The Best of 2007

The second annual brokenstainedglass awards.
Here's a list of the Best of 2007.

MUSIC CATEGORY:

Best Album:
Theology - Sinead O'Connor (female)
I never thought I would say Sinead O'Connor would put out the best album of the year, but her lyrics were so thoughtful, so compelling and so articulate.

In Rainbows - Radiohead (male)
I've just recently been turned on to these guys, but I like how they have created a new genre of music and have blazed new trails in music, oftentimes rewriting the rules of how the music industry operates.

Best Female Artist: Dolores O'Riordan
Former lead singer for the Cranberries (another personal favorite) Irishwoman O'Riordan put out her first solo album Are You Listening? Great album. I never tire of listening to it.

Best Male Artist: Matisyahu
Another genre-busting artist. This practicing Jew puts out reggae albums that are tasteful and incredibly creative in both style and writing.

Best Song: A New Law (Derek Webb)
The thoughtfulness and conviction with which Derek writes is refreshing. He says it like it is and challenges us to think about how often we can become Pharisees without even knowing it.

FILM CATEGORY:

Best Documentary for Social Change: God Grew Tired of Us
This documentary follows around a few young men who leave their culture in Africa (where they have never even seen electricity) and are brought to live in Pittsburgh. You'll laugh and cry.  It's heart-wrenching and pretty funny, but ends hopeful.   

Best Biographical Documentary: Fred Rogers: America's Favorite Neighbor
I knew it would be informational about the life of Mr Rogers and Mr Rogers' neighborhood, but this surprised me with how emotional it was. Put out by PBS after Fred Rogers died, it pays tribute to a wonderful man.

Best Action: Bourne Ultimatum
Matt Damon is great. The Bourne trilogy is one of my favorites.

Best Drama: Pursuit of Happyness
Megan and I watched this on a date just a week after Carter was born, so when Will Smith plays the role of a deeply loyal father based on a true story, I cried like, well...a baby.

Best Indie Film: A Mighty Heart
This independent film based on the story of journalist Daniel Pearl's murder was very well done (Angelina Jolie did a great job acting) but it wasn't overdone.

Best Film That's Been Out a While: (tie) Amadeus and Gandhi
No wonder both of these won Academy Awards.

TELEVISION CATEGORY:

Best show: The Office
No question. Hands down. The only show that Megan and I watch. Please...end the strike in Hollywood soon. We miss you, Dwight. (That's what she said). 

BOOK CATEGORY:

Best book of the Bible I studied this year: Ecclesiastes
The series we did on Ecclesiastes this fall was the most enjoyable and personally challenging series I've ever taught. Loved the book, loved the study, loved the discussion with others about it. The Professor's honest wrestling and gut-wrenching questions really hit home for me personally.   

Best Academic Book: Exclusion and Embrace by Miroslav Volf
Very heady (definitely not a light read) but it is the clearest explanation of grace and the gospel.

Best Spiritual Formation Book: Embracing Grace by Scot McKnight
I love anything by Scot McKnight, but this is my favorite McKnight book. A great understanding of the gospel and our role in it as cracked eikons. Well done, Scot.

Best Business Book: Make to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
In the same category as Malcolm Gladwell's books Blink and The Tipping Point, this book is well researched, well written, engaging, practical and includes a lot of stories of "sticky" thoughts, ideas and campaigns - and why they worked.

Best Memoir: The Year I Got Everything I Wanted by Cameron Conant
An Ecclesiastical life journey for a young twentysomething asking tough, but significant questions about life.

Book That Challenged Me the Most in How I Lead and Serve as a Pastor: (tie)
Fresh Faith by Jim Cymbala
This book challenged me deeply regarding the role of prayer and dependence upon the Spirit. Cymbala is a simple, but deeply faithful pastor who has strong convictions of dependence upon prayer. Very challenging...I needed it.

The Unnecessary Pastor by Eugene Peterson and Marva Dawn
Of course, anything by Peterson is up for a "Best Of" award. Understanding the "unnecessary" job I have as a pastor was hard to read, but important to grasp.

WORLD WIDE WEB CATEGORY:

Best website: Chipotle
If you think the website is good, wait until you have one of their steak burritos. (NOTE: Now three locations in the Philly area...finally).

Best Blog (serious): John Frye's Jesus the Radical Pastor
Great thoughts. I like how this guy thinks.

Best Blog (humor): Marko's blog
I sometimes wonder if Marko really does any work or if he just travels and creates funny links to his blog.

Best podcast: Pray-As-You-Go
A 12 minute podcast that is updated every weekday by the Jesuit community in the U.K. Very contemplative and lectio divina-ish. I listen it to every morning on my way in to work. [Find it on iTunes podcasts by typing in "pray as you go."] It's worth utilizing regularly in our culture of noise, rush and efficiency. 

LIFE CATEGORY:

Best Moments:
First place: January 3: the day Carter was born
Second place: September 26: Carter's adoption finalization hearing)
Third place: October 14: Officiating my brother's wedding in Colorado Springs

Best/Most Fitting Quote for Us This Year: Walter Brueggemann
"The world for which you have been so carefully prepared is being taken away from you by the grace of God."

Comments

[Rich]

What is the gist of the message of the "unnecessary pastor"? I've always considered the role of a pastor to be one who looks to foster the growth and discipleship of Christians, but it seems like in most churches it tends to be more of an administrative and teaching position.

Actually, one thing I've always admired about Calvary is that Pastor Meredith has been very open to having others (such as Charles) do a significant portion of the teaching - recognizing the gifts of others. While I guess teaching and pastoring is often related, I don't think that they are the same. In fact, I think a big problem with many churches is that they're filled with teachers and administrators and sometimes evangelists, but rarely pastors. All of those roles are of course essential to the church - but pastors seem to be in particularly dire need. I'd be interested in your thoughts...

[Fred White]

Cymbala's book is good, but there's a big disconnect at his church when it comes to depending on the spirit. He offers no financial transparency to his congragents and has no accountability as far as a overseeing denomination or board. And believe me, the people who attend his church are quite capable of serving alongside him, there are many educated people who attend but he's extremely parental in his approach {he thinks he's everyones daddy}which is pretty arrogant if you ask me. Anyway, take it for what it's worth.

[Tom]

J.R., do you (or resonate) have a podcast feed?

[Trevor]

Sorry to tell you but Robert Ludlam is dead.

[Kevin]

J.R., I like your list and as a 90's music fan, I do like Sinead's album and Dolores (and Radiohead), but I'd like to put in a plug for the band NEEDTOBREATHE and also Sara Groves. I was very impressed by their albums in 2007. They could both win GMA (Dove) Awards, along with Anberlin, Rush of Fools, Casting Crowns and Jeremy Riddle (my favorite new artist). I also really like Derek Webb's "The Ringing Bell" and the song "A Love That's Stronger Than Our Fear".

[DougG]

JR, You forgot blasts from the past from an old guy:

Best Acoustic: Bob Bennett "Song about Baseball"
Best Album: Whiteheart, "Freedom"
Best Song: Whiteheart, "The Flame Passes On"
Best Male Artist: MWS
Best Female Artist: Amy Grant Gill
Best Song for Roadtrips: GM and the Distance "Rescue Me"
Best Album Name: 77s, "________" (Pray Naked)
Best Sing for late at night in the middle of Idaho announced by a Christian Surfer DJ: 77s "U U U U"

There's more, but I don't have time. I would have mentioned Stryper, but I think I packed the albums away with my spandex and Member's Only jacket. DougG

PS For the record, I never had a Mullet