DISQUS

Rows and flows of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons ev'rywhere
I've looked at clouds that way

But now they only block the sun
They rain and snow on ev'ryone
So many things I would have done
But clouds got in my way
I've looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It's cloud illusions I recall
I really don't know clouds at all

It's sad that most churches in America aren't this contemporary yet. The probably dragged these guys out behind the studio and shot them after the taping was done.

...how to not get caught.

Well...I guess what I'm saying is that in church circles we make everything spiritual and sometimes there isn't a spiritual explanation. We're always seeking the why and feel we have to figure out what someone should do to "show they're repentant" etc. I think we just need to cut out the excess. He deceived people, most likely for money. Integrity and Hillsong were gullible, willing accomplices. We let him take advantage of us. I just think we make too much of this stuff. We made too much of his story and of his song. Now we're making too much of his fraud.

I always thought he seemed way too fat in that video to be dying of cancer. My thoughts are far less spiritual that most people have made of this. I don't need to give him grace or forgiveness. Jesus did that for me. I don't think we need to explain it, justify it, pray about it, etc. I don't think of Mike as less a Christian if he doesn't have cancer or more of one if he does (it seemed weird to me that people were "hoping the story that he lied wasn't true" that means you hope he really did he have cancer and I for one am glad he didn't).

Plain and simple...I just think he's a dick. Isn't that what you'd say if anyone else you knew, Christian or not, songwriter or not, Australian or not, pretended they were dying when they weren't. He's a dick. I know a lot of dicks. Admittedly, none of them lie about having cancer or aids or anything (although, Russell Brand said he once claimed to have aids in order to get some time off from work).

As Christians we always feel we need to have some sort of "response" on this stuff. I'm not sure we do.

Romans 5:6-8 (The Message)

Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn't, and doesn't, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn't been so weak, we wouldn't have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.

I'm so glad Jesus isn't like us.

I love it when he grabs my ass as we're walking off the stage. And he doesn't care that everyone sees him do this. Oh wait...I'm the worship leader.

I hate it when he grabs my ass as we're walking off the stage. Does he really think no one sees him do this? Oh wait...I'm the worship leader.

I am all three guys.

You Gave Your Life Away. It's simple, beautiful and one of the few worship songs to come out in a while that isn't just completely trite or a string of cliches (doesn't use "glorious" one time).

You know when you first throw them in the boiling water and they make a noise that sounds like they're screaming? Trippy. I don't think they really are screaming. They just make a weird noise like they are. I don't think babies in boiling water feel anything at all, to be honest.

Just a gag. It's really Michael W. Smith in the suit.

1. Neither. Espresso thank you very much.
2. Film. Haven't you heard? Reading is bad for you.
3. Historic Walking Holiday. Lacock in the Cotswolds tops the list.
4. Dogg.
5. Digital.
6. Mac.
7. John 10:10.

Beautiful. I think I'll try it tomorrow just for kicks. I've certainly stopped the band before for playing too slowly to make them speed up. I should give this a try.

James...why are you supporting the habit? And how come Carlos just refers to you as "the blog reader?" What the shit? Oh sure...he mentions you in the PS.

It's called "The Snapper." 2 Parts Grey Goose L'Orange, 2 Parts Ocean Spray Cran-Rasberry, and the juice from 1 half of a fresh orange. Brought into the world by Pastor Scott Slater of Grace Church in Vacaville, CA. There is nothing wrong that the Snapper can't fix.

The little guy at 2:44 is a dead ringer for Matt Redman.

Bullshit.

Jesus saves AND kills?

The Billboard Guide to Music Publicity.

Very cool. But am I the only one that noticed the verse is identical (and I mean absolutely identical) to a Delirious? tune off their last record. How is there not a lawsuit over this one?

I believe it was planned. He didn't trip on anything. Although, I once almost fell and took out the kit. My team thought I had done it on purpose to be funny. They were cracking up while I was just glad to be alive.

Of course, some of use don't know when to say when (names intentionally left out):

www.twitter.com/christiantwit

Jack White.
Sufjan's a given.
And no one's mentioned the Holy Spirit. Church bastards leaving Him out again.

You're All I Have - Snow Patrol