Canadian Music
The band Downhere was founded by Marc Martel and Jason Germain when they were roommates at Briercrest Bible College in Caronport, Sask. For a Canadian Christian band they’ve made a pretty good name for themselves, having released 11 albums, and winning 28 GMA Canada awards and four Junos. But they’ve recently become famous for something else. Martel recorded an audition tape for the role of Freddie Mercury in an upcoming “Queen Extravaganza” live touring band organized by Queen’s drummer, Roger Taylor. His version of Somebody to Love was watched on YouTube 3.5 million times its first week.
marcmartelmusic.com
Website
Pop Culture Christ: What Would Jesus Blog? is run by Joel A. Moroney who is the associate minister at St. Luke’s Anglican Church in Liverpool, Australia. He writes articles, podcasts sermons, reviews movies, music and comic books. Most importantly, he does everything with an odd sense of humour which helps him get through those tough theological quandaries like: “Do all dogs really go to heaven?”
joelamoroney.com
Unintentionally funny
Christian music seemed to take on a life of its own in the 1960s. Then, between 1980 and 2000 in particular, Christian bands tried to mimic the style of popular bands yet always managed to get their music out just as the sound they hoped to copy became unpopular. Christian bands “answered” popular bands with “sounds – like _______” charts so teens and parents could appear culturally involved while still praising Jesus. Listening to Christian music was sort of like buying a knock – off Rolex watch from the back of a van. Out of this genuine attempt to be in the world but not of it comes some of the most unintentionally hilarious music the world will ever know. Topping the list is Sonseed’s Jesus is my Friend. I don’t know if it’s wonderfully awful or awfully wonderful, but I love it!
youtube.com. Search for Jesus is my Friend.
The bible for teens
Sixty – Six Books is a project out of Sydney, Australia, set up by a youth minister hoping to make the Bible easier for teens to understand. His aim is to create simple overviews and reading plans for each of the Bible’s 66 books. Everything on the site is put into simple, contemporary language. You’ll find outlines for each book presented more like a play or a movie performed in acts. It also includes summaries of sections, simple explanations for who wrote each book, as well as side notes to highlight how what happens in one book affects what’s happening in another. Everything on the site is free. sixtysixbooks.tumblr.com
Vacation
The Holy Land Experience is a kind of Christian museum/theme park located in Orlando, Florida. It’s owned by the Trinity Broadcasting Network who purchased the park for just under $40 – million and it was featured in Bill Maher’s film, Religulous. Once inside, you can visit replicas of the Damascus and Jaffa Gates, walk through an elaborate Jerusalem market place, and enter a tabernacle and listen to the high priest. There are also Qumran caves, the world’s largest indoor model of ancient Jerusalem, and a six – story temple plaza based on Herod’s own. You can also see a bloody reenactment of the crucifixion of Jesus that would make Mel Gibson proud. Some of it is terribly inaccurate but if I’m honest, I’d go there for sure if I lived nearby!
holylandexperience.com
