EASTER CAROLING, ANYBODY? AND FAVORITE RESURRECTION SONGS.

Young Martin Luther and Carolers Sing For Mrs. Cotta in Eisenach by Ferdinand Pauwels

I will never forget one suggestion made by Leah Libresco in her book Building The Benedict Option: A Guide To Gathering Two Or Three Together In His Name: Easter caroling.

Why not? After all, we go Christmas caroling. Why not Easter Caroling? 

Now, while there are many great Resurrection Day songs (more on those later), I can only think of three that I'd use for Easter caroling. But do we need a long list? After all, we'd only sing at the most two or three songs at each place.

Plus, when we sing at shut-ins and the like, wouldn't they not only enjoy hearing familiar songs but being reminded that Christ has conquered sin and death?

Reminder - the blog title mentions two parts. Often in a two subject blog, you do one and then the other. In this case, though, I'll combine the topics, and start with three songs that are favorites on the resurrection and that would be great for caroling:

• "Christ Arose" (aka "Low In The Grave He Lay"). Isn't that a triumphant song for the season?
• "Christ The Lord Is Risen Today." Excellent and theologically deep and sound lyrics by Charles Wesley, as you'd expect. I did hear someone mention, though, that John Wesley did not include this song in early Methodist Hymnals. 
• To the more contemporary, how about "The Easter Song," written by Annie Herring, originally recorded by the 2nd Chapter of Acts (which includes Annie), and recorded by several others like Keith Green, Glad, and Jess Ray.

Now, there are other great songs for that time of year that I would not consider material for caroling, but other great resurrection songs. Pardon me for putting them in random order.

• "Tell The Whole World" by Becky Ugartechea. My all time favorite song. Upbeat, and the ending is enough to get you excited to tell the world. Unfortunately, I don't know how to access it if you don't have the project: not on Spotify, not on YouTube, not anyplace either. :( 
• "Star Of The Morning" by Leon Patillo. Great, powerful keyboards, great singing. It's also been covered by Shirley Ceasar.
  
• "The Victor" by Jamie Owens-Collins. This classic has been covered by the Green brothers: Keith and Steve. 
• "He Lives" by Erick Nelson. Yes, this is a more obscure one, but definitely a great song on the resurrection.
• "Love Crucified Arose" by Michael Card.
• "The King Is Alive" by Function. And you thought Erick Nelson was obscure? But you can find it on Spotify.
• "The Holy City" by Mahalia Jackson (and probably others). A classic.
• "The Roar of Love"/"I Heard The Stars Sing Before" by 2nd Chapter of Acts. This pair, back to back on their "Roar of Love" album based on C.S.Lewis' "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" refers to Aslan the Lion, but is the meaning different?
• "He Came, He Saw, He Conquered" by Petra. Energetic song with John Schlitt's exciting singing.
• "Graverobber" by Petra. This one is from the Greg Volx era, focusing not just on Christ's resurrection but ours as well.
• "What A Day" by Alisa Turner. A newer one.
• "Christ is Risen" by Mia Fieldes. Another newby. Check both her and Alisa out on Spotify.
• "Living Hope" by Phil Wickham; still another contemporary one, but I think it's better known. For example, we sang it this morning (Easter) at my church.
• "The Garden Tomb" by the Isaacs. Yep, it's time to get into Southern Gospel.
• "She Found Jesus Alive" by Carroll Roberson. This is a song I could never stay depressed listening to.
• "Last Night" by Karen Peck and New River. Very solid song.
• "Russian Easter Festival Overture" by Rimski-Korsokov. Okay, it's instrumental. Is it dealing with the Resurrection, or with festivals celebrated that time? After all, the composer was an Agnostic. But it makes me think of Christ's being raised. Very energetic, and I have a tradition of listening to it on Easter. I like it better than Mahler's Resurrection Symphony (I've never been able to get into Mahler.)

One last thought: Don't worry. I'm not going to suggest Good Friday caroling.

BOOK REVIEW: COLD THREAT (RYLAND & ST. CLAIR BOOK 2) BY NANCY MEHL

Can the recent arsons in small town Burlington be connected to the three Des Moines fires twenty years ago, where they caught the killer after the third house? Is the psycopath who almost killed River Ryland years ago and is currently stalking her going to achieve his goal? And was Ryland responsible for her co-worker and friend Tony St. Clair getting shot when Ryland was nearly drowned?

"Cold Threat," the second part of Nancy Mehl's Ryland & St. James series, turns up the heat in excitement, plot twists, nail-biting suspense, and excellent character development. You learn to love the main characters and Tony's family, as well as have a hard time figuring out what will happen next.

Yes, this is part two. Do you need to read part one first to enjoy the two books? Definitely. "Cold Pursuit" deals more with River's family, which is hinted at in the second though not a major part of this installment, and there's a few things that will make more sense in this book. when you read the books in order. Additionally, both books end with a cliff-hanger, connected with the person who almost killed the main characters before this series started!

I have enjoyed Nancy Mehl for years, and I highly recommend this to any suspense lover.

 

BOOK REVIEW - FIVE TRAITS OF A DISCIPLEMAKER, EDITED BY DOUG NUENKE (US PRESIDENT OF THE NAVIGATORS)

 Would you be interested in a short devotional where each installment is two short pages? Do you enjoy having the devotionals written by different authors so you have different perspectives? Are you motivated when the devotional includes two or three questions for you to think about? 

And how many want this book just because of the title and subject?

"Five Traits of a Disciplemaker," edited by US PreDoug Nuenke with a foreward by Jerry Bridges, author of "The Pursuit of Holiness" fits that description. This 30 day devotional is divided into five six-devotional segments, each written by a different author (including Gary Thomas, author of one of my favorite books "Sacred Pathways").

Some devotionals are those you read, and that you put down encouraged, but are not challenged to transfer it to day to day life. Not so here. Each one has two or three questions at the end to encourage you to put what's read into practice.

I appreciated this devotional, and I'm definitely going to be using it again.

SAINTS IN ACTS, APOSTATES IN REVELATION? REALLY? - "LET'S STOP BEING SO CRITICAL" (PART 6 OF 6)

The Ninth Wave by Ivan Aivazovsky

Can you name the first European convert to Christianity? You say Lydia, the seller of purple from Thyatira? Very good.

Where else is Thyatira mentioned in Scripture? You say it sounds like one of the seven churches of Asia Christ gave letters to in Revelation? Again, correct answer. And you may remember that in that letter, Jesus condemns them for allowing an apostate woman called "Jezebel" in their midst.

Who is this "Jezebel?" Most don't consider that to be her real name. The leading views is the pastor's wife (based on the reading of some manuscripts) and an unknown false teacher. 

Yet some say that woman is Lydia, the first European convert, is that Jezebel. Any Biblical proof she fell away from the truth? Ab. So. Lute. Lee. None! 

I don't have to hide the identity of the minority who smear Lydia's reputation because I never have read that view - rather, I read another book that mentioned this theory and dismissed it.

However, there's another person mentioned in Acts that is associated with false teaching, even though it isn't clearly stated. That is Nicolas, one of the seven deacons, a proselyte from Antioch. Should we be leery of him? I see NO hints of that from the text.

But let's return to Revelation. In the letter to Ephesus, they're praised for hating the deeds of the Nicolatians, which Jesus hates. A few verses later, the church in Pergamum is condemned for allowing those who teach the doctrine of the Nicolatians, which Jesus hates.

What do we know for sure about the Nicolatians? Basically, nothing outside of these two mentions. They're not mentioned anyplace else in Scripture. There is no mention of that sect in any writings except commentaries of Revelation.

One question I have. Is this word supposed to be transliterated and treated as a proper noun? Or should it be translated and treated as a common noun? If you take the second view, you'd come up with "Controlling the People." If that is what Nicolatianism is, it should be condemned, though it is practiced both religiously and politically. 

But others - unfortunately a majority - assume that this was a Gnostic group formed by Nicolas. This is an ancient view, going back to the 2nd Century, and held by some of the Church Fathers. But is there Biblical proof that this Deacon went astray? Not a shred of evidence. Could it be named by somebody else named Nicolas? After all, later there was St. Nicolas - obviously not him, since he wasn't born yet, but still a sign others had that name? But no. They mimick the unprovable theory of the past and say this person had to be an apostate.

Does it make you mad when people jump to negative conclusions like this? It makes me mad. After all, we're commanded to love, and Paul says love thinks no evil (1 Corinthians 13:5). 

Why do we assume negative things when there are other options that are not negative? That's not Christian love. And we should be slow to make such assumptions of our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
 

INTERVIEW WITH BRYAN BROWN AND KENNY POOVEY OF DEADSIN

 

DeadSin, left to right: Cameron Murrell (Guitar and vocals), Bryan Brown (Bass and Lead Vocals), and Kenny Poovey (Guitar and vocals). Photo by my friend Chad Fenner of Concert Fotos.

JR: Welcome to the blog. How did the band get started? Who all are the members, and how did you choose your name?

BB: We got started around May/June of 2020. It was myself (bass, Lead Vocals) Keagan (drums) and Cameron (guitars). We wanted our name to mean something or be a conversation starter. We took a couple verses that talk about being dead in sins and dead to sin and just really liked DeadSin as a whole. 

Since we began we’ve gone through a couple line up changes. Keagan has left the band, he was a founding member. We currently have Bryan (me) and Cameron and Kenny Poovey (guitar, vocals)

JR: Would you like to tell us about your latest project(s)? Especially about "Sovereign."

BB: Our latest release was a song called “Don’t You Know” which is pretty much a pop song which talks about how much we care about our loved ones and friends. I had been wanting to write a song about my sons for years and this was it. 

Our song “Sovereign” is a banger. Keagan wrote most of it and I wrote the lyrics. We made a music video for it producing it ourselves with some help. We are big believers in the sovereignty of God and that all things happen for a reason and that He is control of every single thing. The chorus is based off or Romans 8 and 9. God saves us. He is the author and finisher of our faith. 

JR: I would like to know the story of your 3 song EP "The Protest," including the awesome artwork.

BB: Our EP “The Protest” was our first release. We had a handful of songs but picked these 3 cause they had some variousness in styles. We tracked the music ourselves but then flew to Nashville and had Josiah Prince of Disciple track all the vocals and later mix it. Was a great experience and he was awesome to work with. We may go back there in the future. Each song was picked for a specific reason. “Wrath” was a groover and we wanted to talk about an attribute of God most do not, His justice and wrath against the wicked. Next was “Recreate” a personal song of my walk and fall and return to Jesus. Last was “Elevate” a very pop passive aggressive song about false teachers. The video actually got us kicked off a show once. The artwork was Keagan’s idea and we for the boys in The Protest who also do graphic work as Quiet strength design to make it. They’ve done "Vapor" as well, my favorite. 

JR: I love that each of the members mention their favorite Bible passage on the website. What is the church background of the band? What are your sources (in person, favorite musicians, mentoring preachers via books, radio, etc.)?

BB: I grew up in an Assemblies of God church. Around my late 20’s I discovered RC Sproul and it led me down the path to where I am today in Reformed theology. I attend a Presbyterian church, in the CREC. I’m a fan of pastors and apologists like Jeff Durbin, James White, Voddie Baucham, Doug Wilson. As an older man, I’ve got so many favorite bands and artists to name. I think we do a good job of mixing in old and new styles in our music. 

Kenny Poovey was raised Catholic as a child and chose in adult hood to follow the non-denominational Christian faith.  Still growing every day in faith and his walk with Jesus.  DeadSin is actually a big influence on his journey. 

KP: I enjoy listening to scripture via the audio book and YouVersion app and get a lot of his lessons and teachings of scripture from my church, The Quest, located in Royse City, TX as well as from the amazing R.C. Sproul along with fellowship with my friends such as Chad Fenner who is a prolific professional photographer but also a major influence on myself along with  Bryan Brown from DeadSin and Shelby Steineger from my church. 

My favorite Bible verse, which is not easy to choose as there are many that resonate is "Romans 8:38-39: Nothing can separate you from the unconditional love of God!"   This verse is special to me because I can seek comfort in the thought of unconditional Agape Love.  I love "love" and I feel it is important to not only Christian faith as God has shown the proof that unconditional love exists but also for me, it is an important concept for my marriage.  I feel God should be at the center of my marriage and that we are to love each other unconditionally.  It is also something that the world truly needs, which is the unconditional love we receive from God but also that as humans, we should be leading by example each and every day to love one another.

JR: What do you think is the greatest danger facing the church, and what is DeadSin's role in dealing with that danger?

KP: I think the greatest fear or danger for the church is when folks twist the narrative or meaning of the Bible at its teaching for their own personal gain or personal agenda.  I think DeadSin does a good job by facing this head on in our song, "Elevate".  DeadSin is committed to speaking the truth and shining the light on this sickening trend taking place in our churches. 

BB: Greatest danger is the lack of discernment and not knowing who God really is. We’ve made a God that conforms to who we want him to be more than reading and understanding what scripture has said. God is holy, holy, holy. We can’t comprehend that in our human minds. The theology in main stream American churches is very watered down and frankly weak. I also fear the church’s are full of false converts too. 

JR: Thank you for your time. What projects are you working on? How can we keep in contact with y'all (how's that for a little Texan?)?

Photo courtesy of Chad Fenner of Concert Fotos

BB: Thank you so much for doing this with us. We’ve had a brief lull in the band for a few really good reasons but we are still writing. Got a couple songs in the works and hope to drop something by summer. We are looking at this as DeadSin 2.0 with Kenny joining us. You can keep up with us on our webpage and on Facebook.  We are excited about the future and pray God uses us for His glory. God bless!

INTERVIEW WITH AMY AND SETH OLSEN OF THE BAND COUNTER

Counter, left to right: Travis Whisnant (bass), Michael Fox (lead guitar), Amy Olsen (vocals), Seth Olsen (rhythm guitars), and Eli Roscoe (drums).

Late winter/early spring is the time of year that I get acquainted with new-to-me bands. I have the honor of interviewing Amy and Seth Olsen (referred to as A&S in the interview) of the band Counter. 

JR: Welcome to the blog! How did the band get started, who's all in it, and why the name "Counter?"

A&S: Hi, Jeff - thanks for having us. The initial band concept started a few years back (around early 2020/2021) when Seth started messing around with some initial song ideas/demos. Initially, Seth was working on more worship songs for my church band that I play with once in a while - but soon realized he was driven more to write heavier songs - for people who may never come to church.

As far as the name - Counter's name means "go against" which comes across lyrically in our music as we highlight upbeat/positive themes through down tuned heavy riffs, pounding drums and soaring catchy vocals hooks that lyrically go against the hate and derision in today’s world. We believe in going into the darkest places and bringing light and hope to others. 

JR: Would you like to tell us about your latest single? 

A&S: Our latest track is titled "The Darkness." This song was produced by Ricky Rodriguez and initial song structure was a collaboration we did with Colt Crevar - the guitarist of the band Forever May Fall (Charlotte metal core band) who works with many bands in the region. This song has done really well on streaming - one of our most popular - we are really proud of how it all came together in the final mix. The song’s message is that no matter how dark of a place you either end up in (or try to put yourself in on purpose) you can never hide from the Light, that the shadows still shine because the Light is near so you are never alone, and when you open yourself to that Light and accept it, you can begin to move out of that dark place and towards where (and who) you were meant to be.

JR: Looking at your web-page, you got your start during the middle of COVID. What were the challenges of trying to get established in that era, and how did you see God use that situation?

A&S: Covid was an interesting time: good in some ways to start a band who really had no original music. Venues were pretty much shut down - so we really had time to work on music and try to develop the sound and style along with finding the right members and work on a set list. We are focused on playing original music in our sets, so sometimes that is a challenge as many places are still more into cover type bands that will play the “hits” of a certain style and genre.

We still have challenges in setting up shows, but we have worked to partner with other bands to play shows with them which makes a difference. We really enjoying making new connections both with bands and venues. We think God is still using us in many ways including helping us create powerful music that people enjoy and in reaching out to new audiences and new bands - we are happy to offer hope and a helping hand to anyone.

JR: What would you say is the vision of the band?

A&S: We would say the vision or the mission is really the great commission and reaching out to others with love and mercy and showing them the Way. We are very much aligned with The Whosoever’s movement (same as Lacey Sturm, P.O.D. [Sonny Sandoval], Life & Death [Brian Head Welch] etc.) in reaching out to those in need - let them know they matter and that the Lord wants to meet them where they are and make their lives better.

JR: How can we pray for Counter? And are there any praise reports?

A&S: We are hoping to put together a large music fundraiser event this summer with bands on a similar mission to us. Be praying that it can all come together as we would like so that we can meet unexpected people in an unexpected place with an unexpected message of hope and mercy, especially those suffering under strongholds of addiction. Also pray that this show is something not where we may want to play and perform, but rather it is something the Lord wants that can be used to reach those looking for answers  but in the wrong places. Praise reports for us really are that the Lord has put the right people in our path to form the band (and all on the same mission) - the band initially was just us. Especially since we are based in a small town - not typically where a hard rock band may typically start from.

JR: What's on the agenda as far as touring and recording? How can we keep up with what's going on with the band?

A&S: As far as keeping up with us - really easy to follow us on Facebook or Instagram (where we are active) along with our website, www.counter.rocks For 2024 - we are playing around 1 show per month which can be found on our Bandsintown page and for recording we are going into the studio soon to work on our next single which is already fully developed. We are more into releasing singles (versus albums or EPs) and hope to put out a few this year but don’t have an exact timetable on that - plus we are self funded - not on any label - so takes some time to put funds together. Thanks again for having us - be sure to follow us on our Main Link Page, Instagram and Spotify!!

JR: Thank you for your time. Are there any other final thoughts you’d like to share?

A&S: One of the main things is we want people to know this is all real: Christ is real and He has real plans for their lives; that is is not about Churchianity or keep up with others expectations, but rather a true connection with a Savior who loves them and only wants the best for each person's lives. He is the one that can break chains of addiction - both things like drugs & alcohol - as well as things like social media comparitiveness where people are continually judging themselves to others and becoming more despondent and divisive, chained down by a vanity cycle loop that is all imaginary.

BARNABAS - "LET'S STOP BEING SO CRITICAL" (PART 5 OF 6)

San Barnaba by Anonimo Lombardo

What? Am I saying that people are being critical of the "Son of Encouragement?" Are they opposed to people encouraging others?

Take a deep breath. No, it isn't about his being encouraging, though it does affect one's thinking of his encouragement. And I can think of only one person who mentioned this criticism, and I won't mention his name because it might take away deserved respect from that pastor.

The root issue is similar to Matthias. How many apostles are there? If one limits it to 12, then that would either be the eleven and Paul or the eleven and Matthias. No place would exist for Barnabas being an apostle, and that is the basis of the criticism. 

Remember when Paul and Barnabas had a disagreement on taking Mark for the second missionary journey, resulting in the two going different directions? I have always thought (and I have the impression that I'm in the majority) that both sides have a point. Also, looking ahead, Paul mentions Mark in one place as someone to receive and in another as being profitable for the ministry (Colossians 4:10, 2 Timothy 4:11). 

Nevertheless, the critic believes that Barnabas was wrong for not going along with Paul because Paul was an apostle and he wasn't. But even if that was true, didn't Barnabas' encouragement and loyalty help move Mark from being a cowardly liability when he left Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey to being valuable for the ministry? The critic doesn't give him any credit, instead saying that working with Peter was what what made the difference (most people consider the Gospel of Mark to be more accurately the Gospel of Peter as told to Mark). 

Back to the issue of apostleship: are there portions that include others as apostles other than the twelve and Paul? We dealt with Matthias and why he should be considered part of the Twelve last week. James the brother of Jesus is also referred to as an apostle by Paul in Galatians 1. And there are portions that state that Barnabas also was an apostle.

• Barnabas brought Paul into the fellowship of the Jerusalem Church (Acts 9:26-28).
• Barnabas was chosen by the apostles to see what was happening in Antioch (Acts 11:22); in contrast, they sent Peter and John to the earlier revival in Samaria (Acts 8:14-15).
• When it listed the five leaders in Antioch (Acts 13:1), Barnabas was first, and Saul (i.e. Paul) was fifth. Lists often are mentioned in order of importance. Likewise, when they went to Cyprus, they were referred to as "Barnabas and Saul," and when they left Cyprus, they were called "Paul and Barnabas."
• When Paul healed the lame man in Lystra, and the people tried to worship to them, Acts 14:14 says, "But when the apostles Paul and Barnabas..." This should by itself end the theory that Barnabas was not an apostle, but the critic responds by saying they're two different types of apostles, a concept that might have shown up in Fifth Timothy or some book following Revelation.
• In Galatians 2:1-10, Paul implies that Barnabas was on the same level. Similar in his defense of his apostleship, putting himself and Barnabas on the same level in not using privileges other Apostles used (1 Corinthinans 9:3-6).

True, history follows Paul after he and Barnabas parted ways. But keep in mind - Paul and Barnabas both agreed to go visit the believers from the first missionary trip. When Paul went to Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe with Silas, Barnabas and Mark went to Cyprus. Yes, Barnabas' home country, but also the first place of work, including the salvation of the procounsul. I heard one person say that the result of Paul and Barnabas' division meant there were twice as many mission teams going out.
 

BOOK REVIEW - EXPLOSIVE TRAIL (PACIFIC NORTHWEST K-9 UNIT, BOOK 3) BY TERRI REED

 

Who is exploding trail markers at the National Park and why? And who is more dangerous to K-9 Officer Willow Bates: the unpredictable, vengeful bomber, or her soon-to-be-ex-husband, FBI Officer Theo Bates?

"Explosive Trail" by Terri Reed is the third book of the Pacific Northwest K-9 Unit series from Harlequin's Love Inspired Suspense series. As usual with the multi-author K-9 series, each book has threads that extend the whole series, but also has its own story. Thus, it is written where if you miss a story or start with a book other than the first one, you'll neither feel lost with references to earlier stories nor spoil the previous installments if you want to catch up. (In this case, I have read the opening book "Shielding the Baby" by Laura Scott, but I've yet to read book 2, "Scent of Truth" by Valerie Hansen.)

I've read Love Inspired Suspense stories where the lead characters were formerly married and fall in love again (am I spoiling a Harlequin to say there's a happily ever after ending?), but this is the first I've read where the characters are on the verge of divorce. Reed tells a compelling story about the ups and downs of the relationship. Personally, I found that aside from the first scene, more focus is on the romance side than the suspense angle, but it felt natural to the story.

I highly recommend this book and the series (at least, as far as I've read so far).

BOOK REVIEW - RELIGHTING THE TORCH BY ANDREW HORNING

 

Is this country the Constitutional Republic the Founding Fathers gave us? If not, is that an improvement, or is it endangering the freedoms the Constitution was meant to preserve?

In "Relighting The Torch," Andrew Horning deals with these issues. He points out how, almost while the ink on the Constitution was still wet, we moved toward a centralized government. He then includes an annotated Declaration of Independence and Constitution with all the Amendments, concluding with ways to get our country back on track.

I found this book informative, which did not surprise me the least. Horning has run for office as both a Libertarian and a Republican. During one debate, one blogger commented that he would make an excellent teacher on the Constitution and government. I fully agree.

There are few books I can objectively say that I think everyone should read. This is a good example. I wish our leaders would read this and try to get this country back in shape. 

Thank you, Andrew Horning, for writing this book.

MATTHIAS - "LET'S STOP BEING SO CRITICAL" (PART 4 OF 6)

St. Mathias by Peter Paul Rubens from his Twelve Apostles series at the Museo del Prado, Madrid, c. 1611

Sometimes, a person gets criticized because of someone else's actions. Matthias is in this point. The sole criticism of Matthias was not anything he did or said, but just that he wasn't God's choice as Judas' replacement. Nor was the other man on the ballot. Obviously, Paul was God's choice. At least, that's what they say, criticizing Peter for rushing ahead before the Holy Spirit came down.

Sigh. What is the real root of that theory? Simple. Paul is a prominent figure in Acts and the New Testament, and Matthias isn't. They add that there are references to the twelve apostles like "you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matthew 19:28) and "Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb" (Revelation 21:14). So doesn't mean there are only twelve apostles?

Let me deal with these issues.

• Matthias is not an apostle because he's not mentioned as much as Paul? Let's see - give me all the references in Acts to Thomas and Andrew and Simon the Zealot. Matthias fits in the mix with them. Never mind that the view that prominence shows God's blessing is of the flesh; God saves by few as by many.
• What is the significance of twelve? Well, duh, it relates to the 12 Tribes of Israel. Matthew 19:28 talks about the Apostles judging the 12 tribes. Revelation 21:14 follows 21:12, which talks about the 12 tribes. Could the 12 Apostles be a signal of a rebirth of Israel, starting the day of Pentecost? Then why wasn't Paul there?
• Let's look at instances when Post-Judas the disciples are referred to as "The Twelve." First, Luke mentions them in Acts 6:2. Second, there is the reference of Jesus appearing to the twelve after the Resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:5. We know who 11 of the 12 are, and we know Judas wasn't there. Who was the 12th in both cases? Paul? No, not converted yet. Could the 12th be Matthias? Of course, it could. By the way, Paul considered Matthias to be one of the twelve; he did not consider himself one of the twelve.
• Again, the ministry of the 12 was to the 12 tribes. Paul's ministry was to the Gentiles. There is no indication that he ever was a part of the 11 in his ministry. 
• Of course, we're not saying that Paul's not an apostle. But is it possible that the references of the 12 apostles were connected to Israel, meaning apostles to the Gentiles could be apostles but not of the 12, like Paul?
• Also, who said Peter was jumping the gun? Jesus spent 40 days with the Apostles. There was no record that He spoke about replacing Judas... and no record that He didn't. He told them to wait in Jerusalem, but He didn't tell them what to do or not to do while in Jerusalem waiting. One friend made fun of casting lots - hey, God commanded lots be used in calling out Achan's sin and His choice of King Saul, as well as using that means in other instances. The qualifications? For a person to be a witness of Christ's life and resurrection? Not commanded. Not. Condemned.

Yes, this is an issue for me. After all, the text nowhere suggests Peter was jumping the gun or that they were to wait for Paul to be saved. Again, it's looking down on Matthias because of a lack of prominence. But all the references that say he wasn't God's choice are located either preceding Genesis or following Revelation.

 

ALBUM REVIEW - ARE YOU READY BY MCKENNA

 

Anybody like me in looking for new rock? I discovered "Are You Ready" by the rock band McKenna. This is a good, high energy band. They also have long, well developed songs - most are over five minutes in length, one of which is 6:20 and the last track is listed as being 12:23. More on the final track.

My favorite tracks on this project are the title track, "Love Remains," "Time To Go," "Push The World Out," and "Homecoming." 

Is there such a thing as a spoiler in album reviews? Have you ever listened to a CD where after the last track on the list the player continues for a minute or more before another unlisted song pops up? This one does that. I was prepared for a real long, YES type song, but the song ended after six and a half minutes and then a new one came on a minute later.

I really enjoyed this album and highly recommend it.

INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR DONNA FLETCHER CROW

Author Donna Fletcher Crow on the Riviera. 

So far, I've had several interviews on this blog (especially in '21 and '22, nowhere near as many last year), but I've only had one repeat interviewee. Well, the only twice-interviewed is now my first thrice-interviewed.

I've invited Donna Fletcher Crow, who I interviewed in '20 and '21 (links highlighted if you want to see them) to discuss her latest book "Going There: Tales From The Riviera and Beyond" (click here for book review).

Donna has just reached into the rarified air of authors I've read at least 20 books by (a state that she shares with only Agatha Christy, though Nancy Mehl is knocking at the door with me about to start on my 19th novel by her). The 22 books I've read by Donna include her 6 Monastery Mysteries featuring Father Antony and Felicia, the five part Lord Danvers Investigates, and the five Elizabeth and Richard Literary Suspense.

JR: Welcome back to the blog! Though you've been a guest here a couple of times, it's the first since COVID is more of a nuisance hanging around than the dreaded monster it was in '20 and '21. What is new with you, your family, your church, etc. since then?

DFC: Hello, Jeff! What an honor to be here with you again. Oh, goodness, what a question—I could write a novel. If only I had time. With 4 married children and 15 grandchildren, life is always intense, but it does seem to be more so now than ever. My husband once told our children it was their job to keep us from getting bored. Bad mistake—boredom would be a welcome break. Thankfully, it’s mostly good things. Job changes, some desired and some not, including my husband’s desire to retire, but not yet finding a good exit strategy from his business, and several grandchildren getting to the age that boyfriend/girlfriend relationships are serious prayer topics. Also, the grandson who returned from Afghanistan with PTSD and is now in rehab.

And thank you for asking about our church. The building project we were ready to launch before the Covid lockdowns struck is finally underway. Phase 1, the new parish hall and library are in progress. That’s a huge “Thanks be to God!” but also a major involvement in planning for future ministry to our neighborhood now that we will actually have the space for new programs.

And, yes, along with all of that I am plodding along with my writing. 

JR: Of course, one thing I want to talk about here is your latest book, I believe. (It wouldn't surprise me if you released a book or two or twelve since then.) Tell us all about "Going There: Tales From The Riviera and Beyond." What's the inspiration of the book? What was it like combining non-fiction with fiction in this story collection? 

DFC: Oh, Jeff—in my prime I did, indeed release 3 books a year. Now I struggle to keep up with one. Going There, though, was a fun project that just surprised me by turning up. In the summer of 2021 my daughter-in-law Kelly and I managed to slip through a narrow window of sanity between Covid lockdowns to chaperone my granddaughter Jane in a break between her ballet schools in Monaco and Basel. I was relaxing and reveling in the beauty of the Riviera when I realized characters from several of my series had tagged along. I kept seeing places Felicity was likely to find a body or visiting a church Father Antony would love. Then the home of a writer that Elizabeth and Richard would be certain to want to visit… Another factor grew as and Kelly and I became overwhelmed with the realization of what an extraordinary adventure we were having in the midst of a worldwide pandemic. My love of sharing my experiences with my readers took over as I wrote in my journal.

Combining fiction with non-fiction is really what I do all the time. I always try to use as much actual history and real experiences in my novels as I can. I’m not really very good at making stuff up—that’s one of the reasons I love using historical characters so much. And that’s why Father Antony is such a good character for me to work with—He loves recounting the stories of the saints as factually as he can. Of course, writing actual short stories between my travel memoir events was a new experience for me—which I enjoyed very much.

JR: Another project that was finished relatively recently was the completion of the Celtic Cross series. Was concluding that series a celebration, a relief, an appetizer for another similar endeavor, or some of each?

DFC: I would say it was a great satisfaction, Jeff. The Celtic Cross series was a project I had kept in mind for years. Covid was the perfect opportunity. I had written The Fields of Bannockburn and The Banks of the Boyne, epic histories of Scotland and Ireland in the 1990s. They had been out of print for many years and, of course, eBooks hadn’t even been thought of when they were published. I wanted to make these stories—which I still felt were wonderful, not because of my telling, but because of what the historic people did—deserved a modern audience. I felt rewriting them into a series, rather than 2 massive volumes made them more accessible to readers, and possible for eBook format, since they are limited as to length. Of course, it turned out to be one of those projects I would never have had the courage to launch if I’d had any idea how much work it would be, but I felt the end product, with the help of my wonderful editor and cover artist, was worth the journey.

JR: Okay, I'll ask you to take off your author hat and take your seat at the news desk. Has your time on the Riviera affected how you see things here in the USA? Are you optimistic, pessimistic, or some of both about the coming election and the world situation?

DFC: The thing that amazing trip to the Riviera and beyond most underscored for me was the necessity of grabbing the moment when the door is open. It was an incredible three-generation family time and an opportunity I had never dreamed of and is very unlikely to come again. There were many inconveniences and nerve-wracking moments caused by the world situation—but aren’t there always? I’m so thankful I seized the opportunity. 

Oh, my—the plight of the world… Well, at the end of the day, A Christian has to be optimistic, don’t we? We’ve read the Book—we know how it will end. In the meantime, however, we must face the fact that we live in a fallen world. Without getting into politics, I will have to say, though, that it does seem to be falling faster and further than I have experienced in my very long lifetime. (If you’re curious, I was born 3 weeks before Pearl Harbor.) Which is all to say my advice is to get on your knees, but keep looking up.

JR: Back to writing. What's your WIP ("Work in Progress " in case any reader's not used to writer lingo)? When shall we look for it?

DFC: At this moment I am writing a 4-part series on “The Landscape of Pride and Prejudice” for the “Jane Austen’s Regency World Magazine.” When that is done, I will get back to a project I did the onsite research for in 2001 when I went to the Outer Hebrides right after 9/11. It’s the story of the Hebrides Awakening—an account I’ve wanted to relate ever since I first heard about it. This will be Book 7 in the Monastery Murders—quite a departure for Felicity and Antony because it doesn’t involve old Celtic saints. Well, not very much, anyway. I hope to have it out by the end of the year, but we’ll have to see about that.

JR: Thank you for your time. Would you like to remind us how to keep in touch with you?

DFC: Thank you so much for this fun visit, Jeff! Readers can follow me on Facebook, subscribe to my newsletter (and get a free book), write to me through my website, follow my blog, see my YouTube videos, or find all my books on Amazon. Oh, and some might want to check out my brand new offerings on Audible.

THOMAS - "LET'S STOP BEING SO CRITICAL" (PART 3 OF 6)

 

St. Thomas by Peter Paul Rubens from his Twelve Apostles series at the Museo del Prado, Madrid, c. 1611

Continuing with a series urging believers to give up being inclined to negative thoughts for Lent and finding so much joy in that attitude they never go back to being critical.

How many look at the title and painting of today's blog and immediately think, "Oh, it's doubting Thomas?"

No, Doubting isn't his first name. No, Biblically his nickname isn't "Doubting Thomas;" it's "the Twin." 

Yes, Thomas doubted, but in Mark 16:9-14 stated that the eleven did not believe the report of the women or the two disciples from Emmaus and Jesus rebuked them. Also, Matthew 28:17 stated some (plural) doubted - this was at the Great Commission, and after Thomas showed up. So why single out Thomas? No! Good! Reason!

Let's look at what else we know about Thomas, starting with the Synoptic Gospels - we know he's one of the twelve. And that's it. Well, since Matthew and Luke's lists technically list six pairs of disciples, they both put Matthew together with Thomas.

When you get to John, you learn more. This is where we learn he's nicknamed "the Twin." It may be he had a twin, it may be that he looked similar to either one of the other apostles or Jesus Himself, and it may be that he used to play baseball in Minnesota. The last one is slightly less likely than the others.

Thomas also was on the passenger list for Peter's post-Resurrection fishing trip in John 21. I find it interesting that he and Nathaniel (aka Bartholomew) joined Peter and the Zebedee brothers, but Peter's brother and fellow fisher Andrew didn't.

Yes, I'm now working backward in John. We also hear from Thomas in John 14:5. Here, Thomas (and probably other) disciples were stumped by what Jesus had said. Unlike the others, he raised his hand (maybe) and asked "Lord, we do not know where you are going, and how can we know the way?" I'm sure you all know the answer. What you don't have John 14:6 memorized?

However, I want you to think of John 11 next time you want to dub him "Doubting Thomas." This chapter starts with Jesus being informed that his friend Lazarus was sick. I'm sure you know the story. Jesus waited two days, and then shocked his disciples by saying that Lazarus was dead and then left to Judea, where recently they tried to stone him.

But do you remember a disciple saying, "Let us go also that  we may die with him?" It's in John 11:16. Notice who that disciple was? Yep. Thomas.

After hearing that statement, do you think we should call him "Doubting Thomas?" Should we not rather call him "Ready to Die for Christ Thomas?" 

Maybe we should stop vilifying Thomas? You think?