I mentioned earlier that I was at first angry when I viewed this video. Perhaps the first emotion was disbelief. A friend of mine told me about this and pulled it up on youtube. I have been in seminary (or the equivalent of it) for about six years now and have been a little disconnected from pop Christianity. I quickly became angry (good thing I am reading and posting on this topic to keep me from acting out on it too much!). That anger quickly subsided to pity and fear. Pity because these youth do not know any more of the depth of the riches of Christ than some excited expectancy for the next fervent expression of devotion the clanging of cymbals. Fear because the depth of this kind of Christianity will evaporate when the heat of the sun of persecution or the cares of this life burn up its thin veil of religion.

I felt compassion for these folk because I know that their desire is to make Christianity relevant and fun. But will this kind of Christianity last for these youth? Mountains have geographical boundaries. You climb them and that is it. Our desire for youth (and every age) is to set them on a path. After all this is Jesus’ metaphor. His disciples went with him up the mountain. And was it this mountain of glory they longed for as they ran away from Gethsemane?

Some may see this video and think “lethargy” is the wrong word. You may see this and think fervor, ecstasy, ridiculousnous, stupidity, or hedonism is the correct word. About the end of this video I began crying in the middle of a Starbucks – nothing too crazy, but my anger turned to pity and fear.

I am so glad that there are people who desire to make encounters with God emotionally-charged. I wish there were more churches that sought to affect the emotions at least a little bit. So many congregations will view this video and have an allergic reaction so that they will never have any kind of excitement in their services. I will post later as to what are some problems with this, that I see. For now, just view it and leave your impressions in the comments section:

You Spin Me Right Round Jesus

O God, the Author of all good,

I come to thee for grace another day will require for its duties and events.

I step out into a wicked world, 

I carry about with me an evil heart,

I know that without thee I can do nothing, 

   that everything with which I shall be concerned, 

   however harmless in itself,

   may prove an occasion of sin or folly,

   unless I am kept by thy power.

Hold thou me up and I shall be safe.

Preserve my understanding from subtilty of error,

   my affections from love of idols,

   my character from stain of vice,

   my profession from every form of evil.

May I engage in nothing in which I cannot implore thy blessing,

   and in which I cannot invite thy inspection.

Prosper me in all lawful undertakings,

   or prepare me for disappointments;

Give me neither poverty nor riches;

Feed me with food convenient for me,

   lest I be full and deny thee

   and say, Who is the Lord?

   or be poor, and steal, and take thy name in vain.

May every creature be made good to me by prayer and thy will;

Teach me how to use the world, and not abuse it,

   to improve my talents,

   to redeem my time,

   to walk in wisdom toward those without, and in kindness to those within,

   to do good to all men, and especially to my fellow Christians.

And to thee be the glory.

The Valley of Vision