Mockingbird, McLaren, and Miller

I must say that I have always been a fan of Caedman's Call and Derek Webb. I have rarely missed an opportunity to hear either/both of them in concert. Their lyrics in the past and present have fueled many sustained meditations and provoked me to honest introspection and examination of my Christian life. Today, I picked up the new CD by Derek Webb entitled Mockingbird. I have heard much about this CD (including the interviews by Tim Challies - One and Two) and have waited with great expectation to listen to it. I will hold my commentary on the CD until a later time. However, what I will comment on is Webb's advertisement which I received via email. Here's what the email said: I love Derek Webb's CD, Mockingbird - everything about it. The lyrics, content, song structures - the instrumentation (those horns are amazing), chording (some juicy stuff there!), mix, and musicianship. It's rich and tasteful from beginning to end. A lot of us have been waiting for a "someday" and "someone" - when a committed Christian musician would start to lead in the areas of social justice and peace and break ranks with the domesticated muzak that so often passes for "Christian music." Derek is exactly the kind of artist we've been waiting for. -- Brian McLaren, author/activist (anewkindofchristian.com) +++++ "In general, I hate Christian rock music. But now I have heard the songs of Derek Webb. Webb's songs are free of the pietistic sentimentality that usually characterizes popular Christian music. His music, like the Gospel, is at once hard, edgy, and beautiful." -- Stanley Hauerwas, author, educator, Duke Divinity School +++++ "Humanity has a new prophet/poet to add to the beautiful fury of Dylan, Lennon, and Cash. Mockingbird is a forceable entry into the comfortable living room conscience. It is both an invitation to risk and hope for a kingdom not yet come, and also an artful provocation to be the knights of the kingdom that is already present. Derek Webb takes his role as an artist as seriously as he takes his role as a man living out his bond to grace and this record is proof." --Dan Haseltine, jarsofclay +++++ "Derek Webb is one of the most important artists of our time and Mockingbird is his most important record to date. He is becoming our Woody Guthrie." --Donald Miller, author Now, let me say clearly that I am all about the call for social concern and action among Christians (for instance, please see my link on the "taking care of business" sidebar). I believe that pure and undefiled religion is visiting the widow and orphan. I believe that God chose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom of heaven. I believe that if we do it "unto the least of these" we do it unto Him. I believe that we should work to liberate the oppressed, defend the defenseless, embrace the outcast, love our enemies, etc. . . . But what I am concerned about is Webb's marketing tactic with plugs by the Emergent Leader McLaren and pop-leader Miller. It is clear who the target audience is. Now, I do not want to read more into what a simple advertisement offers (as again I have not listened to the CD), but I would really like to know if Webb subscribes to McLaren's theology. I would like to know if he is using the names of these guys as a marketing ploy, or has he really bought into the wholesale endorsement of the EC. I think there are other Christians who are keenly aware of the need to be a part of ministering to a broken world with a broken heart for the lost who do it without compromising central teachings of Scripture and accomodating to the postmodern culture. I know that in the days ahead there will be plenty of discussion as to the nature of the relationship between Webb and McLaren and the like, and maybe the best thing that could come of this is to engage more Christians in caring for welfare of their fellow man both physically and spiritually. >>To read more takes, check out: Tim Challies' Response to A Critical, Judgmental, Deconstruction of Derek Webb's Life, Faith, and Ministry Jeff Wright's Et Tu Derek? CenturiOn's More on Challies' Interview of Derek Webb Ochuk's Derek Webb Not a Poster Boy Grassroots Music Article