Christian Rock Pioneer Larry Norman’s Songs Part 7 “I Wish We’d All Been Ready”

I posted a lot in the past about my favorite Christian musicians such as Keith Green (I enjoyed reading Green’s monthly publications too), and 2nd Chapter of Acts and others. Today I wanted to talk about one of Larry Norman’s songs. David Rogers introduced me to Larry Norman’s music in the 1970’s and his album IN ANOTHER LAND came out in 1976 and sold an enormous amount of copies for a Christian record back then.

Christian Rock Pioneer Larry Norman’s Songs Part 5

I posted a lot in the past about my favorite Christian musicians such as Keith Green (I enjoyed reading Green’s monthly publications too), and 2nd Chapter of Acts and others. Today I wanted to talk about one of Larry Norman’s songs. David Rogers introduced me to Larry Norman’s music in the 1970’s and his album IN ANOTHER LAND came out in 1976 and sold an enormous amount of copies for a Christian record back then.

Christian Rock Pioneer Larry Norman’s Songs Part 3 (Larry met Paul McCartney)

I posted a lot in the past about my favorite Christian musicians such as Keith Green (I enjoyed reading Green’s monthly publications too), and 2nd Chapter of Acts and others. Today I wanted to talk about one of Larry Norman’s songs. David Rogers introduced me to Larry Norman’s music in the 1970’s and his album IN ANOTHER LAND came out in 1976 and sold an enormous amount of copies for a Christian record back then.

Larry Norman – 7 – Deja Vu – Look Into Jesus – In Another Land (1976)

Larry Norman – 8 – I Am A Servant – In Another Land (1976)

Larry Norman on John Lennon, Paul McCartney and the Beatles

John Lennon: One of Jesus’ “Biggest Fans”

By Jesse Carey
Interactive Media Producer

CBN.com During his lifetime, he became one of the most controversial figures in popular culture, effecting not just how people listen to music, but how many view religion and faith. But a recently discovered interview with the late Beatles frontman John Lennon indicates the singer’s real views about Jesus and Christianity. The interview, which was unearthed two weeks ago, took place in 1969 for a segment on a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation show before getting lost in studio obscuirty for nearly 40 years.

Lennon’s views on Christianity first came into focus when he made his infamous 1966 proclamation that the Beatles were “bigger than Jesus.” The statement drew scorn and boycotts like nothing rock ‘n roll had seen before. Christians decried Lennon and his band, blasting the audacity of such an irreverent statement. But, according to the interview, irreverence wasn’t the singer’s intention. And, as it turns out, he was actually really interested in Jesus.

“It’s just an expression meaning the Beatles seem to me to have more influence over youth than Christ,” he said in the interview. “Now I wasn’t saying that was a good idea, ‘cos I’m one of Christ’s biggest fans. And if I can turn the focus on the Beatles on to Christ’s message, then that’s what we’re here to do.”

He went on to express how he felt many Christians seemed to be very “uptight” and even hypocritical for not allowing him to marry Yoko Ono in church because he had been divorced. He said that his original distaste for church first came at a young age, when he was kicked out for giggling. But, in the interview, Lennon said that his feelings only extended to the organized church, not Jesus Himself.

“If the Beatles get on the side of Christ, which they always were, and let people know that, then maybe the churches won’t be full, but there’ll be a lot of Christians dancing in the dance halls. Whatever they celebrate, God and Christ, I don’t think it matters as long as they’re aware of Him and His message,” his voice says on the unearthed recording.

And though this is the first time many Beatles fans have heard this particular conversation, Lennon’s interest in Christ was no secret in the early ‘70s. In his book, The Gospel According to the Beatles, writer Steve Turner said that there was a period in his life when the world’s most famous songwriter deeply wanted to know who Jesus was. According to the book, in an effort to escape the chaos of public life, Lennon would often retreat to television and became a regular viewer of the era’s most influential evangelists including Billy Graham, Oral Roberts and even Pat Robertson.

In 1972, Lennon even took part in a written correspondence with Roberts, in which he apologized and further explained his statement about being “bigger” than God. The Beatles frontman, who had experimented with a variety of drugs and spiritual ideas wrote this to Roberts:

“The point is this, I want happiness. I don’t want to keep on with drugs. Paul told me once, ‘You made fun of me for taking drugs, but you will regret it in the end.’ Explain to me what Christianity can do for me. Is it phoney? Can He love me? I want out of hell.”

Oral Roberts sent him a long response, giving him a copy of his book Miracle of Seed Faith and a detailed explanation of God’s love for him.

Five years later, in 1977, Lennon became deeply moved by NBC’s broadcast of the movie Jesus of Nazareth and told his friends that he had become a born-again Christian. A week after seeing the film, Lennon returned to church on Easter Sunday with his wife Yoko and son Sean in tow.

It was during this time that Lennon even penned several Christian songs (“Talking with Jesus” and “Amen”), and according to Turner’s book, even called The 700 Club prayer line.

The change in his life disturbed his wife Yoko Ono, who pulled her husband away from his new religion, and eventually, after months of isolation in Tokyo, Lennon found his life going in a dark direction, and ended up abandoning his faith and retreating into New Age practice and further searching. Before he was murdered in 1980, Lennon embraced a universalistic belief of religion and no longer seemed interested in his born-again lifestyle.

Although the new interview doesn’t change what we know about John Lennon at the end of his life, it does shed some light on what help developed his view of Christianity in the first place. It wasn’t confusion about theology or the nature of God. It wasn’t the pull of a conflicting lifestyle. According to Lennon, it was Christians who made him not want to be a part of the church.

Many unbelievers (and believers for that matter) could say that some Christians can be “hypocrites” and “uptight” and may even be responsible for turning people away from church. But that shouldn’t be a discouragement. Rather, it should be an encouragement to prove them wrong.

No one is perfect, and we can’t undo the actions of others (even when they are well-intentioned fellow believers), but we can change people’s perspectives by being the change. Reading between the lines of scripture shows that Jesus was pretty good at that. Even His own disciples couldn’t figure out what He was going to do next. Whether it was healing on the Sabbath (a major taboo in religious circles), dining with sinners or preaching messages of love and forgiveness, Christ didn’t always please the religious establishment of His day.

But He wasn’t out to ruffle feathers and just change people’s minds. He was out to change hearts.

Christ wanted people to see that God desired a personal relationship, and wanted His church to reflect His passion for loving others. Though God is perfect, we (Christians who make up the church) are often victims of our own imperfection. But, as the apostle John noted, a key to becoming effective in reaching the lost is this prayer: “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30, NIV).

So whether it’s an artist looking for answers like John Lennon in the early ‘70s, an “uptight” fellow Christian who is focused more on church rules than Christ’s love, or just an unbelieving neighbor who may have had their own bad experience with church, showing the real message of Christ (and a genuine picture of His Body, the church), a little bit of truth can go a long way.

Send Jesse your comments on this article.

Read more book excerpts and author interviews on CBN.com.

Discuss: In light of the recent interview uncovered about his thoughts concerning Jesus, how did John Lennon’s music influence the way you view culture?

Check out Jesse’s Blog, The Morning Five

Jesse Carey is the Interactive Media Producer for CBN.com. With a background in entertainment and pop-culture writing, he offers his insight on music, movies, TV, trends and current events from a unique perspective that examines what implications the latest news has on Christians.

For more stories like this one, sign up to receive Entertainment News from CBN.com in your email every Friday.

Christian Rock Pioneer Larry Norman’s Songs Part 1

I posted a lot in the past about my favorite Christian musicians such as Keith Green (I enjoyed reading Green’s monthly publications too), and 2nd Chapter of Acts and others. Today I wanted to talk about one of Larry Norman’s songs. David Rogers introduced me to Larry Norman’s music in the 1970’s and his album IN ANOTHER LAND came out in 1976 and sold an enormous amount of copies for a Christian record back then.

Larry Norman – The Great American Novel ~ [Lyrics]

Remembering Larry Norman

Calling Larry Norman a “Christian rock pioneer” is easy, and true enough. But before becoming the personification of the Jesus Movement of the late ’60s and early ’70s, he got his start in the mainstream pop world.In 1966, he joined San Jose area band People and signed to Capitol Records. They scored a pop hit with their cover of The Zombies’ “I Love You (But the Words Won’t Come),” before disbanding over internal spiritual conflicts and Norman’s frustration with the label’s re-naming of the band’s debut album. Norman stayed with Capitol for the release of his solo debut, Upon This Rock, a wildly eclectic folk/rock record often referred to as the first Christian rock record of any consequence.

He moved to MGM Records for two critically-acclaimed albums, including Only Visiting This Planet (called “The Best Christian Album of All Time” by the editors of CCM Magazine). But sales were few, and by 1972, Norman went underground, starting Solid Rock Records in the U.S. and Europe, beginning a 35-year run of independence that brought about not only more great music of his own, but also introduced other artful, progressive artists including Randy Stonehill, Daniel Amos, Steve Scott, Tom Howard, Mark Heard, Chris Eaton (Lyrix) and others.

Unlike the safe, southern gospel influenced Christian records of the mid-’70s, Norman’s albums were richly layered in the best tradition of acts like The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Elton John and Crosby, Stills and Nash, with a dark, apocalyptic streak. His message engaged the culture with authenticity and conviction, and his imagination articulated the disconnectedness felt by so many people in the aftermath of the ’60s.

Odd and controversial business practices and broken personal relationships would bring about the end of his Solid Rock Records imprint and cause friction between Norman and some of his closest friends. As Christian music came into its own, he sent himself into a sort of exile. He emerged occasionally, often with surprising stories of personal injuries and even conspiracies. But for the most part, he spent the last two decades of his life communicating directly with his die-hard fans and performing solo acoustic concerts around the world in small venues.

He released a few new projects and re-assembled his classics for release through his website, larrynorman.com. Occasional festival appearances were rare treats for the faithful fans, but he was so far outside the mainstream that most of today’s Christian music fans have absolutely no idea who Larry Norman is.

The fire he fanned continues to burn to this day. Much of the current faith-fueled music scene can trace its existence all the way back to this lanky San Jose kid with the quizzical face, the ripped blue jeans and the simple message that Jesus loves us. His reach extends well into the mainstream where he was admired by artists like U2, John Mellancamp, Bob Dylan and alternative/punk legend Frank Black of Pixies fame. Black, with his ’90s band The Catholics, covered Norman’s song “Six Sixty Six” and frequently went out of his way to laud his impact. In a statement issued the day after Norman’s death, Black called the singer “The most Christ-like man I ever knew.”

In 2002, when U2’s Bono visited Nashville to speak with Christian artists about his DATA campaign, the only artist he specifically asked about was Larry Norman. Norman couldn’t make that trip, so Bono visited him on the road later that year.

His flaws were many, and unfortunately, often kept him at more than arm’s length from the industry he inadvertently helped create. But in time, most of his harshest critics accepted that despite his faults, maybe because of them, he was an amazing person who had given the Church an incredible gift. One-time protégée and best friend Randy Stonehill had distanced himself from Norman for over 20 years following deep personal conflict between the two. In 2001, they reconciled, reuniting onstage at Cornerstone.

Norman struggled with heart disease for most of the last decade. On Sunday, Feb. 24, 2008 his struggle ended. He died peacefully. He was 60. It is certainly no overstatement to say Larry Norman is to Christian music what John Lennon is to rock & roll or Bob Dylan is to folk music. His contributions deserve to be discovered by future generations, and his enduring legacy includes the fantastic truth that despite his personal weakness and frailty, God used him to accomplish amazing things.

 

_{John J. Thompson is an artist, author, pastor, music journalist and industry veteran. He founded True Tunes and Gyroscope Arts and currently resides in Nashville. JohnJThompson.com}

– See more at: http://www.ccmmagazine.com/article/remembering-larry-norman/#sthash.dNOPNZrq.dpuf

Lou Holtz: Undergraduate Commencement Address 2015

Lou Holtz delivers Franciscan grad talk

May 10, 2015

– See more at: http://weirtondailytimes.com/page/content.detail/id/639944/Lou-Holtz-delivers-Franciscan-grad-talk.html?nav=5006#sthash.vlhwd7k7.dpuf

STEUBENVILLE -Legendary football coach Lou Holtz brought humor and life lessons as the speaker at the Franciscan University of Steubenville’s 67th commencement on Saturday at the Finnegan Fieldhouse.

More than 660 students received graduate and post-graduate degrees.

Holtz told the graduates he is able to give life lessons because he was once 21 years old.

Article Photos

Lou Holtz, left, legendary football coach, spends some time talking with the Rev. Sean O. Sherridan, TOR, Franciscan University of Steubenville president, prior to the university’s 67th commencement on Saturday at the Finnegan Fieldhouse. More than 660 students participated in graduation ceremonies. — Mark Law

“You have never been 78,” he said.

Holtz said the students have been fortunate to share their faith in God.

“I assume you will have a good personal life and want to feel secure in your future. You don’t have to sacrifice your faith in God,” he said.

He said life doesn’t have to be complicated, saying there are only seven colors in a rainbow. He said there are only seven musical notes and only 10 numbers. But he said great works of art and music was created with only a few colors and notes.

“It doesn’t need to be complicated,” Holtz said about life.

He told the graduates they only need four things in life: Something to do, somebody to love, something to believe in and something to hope for.

He also said there are three rules the graduates must follow the rest of their life.

“Do what is right. There is never a right time to do the wrong thing,” he said.

Holtz told the graduates not to go through life being bitter.

“Keep a positive attitude. You will have problems and difficulties in life. Don’t tell people about your problems. Ninety percent don’t care and the other 10 percent will blame everything on God. Don’t let people tear you down. Don’t let other people control your attitude.”

Holtz said the second rule is to do everything to the best of your ability.

“Everyone can be the best they are capable of. You have the right to fail. Every part of life has obligations to do the best you can do,” Holtz said in reference to marriage, parenthood and professional life,” he said.

Holtz recounted his early years growing up in Follansbee. He said his father only had a third-grade education but his parents taught him life is about choices.

He said his family was poor but he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth because of the life lessons his parents instilled in him.

The third rule is to show people you care, Holtz said.

He told the graduates to smile at every person they meet for the rest of their life.

“If you follow those three rules you will make right choices. If you do the right thing, people will always be on your side. You will be successful and make a lot of money and then you will die and it will be over. Hopefully (your life) will be significant. Significant is when you make other people successful,” he said.

Holtz said if you want to be happy for a day, go golfing. If you want to be happy for a month, buy a car. If you want to be happy for a year, win the lottery.

“If you want to be happy for a lifetime, put your faith in Jesus Christ,” Holtz said.

Holtz is the only coach in the history of college football to take six different teams to a bowl game, win five bowl games with different teams and have four different teams ranked in the top 20 poll. He was selected for the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008.

Holtz is the author of three New York Times best-selling books. He recently retired after a long tenure as a college football studio analyst on ESPN.

Holtz prior to the commencement speech talked about his days as a TV college football analyst.

“I will miss the camaraderie with people. It is better for people to ask why you retired than when are you going to retire,” he said.

Holtz said he will miss the attentiveness he has given to football. He said he has been involved in football since the fourth grade.

He said it will be nice to do want he wants to do as a retiree. He said he will continue to go to college football games and looks forward to spending time with his wife, Beth.

Holtz said being a college football analyst kept his mind sharp at the age of 78.

“It caused me to think at my age. I had no script. I had to keep all the names and stats in my head. It kept me thinking.”

Holtz was presented an honorary doctorate in communications “for his service as a public leader and sports authority unashamed of his Catholic faith.”

 

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