Check out the REN3W Campaign from Redeemer, & this beautiful, artistic intro (go full screen)...
Jesus-follower, husband, father, pastor, photographer, writer
So, you're going to tell me what that French song is, right?
Posted by: twitter.com/revmhj | 09/28/2009 at 09:38 PM
It's called "quelqu'un m'a dit" by Carla Bruni.
Posted by: Steve McCoy | 09/28/2009 at 10:30 PM
I only know two people who could have told me that: you and my dad. Both nailed it. Merci :-)
Posted by: twitter.com/revmhj | 09/29/2009 at 07:34 AM
OK, next time I spend 10 minutes watching a video introduction, please spoil it and let me know that nothing of consequence will happen. Seriously, I thought the cinematography was excellent, but the payoff was just not there. (Art for art's sake?)
Posted by: Drew Caperton | 09/29/2009 at 01:37 PM
By the way, love your blog. Big fan. Thanks for going to the trouble of posting this so I could comment rudely. :)
Posted by: Drew Caperton | 09/29/2009 at 01:47 PM
You didn't get the video? The payoff is magnificent and profound. It is art, but not for art's sake. Not even close. Follow the words. Thoughts. Prayers. Newspaper headlines. I've watched it 3 times now and it's rich and inviting.
Posted by: Steve McCoy | 09/29/2009 at 01:54 PM
It's very "McCoyesk."
Posted by: Travis Hilton | 09/29/2009 at 09:42 PM
Hey! THilton! I remember you. :)
Posted by: Steve McCoy | 09/30/2009 at 07:28 AM
NYC as an 'idol'? (I'm a former Redeemer guy BTW and NY'er since 1998) - My only critique is how is this not city idolotry - esp the part where girl says - "I Love this City"..... Food for thought. I love Redeemer, and love Tim K and agree the production is amazing, but seems like perhaps not the best stweardship play in a down market with a lot of people out of work and suffering (in the city and elsewhere)....
Posted by: 718dweller | 10/01/2009 at 04:15 PM
Thanks for your thoughts. A couple of things...
1. No, I don't think this is idolatry. It's about seeking the shalom of the city. Serving the city. It's about "a city within a city." It's about city renewal. A love for the city need not be an idol at all. I love my wife, my kids, pretzels, etc. Is loving our neighbor idolatry?
2. On stewardship - what resources do you know of that they haven't stewarded well? Do you know the cost of the video, or if the time and materials were donated? Unless we know these, what business do we have judging it?
Also, speaking in general, shouldn't we make art regardless of the financial climate of the culture? Isn't it exactly at the time of our greatest needs and pains that art can communicate and inspire in unique ways? And if the REN3W Campaign does well, won't the good brought through it dwarf any cost to one piece of art?
Posted by: Steve McCoy | 10/01/2009 at 05:14 PM
Steve - Good points. My comments are just some thoughts from someone who's been around in the city for a while. Again, I'm a HUGE fan of the work that they've done and love Redeemer - it's where I came to believe in the truth of the gospel as a hostile non-Christian who was dragged there by a girlfriend. Changed my life.
As an insider and some what long term NYC'er, however, there is always the problem of people turning the city into an idol. Happens ALL the time here in New York, and I do agree with what Tim has often said that the gospel starts in a garden and ends in a city...however, his teachings have always been pretty consistent about challenging people to look at their idols. The video is a great piece of art for sure - I don't deny that or the need to have quality art produced regardless of the market environment and I don't know what the costs were to produce it, though I'm in the ad/video production world and the quality of the production is certainly not cheap to do - but it's very likely that it could've been done pro-bono - it's one of the many blessings of being in the city - parishioners that are engaged in all fields @ the highest level (think elders who work @ Goldman, etc..) The REN3W campaign seems to be a capital drive no? Also - sucession planning b/c Tim worship has always been a fear/concern when planning for the future and it's smart that they're getting in front of it. During my 5 years there, there was often a huge fall off when Tim wasn't preaching, though I don't know if that is still the case...I digress. They do AMAZING work, and the deaconal ministiries are top notch, church planting - also amazing.
At a meta level - I think it's important to not make the city into an idol. So may NY'ers fall into this, and having seen it/had friends fall into it, etc... that's what I see. The purpose of the church is to proclaim the gospel - to preach, teach, baptise (great commission) and as a person who would've been one of the people to whom support (financially) would've been looked in the past - I thought - what the heck is this? Cool yes. Disjointed, defintely and not sure what exactly they're trying to achieve - except perhaps to spark some conversation.
I love my wife and my kids as well, and as Christian's we're called to love and serve our neighbor (God doesn't need our good works - our neighbor does...) but Tim has often warned of the dangers of turning good things into 'ultimate things' and if I make my kid or my wife into an idol or anything that I love into an 'ultiamte' thing - watch out - Luther said all sin basically comes back to the 1st commandment. There are tons of organizations that do great social work and provide social services - which is by no means an excuse to abdication from Christians to work against injustice, poverty, etc... - but again - it just struck me as this thing was much more about city worship/NY Idolotry than the 'gospel' which I did't really connect to the video.... Sorry for the long winded response, but thanks for posting this and for the discussion.
Posted by: 718dweller | 10/01/2009 at 05:55 PM
Good discussion here...In a similar vein, are you anticipating the announcement on the olympics this morning?
Posted by: Travis Hilton | 10/02/2009 at 07:20 AM
Travis, yeah. Watching the news and waiting for the announcement.
Posted by: Steve McCoy | 10/02/2009 at 10:21 AM
My humble condolences.
Posted by: Travis Hilton | 10/02/2009 at 11:05 AM
I hear you. But I just think that making the leap from a video about seeking the shalom of the city, seeking redemption and renewal, to in any way encouraging idolatry of the city (even unintentionally) is unfair.
If I stand before my congregation and gush over my wife on our anniversary, I expect people are thoughtful enough to realize I'm not idolizing her. If people want to take my message of love and claim idolatry because I can't stop saying how much I love her, it's their problem of being ungracious and judgmental. I can't add a footnote to every comment about love to keep reactionary people from being reactionary.
The point of the video is that people need to stay in the city and love the city so that their gifts can be used to bring shalom. Either a hate for the city OR an idolatry of the city will kill your work of bringing shalom. It's a video about Jeremiah 29:7. If you take it another way, I think you do injustice to the intent of and explicit message in the video.
Steve
Posted by: Steve McCoy | 10/02/2009 at 11:05 AM
Weeping and gnashing of teeth. Ok, not really. But it would have been cool.
Posted by: Steve McCoy | 10/02/2009 at 11:05 AM