Temporarily out of order

This blog isn't closed for business - but I'm getting over a virus and don't have much brain-power, or time, to add to it; hope to be back next week.

Meanwhile, take a look at my friend Gary Brady's blog where he's reviewing (favourably, unfortunately) yet another book arguing that modern songs are inappropriate for worship. [Yawn] According to Gary, the argument is that the modern idiom is ill equipped to convey serious and soul-searching message Two things spring to mind:

• First, how do we know that the author is right? (Gary says 'if he is' - but implies that he really is)

• And second, isn't it obvious that no idiom can convey any message at all to people who aren't there?

It's desperate reasoning. Like that of a friend of mine who told me recently that 'people like him' were increasingly disenfranchised from attending conferences because of the modern-idiom worship - and that 'most' Christians felt the same. 'Thousands go,' I responded. 'Yes,' he said, 'But even more stay away.' True - most Christians don't go to conferences. Obviously, it's the worship that does it - not the cost, or lack of time, or a desire to do something else on holiday. Still, they could go to the excellent Aberystwyth conference that has very little - if any - modern idiom music. Thousands do. But then again, many more don't... including, as it happens, my friend!