Star Academy Reflections

I just finished my Friday night ritual of watching the French TV show "Star Academy," which is a French show similar to "American Idol."

My first reflection is a question: Is there a "French" style of music? My wife observed tonight that they do a lot more songs in French than in the early seasons of the show. This is true. However, the styles of the songs are all different, from rhythm and blues to rap. They even had a Scottish and Celtic sound, with bagpipers in the background.

My second observation is that the Star Ac is helping raise up some new young Francophone artists. It provides a good training school for a few potential artists, as well as the opportunity to become known in France, which helps sell musical albums of this or that artist.

As I watch each emission, my heart years for a new generation of artists in France who live their Christian faith in all areas of life, including in their art form. John Knox cried out, "Give me Scotland or I die." My heart cry in watching this show and in helping at "La Fonderie" and at "Alpha Lounge" is "Give me (and the Church in France) this younger generation of artists in France or I die."

I was on the Christianity Today website and came across a brief article by Pastor James MacDonald of Harvest Chapel in Illinois. It is part 1 of 2 parties on why he doesn't buy into the emergent church movement.

The feedback on it is insightful. A number of readers point out that he seems to set up a straw man. He doesn't site any examples of emergent chuches that value substance more than reality.