Comments on: Real-Life Worship

By: todd

todd — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 01:54:34 +0000

thanks for your comments, Clint.

we totally join with your understanding of worship, as we try to write music and facilitate projects at the Bridge that encourage holistic growth and maturity, not just “grunge”-type what-haven’t-you-done-for-me cynicism.

Not that you were specifically asking for this, but we have plenty of songs where we sing things like: “You are good to me” and “I’m grateful that you fight for me, Your love for me is overwhelming” and “I listen to your voice and hear the sound it makes, I love it just because i remember how it was: the violence, a disease that was taking over me, i didn’t know who i could trust, i sat alone in the dark.”
***************

The way we figure it, if our approach *only* reflects and does nothing to catapult us past the plateaus that tend to overtake all of us, we’re not seeing that the Kingdom of God is actually *at hand*. We just find a deeper authenticity when we include the expressions that illustrate the struggle of life.

By: Clint Kempster

Clint Kempster — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 21:33:34 +0000

Have to admit I rather like the sound of the Bridge, it’s rawness, and simplicity in dealing with the journey of relationship with the Divine Person, attempting deeper hues of intimacy… it sounds like that relations are knitted closer as a product.. it seems distinct from the JPUSA effects which tended towards the same issues churchianity has had with the heirarchy of ego’s there too.. and in it’s rather twisted history… I wonder though.. how this may be joined with my understanding of worship, which has become finding new ways to be grateful and express that.. i guess i’m way too functional.. and maybe miss the sentimental as i’ve gotten older and become more jaded.. maybe that’s another reason I resonate with the grunge oregonian feel of the Bridge’s style

By: kathyescobar

kathyescobar — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 17:06:58 +0000

i love the fadels!! when i first heard the fadels at off the map in 2006, it touched a place deep inside me (like you, randy). since then, our lives and ministries have become wonderfully tangled up and i can say that theirs is the only worship music i can really sing anymore. the words are so powerful & raw & real & express what is deep within so many of us but typically aren’t part of contemporary worship. the other part that i think is extra-extra beautiful is what angie said about “it includes everyone.” it is about everyone having a voice, everyone being part, creating together. that model is so undervalued in the church & i hope that the fadels’ message &^ heart continues to be part of shifting this… thanks, craig, for sharing this. the fadels rock.

By: Ken

Ken — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 23:52:06 +0000

Todd and Angie,

You saved my life years ago by letting my internal scream of anguish/rage/joy come out in worship. Thank you
I love you

By: Benjamin Ady

Benjamin Ady — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:29:43 +0000

Erin,

re: “My church if I went to church” is perfect–thank you for the phrase! I used to have one of those, though I didn’t call it that. Then I moved internationally. Ah well.

By: Jodi-Renee

Jodi-Renee — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:24:54 +0000

soulful and honest. the heart of the psalmist. ironically, what hit me was less about my experience of the music and worship time (‘cuz let’s be gut-truthful, if we’re just sitting around talking about how this is more “honest” or “authentic” than the over-produced ummm…BS that’s coming out of the CCM worship scene, then it’s still just about us and that’s not GOD-worship. that’s still me-worship with tofu on the side) – what struck me was that this is more about who GOD is in the reality of this community…not who GOD needs to be, not sexy-GOD, not sugar-daddy GOD, not little god, but overwhelming, messy, wall-of-sound GOD who displaces us to replant us and give us real roots.

T&A (awesome…) :: i love it. i love what you’re doing. i love that GOD is peeling back the pretty in what you do and being GOD. blessings on your art, your voice, your bright color poured onto the life-canvas of your community. GOD be in your doing and being this week!!

By: Elaine

Elaine — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:15:21 +0000

Randy – love what you have said here. becoming the music, every voice contributing, very powerful – much more than a performance…

By: Justin Eder

Justin Eder — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 07:19:38 +0000

Its the bottom up approach – the voice given to the voiceless. The invitation to be yourself is what the Jesus-gathering known as the Bridge provides. Thanks Todd and Angie for creating an environment where play and freedom can thrive. You peeps are my family!

By: derek

derek — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 06:10:41 +0000

this is great!!!! i’ve been searching for worship like this for years!!!! ever since i got back into church… wish i lived a little further north to check this place out… musically, it’s right up my alley, so that doesn’t hurt either. ‘without strings’ rox!!! as well, ‘you can change my mind’… so good… thank for posting this…

i love what aaron said – “basic-ness in worship = inclusionary friendliness = priesthood of all believers = love for people = family” – oh that all churches would catch hold of this…

By: deborah

deborah — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 04:07:31 +0000

Todd and Angie…
You guys rock my world!
Worship… extravagant love and extreme submission… how many forms can this take on? I love what happens at The Bridge each week. You can’t find it like this any other place, baby!