Warped Inside and Out

I recently became re-acquainted with underoath, the Florida born Christian screamo-hardcore band. They are, in my opinion, amazing. Until 2 weeks ago they were touring on the Vans warped tour as they had been for the last two years. They have cancelled the remainder of their shows because in their words, "We felt it necessary to take some immediate time to focus on our friendship, as that is more important than risking it for the sake of touring at this time." While I know this stinks if you were going to see them at one of the remaining warped shows I am glad they are attempting to preserve the band dynamic because I love their music and hope to hear more from them.

I mention this because I heard rumors that, this year especially, they were being railed against by the other bands on the tour because of their faith. I took the info with a grain of salt understanding that much hear-say is usually greatly exaggerated, but last night I tuned into the "fuse" network an watched the show "Warped inside and out" which is a show that has multiple camera crews traveling with the music festival and taping it, and I must tip my hat to the editors they seemed to show all that is going on from feeding 600 musicians everyday, to sound set-up and tear-down, portions of bands shows and the interpersonal communication between the many bands.

The episodes that I saw gave truth to all the rumors I previously heard, especially with regards to NOFX. A large portion of the show surrounded the evening bible studies that were taking place on the tour. The lead singer of NOFX, Fat Mike, saw the flyer advertising the study and proceeded to blast Christianity throughout the majority of his show, and the cameras taped it all. He Began by making fun of Christian bands having a bible study on the warped tour, and as the show went on, and he got more and more intoxicated, he singled out Underoath and launched his attacks at them with name calling, a barrage of obscenities, and stating that they do not belong on the warped tour. He did not stop there though, by the end of the show he was just railing against Christianity, and blaspheming Christ. He told any Christians who were watching the NOFX show to just leave, and finally dedicated their song "idiot, son of an ***hole" to the name of Jesus Christ. After the end of their show another bands singer asked Fat Mike why he had done what he did, and his reply was "If their (underoath) here to praise Jesus then I am here to tear that down, that's punk rock."

Later that same evening while the Bible Study was going on Fat Mike decided to go, and while trying to disrupt the study was met by a group of believers who knew what was said and still asked him to join. The members of the study invited discussion and included Fat Mike, though he simply spewed foul language, and ultimately tried to justify himself as a good person. He did however stay through the whole study and was invited back by the leader of the study.

I was stunned, on this tour where most would say Christians should not be, the gospel is being spoken through song, and more importantly through their actions. The love of Christ is being shared with people who hate Christianity and oppose all Christians.

The purpose of this post is to prompt fellow believers to pray for Christians in service in difficult areas. Pray for underoath, though I don't think NOFX is to blame for their departure I do think they are wounded and need the ministry of the Spirit to strengthen them and unite them as a band, to energize them for the service to which God has called them. Pray that the evil one will not be victorious in this situation. Secondly pray for the other Christian bands, Emery and Amber Pacific to name two, who are still on the tour sharing their faith with people like Fat Mike.

May the gospel triumph on the Warped Tour!

YELLOWCARD

I saw Yellowcard recently, they are from my hometown of J-ville FL, they have a violinist, and they rocked my sox off.

You'll Have to speak louder!!

Many times I act too much like Job.

I like Job, in fact I would never make it if I went through what he did emotionally or physically. However I do see the audacity that Job has in his speeches when he highlights his righteousness before the Righteous Himself. He beckons and cries out that he would love to lay his case before the Lord face to face. In a manner of speaking the Lord does so, he answers Job from the whirlwind in an awesome and terrifying way. This however was not the only answer from the Lord.

No matter where I have heard the book of Job taught I hear his friends trashed, which is deserving in nearly all of their speeches. They approached Jobs suffering from a flawed mindset; all of them save, Elihu. Elihu the youngest speaks with the deepest wisdom and the most sobering words. The Lord spoke of His majesty through the words of Elihu. Elihu rebuked Job's hubris and confronted him about it, but to no avail. It took a mighty display of the Lord's power over creation for Job to see who he really was, which was not what Job saw himself to be.

I see myself so focused on self often to the point that I cannot hear the voice of God around me. So I pray that I will quiet myself and be alert to hear the Lord around me, so that I may not call down the whirlwind as Job did.

Read Job, its good.