|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Current Interview
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Friends Login
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Please install Flash Player to continue.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other Events:
|
|
WHO IS JESUS ?? --
-
(see the bottom of this page for Theological Statement of Beliefs)
|
|
|
|
|
Of the many mysteries about Jesus, this may be the greatest: why we continue to care about him. Brave leaders and wise teachers by the score have passed through these 2,000 years, but none has continued to resonate like he does.
From the end of his earthly life Jesus has captured and commanded hearts in every century and every land. (Christianity isn't a "Western religion"; Western ignorance of the ancient Eastern church doesn't mean it doesn't exist.)
Jesus has no parallel in human history.
How does he do it? Those who have experienced this authority or presence are largely unable to put it into words. They can't explain why others don't sense it at all, or why some glimpse only a tantalizing hint while others are knocked flat. In 2,000 years, no better words have been found: He rose from the dead. He's still risen from the dead. He's here right now.
In this context, the search for the historical Jesus seems almost laughably beside the point. You don't know Jesus by examining shards of 2,000-year-old pottery. You know him by meeting him today.
This inexplicable encounter continues to occur, and those who meet him fresh today can feel that same pull. But how is it possible to know him? To sophisticated eyes, his most vocal followers are embarrassing and ignorant, their politics suspect, their devotion larded with sentiment and narcissism. Raw contact with Jesus in the Gospels is not exactly reassuring; both compelling and perplexing, he challenges easy comprehension.
Thus an idea begins to form that the real Jesus is buried somewhere under all the enthusiasms of generations past. If only we can strip away the moss, we'll see the real Jesus. We sense instinctively that Jesus represents the best of humankind, and conclude, not quite logically, that he must subscribe to whatever ideals are currently in fashion. He embodies, we assume, whatever features we most admire in ourselves. We set out in search, carrying a pocket mirror for reference.
If our age thinks the biggest sin is political oppression, and the greatest heroism is revolution, then we assume that Jesus was chiefly a leader of rebellion against Rome. Popular romantic images can be easily laid over this ancient enigmatic figure. No more sappy, blue-eyed Jesus; now he's dramatic and courageous, offending religious authorities and battling the Establishment. (A British ad agency even brought out a poster of Jesus in the likeness of Che Guevara.)
Now the Gospels are easy to read: Whatever fits this template is authentic, and whatever doesn't was invented by misguided followers.
It's a touching tribute that people want to attribute to Jesus their own highest ideals. When they presume that he embodies their pre-existing opinions, they pay him their highest compliment. It is a childlike gift, "a uniquely great expression of sincerity."
The words are those of Albert Schweitzer. In 1906, he wrote a book titled "The Quest of the Historical Jesus," which surveyed the research to date. Attempts to locate the "historical Jesus," Schweitzer explained, had been going on since the middle 1700s. Writers were often unaware of this and astonished to find that the ideas they thought shocking and original had been proposed by someone else 100 years before.
"Each individual created Him in accordance with his own character," Schweitzer observed.
But by Schweitzer's time, these constructions had shipwrecked on Jesus' own words, his predictions of the imminent end of the world and corollary charge that we should value eternal life more than any earthly good. Scholars fiddled in vain with these sayings, hoping "that He might not come into conflict with our ethical ideals, and [we] might tune His denial of the world to our acceptance of it. Many of the greatest sayings are found lying in a corner like explosive shells from which the charges have been removed."
The current fashion in Jesus faces a similar challenge. If he was primarily a political revolutionary, why did he tell his followers to accept physical abuse and to forgive and love their enemies? He insisted that his reign was not of this earth, and that his followers should rejoice to suffer for his name's sake. Real revolutionaries don't talk this way.
Further, why did he keep telling everyone to repent? It was his most consistent message, whether he was addressing rich or poor, prostitutes or the disabled. In one particularly challenging episode, Jesus was told that Pilate had murdered Galileans in the Temple and splashed their blood on their sacrifices. His response? "Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." Sayings like these don't get written up in curly script on refrigerator magnets.
Why do we keep coming back to this perplexing, daunting man? Why wasn't he forgotten long ago?
"Jesus means something to our world because a mighty spiritual force streams forth from Him and flows through our time also," Schweitzer says.
It turns out we've had it backward all along. We will not measure and consider him; he will seize us, and we will either follow or flee. "He was not a teacher, not a casuist; He was an imperious ruler," Schweitzer says.
We sense instinctively this authority and its claim upon us, the head crowned with eternal glory, the head crowned with thorns and blood. Somehow his suffering is for us, and our only possible response is to follow.
Some companions on the path may seem silly or stuffy, and others are fickle or faint of heart. Some are liars and leave behind them monuments of evil. But they do not represent him, and in the end they do not matter. Jesus does not ask our opinion of his false or fallible disciples. His question to each of us is more pointed and unequivocal: "But who do you say that I am?"
His command is equally clear: "Follow me." This is the only way we will ever know him.
by Frederica Mathewes-Green (seewww.Frederica.com for more)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
|
Other Events:
|
|
The GROOVE of HEAVEN - DRUM CIRCLES --
-
Temple Telegram Newspaper article, Temple, TX
|
|
|
|
Life
Beating a new path: No matter the theology, drum circles are making joyful noises
by Patricia Benoit Temple Telegram Newspaper article, Temple, TX
Published: June 6, 2009 Religious groups are following a different beat as they turn to drum circles - a music form as ageless as Methuselah. It’s a primitive music form hammering a niche in a post-modern society for worship, fellowship and meditation.
A drum circle is composed of like-minded people who gather to pound rhythms on various types of drums. Participants bring drums, beat blocks, finger cymbals, rain sticks, hammer triangles, maracas and sticks to the rhythmic experiences. Fellowships of diverse religious groups are using drum circles into meditation, worship and devotionals.
Participants form a circle to play, either sitting or standing. A leader begins with a beat.
Dum-dum-dah-de-dum-dah-dum
Then others join. As meditation continues, the group’s beat may get faster, slower, louder, softer or in syncopation - as the spirit moves.
De-dum-diddily-dum-de-dum
Some follow the main beat; others diverge to forage other paths as they feel them. Tambourines, triangles and strumming guitars add flavor to the rhythmic stew. It is an exercise in cosmic consciousness as the players dwell in the moment - in the beat.
Dum-jingle-jingle-tap-diddily-de-dum-dum
David Cloud of the Michigan-based Fundamental Baptist Information Service said drums are an ancient music form influenced by a contemporary beat.
“Drum circles are growing in popularity in North American society in general and are beginning to be used in ecumenical and emerging churches,” he said. “Drum circles are a logical outgrowth of the addiction to the rock ‘n’ roll back beat, which is an integral part of contemporary Christian worship.”
Drumming circles run from decidedly Christian to more all-encompassing faith systems such as Unitarian and New Age groups.
No matter the theology, a conversation of sorts merges with the thumping. Members say they find shared values and unity.
“People can drum really hard if they have had a stressful day. They can just bang away. Then, the drumming gets mellower.” They use a variety of native drums – bongo, jembe, ashiko, boudhran, spoons.
Round Rock-based Drummers for Jesus combine prayer, short devotional and rhythms in its monthly meetings. The group uses drum sets, traps and anything else they can bang. Its host, Ed Francis, said his group is comprises people of all ages and Christian denominations. “Some churches are regimented too much; they’re too calculated in their worship. That hardly leaves any room for God to move,” Francis said.
Drummers for Jesus started in 2002 in Dallas and has taken root among a broad range of Christian fellowships in 31 states and Holland, Italy, Nigeria and Indonesia.
Francis said some contemporary worship can be “too loud, too fast,” but drumming ironically can be pounding or as subtle as a heartbeat, depending on the occasion. That’s the power of its witness, he added. “People don’t want to be yelled at; they want to be spoken to. That’s what drum circles allow us to do,” he added.
No matter the theology, drum circles focus more on developing the group in healthy, enjoyable ways, rather than performance. The goal is to strengthen its members in spiritual ways.
“People can drum really hard if they have had a stressful day. They can just bang away. Then, the drumming gets mellower.”
“It’s a combination of the people and the drums, where the sum is greater than its parts. Sometimes, the drumming does get out of sync. But, that helps you to better appreciate the times when you are in sync. Just like life.”
pbenoit@temple-telegram.com
---
For more information
Drummers for Jesus Round Rock chapter, meets monthly on the second Monday from 6:45 - 8:30 p.m. Contact ed@edfrancisdruminstruction.com for location.
Headquarters: http://www.drummersforjesus.com/index.php
Round Rock chapter: http://www.edfrancisdruminstruction.com/drummersforjesus/
Drum Circle Music, an educational website http://drumcirclemusic.com/
Therapists, counselors and health care workers use drum circles in mental health clinics to wellness centers. The focus can range from the development of fine or gross motor skills to helping clients with issues of self-esteem, cognitive functions, communication, impulse control, and coping or social skills.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
Other Events:
|
|
BILL BACHMAN DRUM CLINIC --
Get Directions Here.
-
LAKEPOINTE CHURCH (ROOM A-122)
701 E. I-30
ROCKWALL, Texas 75087 United States
|
|
|
|
|
BILL BACHMAN DRUM CLINIC & MASTERCLASS
SATURDAY JULY 18TH, 2009
11 AM-12PM MASTERCLASS
12-1 PM GENERAL CLINIC SESSION
ADMISSION $10 FOR CLINIC
$50 MASTERCLASS (limit 10 people, 1st come 1st serve) 
Bill Bachman has studied percussion performance at the University of North Texas and is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music. He's an international drum clinician and the road drummer in Neal Morse's USA based progressive rock band. Bill has played with and instructed many award winning marching percussion groups including the UNT drumline, Cadets, Bluecoats, Blue Knights, and Carolina Crown in his 12 years touring with Drum and Bugle Corps. He's the author of Row-Loff's Rudimental Logic, Quad Logic, and Bass Logic, designer of Vic Firth's Heavy Hitter pad series, producer of the instructional drum DVD's, "Rudimental Beats" and "Reefed Beats" and is a contributing writer for Modern Drummer magazine.
Bill is drumming for Neal Morse! Oh yes, my prog rock drumsetting roots are really paying off here. Neal Morse (formally of Spock's Beard) has started doing some shows in the US and I'm lucky enough to lay down the beats, and lots of them! If you dig amazingly deep & powerful music with lots of styles, odd times, solos, and "What the heck was that?" then you'll really dig Neal's music. Hopefully we'll have a gig near you at some point. I might even twirl, but probably not.
See more detailed info as well as videos at: www.billbachman.net
Bill is an endorser/clinician for Dynasty drums, Remo drumheads, Zildjian cymbals, Vic Firth sticks & mallets, and Sensaphonics earplugs.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
Other Events:
|
|
OUR THEOLOGICAL STATEMENT of BELIEFS --
-
|
|
|
|
|
BELIEFS
The following information has been provided to help you understand what we as an organization of faith believe. It is based upon the Bible as our sole source of authority in determining doctrine and practice. While this information is provided for you, in no way should it ever replace the Word of God in establishing our theology. We are people of the Word – not of creed or of man’s interpretation of the Word.
This information is not meant to be all encompassing and there may be other issues about which you have questions. Please feel free to contact us at www.drummersforjesus.com and request to speak to a member of our staff about doctrinal issues.
We believe the Bible to be completely true and authoritative in all areas of faith and practice.
(John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
We believe God eternally exists as one God in three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person of the Trinity is fully and completely God, sharing all of the divine attributes in a perfect loving community.
(Matthew 28:19; John 1:14; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:1-3; Revelation 1:4-6)
We believe Jesus Christ is the perfect revelation of God to humankind. He is fully God and fully man. After voluntarily coming to earth and living a sinless life, He died on the cross as the substitute for humanity’s sin. His resurrection from the grave affirms His victory over sin and death.
(Matthew 1:18-2:12; John 1:1-18; Romans 3:21-26; 1 Corinthians 12; Philippians 2:5-8; Colossians 1:15-23; Hebrews 1:1-13; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 John 1:1-2:2)
We believe God created humans, both male and female, in His perfect image. Because of its rebellion, however, all humanity is alienated from God. As a result, humans are incapable of having a relationship with God based solely upon their effort.
(Genesis 1:26-31; Romans 3:10-18; Ephesians 2:1-3)
We believe that all who trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Lord and Savior will receive the forgiveness of sins and the free gift of eternal life.
(John 3:16, 6:35-40, 10:27-30; Romans 8:28-39; Philippians 1:6; 2 Timothy 2:13; 1 Peter 1:3-9; 1 John 5:11-13)
We believe the Holy Spirit permanently fills all believers at the time of salvation and guides them in the journey to become like Christ.
(John 14:15-26; Acts 2:1-33; Romans 8:1-27; Galatians 5:16-23; 1 John 2:20-27)
We believe that Christians should develop in their faith and be committed to a life of personal devotion to God. Commitment is expressed through corporate and private worship, participation in small group Bible study, meaningful service in ministry, giving financially in a God-honoring way, and intentionally introducing others to a personal relationship with God.
(2 Corinthians 9:7; Acts 2:42-47; Romans 12:4-8; Matthew 5:16; Matthew 28:19-20)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
