What is Chris Tomlin Thinking???It’s true; Chris Tomlin is an accomplished musician. In fact, although it is hard to believe, I think he is a much better musician than I am. Not only is he a great performer, he also has great hair and that cool soul patch thing going for him. Now, he is no David Crowder when it comes to hair, but musically speaking he is one of the best.
At least that is what I thought until I started thinking about the song “God of This City". (Click the title to see a cool youtube video of the song.)
Originally I took to the song like a fat kid takes to a cupcake… I was all over it! The driving beat, the catchy chorus, the easy to follow verses – this song has everything a great praise song should have all wrapped up in a quintessential “You are!” I even bought it off itunes for my ipod. But then the question was brought to my attention, “what is it about this song that you like so much?” Well, if you have been reading this you obviously know what attracted me to the song [check it out… four lines up], but those are just things I like about the song. There is nothing special, earth shaking or life changing about a good beat or an easy to follow rhyme scheme. In fact, lots of songs I don’t like have those same attributes.
So then I start to really evaluate what it is that has sold me on this song. I began to ask myself some questions like: is it because it’s a Chris Tomlin song? Nah, I don’t really like all of his stuff (just most of it). Is it because we sing it at church? Nope, all the songs we sing at church don’t grab my attention like this one has. Is it the words of the song? Hmmm…
Maybe. Maybe the words sold the song for me.
“Greater things have yet to come, Greater things are still to be done in this city, Greater things have yet to come, and greater things have still to be done here.”
Eureka! That’s it! The words [who would have ever thought the words would make or break a song?] sold the song for me. If you’ve heard the song and are sold on it, it is possible that the words sold it for you too!
Greater things have yet to come…
– Wow… what?! Where? In this city? No way… Huh???
And thus my despair, “What is Chris Tomlin thinking?”
I look around my city and don’t see God. I mean, I know he is supposed to be in the churches and with preachers and stuff, but can I really see Him. I hear about the crime in our streets and the abuse of drugs and alcohol, but can I really see Him. I see the homeless, the lonely, the broken, the sexually abused, but can I really see God? Am I supposed to expect them to believe that greater things have yet to come… and greater things have still to be done?
I believe so!!
The Apostle Paul must have helped in the writing of “God of This City”, and I believe he sums up our responsibility to the afore mentioned anthem through this excerpt in his letter to the believers in Rome [Italy, that is.]:
11Scripture reassures us, "No one who trusts God like this--heart and soul--will ever regret it." 12It's exactly the same no matter what a person's religious background may be: the same God for all of us, acting the same incredibly generous way to everyone who calls out for help. 13"Everyone who calls, "Help, God!' gets help."
14But how can people call for help if they don't know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven't heard of the One who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them? 15And how is anyone going to tell them, unless someone is sent to do it? That's why Scripture exclaims,
A sight to take your breath away!
Grand processions of people telling all the good things of God! (Romans 10:11-15, The Message, italics added)
Call me old fashioned [or call me happy, smart, fancy, good looking, a great musician, etc], but I believe that ANY and ALL believers in Christ have the responsibility to share with their fellow man or woman the good news that Jesus helps by saving them from whatever is weighing him or her down. In fact, “Everyone who calls, ‘Help, God!’ gets help.” However, it is the role of the Christian to tell of this incredible news; it is the responsibility of the Christ Follower to tell all the good things of God!
I chose The Message translation to convey my thoughts, but I really like how the more traditional translations put verse 15(b): As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" (NIV)
Are my feet beautiful? As a Christ Follower I can’t say that I’ve been telling all the good things of God… I’ve not been living out the freedom that only God can give me. I’ve been going through the motions and not taking the risk.
What is Chris Tomlin thinking? I believe he is thinking we all need to get to work.
How can “they” hear unless “we” tell them that greater things are yet to come?
In the next two installments I will offer some insights into how I believe we can prove that God is the God of This City.
Call me old fashioned [or call me happy, smart, fancy, good looking, a great musician, etc], but I believe that ANY and ALL believers in Christ have the responsibility to share with their fellow man or woman the good news that Jesus helps by saving them from whatever is weighing him or her down. In fact, “Everyone who calls, ‘Help, God!’ gets help.” However, it is the role of the Christian to tell of this incredible news; it is the responsibility of the Christ Follower to tell all the good things of God!
I chose The Message translation to convey my thoughts, but I really like how the more traditional translations put verse 15(b): As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" (NIV)
Are my feet beautiful? As a Christ Follower I can’t say that I’ve been telling all the good things of God… I’ve not been living out the freedom that only God can give me. I’ve been going through the motions and not taking the risk.
What is Chris Tomlin thinking? I believe he is thinking we all need to get to work.
How can “they” hear unless “we” tell them that greater things are yet to come?
In the next two installments I will offer some insights into how I believe we can prove that God is the God of This City.
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