Check out the latest video from "Dance-derived alternative rockers" (that's what their press release says ...) Family Force 5. The band is currently on the Winter Wonder Slam tour with TobyMac, Relient K and special guest B. Reith. The tour runs through December 14th and is collecting toys for Toys for Tots. You can get complete tour dates on the Winter Wonder Slam website.
In a press release about the tour, tobyMac noted his pleasure at the artists assembled for the Winter Wonder Slam mission, commenting, "During the holidays, everyone needs a break from studying for exams and Christmas shopping. I wanted to put together a diverse tour that rocks in many musical directions but always points to Christ. The Winter Wonder Slam Tour does have a Christmas theme, but every band will be playing their hits and doing it the way they do!"
I admit I'm a little cranky this morning; I woke up to several inches of snow and I'm definitely not ready for winter. But ...
I'm still trying to figure out how some of this music "points to Christ", as tobyMac says. It's hot, it's completely relevent and totally cool. Great production, the band is funfunfun. I'm sure all of these bands on the tour are devout in their faith. I'm not questioning that at all (so save the "stop judging" comments for another day, OK?) But is "doing it the way they do" what we're commanded? Or are we trying to fit Jesus into our own image of cool? When we're attaching "Christian" to a genre of music, shouldn't we be glorifying Christ?
Sigh. Forgive my cynicism. The question of "what is Christian music" is always simmering just under the surface for me, and it bubbles up once in a while and makes me ask, "Is this Christian music," especially when I'm little cranky. It could be that my conversation with Jeremy Camp is still ringing in my ears.
Or maybe all of this Bible reading I've done in 2008 is starting to get to me.
RELATED POST
Listen to an excerpt of my interview with Jeremy Camp (scroll to the bottom of the post to find the link)
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Interesting write-up. I enjoy FF5, they are one of the few christian artists (if not the ONLY) who are making party music that I don't feel guilty about dancing to. It just seems as if it's "sinful" to dance to that "evil, sinful, wordly" secular dnace music, but if it's christian, it's still "bad" because there is very little mention of Christ.____"Where's the in-between?", I ask my friends sometimes. If christian arists are making party music, is it still bad? I don't think so. I remember learning one time on a youth retreat that I went on as a young lad (back in the golden middle school days of 2001) that everything a christian does is supposed to be an act of worship. Mowing the lawn is an act of worship...everything we do is supposed to be glorifying him. So, my question is this: Can we sing about life whilst still glorifying our Creator? Does everything have to be Jesus, Jesus, Jesus? I'm not trying to say that everyting has to be water-down without mentioning the name of Jesus..not even close. I'm just saying that I think it's alright for christians to sing about random silly things while still having a good time, as long as it's not offense and it's not coming against our beliefs.____-Manuel
Manuel, yup, I totally see your point. As a general rule, I don't care if they're providing entertainment - and FF5 is certainly entertaining.
I guess what kind of stood out to me was tobyMac's comment that the tour points people to Christ, and I'm like ... hmmm. Does entertainment like this point people to Christ, or just entertain? Can it do both?
Honest, I'm not saying I have the answer, but those are the things I ponder on a daily basis. Especially when I wake up to 4" of snow and I'm cranky, LOL.
All the best!
Joanne
host of the GS blog
Many of Family Force 5's songs are a little more than random works of silliness. I've caught a lot of messages interwoven in what may appear to a lot of people, on the surface, to be FF5's silly rantings. We should always stay sober and alert though and always scrutinize what we allow ourselves to ingest, but in FF5's case, I think they are pretty high on the "Is This Truly Christian Music" meter and definetly a shining light in some dark places.
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