Yours truly.
Well, I honestly didn’t mean to go any further with the All Saved Freak Band thing until I decided to try to see if I could find a song on YouTube and got suddenly re-immersed into a dazzling display of funky, pure, unadulterated, raw Jesus Music of the early 1970s.
This was before Christian music was contemporary and Christian radio played it.
Before tours and contracts,
Before careers and airplay,
Before Perrier in the dressing room,
Before Christian promoters, producers, and roadies,
Before Christian busses and semis and record execs,
Before Christian was an adjective,
Before worship was music,
Before Moral was a Majority and Christian was a Coalition,
Before Christian became politics,
Before we knew what we were doing… there was Jesus music.
Jesus music was rough and unruly. It was offensive. It was locked out of most churches and happening on the street. No one asked; they just did it. Musicians were preachers and preachers were evangelists. And freaks got saved.
There was no plan. There were no credentials. There was the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit was a little wild.
This wasn’t premeditated, packaged or marketed. There was no strategy. This was people getting plugged into Jesus and plugging in their guitars. It wasn’t perfect. It was raw. It was what a revolution is like.
But then again you had to have been there.
Make no mistake: this is not nostalgia. This is to ask the question: “What could happen now?”
For a real treat, and to see what I mean, enjoy “Daughter of Zion” by the All Saved Freak Band.
John Fischer The Catch 
Hi John,
Here’s a Devotion about the power of song that I also received today – enjoy!
The Power of Song
by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein
(International Fellowship of Christians and Jews)
“On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song…” — Judges 5:1
This Torah portion for this week, Beshalach, is from Exodus 13:7–17:16 and Judges 4:4–5:31.
The Haftorah for the Torah portion of Beshalach is taken from the book of Judges and tells us the memorable story about two biblical heroines — Deborah and Jael. Deborah was a prophetess and the leader of Israel. She was commanded by God to defeat the armies of Jabin and their General Sisera through her own second-in-command, Barak.
After Barak insisted that Deborah accompany him on the battlefield, the two defeated the enemy armies and only the enemy general, Sisera, escaped on foot. Sisera took refuge in the home of someone he considered an ally and friend, Jael. But instead, Jael chose to help Israel and killed Sisera in his sleep. The war was won, the enemy completely vanquished, and Deborah celebrated victory.
Chapter 5 is filled with the words of Deborah’s song. This is the strongest link between this week’s Torah reading and its Haftorah. In the Torah portion, we read the “Song of the Sea,” the powerful song that Moses and the children of Israel sang as they crossed through the sea and the Egyptians were drowned: “Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD…” (Exodus 15:1). Here, in the Haftorah, we read Deborah’s song: “On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song…”
By linking the two readings with prayerful singing, we are encouraged to reflect on the purpose and power of song. In both instances, it was not enough for the people to express their gratitude to God only through words of prayer. Why was it necessary to add the element of music?
Today, we tend to think of music as entertainment. But the gift that we call song is so much more than that. As the saying goes, “Music takes us where words cannot go.” Music is not just entertaining and enjoyable; it is transformational and transcendental. Music is a vehicle through which we can reach God!
Throughout the Bible, specifically the books of the prophets, we find that prophets’ words are often accompanied by musical instruments. In the holy Temples, music played an integral role in worship. Certainly, music remains today a staple in both synagogues and churches. The tradition of reaching out to God in song lives on.
Make the most of the gift of music in your life. Use its power to lift you up and bring you closer to God. Choose your music wisely knowing that both the words and the music impact your soul. Or try making your own music. Scripture encourages us: “Sing to the LORD a new song” (Isaiah 42:10). Jewish tradition teaches that each soul has a unique song to sing. Find your song and share your music with the world.
With prayers for shalom, peace,
http://www.holylandmoments.org/devotionals/the-power-of-song
LOVE THAT!!!! Wow! Ironically, that’s “my kind of music”! And you’re right, even today that would not be played in churches (even though everyone in our church band will say they love it when I send it to them)!
Just to let you know there are many Christian musicians out there in the secular music world, sharing their beliefs and their music in a mixture of both spiritual and rock/blues music (people like Robert Randolph, The Lee Boys, and others). Admittedly their words aren’t as direct as this, but it’s a start. And the audiences usually really love those songs… which says something about the power of the Spirit to move in the most unlikely of places.
Whew! They’re still good. Saved in ’72. I remember all those days. Your description is excellent. Thx for it! Praise Him!!
I was intrigued by the amount of scripture in this piece. We’d do well to put more of God’s word in our music. It would be more powerful and life-changing, perhaps less “marketable.”
I saw Peter Yarrow last night and can’t help but think how much the 60’s revolutionized Christian music and the hearts of many of us. So many loved the freedom we found in Christ and the answers we found in Christianity yet embraced the culture at the time.
What could happen now? Anything if we love our neighbor, care about others more than our “rights”, Example:
The only thing I’ve heard Christians talk about since Sandy Hook is they are buying more ammo and guns. Oh sure, there is that, “we need to pray for them” token of passion. The truth is our “Christian” community has been more concerned how this event has effected them.
I just hope the next move of God doesn’t involve rap music. 😉
I loved the music, took me back to my earlier born again days. I liked it. Tried Jesus, liked him. Tried religion. Too much shit. So … just truth.