Thehappychurch's Blog

The Apostle Luke deals with a suspected heretic...

Luke, called to be a disciple of Christ Jesus, by the will of God, through being sent up to the highlands of Sheffield and South Yorkshire some months ago, and our brother Drew and sister Charly,

To THE HAPPY CHURCH of God in Exeter, and those that journey up the steep ‘Cardiac Hill’ every week and who call on the name of Goodbody for wise teaching.

Grace and Peace to you.

I thank God for your endurance each week (torrential Exeter rain notwithstanding) in your arduous and ongoing work in bringing the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to the heathen and the worshipers of lash in the City of Exeter, especially to those attending ‘possibly the best university in the world’ in said city. It is good that you continue in this work, eagerly encouraged by the words of Harris, Burnside, Arscott and the others. You will not lack for good teaching , and I am confident you will gain understanding of the unique ‘start every sermon with a question’ technique which has stood so many of us in good stead at St Leonard’s.

However, I have heard of some dissent amongst you, about what to do with the problem known as ‘Network’ (known affectionately by the zealots as ‘Not-work’). I hear that some have even suggested that THE HAPPY CHURCH take up the trendy sport of ‘Ultimate Frisbee’ every Sunday morning as a means of competing for student attendees at services. Do you not remember the teaching we gave you only a year ago?

N.B. Network Church: We are called to take up our crosses, not surfboards (Luke 9:23)

Apparently some say, “I follow the way of the surf”, and others say “I follow the way of the 9.30 AND 6.30 thorough exposition of Romans”. Were we ever divided? Did we ever waver and go the way of Newquay and a questionable understanding of the biblical workings of Spiritual gifts? No we did not. There is no other way, but that of the bible, and that of the THE HAPPY CHURCH/Leonards/Belmont/NFI collective.

Some demand an authority of Experience and Institution, and others seek the Reason of other men, but we preach the authority of the Bible as one above the three others as they are but opinions of men.

Do you not remember the time we spent with you? Every new academic year without fail (well almost) we travelled, and collected groups of shepherd-less Freshers from the gates of the University Great Hall by bold proclamation of a bible teaching, bible believing, God fearing church, that the true sheep amongst them heard the call of and followed. Do you not remember how they followed us, many miles from their halls of residences, over hills, through council estates, and past the temptations of multiple Wetherspoons outlets, before they were faced with the final great trial known as ‘crossing

The Happy Church Freshers: Before heresy and graduate schemes caused them to stray...

Topsham road without using the lights’? Did not many follow and hear the word taught well? These brothers, these are the Fresh that you should be focusing your attentions on come the next day of selection at the great hall, for it is they who will withstand the attacks of the evil one until the final day, and it is they who will help build THE HAPPY CHURCH into a church that is even greater than the one which the Vatican controls (whilst remaining paedophile free).

Grace be with you.

This week the Bishop tunefully tackles the issue of Christian rock bands…

The Bishop does a solo with his "air accordion"...

Hello congregants,

It has been a while since I have written and for that I apologise. Correspondence on Ask the Bishop has been a prominent issue, as well as dealing with many “in-house” incidents with the Curate and race-relation issues…

I have had one issue that has eclipsed all others recently, however, and this has been consoling Chang Chang (position forgotten) over the retirement of Delirious? For all those who have worshipped -  I mean…er… supported – the band over the years this is a blow. But all “good” things must come to an end.

I wish to briefly examine the phenomenon of Christian rock bands. It has always been confusing to me as to who one is worshipping at their concerts – Is it the band or the Lord? This is not the band’s fault – they’re playing the music, but impressionable youths often get caught up in it. At least now Delirious are no more, there will be some clarity. For Chang Chang, he still has his trinity of Tim Hughes, Matt Redman and Stuart Townend to send him to sleep at night on his i-pod (the “i” is for idolatry here!), but which Christian music idol will impressionable evangelical teens flock to venerate next?

At least when one goes to see a good pagan rock band, it’s clear that you’re there for the music. However, at Christian band concerts it is confusing, as the music is not particularly good and it’s not worship either. The other problem is when pagan rock bands make better music with a better eschatological content than some Christian bands. See below for an example:

To which altar shall I seek refuge? Switchfoot or Slayer? Delirious or Deftones? Phatfish or Pantera? – Oh the dilemma! Who will deliver me from this?! I hear AC/DC and Aerosmith are at the Download Festival this year…! Let’s rock!

The Bishop's unorthodox prayer stance...

That said,  there are Christian artists that the Bishop admires  when they are truly worshipping (and not trying to be a rock band) such Phatfish, Keith Green, Carl Tuttle, Matt Giles (I think he’s the oldest!), Taize, Dominican monks etc., but I have learned of a worrying trend: People want to make worship for the fame and money, even more than in just being a plain rock band. My brothers, this should not be! Eph. 5.19 was not means to be laundered!

In short, either lead worship or just make good music. Unfortunately, it seems that unless you are in THE HAPPY CHURCH worship band,  doing both is sadly not possible.

Bless you,
The Bishop