Here is a summary of Group Five’s thoughts for the week:

Song #1 This song was written not long after 9-11, and could be Alan Jackson trying to make sense of these events, just as many of us were. This event of national trauma was concrete shared experience. One group member highlighted the hundreds of times, in and out of the Bible, that a shared experience of grief by a community, and the idea that God suffers with us, has increased the faith expression of that community. There were many varied responses to this horrible tragedy of 9-11, and yet most responses worked to unite. For many, this tragedy was a renewal in faith, and this could be true for Jackson. He does use the Bible verse “faith, hope, and love, and the greatest of these is love.”

Song #2 This songs works to tie everyday life and faith together through the recognition of everyday miracles. McLachlan sings “God is revealed in ordinary everyday things.” We all have these experiences that she speaks of in this song, yet we don’t all view them as miracles. McLachlan is challenging the listener to look at things in a new way. A group member shared how this song would be of great use in discussing how faith should be part of our whole life, rather than separating ‘church’ and the rest of the week. These everyday miracles can also be a shared experience, as we “all are apart of the ordinary miracles” as McLachlan sings.

Song #3 This song is written from a cultural context that speaks directly to those from which it comes, but it certainly serves a larger purpose. One group member shared that it seeks to call out the bad things in the world, make people aware of them and their causes, and also calls for a change, saying that the change comes from us. The song speaks to the need for increased awareness for the suffering of others outside of our specific sphere. They speak of the dangers when you have “only love for your own race.”
This song does include a few biblical messages: “practice what you preach” and “turn the other cheek.” There is also a plea to God with the words “Father, Father, help us, need some guidance from above. A change is needed, and is supposed to begin with us, but we it is also a call for prayer to seek guidance from God.

Song 4 Although I thought that this song was initially about 9-11, a group member did a little research on the internet. This song was written by Springsteen about Asbury Park, NJ, which was near where he grew up, as he watched it deteriorate. In many ways, this song is a prayer. Although Springsteen prays for faith, love, the lost, and the world, he prays for strength the most. Although perhaps written for a certain context, it was shared that this pray/song could be applied to many contexts, as we ask God for strength to keep going despite hardship and loss. Another group member shared that the imagery in this song can be applied broader to the economically destitute, and in particular to the blue collar American experience of betrayal in modern society, something that emerges again and again for him. Often times it seems like his solutions to the changing world involve a glorification of the past, but perhaps this time his calls to “raise up” are more specifically calling for God in our lives.

Song 5 For me, this was a difficult song for me, as well as for the group. One shared that this song talked directly about the history in the Bible and God’s love for His people. Another group member felt that it was a mockery, as though God only likes humanity because they provide entertainment and are helpless but amusing.

Song 6 This song also seemed to be focused on a specific cultural context. The song is a mixture of Kanye’s personal history with faith, his belief in God, and the struggles he faces. He speaks to the real pain of this world, pain that he has experienced and struggled with. And he speaks to his need for Jesus, and that Jesus is with you even when you don’t know it and will save you.

Song 7 As a group, we discussed if this was more a secular or religious song. I took it to be a religious song, even if that wasn’t the original intent. “They don’t really know who I am, and they don’t know that I’ve been through. I was made for you.” It seems that whatever experiences you have been through, God know who we are and what we’ve been through. One group member shared that it seems to be about how one person has shared so much with another that they are forever connected. Another shared that Brandi could be speaking about mankind’s inclination to return back to God. Whatever the initial intent of this song was, it surely could be used to discuss our relationship with God.

Final Thoughts – Several of the songs do speak to God, Jesus, and issues of faith. Several of the songs include biblical references or quotes from scripture. However, none of the songs would constitue the experience of conversion. Several of the songs may make you think about what you believe in, but not necessarily to the point of converting people. Many of the songs call for a self-examination or change. The songs are also non-denominational. As one group member said, “they reveal God to be present in the world and with humanity in more than just an overseeing way.”

If there was a theme overall that I extracted from the songs as a whole, it was the idea that the world is a painful and sinful place. The personal experiences of this are substantial. And yet, the songs seemed to place hope in something greater; a call or prayer to God for help.

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