|
ApologetiX: Clues #9 and 10, New Mexico, Nevada, I
Thu., May. 16. 2002 1:54pm EDT
J. Jackson, lead singer and lyricist for ApologetiX (That Christian Parody Band) here.
1. Graceland, Grace Period, and God's Graciousness
2. Our New CD, Grace Period: Clues #9 and 10
3. Keith's Mom
4. ApologetiX in the News on the Net
5. Upcoming Concerts (New Ones in New Mexico, Nevada and Iowa)
6. Definition of Apologetics
7. Prayer Requests
1. GRACELAND, GRACE PERIOD AND GOD'S GRACIOUSNESS
Well, Elvis has left the building, but ApologetiX entered it and stayed for a couple of hours. I'm talking about Graceland ... Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee! We ended up with a few extra hours last Wednesday before the concert, and since we flew into Memphis, our hosts graciously granted our request to visit the King's home. It was a whole lot of fun!
But the best news we have for you regarding our trip to Tennessee is the following e-mail message, which we received a few days after the concert. I've removed the names for privacy's sake, but I'm sure they won't mind us sharing their story:
"Just wanted you to know that the day after your concert (Wednesday May 8th), our 9 year old daughter, went to speak with Brother Bill Kisner. She had been asking a lot of questions the last few weeks, and we felt that she understood and was ready. Bill confirmed this for us. And I believe that your concert helped her to make her decision to give her heart to the Lord. This morning, she went down front, at church, and publicly accepted Jesus as her Savior. I want to thank you, and let you know that your mission is a good and fruitful one."
We can't top that news!
Our concert on Saturday in Coraopolis, PA, was a blast! The place was absolutely packed, and the people were fantastic. It was a perfect way to celebrate the birthday of our drummer, Bill, and it allowed us to finish the first leg of our 2002 tour with an extremely high note (although I'll be encountering some other extremely high notes soon enough in the studio!)
As you probably know, we're taking off the next four weeks for two reasons:
1. to work on our upcoming CD, "Grace Period."
2. to allow time for the arrival of the eighth ApologetiX baby. My wife Lisa has a due date of May 21, but the doctors say she could deliver at any time now ó and that would be just fine with her. God graciously allowed us to complete all of our concert commitments, and we are very grateful. Now, we're ready! Our daughter, Janna (age 5 and a half) is also eager to meet her little sister or brother.
2. OUR NEW CD, GRACE PERIOD: CLUES #9 and 10
This summer we plan to release our seventh CD, "Grace Period," with 20 parodies of rock hits from yesterday and today. In a time-honored tradition, we're giving our e-mail subscribers clues as to the contents ó what our parody version is about and what song/artist we're spoofing. Here are clues #9 and 10:
#9 "Love the Jews"
One of the most horrible tragedies in history is the persecution of Jews that has been done (and still is done by some anti-Semitic groups) in the name of Christianity. Of course, so-called Christians (I say that because a real Christian following Jesus and the New Testament's instruction shouldn't be persecuting Jewish people) aren't the only group to persecute the Jews, but that is no excuse. Christians worship Jesus Christ, who came to Earth as a Jew. All of the original Apostles were Jews. Twenty-five of the 27 books of the New Testament were written by Jews. And God has not abandoned His chosen people, the Jews, as is evidenced by Paul's comments in Romans 9:1-5, 10:11 and 11:1-5 among others. God is not finished with the Jewish people. As Romans 11:25-26 says "I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: ëThe deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.'" In fact, there are many Jewish people who are giving their hearts to Christ in our times; less than a month ago we played a concert at a church in Ohio where the pastor himself was a Jew who had become a born again Christian. Before I moved to Pittsburgh, I was a member of a church where one of the pastors was also a messianic Jew.
Three of the original five members of the band we're spoofing here share the same first name with three Jewish men who wrote 20 or 21 of the 27 books in the New Testament. And the two men who did most of the writing for this band share the same first names as the two men who did most of the writing of the New Testament (18 or 19 books). This was actually the first song I ever learned to play on guitar. My youngest sister (they're all older than I), Gayle, taught it to me. She also bought me my very first brand new rock and roll album (I had a hand-me-down copy of "More of the Monkees," but this thing was brand new), which was a #1 album by a former member of the group we're spoofing here.
#10 "Good Guys Bad Guys"
I just finished reading two of my favorite books of the Bible, 1 and 2 Kings. No, I'm not kidding. Those books fascinate me, starting with Solomon's ascension to the throne to the split of the kingdom under Solomon's son, Rehoboam, into two kingdoms, Israel (the northern kingdom) and Judah (the southern kingdom). All of Israel's kings from that point on were bad, worshipping calf gods that Jeroboam made and then getting into Baal worship under Ahab and Jezebel. Judah's dynasty, however, was mixed with both good guys (like Hezekiah and Josiah) and bad guys (like Manasseh and Amon), all of whom descended from King David. One thing that changed my perspective on those books and 1 and 2 Chronicles was when I wrote a song to help myself remember all the kings of Judah in chronological order. So many of them have similar names that it's hard to keep them straight, but the song cleared that up for me. It was actually one of the very first Christian parodies I ever wrote, way back in 1990, I think. I've tweaked it a lot since then for the version on this CD, but I think you'll find it very helpful in your study of those books.
I used to do the original version of the song we parodied here with my very first rock and roll band, Terminal, in high school. This song clocks in at under three minutes, which is amazing for a band that was best known for creating some of the longest songs in the history of rock and roll (not obscure songs, either ó classic rock standards!) It was their first single, although it only made up to #80 on the charts, but that didn't stop the album from becoming an FM radio favorite. Their next single, from their second album, went to #4 and would actually become the first gold single of the 1970's (Keith gave you a clue to that song, without even trying, in section #3 below), which is another irony, since this band would never hit the Top 10 or have a gold single again. This band had a ton of #1 albums, but their biggest album with their most recognizable song ó the #3 album of all time in the U.S., with sales of over 20 million copies ó only made it up to #2.
3. KEITH'S MOM
On Mother's Day, we shared with you Karl's tribute to his mother, who just happens to be the mother-in-law of our bass player, Keith Haynie. Its an election year, and that means we really should give equal time to both parties, so we asked Keith to write us a tribute to his mother. Here's what he had to say:
My mother is the greatest mother in the world. We all think that each of our mothers are and you know what, we are all right. My mother brought up 5 kids, 2 girls and 3 boys. I think she just wanted the 2 boys but after having me, you know, so cute and loveable, she thought she would go one more. Didn't work, I am still her favorite, just ask me.
My mom grew up in Texas and has many interesting stories about growing up. She was involved as a little girl with a preacher that would take tents around and hold tent meetings. She would help with set up and things. She has told me stories of how they would cut the heads off of chickens for supper and they would run around for a time before they would finally die.
She and my dad are responsible for buying me my first guitar. I learned to play piano first because we had a piano first. My mom has helped us through some very tight financial times that a lot of married people go through at one point or another. She still makes the best spaghetti I have ever had. Maybe it is because I am used to hers, but that is what I think.
Well to my mom, I thank GOD that He has given me such a caring and loving mom. I pray GOD gives her many more healthy and prosperous years. I also thank GOD that He gave me parents (my dad has passed away) that really left such a positive mark on my life. GOD bless you, Mom.
With a whole lot a love, Keith
4. APOLOGETIX IN THE NEWS ON THE NET
Last month, Christian Musician Magazine published an interview and story on ApologetiX. If you'd like to read it, it's just been posted online at:
www.christianmusician.com
Here's another review of our last CD, "Keep the Change," that was also just posted online:
http://www.christianbeats.org/review-apologetix-keepthechange.html
5. UPCOMING CONCERTS (NEW ONES IN NEW MEXICO, NEVADA AND IOWA)
Just because we're on vacation from touring doesn't mean we stop BOOKING concerts. We've actually added three since last week (Albuquerque NM, Reno NV and Cedar Rapids IA.)
Please note that, as usual, there are concerts in the works that are not yet listed below. For more details on any or all of the concerts below, please go to http://www.apologetix.com/tour.html
To inquire about booking a concert, please contact our booking agent, Kathleen Burke, at booking@apologetix.com or call 949-770-3001, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST.
May 08 - Humboldt TN May 11 - Pittsburgh PA Jun 08 - Camdenton MO Jun 15 - Cedar Rapids IA Jun 21 - AtlantaFest GA Jun 27 - Paducah KY Jun 28 - Albuquerque NM Jun 29 - Reno NV (not yet 100% confirmed) Jun 30 - Moberly MO Jul 03 - Philadelphia OH Jul 06 - Elysburg PA Jul 13 - Sonshine Fest MN Jul 03 - New Philadelphia OH Jul 13 - SonShine Fest MN Jul 14 - LiFest, WI Jul 15 - Oklahoma City OK Jul 17 - Brownwood TX Jul 20 - Spirit Fest Midwest, MN Jul 27 - Somerdale OH Aug 04 - Inside Out Soul Fest, NH Aug 07 - Kingdom Bound, NY Aug 10 - Bloomington MN Aug 15 - Cullman, AL Aug 17 - Clymer PA Aug 24 - Canton OH Aug 25 - Oakdale PA Aug 31 - Tipton PA Sep 01 - Six Flags, Jackson, NJ Sep 07 - Marion OH Sep 11-14 - Honolulu HI Sep 21 - Holland MI Oct 12 - Columbia MO
6. DEFINITION OF APOLOGETICS
As you probably know, ApologetiX takes its name from the word "apologetics." I recently came across a good definition of that word in a book I was reading (a gift from ApologetiX friend and ultra-cool Kentucky biker Dave Barnett), and I'd like to share it with you:
"Christian apologetics is the science of the systematic defense of the Christian Faith in response to attacks. The word comes from the Greek noun apologia ('defense') and the Greek verb apologeomai ('I defend myself; I make a defense'). The noun is used in 1 Peter 3:15 and Philippians 1:16."
Steve Tsoukalas "Knowing Christ in the Challenge of Heresy" 1999, University Press of America
7. PRAYER REQUESTS
Thanks to all of you who sent the encouraging e-mails regarding my sister, Jeannine, who is suffering from a rare liver disorder. Please continue to pray for her, as she has been very sick and is still on the top of the transplant list. Please also pray for a Christian friend of the band's named Barbara, who is in great pain in the late stages of cancer, which doctors have diagnosed as incurable. Please also pray for our former drummer Fred's daughter, Beth, who is sick again with another round of Hodgkin's Disease. Like Fred, Beth has a strong faith in the Lord, but this is the third time for her, so I'm sure it is discouraging and scary. If you'd like to e-mail Fred, please send e-mails to fred@apologetix.com. I know he'd love to hear from you. Finally, please pray for our drummer, Bill, who injured his foot on New Year's Eve and has recently been experiencing increasing pain and has been consulting a doctor and physical therapist. Bill's e-mail address is bill@apologetix.com.
God bless all of you friends, fans and family!
Apologetically,
J.
-- J. Jackson Lead Singer/Lyricist ApologetiX (That Christian Parody Band) www.apologetix.com j@apologetix.com
Romans 11:1-2a
"I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew."
|
