AVATAR: 4 Perspectives on the Top Grossing Film Ever

Avatar is now officially the top grossing film of all-time worldwide, making (so far) $1,849,317,325 at the box office – that’s 1.85 billion dollars. I saw it a couple of weeks ago and was captivated simply by the sheer epic proportions of the film, let alone the wealth of meaning and metaphor behind it.

Since Avatar’s release bloggers, journalists and critics have attempted to analyse and reflect on the meaning behind the film. Here are four very different perspectives I’ve read recently, which all bring a different insight into the film’s setting and storyline:

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Are Mission and Worship the same?

I really enjoyed reading Julie Clawson’s reflections on the Missional Church and Worship, posted on her blog last week.

I think she’s spot on that there has to be something deeper to our worship than just the “cultural habits” of whatever style of worship music happens to be cool or whatever methods of prayer or devotion are currently in fashion.

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Hyperreality and the Church

I’m currently working my way through Mark Sayers‘ book The Trouble about Paris (well worth reading), which has been causing me to think a lot about this concept of hyperreality and the effect it has on our lives and our spirituality.

Hyper-reality is this idea that our culture is constantly causing us to buy into a “larger than” life – the dream life which we see epitomised by our images of celebrity and success, and ultimately happiness. This hyperreality claims to provide us with happiness and fulfilment, but leaves us living in a kind-of denial of the actual reality we live in.

The main, most obvious way we can see the effects of this “larger than” life is in consumerism and the effect it has had on our culture and our spirituality. The hyperreal myth that “just one more” will bring happiness leads us to become both material and spiritual consumers. Hence the Church finds itself having to attract and cater for a generation of Christian consumers – who are after maximum result (perceived value) for minimum investment (cost), and are always looking for the best deal.

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Making mix tapes

Yesterday, a film student friend was talking about a couple of masterclasses he had attended which were taught by an amazing filmmaker and a composer. He mentioned that when asked about how to learn – how to get better – they had both said simply that you should find stuff that’s good and copy it, and in the process you will discover your own style. 

Blog Action Day: Poverty

So today is Blog Action Day – and whilst I haven't really had time to be able to work on a post, I felt I should contribute something. The point of it all is to raise awareness and hype around the issue of poverty – to get talking about it, to get thinking about stuff that we can do, to get fighting poverty together.

I hate all your show and pretense—
      the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies.
 I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings.
      I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings.
 Away with your noisy hymns of praise!
      I will not listen to the music of your harps.
 Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice,
      an endless river of righteous living.
- Amos 5:21-24

CYM Alternative Worship

Yesterday a group of us organised worship for the whole CYM student body here in Oxford (I get back from Induction Week tomorrow). We kind of titled the whole thing "God is…" Some people asked for the powerpoint and music info – and I didn't get the chance to give the files to everyone who wanted them by memory stick – so here they are.

Powerpoint: Download god_is.ppt

And these are the tracks I used – which were mainly just thrown together on the spot:

• As people came in I played through tracks from The Album Leaf – Into the Blue Again.
• Harronell – Archangel, from their self-titled album. Only available (I think) from Proost.
• The Album Leaf – Another Day [Revised] from In a Safe Place
• And finished with Sigur Ros – Hoppipolla from Takk…

Facilitators and leaders

On Saturday, Charlie (Justin’s brother) led a worship workshop for the musical guys in St Pauls and The Lab which went pretty well I think. What got me thinking was a discussion at one point about the role "worship leader", when someone suggested the term "worship facilitator" would be a better one – which raised all the usual questions along those lines about leadership and authority.

The whole "facilitator" vs "leader" thing was something that came up before in a Lab team meeting last week when we talked about it a little – and so this concept of a "facilitator" is something I’d thought a little about and then today suddenly went into a kind-of reflective overdrive after that short discussion.

So, in trying to pursue the role of a new kind of church leader whose mission is to grow a more organic church community should we be looking to through out the term leader altogether and use a less forceful term like "facilitator"?

I
‘ve talked a little before about how I believe a new breed of leader needs to be much more about pursuing conversation, rather than trying to maintain control – so this concept of a facilitator is really important – but that doesn’t necessarily mean that in order to pursue this we have to give up a leadership role altogether.

I believe that there will always be some people called to give the majority of their time to serving the community of God. People who have the time to do all the admin work, and to sit in meetings and talk about future and direction – that leadership role will probably always be a part of church and of the way the world works. But the nature of that role I think needs to change and is changing from providing direction and managing, to provoking conversation, listening and facilitating.

So the role of a facilitator is a vital part of what the leader should be doing – but does not limit him/herself to that single role in itself.

As "leaders", we need to be friends – brothers and sisters to those we are serving, counsellors to an extent, discussion provokers and facilitators, challengers, subverters, and also guides. The difference between this and a conventional concept of a leader is that this kind of leader will be about constantly trying to discern through conversation with the whole community the direction they should take next and then be about guiding the process of bringing that into action – instead of choosing a direction and pulling the church after us in that direction.

So at leadership meetings and in the Lab, I try to facilitate rather than to lead in the conventional sense – to draw out common goals and aims, and to ask difficult questions and test ideas – and to play devil’s advocate when needed, even if the idea I am criticizing is one I’m fully behind.

Where is the modern-day church?

Was thinking about this on Wednesday out in Newport, and the thought just came back to me so I thought I’d blog it.

I remember reading somewhere, maybe on a blog or in a book – I can’t remember where – about the NT Greek word "ekklesia" usually translated "church" in the bible, and how its 1^st century meaning is really "a group of people assembled together for a particular cause or purpose", rather than anything religious.

The author told the story of being on a trip to visit a church in Greece. He was with some theologically minded friends who cleverly directed their taxi driver to the "ekklesia". The driver casually drove them straight to the local marketplace, where the local people gathered to meet.

So, I’ve had that in the back of my mind for a while, thinking "where would the modern-day church be?" For my generation, where is it that society comes together?  But it only really hit me last Wednesday:

The Clubs

For my generation the church is the nightclubs, bars and pubs where everyone gets together on a Wednesday/Friday/Saturday night to go out. Society comes together, we meet new people, friends of friends make friends for themselves. The dedication of friendship is tested as the less drunk look after the slightly more drunk. Church is in the clubs.

And there’s so much worship going on on a Wednesday night as well. The music, fashion, the female body (or male body), alcohol, drugs, tobacco, sexual desire are all normal objects of worship for my generation.

Maybe the future of the church of God is somehow linked to the 21st century church I’m talking about. One question remains, though:

How do we subvert the modern-day church back to its original focus?

Think I can see myself coming back to that question in another blog. On a lighter note, Student Alpha – organised by the CU – starts tomorrow. I’m really excited. :-)

Through the storm…

And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
We’ll live to know You here on the earth

Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me*
   

I wrote-off my car yesterday.

But I’m okay.

*from "You never let go" by Matt Redman. Copyright ©2005 Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing). Available on the Beautiful News album, Everything Glorious, and The Best of Passion (I think)

Holiday Club, Recording etc.

Hey guys. Life is just incredibly busy right now – but in a good way. I plan to do a nice big update on everything when I get home next week, but in the meantime I thought I’d fill you in on a few bits and pieces…

Recording

Last Saturday morning we (myself and G) took over St Mary’s to start work on recording some tracks – mostly trying to get a finished definitive version of some of the songs I’ve written over the last few years (since I was 14!), but also to record two new songs. Altogether I now have 6 tracks, with other bits and pieces in my songwriting notebook, which is probably enough for an EP if that’s the route I decide to go down. Anyway, here’s a list of the songs (the first four I’ve prioritised to get done first and then the other two afterwards):

1. Finally Whole (I can’t hide it) – 2007
2. God hear my cry – 2006
3. Your faithfulness – 2006
4. Teach me to worship – 2003

5. We will worship – 2006
6. Be thou my vision (Be the apple of my eye) – 2007

The plan is to first work on finishing some really simple acoustic-ish recordings to a high standard – just main vocals, acoustic guitar, piano/keys, and pad/synth – and then those can go online so should anyone wish to actually take up some of my songs and learn them they’ll be the definitive version to listen to and pick them up from. Then, possibly, we’ll work on tracking bass, electric guitar, BVs, and possibly some real drums, and other bits and pieces – eventually maybe leading to a CD (let me know what you think about that – I’m still convinced people would buy it). So hopefully in the next couple of weeks, I’ll be able to upload the first acoustic tracks for you to enjoy.

Holiday Club

We’re running our Easter Holiday Club this week which is going really well, really good fun. We’ve adapted it from the Wastewatchers material from Scripture Union, and it’s all about transformation, and how God can transform us.

My Birthday

I’m now stuck in the no man’s land that is 19 – past 18, but not quite yet in my twenties. Yesterday was really good, despite not being at home – we had a cake at holiday club, and then Mum, David and Bethan came down for the rest of the afternoon so we went to Cardiff Bay for bowling and to go round the Dr Who Exhibition – which was good. I really can’t wait to get home, though, especially after yesterday.

Holding Nothing Back

My best birthday present so far (the main thing I was looking for was money towards a laptop to take to uni next year) is the album that will define Modern Worshp Music, at least in the UK, for the next two years… Mr Hughes new record is incredible… Awesome new tracks and great tracks from Soul Survivor over the last couple of years. I love the title track – Holding Nothing Back (awesome name for an album imo), the slightly chilled out version of Almighty God and Everything. Just generally a fantastic album… although I’m not yet completely sold on the last couple of tracks.