Talbot Davis, Author at Talbot Davis

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Top Five Tuesday — Top Five “This Is My Favorite Song EVER” Through The Years

Talbot Davis April 17, 2012 at 6:08 am 0

Here's my life in music as defined by what I had decided was "the greatest song ever" at the different ages in my life.

1. When I was 6, it was "Ride My See Saw" by the Moody Blues. All my siblings were much older than I was; there was a great deal of hippie influence in their dress, friends, and music; and I remember them putting this record album on the turn table on our little study. Perhaps because the song used an image a six year old could comprehend -- a see saw -- I decided this was the best song ever.

2. When I was 11, it was Kodachrome by Paul Simon. I've told before how I listened to and loved this song while on a long car ride wiht my dad in 1973. He surprised me a few months later by giving me the record album for my birthday. Three confessions: 1) I originally thought the name of the song was "Portachrome"; and 2) it wasn't until much later (like my 20s) that I learned kodachrome as a kind of film; 3) I still love the song.

3. When I was 18, it was, of course, "Stairway To Heaven" by Led Zeppelin. I'd gone through the album rock phase and I thought this was the seminal moment of that genre. I believed that every great song had to be at least six minutes long, have a variety of musical tempos and styles, and feature lyrics that sounded both profound and obscure at the same time. By those standards, "Stairway" scored a perfect trifecta.

2. When I was 30, it was "The Boys Of Summer" by Don Henley. I was a big fan of the Eagles when I was a teenager -- "Take It To The Limit" could have easily made this list -- but a bigger fan of Henley's solo work. This song is the major reason why. Remember the list of what makes a great classic song from #3 above? This song packs so much energy into just a few minutes that it blows that theory out of the water. Makes "Stairway" seem so tedious in comparison . . . or maybe it's just because when I got older I had less time to listen to the music. For fun, enjoy this acoustic version:

1. When I am 50, it's "Where The Streets Have No Name" by U2. The haunting keyboards, the ringing guitar riff, the soaring vocals, and the lyrics that capture our longing for a slice of heaven on earth make this one sound as good today as it did when I first heard it.

How about the version from the 2002 Super Bowl? Comes on after after "Beautiful Day" and combines the music with a tribute to the victims of 9.11:

Good Shepherd

What I Learned From A Rabbi

Talbot Davis April 16, 2012 at 6:37 am 0

Years ago, when preparing for a series called "Christianity & The Religions Of The World," I had an interview with a local rabbi.

Of all that he said, this comment has stuck with me the most through the years: "You Christians believe that faith starts at the church and families then bring it home with them. In Judaism, it's different. We believe faith starts at the home and families then bring it to synagogue with them."

And I thought, "That's why Jesus was Jewish!"

But there is such wisdom in the rabbi's comments, and we have much to learn in this area from our Jewish brothers and sisters.

And all that is part of the reason why the culmination of the Courageous series will take place on May 6, 2012 when we celebrate that "the church is going home."

Which means that instead of having one sermon at GSUMC, we'll have 1,000.

Instead of morning celebrations at the church, we will resource, empower, and equip families of all stripes to have an intimate experience of worship in their own homes.

Then we'll invite the entire community for a Spring Celebration Picnic that same afternoon, and we'll spend part of the time highlighting together what God did in people's homes that morning.

For our large population of single adults, we are gathering together a number of host homes for family devotions, single-style.

It's all to underscore one of Courageous' central truths: faith begins at home and not at church.

Usually, the only time a congregation doesn't have Sunday worship is because of ice, sleet, or snow.

We consider home-based faith to be a much better reason.

Good Shepherd

Courageous Launch

Talbot Davis April 13, 2012 at 5:00 am 0

At Good Shepherd, we believe that a living relationship with Jesus Christ begins at home.

We’re not much interested in the kind of faith that plays nice at church and then turns mean behind closed doors.

And we know that healthy households in the 21st Century – especially where parenting is involved – takes courage. Courage to follow through on intentions, courage to face difficult issues, courage to balance loving care with consistent discipline.

So join us for a series that will not be shy in speaking truth to the households and families in our community. But it might just be the kind of truth that will set you free.

Courageous. Are you ready to answer the call?

April 15: Courageous Call

April 22: Courageous Priorities

April 29: Courageous Legacy

May 6: The Church Is Going Home

May 13: Profiles In Courage

Scripture; Spirituality

The Lord Sustains

Talbot Davis April 12, 2012 at 7:39 am 0

Psalm 3:5 says this:

I lie down and sleep,
I wake again,
because the Lord sustains me.

The most mundane activities of human existence -- falling asleep at night and waking up again in the morning -- given to God.

I have to say, I never think of it that way.

I just assume I'm going to sleep and that a certain number of hours later, I'll wake up.

And yet that routine, taken-for-granted pattern is all by the Lord's sustaining hand.

So if the Lord sustains us in that, imagine all the other ways he sustains.

When I am in despair over the future,
the Lord sustains me.

When I am in doubt about the present,
the Lord sustains me.

When I have regret over the past,
the Lord sustains me.

When I am powerless in the face of temptation,
the Lord sustains me.

When I am confident in my direction,
the Lord sustains me.

When I am on the moutain or in the valley,
the Lord sustains me.

Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Worship; Theology

How Thick Is The Line Between Theology And Psychology?

Talbot Davis April 11, 2012 at 5:00 am 1

Not too long ago, in the midst of some channel surfing, I came across a bit of a sermon by Rod Parsley.

And after a particularly emphatic point -- come to think of it, he makes no other kind -- Parsley said, "you all should be running in the aisles after that one."

Meaning . . . if the people of the congregation agreed with the words just spoken, they should signify their assent to the word AND their praise to God by running up and down the aisles of the church.

Which got me to thinking . . . are people in that particular church more because of theology or psychology?

Do they attend Parsley's church because they received a kind of theological revelation that convinced them running (or falling or dancing) is the purest form of worship?

Or does Parsley's church attract people who are already wired (by a combination of genetic makeup and environmental influences) to respond to outside stimuli with personal emotion and bodily motion?

Which is it?

For example, while Good Shepherd is known for having worship that is expressive and exuberant, I can't imagine in a million years imploring people to run in worship. Is that because I think running is wrong or because I am more reserved than Rod Parsley?

Do our Episcopalian friends observe worship patterns that are both reverent and ancient because they believe it's more true to God's will . . . or does the Epsicopalian church instead draw people who are already wired to believe God lifts his pinky finger just so when having afternoon tea?

What's the source of these worship differences that some of us have seen descend into worship wars: the nature of God or the nature of us? Theology or psychology?

A question I raise; an answer I seek.

Talbot Davis

Talbot Davis

The Heart of the Matter

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