Parachute 08 My Review

Ok just got from another Parachute festival. So here is my little review for what it is worth. For those who don't know Parachute is a music festival down here in little old NZ. We have about 8 stages going and about 28 000 people attending over the weekend. This year the star attraction was Switchfoot - and on my opinion they were a cut above everyone else. A great show, sang all their best songs, and were extremely tight as a band. Definitely my highlight of the weekend. The other big acts were RED, Hillsong United, Israel & New Breed and Leigh Nash. RED were disappointing I felt. I guess their bass player who is also their backup vocalist couldn't hear himself sing - cos he was really out of tune most of the time. Hillsong United - they were Hillsong - no surprises, was good that we all knew the songs, and they had a lot better sound mix than when they came a few years ago and sounded terrible. Israel and New Breed - there is no doubt they are a very tight band and Israel himself is a great singer and musician, but simply not my type of music so never really got into it, I find it all to repetitive - just a personal thing. Having said that, a lot of people really got into it. The surprise like for me was Leigh Nash (from Sixpence None The Richer fame), the poor thing was struggling with sickness the whole time and often broke into coughing fits on stage. But I think her stripped down sound of simply vocals and acoustic guitar brought a difference that was real refreshing. The other surprise band for me was Antiseptic from Aussie. Never heard of them before Parachute, but caught the end of their set on the Mainstage and for a three piece they had a great sound. The thing that I did note was apart from the Debut stage - there seemed to be a lack of new upcoming New Zealand bands - it was simply more of the same bands from the last few Parachutes.
Speaker wise - I love Tony Campelo at Parachute - his clear social message gives a great balance to the froth and gloss of the music industry. Reggie Draggs was great entertainment - a gifted speaker and good sax player, had us all eating out of his hand so to speak, although really the content of his message was really not much he would've reached a lot of people. Lasty, I forget her name but the UK blond speaker on the Monday, was really good as well. Great to have a British speaker instead of the normal array of Hillsong and Americans.
A few questions that I must admit have arisen from the weekend - and a great weekend it was (although once again extremely hot). My main question involves worship - and the clear worship leader celebrities that the Christian culture now has. Is this good? Why do we make celebrities of worship leaders? Does it distract from what we (and they) are trying to do in terms of singing songs to God anyway? Personally I found singing along with some of the Switchfoot songs especially my favourite "On Fire" a more worshipful time than any moment during the supposed "worship" times. I think what worries me is that young people see the ultimate aim - or the way you know you have made it as a Christian is to get on a stage and become a "worship leader" - or in a cool Christian band or worship band. I suppose you could look at it the other way and say who are the Christian heroes? Cos maybe the ones who are the real heroes, the ones that I would love the youth to really look up to are not some young musician putting on a show on stage - but the people out there doing the stuff Tony Campelo talked about, serving the poor, reaching out and changing the world through sacrifice, desire and a God-given calling. It would be great to hear more about these real heroes - making a change in the world once the lights and the froth and gloss have gone - cos in the end I've decided that's all big "worship"events are, they're a lot of froth and gloss - good God honouring froth and gloss, but froth and gloss all the same. Real worship isn't seen in the person singing the right songs - its seen in the person living the right dream - honouring God in every area of their lives - living out their faith..... letting their lifesong sing, not just their vocal chords. It's honouring God when no-one else is looking. It's obeying even when it's hard and looking beyond yourself in this individually focused world. You might say but surely getting down and worshipping with these great worshipping leading celebrities will lead to people living better lives - as a youth Pastor I would have say only sometimes - I seen a lot of youth who are quite happy to lift their hands and sing the right things and yet live lives that reflect nothing of what they just sang and promised the rest of the time. In the end, Parachute was great, but I think it's greatest fruit is not seen in the froth and gloss at Parachute, but in the lives changed and walking stronger for God when the lights go out and the music stops.

Till Next Time
D

The Gift

Numbers 27:16

16 “O Lord, you are the God who gives breath to all creatures.

Job 12:10

10 For the life of every living thing is in his hand,and the breath of every human being.

Psalm 104:29-30

29 But if you turn away from them, they panic.When you take away their breath,they die and turn again to dust.30 When you give them your breath,* life is created,and you renew the face of the earth.

Isaiah 42:5

5 God, the Lord, created the heavens and stretched them out.He created the earth and everything in it.He gives breath to everyone,life to everyone who walks the earth.

Acts 17:24-25

24 “He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, 25 and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything,

There's one thing that I'm pretty sure of. Why you are sitting around reading this and generally surfing round the web - you're breathing. I was watching a Rob Bell Nooma video ages ago and he makes the point that do we realise that everything we have is a gift from God. The last thing he lists is "that breath you just took". Do you really believe that your life - your last breath - your next breath - is a gift from God. You are alive today - cos of God - pure and simple. Even people who don't believe in God or are openly hostile towards him are alive cos God gives them breath. That's grace (undeserved favour). This was shown to me graphically in a video that I watched recently where the guy speaking Louis Gigido from the passion ministries in the US makes the point about a protien that holds our cells together in our body. The freaky thing is that this protein's structure is shaped like a cross.....so one of the central proteins in our body that holds our cells together, called "laminin" (Google Image it and see) is cross shaped. I think that's cool. Doesn't it bring real meaning to the fact that the last breath you took was gift of God to you. Doesn't it bring new meaning to

Cols 1:17

17 He existed before anything else,and he holds all creation together.

For you Station or Youth people I will probably show you the video at some time. Til then - maybe if we realise that every breath we breathe is a gift from God, it might have more influence on what do as we breath in and out? Maybe this is why in the Greek the word for Spirit and Breath is the same word? Maybe we need to realise more the small things and realise that we are a blessed people? Maybe next time we sing a song of praise or worship, see the beauty of creation, enjoy the company of good friends, laugh, or look into the eyes of someone we love we need to remember that the life we live and chance for this moment comes as a result of a God given gift called life? Maybe if realise who gives us and the rest of humanity life the gift of life we would value it more - that aborted child, that war victim, the oppressed, the poor, the abused - do we value their God given breath?

Til Next Time

D