March 5 2012

Chris Day song 'Expecting Great Things' plays

The stripped portion opens with Chris Day's song 'Expecting Great Things' playing in full. The lyrics center on coming to lift the name of Christ and expecting God to demonstrate his power. A host reacts afterward, calling it a good track and asking about the album.

Hosts discuss expecting great things from God

A host shares that he has been thinking about not putting God in a box and denying God's power by assuming he will not act (seg-00049 to seg-00057). Guest Chris Day (speaker-2) responds that scripture calls believers to approach God with confidence and ask, noting the line about expecting great things started to make sense the more he read scripture (seg-00058 to seg-00063). The hosts then discuss moving beyond a posture of only repentance into the abundant life and joy God gives (seg-00066 to seg-00077).

Interview: Chris Day's ministry in Newell and move from Nebraska

• How did you end up in Newell?

The hosts interview Chris Day (speaker-2), who is from Newell, Iowa and serves as associate pastor of youth at Bethel Baptist, overseeing student ministry and worship (seg-00080 to seg-00083). He recounts six years in Ogallala, Nebraska, moving back to Iowa to be near family, and being close enough to be present when his father went through colon cancer and a long ICU stay (seg-00101 to seg-00115). His former pastor affirmed the move might be God planting the desire, and an Exodus passage about Moses returning to his family confirmed it for him (seg-00117 to seg-00131).

Apologetics: defending the faith with gentleness and respect

• How can Christians defend their faith without coming across as arrogant?
• How do you know your religion is the true one compared to everyone else's?

After plugs for Chris Day's album on iTunes, Facebook, and ReverbNation (seg-00136 to seg-00138), a host asks about his monthly Wednesday apologetics night for students (seg-00144 to seg-00153). Chris cites 1 Peter 3:15-16: always be ready to give an account of the hope within, with gentleness and respect, noting believers often leave off the gentleness and respect (seg-00165 to seg-00168). The hosts discuss today's marketplace of competing beliefs and the need to explain what distinguishes Christianity (seg-00173 to seg-00187). A host recounts being asked how he knows his religion is the true one and answering with an analogy of someone questioning whether his wife is real (seg-00213 to seg-00221). They close by proposing a future apologetics show with Chris (seg-00209 to seg-00212).

'Greater You God' by David Bishop

Chris introduces a song his friend David Bishop wrote in 2012 when they led worship together in Nebraska; it is about God's greatness, seated above all thrones and over everything (seg-00231 to seg-00242). The song 'Greater You God' then plays in full (seg-00246 to seg-00284).

Hosts react: sovereignty lyrics, album plug, Zune banter

The hosts praise the song's lyrics about the sovereignty of God; Chris argues for simple, theologically rich worship songs over thin 'happy happy Jesus' tunes, though such songs have their place (seg-00285 to seg-00299). A host reads the iTunes album URL and ID for 'Our Great Redeemer' and notes it is track eight (seg-00304 to seg-00308). They riff on Chris's nearly identical T-shirts and cover art (seg-00309 to seg-00321), then tease Dan about his Zune and PC loyalty, dubbing him the 'technological correspondent Dan Hudson' (seg-00329 to seg-00335).

News: the stolen heart of Saint Lawrence O'Toole

A host reads a news story: the 900-year-old preserved heart of Dublin's patron saint, Saint Lawrence O'Toole, was stolen from its iron cage in Christchurch Cathedral with no sign of break-in (seg-00341 to seg-00344). The hosts riff that a cat must have stolen it, escalating to a panther (seg-00347 to seg-00378). They debate relic veneration, with 'Ben's word of the wise' advising not to leave a heart in the open air at a church for people to take (seg-00362 to seg-00364).

Interview: gigging versus leading worship

A host asks Chris whether performing gigs differs from leading worship; Chris says he is not a performer but a worshipper, and performing feels like a normal service where people just are not singing (seg-00387 to seg-00399). The hosts riff on the habit of calling out the next verse quickly before singing it, a holdover from hymnal days when you might skip verses (seg-00401 to seg-00405).

'Glory Shines' by Chris Day

Chris introduces 'Glory Shines,' written in November 2011 and not on the album; he tried to move away from pronoun-heavy modern worship writing by actually using names for God (seg-00412 to seg-00426). The song then plays in full (seg-00428 to seg-00494).

Hosts react to 'Glory Shines'

A host says the chorus soars and would make a great alarm-clock song to inspire the day (seg-00495 to seg-00496); another imagines a huge orchestration behind it (seg-00497 to seg-00499). The hosts ask to play auxiliary percussion on Chris's next album and reveal they are themselves musicians, a bass player and a keyboard player (seg-00502 to seg-00503).

Break bumper: Wayne Stewart clip

A host announces a three-to-five-minute break and plays a clip from Wayne Stewart, who was on the show last week, directing listeners to reverbnation.com (seg-00504 to seg-00506). A worship song by Stewart plays (seg-00507 to seg-00528).