Nickelback’s, “If Everyone Cared” stirs in my mind the possibilities of a tidal wave of committed followers of Jesus who see God’s Kingdom being ushered into this world; with his peace and wholeness reigning across the earth and in each heart.

“Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.“

— Margaret Mead

Last night was my first “missional learning party”. I’ve never been to a learning party before - apparently its a lot like a world cafe. There were lots of Jesus followers all talking about how they experienced God’s Kingdom breaking in - and how in other ways we have tried to live the Kingdom life and have failed miserably. The coffee shop we met at was covered in butcher paper, from the walls to the tables, hopeful of getting creative ideas drawn or written down. We shared with complete strangers in God’s family the missional impulses of our hearts…it was great.

We watched a few videos, including the incredible “Escape the Circus” video which I wrote on here. But the MC of the night introduced me to Sigur Rós, an Icelandic ambient band that has an eerily compelling sound. Their song Glósóli sent chills up my spine. Before starting the video, we were asked, “Where do you see ‘mission’ in this music video?”

I’d love your thoughts on this.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God–

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. — Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians

While we might all know from sermons and studies that it is BY grace we have been saved, do many of us know the grace FOR which we’re saved? I believe this man is learning. We are God’s unique gift to his creation.

The glory of God is man fully alive. — St. Augustine

May no man or woman go to their grave without having sung the song…without having reached their destiny and gracing the world with their unique masterpiece.

The iPhone makes it’s debut today. Meanwhile, I just found out about Slacker Radio - a slightly backwater revolution that is taking place in the radio business. Since radio for the past 75 years has worked in basically the same way, I was surprised to finally see Slacker take some steps to advance the industry. Check it out.

When I first created an account, it took me straight to the “Top 40″ Stations, so for the first time in memorable history, I actually listened to some of that stuff. Through the sludge of Paris, Mandy, Justin, and Christina, I began to think a little about Top 40 radio and its function in our society.

Two weeks ago I was at the Civic Center getting ready for Wikicclesia when I bumped into Petty Hunter, the president for the local chapter of the NAACP. He had been given the conference room neighboring ours, and was thumping hip-hop loud and clear into the hallways. I enjoyed the irony of “Wikicclesia” meeting right next to “NAACP Hip Hop Summit” as I walked up to Petty. He and I talked about Hip Hop and the negative culture that surrounds it. We talked about how on Top 40 stations you truly do hear the same songs twenty times a day, many of them carrying the same messages of sex, gangs, drugs and hate. Petty talked about how he was hoping to expose teens in his conference to positive Hip Hop that doesn’t make it to the radio. You go Petty.

In a culture of constant noise, Top 40 radio is America’s method for meditation.

Throughout the day, as we drive in our cars, work on our homework, or even talk to our friends, we insert the little white buds of enlightenment, connecting us to a larger world that we cannot see or taste or touch. We allow the music to play constantly while we busily go about our lives, while subconsciously burrowing animistic messages deep into our brains. It is the brain candy of our generation - it is the cocaine of our culture.

What’s nuts is that music we listen to on the Top 40’s is simply chosen for us. Music labels pay BIG BUCKS to get their songs on those rotations, because they know that if consumers hear a song 20 times a day, they’re going to go out and buy it. What they could care less about is what they’re selling. Katrina once told me that in art, you could put a piece of poop on a pedestal, and with the right lighting in the right art gallery, you could sell it for a fortune. Pop-music and the big music business is not far off.

But what happens when the music of our culture is SOLD TO US, rather than us buying it? Or what happens when movies or TV is produced with product placement in mind? When art is more about marketing than simply making art? Our culture ceases to become a culture; it simply becomes the host for the parasite of the marketing monster that consumes its consumers.

Which brings me back to Slacker! Unlike traditional Top 40 radio, you have the choice to make a choice in what you listen to. You are listening to an online radio station (there are hundreds to choose from), and yet you have the choice at any moment to skip a song you hate, and it’ll never play that song again. Not only that, but its commercial free. Art made for art’s sake.

I feel like the concept of music meditation could be developed further here, but I’ve run out of words. It seems like our culture is better at mysticism than it realizes. We just have to discover what it is we are focusing on minds and spirits on. Thoughts?