THE TRUMPET MAGAZINE

ISSUE 508
August 2005

MODERN CHRISTIANITY

by J.P. Melanson

When a church group gets together for a social function, it usually means going into the church basement or a community hall. Nowadays this still happens but it is being supplemented by large scale festivals, outdoor as well as indoors. The outdoor festivals are starting to get very large.

The secular world holds events which sometimes involve up to 60,000 people gathered together to watch a sports event or a famous speaker, and of course the musical events i.e. ROCK CONCERTS.

ENCOUNTER 2005 was an outdoor music festival in a large Canadian city. Taking place in an amphitheater usually reserved for the likes of the Rolling Stones and U2, Encounter 2005 drew a crowd of about five thousand.

Three days before the concert, I attended a sneak peek of some of the entertainment listed on the encounter web site. Canadian Idol Judge, Farley Flex, volunteered his time to introduce some of the bands, the organizers, and the title sponsor.

Early in the morning I was greeted by Vince Ciarlo of Applause Communications, the company doing the PR for the concert. He brought me into the Administration building and introduced me to Ted Tomlin, president of the entertainment company pioneering this music venture, and their American publicist, Mark Weber from Christian Music Monthly.

After most of the press had assembled, we were shuttled to one of the stage areas to witness the preview. This is where I met Michelle Dunk, a true pioneer for Canadian Christianity. Five bands were to perform:

His Season
Titus
Manic Drive
Carried Away
Gary Beals

Manic Drive and Titus were just what young Christianity needs to satisfy their hunger for music. Titus was a Hip Hop and Rap artist who even freestyled his way into Manic Drive's performance, which I must say was absolutely fantastic. They looked and acted like a rock band that non Christian youth would be listening to.

What a great ministering tool for the Gospel of Jesus Christ! If these bands stay focused on the Word of God, I am sure a lot of non Christian youth will be attracted to this kind of music. The possibility exists that they will be musically ministering to thousands of lost sheep. As I watched the preview I concluded that this could be the best thing to happen to the youth ministry in a long time. Of course, it is an excellent and safe outlet for our Christian youth.

On the twentieth of August, Encounter 2005 took place in Toronto, Canada. The gates opened at ten a.m. and by noon, the body count moving through the entrance was 36 persons per minute.

All day activities for families as well as the Youth were available on the grounds. On two different stages, many artists were performing many styles of Christian music so there was something for almost all denominations attending this NON-DENOMINATIONAL festival.

Here is the band list:

Greg Sczebel
XpiritMental
Starfield
Kurt Carr
Casting Crowns
Patricia Shirley
Carried Away
Gary Beals
Manic Drive
His Season
Hello Kelly
God Rocks
Vertical Skyline
Outside the Lines/TQ
Hettie-Marie
Titus
High Praise
Rhema Worship Band
Beyond the Veil
Parker Trio

As you can see this is a list of not just rock and roll, but traditional gospel music as well. There were also the kiddie shows for the pre-school crowd. With such a vast amount of entertainment in three different areas I did not see all the performances, but what I did see made me optimistic about the future of these types of events.

Throughout the grounds were family oriented amusements such as water park slides and rides, golf putting course, entertainment stage with stuffed animals come to life for the tots, and of course food galore. Set up in a large covered area, the booths and tables of all the different organizations attending, as well as the vendors.

The Gideons were there too. As usual, handing out free bibles. That's right! A free book telling you how to get FREE ETERNAL LIFE.
Amen to that.

I had a good laugh when I saw a woman in her late fifties or early sixties accompanied by her husband, plugging her ears as she walked past one of the stages playing to the younger crowd. I wonder if she knew they were performing gospel rock? That’s what made me laugh. This was a Christian melting pot.

At six p.m. the crowd started into the amphitheatre for the main event. The concert started with Ted Tomlin informing the audience that this was the first ever Christian Music Festival in Ontario, before introducing the MC for the evening, Farley Flex. Farley really knows how to knit the entire audience into a single entity having an enjoyable time TOGETHER. He had volunteered his time three days ago to host the press preview and here he was again to introduce every performance.

The headliner act and opening band was Gary Beals, who put on a great performance of four songs and really got the crowd interacting and having a lot of fun. He started out with good entertainment music, and then went into some soul, then some inspirational gospel music with an entertaining beat and back up chorus. Upon ending his performance the crowd gave him the applause typically reserved for any band playing the amphitheater.

Greg Sczebel and band put on an amazing show with his keyboard and singing. His performance of jazzy rock was mixed with a little preaching and good comments for the crowd.

A band from Manitoba called Starfield was very interactive with the crowd, having the audience take part in dancing and singing.

All the bands that performed that night were well received by the audience. Some were conservative and some were very energetic. They even had rock star/musician hair styles and costume, everything from Punk rock to Alternative and Dreadlocks.

I am sure everyone left that concert feeling good that they had spent the evening there. As with all concerts at the amphitheatre there were about twenty five security guards and five cops on duty. I saw the police all together in a far corner relaxing. They KNEW they wouldn't have any trouble from this crowd, even though they were making as much noise and commotion as the common concerts they patrol almost every night.

Events like Encounter 2005 are the future ministry tool to target both Christian and non Christian youth. Rock music that sounds the same and entertains the same, but with a difference; everyone was united together celebrating the name of Jesus of Nazareth, Son of the Living God. This tool will show the Non Christian that Modern Christianity is great fun which produces happiness, and eventually, eternal life.

I hope this article has enlightened you as to what is going on out there in the world.....and in the Christian world of today. We all have our own personal way of worship and religion according to the doctrine of our preferred church. What is happening in the Christian music world is good from my view. Certain people were unhappy about some things at this event, but I believe these people will always be unhappy until they discover the peace of Jesus of Nazareth, and the tolerance that comes with that peace. I saw a lot of different people from different religions, coming together and having some fun on account of the core message of Jesus. Catholics, Protestants, Baptists, Mormons, etc. & etc, all together in one place laughing, singing, dancing, and enjoying the fact that the Christians can also have a huge concert where the secular world hosts huge rock concerts which, I will add, keep the cops and security guards busy.

ENCOUNTER 2006

I eagerly await next year's Encounter 2006, and I am sure the crowd will double. Those who may have been apprehensive are now, SURELY, optimistic.

The next issue of Trumpet
Next issue will be an interview with the band Manic Drive of Mississauga, Ontario. This band is what will attract the 17-24 youth group of Christians. If we can use music to keep our youth from straying, then I say bring out the band.

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