By Derek Webb
i’m robbing peter, i’m paying paul
i’m changing my name back to saul
i got to them and you know i’ll get to you
i’m turning shepherds into sheep
and leaders into celebrities
it’s holy sabotage, just look around you
‘cause everything’s for sale in the 21st century
and the check is in the mail from the 21st century
don’t want the song i want a jingle
i love you Lord but don’t hear a single
and the truth is nearly impossible to rhyme
but i know the songs with all the hooks
and i know some lies that will sell some books
so grab ‘em fast, i’m running outta time
just keep selling truth in candy bars
on billboards and backs of cars
truth without context, my favorite of all my crimes
what works verses what's right
hey what's the difference tonight?
take out the sign, forget the meal
we’ve got a gym and a farris wheel
i swear it's just like the country club down the block
‘cause you can make your life look good
you can do what Jesus would
but you’d be surprised what you can do with a hard heart
i think you’ve got trouble in the 21st century
so welcome to the struggle, it’s the 21st century
i never thought i’d make it to the 21st century
Lord, i love the 21st century
i write these words from the grave
‘cause it’s the only place that i’m safe
and only the dead are permitted to speak the truth
A Sign of Life in the Music Industry
A fascinating resource for keeping a beat on what's going on in the music industry. For serious culture-watchers, and those just interested in running across a new artist. I can't wholly endorse everything in the magazine, but for the most part it's quite worth the read each issue. The first link will give you a little known insight into the roots of this magazine. The second is the magazine's web home. Each issue comes with a 20-track CD of random songs by different artists.
Preaching morality cannot be the first item on the agenda for any Christian preacher, but it cannot be shirked, either. We have to make the necessary assaults on the underlying anti-absolute presuppositions of our postmodern audience. Men and women need to be convinced that there is a God who has spoken in nonnegotiable absolutes; this God is also our Redeemer. He has paid the price of our failure. Only in this context does the preaching of morality make sense. Today, only in this context can it be heard at all. -Tim Keller
Still working on Andrew Peterson's album cover. You can see a cropped image of the art on the first page of the flash site at Portland Studios' site.