Last Wednesday (of Holy Week) we held a special service, focused on our youth but open to all of our church people. It was a U2charist - a communion service using the music of U2. I have wanted to do one for several years but it has only been recently that I felt that I could do it at my church that I am presently pastoring. I was pleased with the turnout - about 40 teens and adults. They seemed to enjoy it, though there were one or two adults who asked me to turn the music down but they survived. One dear lady that I made a point of thanking because I knew that, at age 82, this was certainly not her cup of tea. I thanked her for supporting the service and the young folks by coming. She said, "Well, I didn't like the service at all but I came to be a support." She said that to me several times to make her point!
We didn't do any external promotion of the service because it was my first attempt of such a service and I wanted to see how it "felt" doing it. It felt good. And, to my surprise, I was blessed in putting it together and participating in it.
I have enjoyed the music of U2 for years now, well, since they first burst on the scene with their album Boy. However, they really took hold of my interest when they came out with The Joshua Tree. That album just stunned me. A few albums later and I found myself stunned again when they came out with How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. There were songs on these albums that had a depth of truth in them that drew me in, caused me to think, and even inspired me to worship God.
In preparation for the service, I read several books on U2 and their music. The books were well worth reading and I highly recommend them. The first was Walk On, by Steve Stockman. Stockman looks at the history of U2, how that history impacted their music and faith, how their faith (three of the four guys are Christian) influenced and inspired their message and art. Stockman also takes a very deep and critical look at the church, and especially the evangelical church, and it's relationship with the arts, with culture, and with its involvement/mission/service in the world. I found myself, sadly, agreeing with him on a number of occasions. But his look at the group certainly deepened my appreciation of U2, artistically, lyrically, and spiritually.
The second book I read was One Step Closer: Why U2 Matters to Those Seeking God, by Christian Scharen. This book is a little harder for me to explain except to say that it analyzes the theology and biblical influences in the music/words of U2. He looks at their lyrics in the context of the Psalms, Prophecy, Wisdom, even Eschotology (the future Kingdom of God). He then looks at how they draw in the message of the cross and redemption, faith, hope, and love into their word pictures. I found the book to be very profound and insightful as well.
I have found myself, for sometime now, listening mostly to U2 music as an active part of my worship. Certainly, in many ways, their music and lyrics are deeper, more thought provoking, and expansive than many contemporary Christian artists that are out there today. There are exceptions, of course, but only a few (one of my favorites is John Mark McMillan).
Anyway, back to the service. My "anchor" song was the Rattle and Hum version of "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." This live version includes the addition of a Gospel Choir and a slightly different emphasis on some specific lyrics. I played the song after my devotion, which has the same title as this particular blog posting. In my devotion I talked about the disciples and what they must have been feeling and struggling with during that last week of Christ's life. To go from the high of the Triumphal Entry on Palm Sunday to the gathering in the Upper Room, listening to Jesus' discourse on him leaving and dying, about someone betraying him, about sending "another" that would comfort them and teach them, then going to the cross and dying, this had to send them reeling with confusion, doubt, and fear. They believed he was the Messiah, God's Son, but all this wasn't what they bargained for, it wasn't what they were looking for. They were looking for something else and what they were looking for seemed to be crashing around their feet.
I then tied their confusion and doubt, and their "looking," to what we go through in our lives: the loss of a job, declining health, the death of a loved one, difficulties in a relationship, etc., and how we, when we're really honest, even with our faith in Christ, aren't always sure we've found what we're looking for. And yet, it is in our continued "looking" that we tend to see more of Christ, and in our struggle with doubts we find ourselves grasping even more tightly to that hope that Christ has called us to.
Then I introduced "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and played it. Give it a listen:
Following the song we then moved into communion. It was interesting to watch the youth come and take communion, many of whom probably hadn't ever participated in communion before. There was a sense of "wonder" and a look of "perplexity" on their faces as they came and partook of the elements.
Here was the order of the service:
We didn't do any external promotion of the service because it was my first attempt of such a service and I wanted to see how it "felt" doing it. It felt good. And, to my surprise, I was blessed in putting it together and participating in it.
I have enjoyed the music of U2 for years now, well, since they first burst on the scene with their album Boy. However, they really took hold of my interest when they came out with The Joshua Tree. That album just stunned me. A few albums later and I found myself stunned again when they came out with How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. There were songs on these albums that had a depth of truth in them that drew me in, caused me to think, and even inspired me to worship God.
In preparation for the service, I read several books on U2 and their music. The books were well worth reading and I highly recommend them. The first was Walk On, by Steve Stockman. Stockman looks at the history of U2, how that history impacted their music and faith, how their faith (three of the four guys are Christian) influenced and inspired their message and art. Stockman also takes a very deep and critical look at the church, and especially the evangelical church, and it's relationship with the arts, with culture, and with its involvement/mission/service in the world. I found myself, sadly, agreeing with him on a number of occasions. But his look at the group certainly deepened my appreciation of U2, artistically, lyrically, and spiritually.
The second book I read was One Step Closer: Why U2 Matters to Those Seeking God, by Christian Scharen. This book is a little harder for me to explain except to say that it analyzes the theology and biblical influences in the music/words of U2. He looks at their lyrics in the context of the Psalms, Prophecy, Wisdom, even Eschotology (the future Kingdom of God). He then looks at how they draw in the message of the cross and redemption, faith, hope, and love into their word pictures. I found the book to be very profound and insightful as well.
I have found myself, for sometime now, listening mostly to U2 music as an active part of my worship. Certainly, in many ways, their music and lyrics are deeper, more thought provoking, and expansive than many contemporary Christian artists that are out there today. There are exceptions, of course, but only a few (one of my favorites is John Mark McMillan).
Anyway, back to the service. My "anchor" song was the Rattle and Hum version of "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." This live version includes the addition of a Gospel Choir and a slightly different emphasis on some specific lyrics. I played the song after my devotion, which has the same title as this particular blog posting. In my devotion I talked about the disciples and what they must have been feeling and struggling with during that last week of Christ's life. To go from the high of the Triumphal Entry on Palm Sunday to the gathering in the Upper Room, listening to Jesus' discourse on him leaving and dying, about someone betraying him, about sending "another" that would comfort them and teach them, then going to the cross and dying, this had to send them reeling with confusion, doubt, and fear. They believed he was the Messiah, God's Son, but all this wasn't what they bargained for, it wasn't what they were looking for. They were looking for something else and what they were looking for seemed to be crashing around their feet.
I then tied their confusion and doubt, and their "looking," to what we go through in our lives: the loss of a job, declining health, the death of a loved one, difficulties in a relationship, etc., and how we, when we're really honest, even with our faith in Christ, aren't always sure we've found what we're looking for. And yet, it is in our continued "looking" that we tend to see more of Christ, and in our struggle with doubts we find ourselves grasping even more tightly to that hope that Christ has called us to.
Then I introduced "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and played it. Give it a listen:
Following the song we then moved into communion. It was interesting to watch the youth come and take communion, many of whom probably hadn't ever participated in communion before. There was a sense of "wonder" and a look of "perplexity" on their faces as they came and partook of the elements.
Here was the order of the service:
Prelude
- Drowning Man
- Love Rescue Me
- Miracle Drug
Welcome
Songs of Praise
- All Because of You
- Magnificent
Opening Prayer
- One Step Closer
Invitation
Prayer of Confession
- Windows in the Sky
Message - Still Looking for I Don't Know What
- I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
The Service of Communion
(During the Serving of Communion)
- 40 / Where the Streets Have No Names
Closing Remarks and Sending Forth
- Yahweh
Postlude
- When Love Comes to Town
I look forward to doing another U2charist. In the meantime, I'll be listening to my iPod with my hands in the air!
To gain more insight into what is going on in the head and heart of U2 and Bono, check out the following video interviews with Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Church. There are eight videos in all. Well worth watching/listening to:
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