Terry Fator Meets Larry Norman--
Terry Fator who won America's Got Talent in 2008---couple months prior to that event had the chance to meet one of his heros Larry Norman at Larry's Birthday Bash--
風格近似
A video of Sarah Brendel talking about her new CD "Early Morning Hours" ----
The CD has couple songs with Larry Norman--
In this video Sarah speaks on Larry and shows couple video clips of them in the studio together
THE GOSPEL MUSIC HALL OF FAME BIOGRAPHY
Larry Norman is celebrating more than 45 years as a songwriter and performer. In 1956 he began writing his songs and performing them in public. He has continued to perform them all over the world. Instead of concentrating solely on America, he has toured exotic places like Russia, Lebanon, Israel, India, Hong Kong, and Japan. He has also performed in Western World countries like Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, The Czech Republic, Poland, Holland, Britain, France, Italy, and Australia. He has sung in small clubs like New York’s Bitter End, and L.A.’s Troubadour, and also given concerts at The San Francisco Pop Festival and other outdoor festivals with crowds of up to 180,000. He has performed for The White House, twice - and in direct contrast, in Moscow at the 80,000 seat Olympic Stadium. He has headlined at venues like The Hollywood Bowl, The Sydney Opera House, The Palladium and London’s prestigious Royal Albert Hall, which he has sold out six times; once filling it twice on the same day. Only recently has he slowed down.
For almost thirty years the press has referred to him as “the father of Christian rock” because it was he who first combined rock and roll with Christian lyrics. In the 70’s Billboard Magazine called him “the most important writer since Paul Simon.” To the church, in the early years, these accolades only deepened their doubts about him. He was banned in most Bible bookstores. But in later years he began to gain wider acceptance. Christian Artists Seminar awarded him their Lifetime Achievement Award and Contemporary Christian Music Magazine named Norman's Only Visiting This Planet record the most significant and influential gospel album ever released in the field of contemporary Christian music. This kind of recognition is not new to Norman. Time Magazine once called him “the most significant artist in his field.” He has said, “I’m just an artist, reaching toward Heaven."
His recording ministry started in 1966 when he was offered a contract by Capitol Records and found himself on the same label as The Beatles and The Beach Boys. His first single, “Riding High,” was a song about the Christian life through the Holy Spirit. His first album was titled We Need A Whole Lot More Of Jesus, And A Lot Less Rock And Roll. Larry and his band People! opened for secular groups like The Grateful Dead, The Doors, Janis Joplin, The Byrds and many others. Larry was outspoken about his beliefs. His music was original and thought-provoking. Pete Townshend credited Larry's own rock-opera, The Epic, for inspiring the rock-opera, Tommy, recorded by The Who. In 1969 Larry recorded his third Capitol album, Upon This Rock, which introduced the songs “I Wish We’d All Been Ready,” and “Sweet Song of Salvation.”
His style of music had been controversial for almost fifteen years before the Jesus Movement sprang up. During the Fifties and Sixties, he felt pretty much alone, but when other Christians began to write songs which were more modern and rock-based, things began to change. Larry’s broken finger, held up after each song, had become the One Way sign for the 70’s movement and his song “I Wish We’d All Been Ready” had become its anthem. The film A Thief In The Night used this song as part of its storyline. Other films would later incorporate his music into their soundtracks. His ministry continued to grow. Over the years his songs were translated into more than a dozen languages, including Russian and Hebrew. His music was studied in various universities and seminaries. He became friends with writers like Francis Schaeffer, Malcolm Muggeridge, and Hal Lindsey. Larry has had over three hundred cover records of his songs by other groups, including recordings by non-gospel artists like Sammy Davis, Jr. and Petula Clark. Later, even Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp, Black Francis of The Pixies nee Frank Black, the group U2, and Van Morrison have called themselves fans.
LARRY HAS BEEN WRITTEN UP BY TIME MAGAZINE, BILLBOARD, RECORD WORLD, CASHBOX, SCREW, COSMOPOLITAN AND OTHER SECULAR MAGAZINES AND MANY SECULAR NEWSPAPERS AROUND THE WORLD.
TODAY, THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON BUT BACK IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE JESUS MOVEMENT, HIGH PRAISE FROM “LOW” SOURCES HEAPED EXTRA CONDEMNATION UPON HIM. . . “GUILT THROUGH ASSOCIATION.”
To the church these accolades only confirmed his secularity. Upon This Rock had been banned by the majority of Bible Bookstores for two years. Only Visiting This Planet remained in limbo for over six years. Although on stage he rarely smiled and often appeared to be almost daring an audience to like him, this enfant terrible - the “bad boy of Christian music” - was making music which could not be ignored; and finally he began to be perceived not as a “tool of Satan” but as a Christian with an unusual perspective on both secular and Christian cultures.
Upon leaving MGM Records in 1974 he started his own label, Solid Rock Records. His first recording, Orphans From Eden, was never released. His next album, In Another Land, was censored by Word Records, which insisted upon removing music they felt was “too controversial.”
When his 1976 album, Something New Under The Son, met with similar censorship, he took off on a seven-month world tour and wrote Voyage Of The Vigilant. This expansive tour was covered by journalist Steve Turner and also chronicled by photographer D.C. Riggott.
Larry toured with a rock and roll band and also performed solo sets throughout America, Canada, Australia, Scandinavia, Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, and more exotic locales like Israel, Lebanon, India, Hong Kong, and Japan - but with songs like “Three Million Gods,” and “Cats Of The Coliseum,” discussing the Hindu religion and the early martyrdom of Christians in Rome, Voyage Of The Vigilant was not acceptable because it was considered too “avant garde.” It was never released.
Despite the censorship difficulties he was experiencing with his own albums, he was hitting home runs with other artists’ albums. He had found Randy Stonehill in obscurity, worked for several years to get him off of drugs, produced Welcome To Paradise, and took Randy with him all across Europe and America, which firmly established Randy’s recognition by 1977.
He had also discovered Steve Camp, who signed with Solid Rock and then asked Larry to let him sign with Myrhh. Larry had nurtured Keith Green, but felt that Keith was too restless to work with peacefully, so Keith then signed with Sparrow. A country group on the verge of breaking up came to Larry and he jump-started a new career for them with the release of the experimental rock album, Horrendous Disc. It remains Daniel Amos’ most popular work to this day. Mark Heard was working in a chicken cage factory for Spinkomatic when Larry met him. Larry invited him to join Solid Rock. With the exception of Mark, who went on to produce increasingly perceptive albums, the albums of the other artists which were released on Solid Rock, have generally been considered the most definitive albums they ever recorded.
So for what proved to be only a very short time, Larry produced other artists in addition to himself. This “golden age of Solid Rock” was still in full flower, and Larry was getting ready to sign with Warner Brothers when he was involved in the airplane accident of 1978 which injured his spine, neck, and skull - and caused him partial brain damage and silenced his literate voice for the next twelve years. After fighting with Word Records for two more years, Larry dismantled Solid Rock and moved to Europe.
He started a new label, Phydeaux - as in “Fido.” At the time, Larry joked that “if Christian music was going to the dogs, then he wanted to remain on the cutting edge.” Phydeaux released several studio compilations and bootleg style albums to compete with the illegal albums like “Live At The Mac,” being released by bootleggers and music pirates like Randy Leyton.
He was standing as far away from the music industry as possible and enjoying the distance. Basically, he was ignoring the American distributors who had for years ignored him. Through the mail he found that he could go directly to the people who well and truly understood music and his ministry.
When critics attacked his Phydeaux albums for not keeping up with the fads and trends of the current gospel industry, Larry could only laugh about it. He had been ahead of his time for years and had his music censored and banned because of it. In the Eighties, he was only vaguely interested in making his albums available to the stores.
Larry continued to travel extensively through other countries, coming back to America occasionally to report on his adventures. The 1978 airplane accident had made him seem much friendlier and more accessible than during the intensity of his earlier years. He started inviting members of the audience out to restaurants after the concerts - not to continue preaching but to listen to the stories of their lives, and their experiences. Although he remained at odds with the gospel music industry, avoided Christian television, granted very few interviews, and did not try to push his ministry as a commercial business. His ministry continued to grow.
– Larry was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2001
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The way to godliness is in not tying to be godly. To be godly means to be like God. No one can be just like God, but we can have some resemblance to Him. But this is not our purpose. It’s the natural result of another purpose. Our sole purpose is to become forgiven. If we can know that we are forgiven, this will revolutionize our lives. The way to become forgiven is to simply trust that Jesus took our punishment on the cross and then rose from the grave. The whys and hows of the cross are super profound, but it is not necessary to understand the deep things of God to be forgiven. Believing the fact of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus is all you must worry about. The wonderful meanings of all that Jesus has done are revealed to us over time. Simple faith in the cross will give us encouragement and hope. When we are free and clear before God, we can spread that hope to others. Believe me, they want to have this hope in such a world. So stop trusting in those charlatans in leisure suits. Trust in the meek and lowly One, who came to be our Savior. Don’t go to those religious buildings to get forgiveness. Go to the cross!
We have seen from the last chapter that God does not kill his children to train them. Once a person is dead, the training is over. So this proves that those Christians who were sick and dying in chapter eleven were that way because the Christians that could have helped the poor around them did not discern the body. They were ignorant of the poor Christians at the fellowship and at communion, so Paul rebuked them for it.
Never believe that God trains his children by making them sick and by killing them. Today’s teaching which believes that blames God for the sad results of the sins of those selfish Christians at Corinth.
Now Paul will change the subject in chapter twelve to things of the spirit, which is another greatly misunderstood and abused teaching in the church today.
The things Paul will talk about in chapter twelve are of a non-carnal nature. They are ethereal, celestial, and heavenly. These gifts are not of the concrete earth; they are supernaturally generated. As a matter of fact, the word for “gifts” is not even in verse one of chapter twelve. So Paul is talking about things spiritual here. He did not want the Corinthians to be ignorant about the spiritual side of things, as opposed to the bad things he was just discussing in chapter eleven.
Verse 2:
When the Corinthians were “of the ethnos”, they were led astray as to spiritual things. The ethnic groups of the world are just that, of the world. They have earthly habits and worldly non-spiritual ideas about God. The word “ethnic” means “by habit”. Those of the same ethnic groups do the same things, whether good or bad.
Racism is a popular word today, but there is really no such thing. We are all of the same race. Don’t get me wrong. There is plenty of prejudice going on in America between different groups of people. This is because th
Psalm 75 1 Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare. 2 When I shall receive the congregation I will judge uprightly. 3 The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I bear up the pillars of it. Selah. 4 I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly: and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn: 5 Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck. 6 For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. 7 But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another. 8 For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them. 9 But I will declare for ever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. 10 All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.
Romans 9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. 14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? 20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, 24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
"For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" ~ Romans 8:24-31
There are two ideas about holiness I’d like to write about. One is our standing through Christ, or the way God sees believers. The other is the way we live on earth, or the things we do. Is there a difference? If you believe there is a great difference, then you are pleasing to God. If you think there is a small difference, then you are less pleasing to God. If you believe there is no difference, then you are not pleasing to God. First let me say that I am not writing about living in clear cut, willful sin that the Word condemns. As believers, we died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? With that out of the way, let me continue. If you believe there is a great difference between the way God sees the believer and the way the believer lives, you are well pleasing to God. This is because you exalt Jesus and His cross, and you exhibit true humility. If you are viewed as spotless and perfect merely because you trust in the cross of Jesus, you lift up that cross and show the utter necessity for that cross. You declare that Christ is the one thing needful and without Him there is no hope. You validate everything Jesus has done on earth, and this pleases the One who sent Jesus. You also show a meek and humble attitude by seeing yourself in truth, as the dust you are. This is greatly pleasing to God, for God doesn’t like when little worms pretend to be somebody. We are not as good as our standing in Christ, for to go to Heaven we must be perfect, and no one is perfect. So God considers us perfect based on the performance of Jesus and our faith in that performance. If you see little difference between your standing and your performance you are heading down the road to legalism. It will not be long before you become the sad, third person in my message. How can you compare your deeds with the work of Jesus on the cross? There is a gulf between the two that is so great you cannot see the other side. You must r
Romans 15:5-12 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to your name.” And again it say, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and sing praises to him, all you peoples.” And again, Isaiah says, “The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; and Gentiles will hope in him.”
God gives cheerful hope and happy waiting in Jesus. This is the meaning behind the word “endurance”, in Rom. 15:5. God also gives true solace in Jesus. This comfort is found in the gospel, where people are saved apart from works, and solely by the work of Jesus on the cross. This is the only way to true spiritual comfort. Some Christians feel guilty when they are comfortable. That was me all over. But now I have the peace of Christ. That doesn’t mean I turned into a weirdo, with wild eyes and no emotions. I am still very much Italian. But now I am happy about something very important. I am saved. You may think this is a strange term. You may think that you do not need to be saved. Tell me, what is the first thing people yell when their lives are threatened? SAVE ME!! SAVE ME!! I just yelled it a little early, and Jesus heard me. Now no matter what happens to me, I know that my spirit is saved and this gives me joy. The spirit is not some loss of consciousness, or universal mind. It’s who I am. It’s me on the inside, the eternal part. We wi
I just listened to some 1980’s Christian music. Wow! What a bunch of religious, legalistic songs. They use the cross of Jesus to try to make us feel guilty, and think they are serving God. I used to fall for their lies, but no more. I want to tell everyone who is reading that they are not ministers of Jesus. I wonder what became of a lot of these Christian singers of the past. I hope they turned from this form of Judaism that so much of the church is adhering to. They believe all wrong about Jesus. They are still under the ministry of death which has faded away. See that this deadly ministry is the Ten Commandments referred to by Paul in 2 Corinthians chapter 3. To try to earn salvation by the law will kill you. To realize that Jesus has earned it will give life. Anyone who would point to the cross with a legalistic finger to make us feel guilt over the efforts of Jesus, is not from Jesus. These singers should start feeling guilty over their sins, not over Jesus curing our sins. Jesus is not a martyr who died to make us feel guilty that we are not as good as He is. The death of Christ was not an impossible example to try and follow in a legal way, to earn something from God. I used to feel angry that some of these Christian singers crossed over to the secular market to make more money. Now I am glad they did. At least they are not spewing out legal rot from a churchy mindset. When these singers realize that Jesus is Savior, stop preaching false Lordship salvation, and believe that we do our part by simply trusting in our dear Savior’s efforts for us, maybe they will write some new songs containing the gospel. But until then I will be listening to the hymns and some good classic rock!
Hebrews 9:11-15 When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance - now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. The writer to the Hebrews calls Christianity, “the good things that are already here.” This is a good way to view our faith. Remember this when you hear some preacher heaping guilt, rules, and burdens upon your back. Remember that our faith is “the good things that are here.” Do not feel guilt because you are blessed of God. You are blessed because you’ve believed the Son of His love. You are blessed because salvation is by grace apart from works, apart from obedience to the law. After all, the gospel means the good news. We have a faith of good news, good things, a good Shepherd, and whatever is lovely, peaceful, and of good report. So reject the prevalent teaching of legalism in these last days. When Jesus came to earth, He prepared Himself as the lamb of God, by living without sin. After He fulfilled the law of Moses, right down to the jot and tittle, He then offered Himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for sin. Jesus’ life was the only sinless life ever lived, and He submitte
