From the unisex, gender-neutral New Living Translation Bible which its publishers hope “speak His timeless truth to the church and to the world in a fresh, new way” comes the foundational text of the rocking, foot-stomping, head-bobbin musical extravaganza known as “The Red Letters Project.”
The Red Letters Project is a set of 3 cd’s and a booklet copy of the NLT of Matthew, sung to rock music.
I’ll pass.
Don’t get me wrong, if you enjoy rock music, this set of CD’s is absolutely phenomenal!! I mean it jams. It will float your boat in ways you cannot imagine. It is everything a high school teenager – or adult who refuses to grow up – would want in music to drag Main Street with.
Lyrics are important, yes. But if the music overshadows the lyrics, and the overall song caters to your flesh in that it reminds you of those parties in high school and mentally takes you places your mama would not want you to go then…maybe you should pass as well.
It does not make me think of my God or His Son who died and was punished for my sins, and certainly, nothing in this music encouraged me toward holiness. Give me the Talbot brothers, and find Hal Hensen while your at it.
This set of music cd’s is designed to sell records and make money, not praise God in accordance to His terms of worship. It is worldly.
But it is rockin! You choose before God. You know what I think.
Not Recommended
Note: This product was made available to me for review by Tyndale at no cost.
Here we go again… Rock on, Dudes! This is relevant stuff: rock N roll music which is technically OK because it has good lyrics. Maybe…
Here’s the thing. You cannot wrap the message of God inside a worldly package and have it slip silently into the soul of a person like a navy seal going behind enemy lines to assasinate the leader of a rival military operation. I see nowhere in scripture where the word of God has worked or is intended to work that way. The people who believe it does work that way are pragmatists. They believe that man sovereignly makes a decision to allow God to be God and Jesus to be Lord. Ergo, since man decides, we have to meet man where he is and sell him on our PR package. The Jesus brand must be reshaped into the post-Christian era mindset if it is to work… and so forth.
The problem with this is that it is all garbage. God is not cowering behind a stack of stained glass window panels and organ pipes waiting to see who will choose Him. He chooses! Preach the word of God and His sheep will fall in line with Him.
Does putting the Bible to rock music take the word to people? It is debatable. I tend to agree with JT on this. When the style overpowers and obscures the message, the message is not driving the bus– the style is driving. I have seen people ‘come forward’ during Christian rock shows but I do not recall meeting anyone whose life was changed proving them to be saved. It may happen but I am skeptical.
If you don’t like the CD’s, would you mind giving/ sending them to me?
I really enjoyed some of their songs!
Greetings,
Gijs-Peter Kuijpers
The Netherlands