirit, or Jesus Christ in it at all. And apparently Jesus is not preached. She gets what she walked in for though, friendship... and a prince charming. Amazing.

 

SFIC -

You MUST be joking.

 

Joshua, show me what I missed.

 

How do you answer the question? If someone stood up on your service tomorrow and asked if anyone heard the woman sung about in the song... how would you answer? Would she be welcome?

 

Wow I feel like shouting!

SFIC, the whole point of the song is that there are people out there that need us... They may not wonder in, but we have to see them to tell them the truth about God...

If a Christian would have got to her in time, she may have not fell for "prince Charming"

We need to be aware of the people around us.
They need the Lord..

People need the Lord..
People need the Lord....

 

correction in my last post...
There are people out there that need CHRIST!

Do we have him tucked inside or are we willing to share Him.

 

Maybe if everyone was not wrapped up in rock music, they could have heard the Holy Spirit telling them to speak to the young lady about Christ.

 

but the song that SFIC quoted did not finish the thought it started....if indeed that is the entire song. I think honestly that that's the real objection to it.
How wonderful a song it would be if it went on to point out that Christ is the answer to what she is searching for. I have heard several songs which do exactly that....telling a story about people all around us, but then ending it with the triumph that ALL of us can and do find in salvation through Christ.

One such song is "This Must be the Place", written by the music director at Lancaster Baptist Church in CA. I don't have the entire transcript of the song, or I'd type it out, but the chorus is about "This (the church) must be the place where shame meets grace." Another line is "The sins which seem so great to us, are no greater than our own." I'm doing a poor job of presenting it, but it does talk much about our responsibility to those around us, and Who exactly we are presenting to them.

 

Does Anybody Hear Her?

She is running a hundred miles an hour
In the wrong direction
She is trying but the canyon’s ever widening
In the depths of her cold heart.
So she sets out on another
Misadventure just to find
She’s another two years older
And she’s three more steps behind.

Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?
Or does anybody even knows she’s going down today
Under the shadow of our steeple
With all the lost and lonely people
Searching for the hope that’s tucked away in you and me?
Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?

She is yearning for shelter and affection
That she never found at home.
She is searching for a hero to ride in,
To ride in and save the day.
And in walks her prince charming
And he knows just what to say
Momentary lapse of reason
And she gives herself away.

If judgement looms under every steeple,
If lofty glances from lofty people
Can’t see past her scarlet letter,
And we never even met her.

We can pray for that, can't we?

Who's fault is that? The woman in the story? Nope, she was trying to get to the Church... that's supposed to love her, reach out to her, and show her what she needs in her life. All she gets instead is people staring at her... because they all know where she's from, and frankly her kind aren't welcome here.

The Prince Charming is a guy that gives her what she needs... love. Except he probably gives it for the wrong reasons. "Momentary lapse of reason and she gives herself away." It's the perpetual story of a woman who looks for love "in all the wrong places." In her desire to finally look in the RIGHT place, she comes to the Church, only to find judgmental glances and whispers behind her back. So she goes back to her life, maybe giving up on the Church for the last time. Do you not see the pain in this song? The problem is not the music of this song, but the fact that the Church doesn't care about her.

James 2 says we aren't to show favoritism and that our faith is showed in our good works toward the needy. What is our Church doing for those around us?

THAT's what the song is saying. THAT's what it means.

"If we are the Body, why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
If we are the Body, why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
Jesus is the Way!"

--Casting Crowns

 

Man, have you missed the point of this whole thread!

If people weren't wrapped up in legalistic liberalism they would want to reach the world for Christ.

This thread is not about "Rock" music.
It is about winning souls to the Lord that are not "like" you and me..

It is about seeing the people around us that need Christ.

SFIC do you realize people around you are going to Hell if they don't know Christ as Saviour?

I'm sure you do.. that is the pointo this thread.. Just because some of us can worship God by using Praise and Worship music, doesn't give you the right to condemn us..

God is using means you don't like to win souls...
get over it or with the program.

 

Maybe if the Church was even listening they would have heard. But instead we sit here arguing about stuff that doesn't amount to anything while the world around us is dying. Some of us as Christians are so heavenly-minded, we're running dangerously close to being no earthly good anymore.

 

Most of these songs are aimed at the complacent church. It isnt intended to win people to Christ. And neither are most hymns. Whats the diff?

 

It's sorry to say, but the churches will be full of "Christians" that are putting on a "Stained Glass masquarade" tomorrow morning..

As long as they look OK, they will play church..
While others are going to Hell.

It's time we stopped arguing over ascriptural things and start winning souls.

I'm ready to do it. Are you?

 

but what does "seeing the crowds" really mean?

I mean, if someone chooses to use a method which I personally disagree with....does that automatically mean that "I'm not seeing the crowds" and obviously I don't care about souls who are different than me? This is the assumption that's made, and I believe it is just as wrong as actually ignoring people who look different than us.

Someone's got to be willing to admit that these discussions very often go this direction....the ones who refuse to use certain "methods" are accused of not caring enough....when in actuality that might not be anything like the truth.

That being said, there is too much of us trying to do good things under our own power instead of under God's power. That's what much of the world sees as "self-righteousness", and this they reject, understandably.

 

When someone says that a certain method is the only way to reach a soul.. they are mistaken..

"Just as I am" is a great song..
the Crowds need to know the truth in that song.

I agree with Bapmom here.. no matter what we listen to, we need to see the crowds of people going to Hell. and be willing to warn them.. instead of arguing things that are never going to be won.

 

I dont think this discussion has gone anywhere near that. It all was based on whether or not we see people and their hurts and needs all around us. Methods matter not in that department. Maybe we should start another thread that wont get debated. (as if thats possible)

 

TinyTim,

Why be double minded? In the christian rock thread, you said if someone wanted to see how God used CCM come to this thread.

Then you say this thread is not about Rock music, which CCM is.

What I see here is the song in the opening thread trying to turn people away from church. There is no help whatsoever in the church.

That is a wrong picture to paint. There are many churches out there who help those in need. It is wrong to even put a song such as this on the shelves. Because the secular world who will eat it up will see the church is not there to help.