Wow, my last post was really long… here is a much shorter one this week. We did a really fun version of “Angels We Have Heard on High” at our regional worship service this past weekend. I love this song. Check out the bridge part –it’s fun. (Someday I’ll put out a whole professionally produced Christmas CD and I’ll definitely include this arrangement.)
Below is a demo recording I made for the band and singers, a teaching recording that goes through the parts, and a recording from the actual service. (Unfortunately that last one has got some major skips in the audio at the beginning and end, caused by some unknown error in the recording process. Oh well, at least you can get an idea of how it went with the whole band. This is just a recording off of the sound board, so you can’t hear the congregation who was belting it out!) Merry Christmas!!
My wife and I helped to put on a marriage retreat last week for couples in our church. On Sunday I shared a brief sermonette sharing some of the parallels between marriage and the relationship we, the church, have with Jesus (there are some cool things I’ve been learning the last few years). I also shared a song called “Wedding Banquet” – lyrics and a recording are below. Here are a few of the points I shared…
In Ephesians 5:32 Paul is in the midst of discussing the marriage relationship, talking about a wife and husband “becoming one,” and Paul says “This is a profound mystery –but I am talking about Christ and the church.” What does Paul mean by this “profound mystery?”
The old testament is filled with wedding language. A sample verse is Isaiah 62:5, “…as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.”
John the baptist, last and greatest of old covenant prophets saw himself as the groom’s “best man” in John 3:29, “The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.”
John the apostle got this idea. The 1st “sign” (of seven) he records takes place at wedding in Cana. He closes out Revelation with an image of bride beautifully dressed — that’s us, the church — refined, purified, beautiful, dressed in white. Jesus is the groom with “that look” on his face as we come down the isle. (Don’t you love to watch the groom’s face at a wedding? That’s our favorite part–looking back and forth between their two faces as the bride is coming down the isle.)
Prepare a Place
And then, in the familiar passage of John 14:1-4, the context is last supper, and the language used is wedding language. Jesus says “I am going to prepare a place for you …I will return and take you to be with me”. In ancient times the groom, after becoming engaged to the bride (a binding arrangement, that’s why in speaking about an engaged Joseph and Mary the bible says “he had in mind to divorce her quietly“), the groom would go away for a time (possibly a year or two), to “prepare a place” for the new couple to live. Often he would add on another room to his father’s house (notice Jesus says, “in my father’s house there are many rooms”). Then he’d come back to take her to be with him.
The groom’s arrival was usually a surprise and a big event for the town (maybe even in the middle of the night — remember all the stories Jesus told about the bridegroom coming and surprising everybody?) Everyone would come out of the their homes and celebrate, forming a parade to the new place that has been prepared. They’d have a wedding ceremony, the couple would go in and consummate the marriage. Then there would be a big banquet, celebration and feasting, sometimes for days on end, major festivities for all.
There are other parallels between ancient marriage and us, the church, that are really cool. Remember, the context of John 14 is the last supper.
Marriage Covenant and Bride Price
- The betrothal was just as binding as marriage vows are for us. Groom paid a large sum to women’s father, as “pay back” for him raising his daughter.
- Jesus said “this bread is my body which is given for you.” Jesus gave his very life, his all, as the bride price for us, the church.
The Cup
- The bride would drink the cup in presence of her family to accept the binding covenant (see minute 6:28 on this clip from the movie Nativity Story).
- Jesus said “this cup is the new covenant in my blood” — Adds a whole new significance to communion and that last supper.
Gifts for the Bride
- Groom would give gifts to the bride to hold on to until he returned, as a reminder of their covenant. She would hold on this object during the time he was gone to “prepare a place”.
- Jesus gave his Spirit as a reminder. Paul calls it “a deposit guaranteeing what is to come“.
Mikveh
- Bride would take ceremonial cleansing bath – still done to this day by the orthodox.
- Parallel to baptism, to wash away our sins.
Waiting Bride Consecrated
- Bride was then considered “set apart”, consecrated, preparing for the return of the groom. Engagement would be a year or two –preparing, waiting for the return of the groom.
What does all this mean for us, as the waiting bride of Christ? Everything we do should be about anticipation, waiting in EXPECTANT PREPARATION for the return of Christ. This means we don’t put down roots in this place. In the months before our wedding 17 years ago, my lovely bride was living in a house with five roommates, sleeping on the couch. It was in no way a long-term situation! She was preparing for our life together.
We get so tempted to get focused on the here and now, to make this our home. But this is just a temporary living situation. Do we live our lives this way? This should affect our spiritual self-discipline, our evangelism, our source of joy, where we put our hope. We should not be stressed out, choked, focused on the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desire for other things. We should be the radiant, expectant Bride of Christ, anticipating what is to come.
1 Corinthians 11:26
For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes…
As we, the church, the waiting Bride of Christ, share Communion, it it a time only of looking inward (self examination), looking backward (remembering Jesus), but also looking forward. “Remembering” that Jesus is coming, looking forward to that day, keeping ourselves pure and set-apart as we wait for his return, living lives of expectant preparation.
Song – “Wedding Banquet”
This song appears on my album, Remain in Me, all songs sung from the perspective of Jesus to his followers. So many of Jesus’ stories contain wedding imagery, and one he tells in several different ways is of a great wedding banquet prepared by a king. When the time for the big celebration comes, those invited refuse the offer — in one story they even kill those sent to tell them about it, which doesn’t really even make sense. I think Jesus was trying to help us see how ridiculous it is for people to turn down the offer of eternity with God because of spiritual apathy or a desire for immediate comfort.
Many invited
But few are chosen
Many are sighted but they’re blind
If you have ears then
Let you hear when
I tell you stories of the time
A king prepared a banquet
A wedding for his son
A feast that’s never ending
For all to come
But they refuse him
And they abuse the men
That came to tell them it was time
So will you say “no”
Or put on your wedding clothes
To join me ’cause the wedding’s mine
The joy of the groom is mine
The bride’s dressed in white
I’ll love her until the end of time
‘Til the end of time
Many invited
But few are chosen
Don’t be left outside tonight
Don’t make excuses
Do not refuse my love
I’m here to tell you that it’s time
A king prepared a banquet
A wedding for his son
A feast that’s never ending
–so come!
Won’t you come?
My friend Todd and some of his fellow film students were over at my place last week to shoot a video. For their senior project they are putting together a music video and asked if they could use a song of mine, “Better than I Was Before.” (Update: you can view the finished video here.) They came to know the song through my myspace page. They shot some interview footage at my house and this “unplugged” version of the song (and we went into the studio to shoot a bunch more for the music video now in production, to be completed by the end of the year).
Prompted by my sister, I wrote the song as an entry for the “American Idol Songwriter Contest.” The idea of the contest was that the winning song would be sung by whoever won the “Idol” competition on their big winning night in their moment of glory (ie. “This is My Now“). You know the type of song. Got to have the word “moment” in it. Helpful if it talks about flying, dreams, destiny, etc. Such songs are fairly self-centered, but I thought, hey, I’d give it a shot. I wanted a song that would fit the contest, but that also came from my heart and my convictions.
I decided to write about how God has sometimes used the hardest times in my life to produce the most change. The rocky road, the ups and downs of life can make us more useful, more surrendered to God and his will, more perseverant and possessing greater character. It is not the easy times or the “good times” that make us who we are. It is the challenges. Jesus begins his teaching in the sermon on the mount with the basic idea of “How LUCKY you are when you are a loser… that’s when you find God. God is with the down and out.”
Consider these verses:
Consider it pure joy… whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance… James 1:2-3
These (trials) have come so that your faith… may be proved genuine… I Peter 1:7
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him… Romans 8:28
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons… Hebrews 12:7
Anyway, so that was the sentiment of the song –still fairly inward and reflective, but coming from a place of seeing God and his sovereignty in the journey of life. I got sick the week I was recording the song and so my friend Pete Wade came over to sing it for the contest entry (amazing singer – click here to here him singing it). The day it was due we went to upload the song and they had changed the front end of the entry page on the website — you couldn’t upload anymore! (There were all kinds of people upset about that on the Internet forums that night –I’m sure thousands entered the contest). I emailed it to a few folks who said it would still make it into the contest but never heard a word back, even to collect my entrance fee, so my guess is that it was never considered. O well, I’m sure God will do something with the song down the road if he wants to. Maybe it will encourage you, so here it is.
Better Than I Was Before
I was down
Some said I was out
I was looking down a long road
Heard the sound of the thunder
And the rains came down
Didn’t know if I could make it
But I’m here now!
And the hurts and pains and hunger
Have taught me that I could
Faith has made me stronger
It all works for the good
And now…
I’m better than I was before
I’ve changed
I’m not the same as I was
And I’m walkin’ through the open door
I can
I’ll take my stand
‘Cause the ups and downs
The ins and the outs
They’ve brought me here
I’m not lookin’ back no more
And I’m better than I was before
Here I am
My moment is now
It has all lead up to this point
It’s funny how the bright lights
Can hide all the crowd
I’m alone in all my thoughts
And they are racing now
As I’m looking towards the future
I’m feeling so alive
I’m part of something bigger
It’s open field and sky
Because now
I’m better than I was before
I’ve changed
I’m not the same as I was
And I’m walkin’ through the open door
I can
I’ll take my stand
‘Cause the ups and downs
The ins and the outs
They’ve brought me here
I’m not lookin’ back no more
I’ve learned I can be stronger
I’ve seen I can go longer
I know I can hold on to hope!
To hope…
Just wanted to take a bit of time and share a prayer –an old favorite hymn called “Nearer, Still Nearer”. This song really captures the heart of longing to be close to God. I love the way the prayer looks at God and his grace, looks at sinful self, resolves to change and cling to the cross, and looks forward to eternity.
Nearer, still nearer, close to Thy heart,
Draw me my Savior, so precious Thou art;
Fold me, O fold me, close to Thy breast,
Shelter me safe in that haven of rest,
Shelter me safe in that haven of rest.
Nearer, still nearer, nothing I bring,
Naught as an off’ring to Jesus my King,
Only my sinful, now contrite heart;
Grant me the cleansing Thy blood doth impart,
Grant me the cleansing Thy blood doth impart,
Nearer, still nearer, Lord, to be Thine;
Sin, with its follies, I gladly resign,
All of its pleasures, pomp and its pride;
Give me but Jesus, my Lord crucified,
Give me but Jesus, my Lord crucified,
Nearer, still nearer, while life shall last,
Till, safe in glory my anchor is cast;
Through endless ages, ever to be;
Nearer, my Savior, still nearer to Thee,
Nearer, my Savior, still nearer to Thee.
Well, I’m getting back to normal life after enjoying five (well, kind-of six) conferences in six weeks. It has all been really great:
Southwest Singles Conference (SWSC) – It was the first time for my wife and I directing a conference of this size. We expected a thousand and ended up with about 1200 in attendance. The times of worship were absolutely amazing! We had a very talented team of musicians and singers on the worship team that were a blast to work with. The technical team did an outstanding job with production. But what excited me even more than those things was the way the singles really SANG! It was the most energetic, passionate singing I’d been a part of in a while (wish we’d captured some of it on video). The lessons and classes and entertainment were all awesome. Click here to listen to Marco’s close-out lesson. Click here for the singles video contest entries and interviews with attendees. Click here for a thorough review of the conference.
International Campus Ministry Conference (ICMC) – The next week I got to lead the worship over five days with 1000 screaming, passionate college students. I wrote about it a bit in my last blog entry. It was awesome. The two new songs for the conference went over really well – I posted one last week, and I’ll post the other one soon.
Palm Springs Family Retreat - Our region of the LA Church of Christ merged this year with another one of the regions that does this weekend get-away every year. It was a great time with the whole family worshipping God Friday night and Sunday morning and classes for the moms and dads on Saturday. My kids loved it. After the singing with the crazy college students the weekend before, the times of worship seemed a little more subdued but it was still awesome and a great time of fellowship.
New England Christian Conference (NECC) / International Worship Leader Conference (IWLC) – These conferences ran the same weekend in separate ballrooms of the convention center in Providence, Rhode Island. It was was an action-packed weekend! I got to spend time leading worship and sharing some thoughts with the NECC leadership group Friday night, and then spend the day with the IWLC group the next day. Saturday night it was really moving to celebrate the Boston Church of Christ’s 30th anniversary and be a part of a really high for both conferences. Sunday worship was inspiring and I loved getting to hear Tom Brown, one of my favorite preachers from my childhood preach the word. My new song, “Rejoice,” written for the conference was a big hit. The more I sing that song, the more I like it (not true for all my songs). Click here for a video with few highlights of the weekend, including the theme song. Also several have posted videos on my Facebook wall, if we are friends on there.
International Leadership Conference (ILC) – The next week in Denver it was inspiring to be with leaders from all over the world for our annual ILC. Allen Gower and his worship team from Colorado Springs did such a great job of organizing all the worship – I had a blast getting to sit in with their group for a couple great blocks of worship on Thursday and Saturday mornings (and a couple other slots). All the news about how the churches are doing around the world was SO inspiring. Lots of video is currently available at dtoday.tv
Whew… All good times, but it sure is good to be back home! And I will get back to posting songs every Monday. It was great to get feedback from lots of different people at the conferences about the way God uses these songs.
This week I wanted to share a simple, fun song that has worked well at these conferences called “Show Me the Wonder”. A long time ago I decided I wanted to write as many simple songs as God would give me, because we need them. The songs that require lots of rehearsal, learning difficult vocal parts, putting together a band or choir – those are all great. But in our fellowship we like and need simple stuff too… to sing with your kids, at a campfire, at a baptism, or a beach quiet time. This is one of those type of songs.
Here is a demo recording, a capella with four-part harmony: Show Me the Wonder
I recently had an awesome time with about a thousand college students at a conference called “The Whole World Will Know.” There were about 4000 students world-wide who were a part of the conference, with meeting locations in different parts of the world (Hampton Roads VA, JoBurg, Nariobi, Lagos, Mexio City, Guatemala City, Santiago, Jakarta, Singapore, Australia, Bangalore, Bergen Norway, Budapest, Berlin, Kiev, Manila, London, and here in LA). It was so encouraging to sense the passion these young people have for being used by God to change the world for the better –helping the poor and underprivileged, spreading the gospel, starting new campus ministries, being willing to give their very lives to the cause of Christ. It is clear there is a fire being kindled on our college campuses. Years back, I moved here to LA as a college student as a part of a mission team, and being at the conference reminded me to “never be lacking in zeal, but keep my spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” If you are interested in more info about the annual conference, check out hereamisendme.net.
I wanted to share the theme song I wrote for the conference, along with the context of the song in the video below…
Whew, well, it’s been a while since I had a quiet Monday when I could post something to the blog. I was out of town for my cousin Spencer’s memorial service, and then for a couple conferences in a row (singles, then campus). I’ll write something today about my cousin, and in following weeks share some of the new songs from the conferences.
Spencer was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2002. After surgery, he was cancer-free for a number of years, but then the cancer came back aggressively and he passed away at the age of 30, leaving behind a wife (Brianne) and two little kids (Angelina and Xander). SO MANY were praying for him for so long, it is beyond us to understand why God called him home at this young age. But there is no question he is with the Lord – what a man of faith, courage, and honor he was! And what an encouragement his life has been to so many others.
The memorial was an emotional but also very powerful time, as 600 of Spencer’s family and friends gathered to celebrate his life and faith. Being there, I felt so inspired to live life more to the full. To be full of bold faith and zeal. To cherish friendships. To pass on to my kids faith and courage the way Clyde and Jane did to Spencer.
I was asked to lead the congregation in singing his daughter Angelina’s favorite song, “Home in Heaven.” Spencer told me they loved to sing this song together and that Angelina particularly would belt out the line at the end of the third verse “I’ll see you there…”
Spencer, truly we WILL see you there.
Here is a recording of the song from the album he and his family listened to often (another one of Spencer’s favorites was the song “His Hands”): Home In Heaven
My wife and I are directors for an annual singles conference that is coming up in just a couple weeks. The conference theme is “Imagine.” Chris Aleshin, a great performer, worship leader, brother from the LA Church wrote a conference theme song and gave me permission to post it. We scrambled to shoot this video (as my wife and I were on our way out the door to go teach a midweek – you can barely hear the printer in the background spitting out handouts) after he came over to teach me the song and work on it together. This is like the third time we sang it while Christ was making some final lyric choices, so this is a kind-of rough recording, but it will give you an idea of how the song goes. Very singable! We’ll shoot another video with the worship team this week when we meet to rehearse for the conference.
IMAGINE
(Chris Aleshin)
When we all walk we’ll not grow faint.
And when we run we will not tire.
And we will fly on wings like eagles.
As He makes us a roaring fire.
We sense the angels hovering round.
Fanning the spark in us.
There eternal since you found us.
We will not sleep but we’ll be changed.
In just the twinkling of an eye.
The dead in Christ at first will share.
After the trumpet sound.
We’ll meet Jesus in the air.
Imagine how it will be
as my brothers and my sisters
all worship with me.
Imagine our savior we meet.
All our hopes fulfilled
and our faith complete.
Twenty four elders all fall down.
They cast their crowns before the throne
He’ll wipe away all of our tears.
There will be no more pain.
Only Jesus who will reign!
Imagine how it will be
as my brothers and my sisters
all worship with me.
Imagine our savior we meet.
All our hopes fulfilled
and our faith complete.
Verse
A D / A E (repeating)
Pre-chorus
E / D
A D / A E
E / D
f#min / E
Chorus
A D / f#min E
A D / f#min E
A D / f#min E
D / E
(return to top)
Hello all,
Just a quick side comment — I don’t really look at my own blog much – I just write stuff and post songs. But as I pulled up jbriancraig.com and scrolled down, there are all these videos, pictures of my face… I hope it doesn’t look like I’m trying to build a monument to myself or something. I just have lots of people ask what I’m doing, ask about new songs, resources etc, and this seemed like a good way to share stuff. I would actually share more songs by other people too (Chris Tomlin, Hillsong, Jeremy Camp, Lincoln Brewster, etc) but I want to respect copyright, and there are no copyright issues with posting my own recordings!
Anyway, I just got back from a great weekend with the Omaha Church of Christ and some great friends, Gregg and Cathy Marutzky. My wife and I taught a parenting class early Sunday and I got to lead the worship and share some thoughts for the Sunday worship service. They also had me give a concert Saturday night – which was a blast… two hours with no time pressure, I could tell stories and share songs and we all enjoyed a spiritual time together. Normally with Sunday worship I’m really concerned with trying to pull in the audience and help people sing, but with the concert I told them I wasn’t going to worry about that and I might go into my own little world a bit (honestly, I think it can be impacting and worshipful to just listen to music with a focus on the words as well as singing yourself).
It was great being with Gregg and Cathy again. Gregg was our campus minister (and leader of the Denver church) back at CU Boulder where my wife and I met and fell in love. He did our wedding over 16 years go. G and C had such an impact on our young days of learning to follow Christ, and to lead and love others. There were a couple songs he wanted to make sure I shared, both theme songs from conferences or retreats back in those days, Ashes to Glory, and Look Unto the Hills. I share a little bit about the songs on this video (I don’t mention the name of the school because we were in “Cornhusker territory”). It was moving to connect with the words of these songs again, not just for nostalgic reasons but for the spiritual message of these songs, written in my young Christian days. It reminded me of the freshness of salvation, and the grace that reaches me even now, as an older Christian.
I’ve also posted recordings of these songs from an album I put together in 1995 as a senior project. Yeah, they’re a bit dated, but so what… Ashes To Glory Look Unto The Hills
ASHES TO GLORY
Oh, my eyes are turning
From the past behind the wall
Oh, my world’s been burning
So I run to the waterfall
I can see my life for what it is:
A fragile paper doll
Oh, my heart’s been yearning
So I answer heaven’s call
I die and am made clean
I fly unbound and free
I cry and you move me
From Ashes to Glory…
Oh, my heart was crying
My life was spinning round and round
Oh, my soul was dying
Ashes, ashes, all fall down
But the like the phoenix from the flame
I leave the ashes on the ground
Oh, for glory flying
I want to wear a golden crown
I die and am made clean
I fly unbound and free
I cry and you move me
From Ashes to Glory…
Oh, I see forever
And whatever comes my way
Oh, we’ll be together
And forever yours I’ll stay
A thousand years from now
Perhaps I’ll think of what was yesterday
And I won’t remember
If I ever felt afraid
I die and am made clean
I fly unbound and free
I cry and you move me
From Ashes to Glory…
LOOK UNTO THE HILLS
Me, I was looking at me
and all I could see
was my iniquity.
I’d fall, couldn’t see at all
to know that I wasn’t moving.
So down, I was feeling down,
not looking around
out from inside of me
O I’ve got to lift up my eyes,
swallow my pride,
and see His glory!
I look unto the hills.
Where does my help come from?
I look unto the hills and I can
see my Maker’s love.
I look unto the hills
and then I know I’ve won,
’cause with my Daddy I can only
overcome.
Why, I’m wondering why
I sit when I
have the power to up and fly.
Not me – but when I see above me,
up into eternity.
And then I understand
creation’s hand
is what supports me,
I can see he’s watching over me.
I can be anything with Him when I…
I look unto the hills.
Where does my help come from?
I look unto the hills and I can
see my Maker’s love.
I look unto the hills
and then I know I’ve won,
’cause with my Daddy I can only
overcome.
OK, so I missed a week completely of the Monday Morning Music blog, which I had told myself I wouldn’t do. But there were so many things coming together at the same time. The church of which I am a part had a big transition where one region merged with another and that has taken a lot of time, energy, and logistical stuff to make happen. We had several “final” worship services, send-off’s, things of that nature. And then just over a week ago our church-at-large, the Los Angeles Church of Christ, just celebrated her 20th anniversary in existence. We had a big worship service at the Home Depot Center –an incredible, memorable, heart-moving (and very long) time together. You can see photos at this link a great photographer has put up here. And there will be a video and photo essay soon posted on www.laicc.net.
Anyway, all of that came together last week and I had some deadlines to hit with designing graphics and launching a new worship series, married series, planning for a singles conference I’m directing, and things like that. Whew, makes me tired just writing about it all! So, I missed a week of blogging. As my lovely and always supportive wife was nudging me to take a week off I said, “but how can I disappoint my 20 or 30 readers?!” (OK it might be a few more than that.)
We did have some great time to recuperate and relax last weekend and celebrate Father’s day with my wonderful family. I am so grateful for my dad, who has always been so loving, caring, spiritually-guiding, faithfully-trusting-in-God. And I’m so grateful God has given me my own family to shepherd and care for.
I’m going to share a song I wrote some years back for Father’s Day called “My Father’s House.” The words are from Jesus to his followers on the night of his betrayal, taken loosely from John 14 and the surrounding chapters. I love this section of scripture. Sometime I’ll write more about all the cool Jewish wedding language that is used here.
We did this song at church yesterday. I usually have the congregation sing on the choruses, “fa-ther’s house… oo-oo.” I have a recording I made for the part-singers so I’m posting that as well, in case you’d like to use it sometime.
You know the way
even as you have known me
I’m here today
though tomorrow you’ll feel alone
Don’t slip away
when you feel the demons on you
‘Cause in you I’ll stay
and then I’ll come to take you home
And in my father’s house
there is room enough to hold you
In my father’s house
there’ll be no more fear and no more pain
In my father’s house
Remember all that I have told you
‘Cause my father’s house
you’re going to find is worth the wait
I’ll be beaten I will bleed
I’ll be pierced and I’ll be stricken
And in my name just like me
you’ll be ridiculed and scorned
But for a single grain of wheat
to give it’s fruit it must be buried
And so I’ll go but you will see
Tomorrow I’ll be reborn
There’ll be war there’ll be cold
There’ll be flood and fire and hardship
But remember what you were told
when you see this happening
That if you trust, if you hold
hold on to what I’ve shown you
If you’re faithful, if you’re bold
you’ll do even greater things…
drums – Pete Wade
bass – Malcolm Turner
electric guitars, mandolin – Marshall Mead
piano, guitars, percussion, vocals – JBC
The memorial was an emotional but also very powerful time, as 600 of Spencer’s family and friends gathered to celebrate his life and faith. Being there, I felt so inspired to live life more to the full. To be full of bold faith and zeal. To cherish friendships. To pass on to my kids faith and courage the way Clyde and Jane did to Spencer. 
