it was 1971 and everyone was a freak. drug culture made you a pot freak or speed freak, music made you a beatle freak, grateful dead freak...you get the picture. it was natural, upon becoming a christian, to be a jesus freak. did you hear the classic, "I Just want to be a Jesus Freak for the rest of my life." tough for vetern christians. It was watered down to jesus people. easier for the veterns.
music was important, but what to call this new music with christian lyrics but rock & roll rhythms? randy matthews called his gospel rock, others used jesus rock. along came chris christian producing an album for an unknown teenager named amy. he called the music "contemporary christian." not as easy to say, not as fun to say, but easier for veterns, alas another watered down name. gospel rock can be said with guts, contemporary christian is a wimpy term, even when the music is good.
little fish uses the name "indie" for everything. she drinks coffee at the indie starbucks, listens to indie music, reads indie books. i like "indie.' i want to start the indie church. little fish will. this fall she and screaming jon will start the indie church in a house on the edge of the continent next to the atlantic ocean.
george mcdonald had curdie name things because it gave them reality.
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exploring the generational connections between indie kids and jesus people.
1 comment:
Played Larry Norman for a Contemporary Youth Choir to see if they caught the steel in the name, "servant." Blank stares ensued. But they swayed to Twila Paris and lifted hands to Awesome God (though they didn't know Rich and the steel he carried). We needed the rough and unwatered names- they spoke to us; in part because we needed (and still need) indie at a time when the vets couldn't speak our language ("Oaken church doors standing, tightly barred against all sin"). Screaming John in camels hair and Luke with hands that healed each changed lives for 2,000 years. Me, I choose the wilder names ("Wild nights are my glory!"), but I know a saint who clings to his old rugged cross and thinks Jesus spoke in 3 points and a poem and thinks the tame names are just fine. He'll be the first to shake my hand in glory I bet. What say we get us a couple of Harleys and raise a real Holy fuss in Sturgis?
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