For sheer naming enthusiasm, Crowder’s Fantastical Church Music Conference should win something.  I am intrigued by the lineup — a mix of radio-friendly best sellers (DC*B, Hillsong, Matt Redman) and more indie-inclined artists such as The Welcome Wagon, John Mark McMillan (the songwriter behind How He Loves) and The Civil Wars.

I appreciate the musical diversity of the lineup (although, I have to say, it would be nice to see a little more racial/ethnic diversity from the stage, too).  Whimsy and play are vastly underrated when it comes to musical expressions of worship (we tend to stick with highly polished stadium anthems these days) — it is to Crowder’s credit that this event seems to stand out from the crowd.

Download a free live album from The Civil Wars here.

One of the things our family enjoys about the free Booksneeze review program is the occasional DVD that comes along.  My daughter has enjoyed Gigi videos in the past, so she was really excited to watch this one, Gigi’s Big Break.

Here is my daughter’s review, in her own words:

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Jurgen Moltmann has been beating me up all day.

I’ve been reading The Crucified God (an aside: whoever designed the series of covers for Moltmann’s books must be a Jesus and Mary Chain fan) — both for my own spiritual formation during this season of Lent, and also to share with our church community.

In our church, we’ve been talking a lot about the interconnectedness of suffering, redemption, hope and love in Christ.  Thoughts from folks such as Dave Gibbons and Rob Bell have been very formative for us in talking about redemptive suffering — appropriate as we approach Passion Week, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

We’ve been asking, as Moltmann writes in Crucified, “How can one continue to love despite grief, disappointment and death?” How do we experience pain honestly, without indulging in self-pity or becoming bitter, hardened people?  Can our pain lead us to deep, abiding trust in God and heartfelt empathy for others?

Here is a passage from The Crucified God that jumped out at me today:

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… It’s good!

(In case you missed the Ren and Stimpy reference, check out this classic commercial jingle)

Just a couple of quick updates:

  • Also, updated my Currently Enjoying page (to reflect what I’m liking today, not from like two months ago)

I discovered the work of Plant With Purpose (formerly known as Floresta) through The Ecclesia Collective here in San Diego. I was hooked by the question on the flier advertising a seminar they were leading: What is the connection between deforestation and poverty? For me, the question went a step further: What does any of this have to do with loving & serving people, and participating in the mission of God in the world?

Tending to Eden: Environmental Stewardship for God’s People by Scott Sabin, executive director of Plant With Purpose, addresses these questions in a way environmental-laypeople like myself can understand and relate to.  Eden is filled with engaging stories from Plant With Purpose’s work around the world, and from Scott’s own experience. I was happy to receive a review copy of Eden as part of the Plant With Purpose blog tour, which includes many thoughtful perspectives from across the blogosphere.

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