Author Archives: Matt Privett

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About Matt Privett

I'm a 35 year old friend, slave, and minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm the husband of Liz. I'm the father of Joshua, Lilyann, Hannah, Julianne, and another who is safe in the presence of God.

The worst day in American history

Today marked forty years since the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade, a decision which made legal the act of abortion, the taking of the life of an unborn child.

The Planned Parenthood/NARAL/NOW crowd has predictably cheered as they celebrate “a woman’s right to choose,” but I contend that January 22, 1973, was to date the worst day in the history of the United States of America.

You could argue that September 11, 2001, was, or December 7, 1941. I’d understand that logic. Or perhaps April 12, 1861, the day South Carolinians fired on Fort Sumter, giving Abraham Lincoln all the justification he needed for a Civil War. But I judge these things more my the decisions that lead to the tragedy more than the tragedy itself. And clearly, the abominable decision by the Supreme Court forty years ago today is what has made legal the murder of 55 million babies.

Read that again. Continue reading →

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The Giglio brouhaha: Biblical Christianity, homosexuality, and an Obama-nation

2464Many pixels and keyboard taps are being put to use today with the news that Atlanta pastor Louie Gigilo will, in fact, not be giving the benediction at President Obama’s second inaugural on January 21. Giglio had originally been tabbed by the planning committee to give the prayer, having allegedly come to their attention for his “leadership in combating human trafficking around the world.” Now, however, just a day or two after we found out he had been chosen to deliver this prayer, he has been booted from the program, withdrawn himself, or both, depending on who you read, based upon a sermon 15 or so years ago in which he called homosexuality a sin and said Christians must be prepared to be called a “homophobe” or “intolerant” in order to stand up for truth. Continue reading →

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Introducing the “Queen James Bible”

The "Queen James Bible"And you thought the KJV-Onlyism was bad? Well, what then should we make of the Queen James Bible, a new “translation” of Scripture claiming to be the “first gay-friendly Bible to correctly interpret the Christian Scriptures”? You can buy it on Amazon, but I’m not going to provide you a link. Suffice it to say, the small amount of the translation I’ve seen, stuff that would distinguish it from, you know, an actual translation of the Hebrew and Greek, is enough to see that this isn’t a translation, per se, but a socio-political screed.  Continue reading →

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This will get you in the “Christmas spirit”

Feeling down this Christmas season? Perhaps this will help lift your spirits.

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Petra’s albums: #5 – This Means War!

This Means War!Introductory Note: In appreciation of Petra’s fortieth year in music and ministry, I am ranking their albums from least best to greatest. You can read my opening post here.

This Means War! (1987, StarSong)

Lineup: John Schlitt (lead vocals), Bob Hartman (guitars), Mark Kelly (bass), John Lawry (keyboards), Louie Weaver (drums)

This album, Petra’s second with John Schlitt as the front man, is the one which launched the second golden era for the band, during which I became a fan for life. While a great many consider 1986′s Back To The Street a transitional album (fair to some degree), Petra really meant “rock” on This Means War!, and as a result it has endured as one of the bands most loved efforts. Continue reading →

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Petra albums: #6 – Back To The Rock

Introductory Note: In appreciation of Petra’s fortieth year in music and ministry, I am ranking their albums from least best to greatest. You can read my opening post here.

Back To The Rock (1983, StarSong)

Lineup: Greg X. Volz (lead vocals), Bob Hartman (guitars), Mark Kelly (bass), John Lawry (keyboards), Louie Weaver (drums)

OK. I realize that by including this album I am kind of cheating on this list. After all, this is technically “Classic Petra,” and over 80% of it is “greatest hits” material that has been re-recorded. But there are two new tracks, and it’s my list and so that is my justification for including this album on the list. After almost twenty-five years Greg X. Volz reunited with Bob Hartman, John Lawry, Mark Kelly, and even Louie Weaver(!). Continue reading →

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Petra’s albums: #7 – Not Of This World

Introductory Note: In appreciation of Petra’s fortieth year in music and ministry, I am ranking their albums from least best to greatest. You can read my opening post here.

Not of This World (1983, StarSong)

Lineup: Greg X. Volz (lead vocals), Bob Hartman (guitars), Mark Kelly (bass), John Slick (keyboards), Louie Weaver (drums)

Following up on the success of 1982′s More Power To Ya, Petra came back a year later with Not Of This World, the middle album of a trilogy marking the apex of the Greg X. Volz era, and an album contains three of Petra’s greatest and most enduring songs.

The introduction of synthesizers into the Petra sound start right from the beginning, with “Visions” instrumental pieces which bookend the album, transitioning nicely into the first song and out of the last.

And that first song, oh boy, is a ballad, yes, but a passionate call for believers to realize their identity in Christ in relation to their place in this world. It’s a song in the indicative, and it’s the title track. The lyrics by Bob Hartman are powerful: “We are pilgrims in a strange land / We are so far from our homeland / With each passing day it seems so clear / This world will never want us here / We’re not welcome in this world of wrong / We are foreigners who don’t belong // We are strangers, we are aliens / We are not of this world.” But that I, and all Christians, especially in America, would realize this important truth on a daily basis and live as though it is so. Continue reading →

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Petra’s albums: #8 – Beat the System

Introductory Note: In appreciation of Petra’s fortieth year in music and ministry, I am ranking their albums from least best to greatest. You can read my opening post here.

Beat the System (1984, StarSong)

Lineup: John Schlitt (lead vocals), Bob Hartman (guitar), Mark Kelly (bass), John Lawry (keyboards), Louie Weaver (drums)

And now we have reached the upper echelon, the pantheon if you will (and I think you will) of Petra albums. Beat the System is memorable because it is the third in a trilogy of albums which marked and culminated Petra’s first golden era. But it’s also memorable because it was the last studio release with Greg X. Volz as lead singer (that is, until Classic Petra).

John Lawry joined Petra, replacing John Slick on keyboards, and his influence would be immediately felt, as Beat the System is more electronic, utilizing more keyboards, than any other Petra album. While hearing that might cause one to pause before listening, however, the results are fantastic. Continue reading →

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Petra’s albums: #9 – Wake-Up Call

Introductory Note: In appreciation of Petra’s fortieth year in music and ministry, I am ranking their albums from least best to greatest. You can read my opening post here.

Wake-Up Call (1993, Word)

Lineup: John Schlitt (lead vocals), Bob Hartman (guitar), John Lawry (keyboards), Ronny Cates (bass), Louie Weaver (drums)

As Def Leppard and Bon Jovi in the secular rock world were giving way to Nirvana, Petra was approaching an era of change after yet another successful album in Unseen Power. John and Dino Elefante had left their stamp on each album of the John Schlitt era as producers, but a change was coming in the person of Brown Bannister, who had produced successful albums for many CCM artists.

The result was ten tracks gathered together to make a great, but underappreciated album (yet one that won Petra a Grammy). There is a mixture of fantastic rock tunes, “Midnight Oil,” “Praying Man,” and “Sleeping Giant,” and wonderful ballads like “He’s Been In My Shoes,” “Marks of the Cross,” and “Just Reach Out.”

Overall, the sound represents a continued slight softening, something seen in each album since On Fire! But there is still plenty of rock to go around, and the result is a delight to the ears and the soul. Continue reading →

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Petra’s albums: #10 – Jekyll & Hyde

Introductory Note: In appreciation of Petra’s fortieth year in music and ministry, I am ranking their albums from least best to greatest. You can read my opening post here.

Jekyll & Hyde (2003, Inpop)

Lineup: John Schlitt (lead vocals), Bob Hartman (guitar), Greg Bailey (bass)

Petra seemed dead. Louie Weaver left the band and/or was fired in early 2003. There just seemed to be a negative feeling about where Petra was at the time. Revival had mixed reviews at best, this coming after the majority of fans panned Double Take. A revolving door of band members had been going on since the mid-90s, and now all that was left was Schlitt and Bailey.

But then Bob Hartman returned to active duty. Newsboys’ Peter Furler, running Inpop, agreed to produce and even play drums. A mysterious song by an unnamed band appeared on the Inpop web site. It was a rocker, to say to the least, and the unmistakable voice of John Schlitt pierced through my computer speakers. Needless to say, after hearing the song “Jekyll & Hyde” for the first time I was amped for the album, because it promised to be a true rocker. Continue reading →

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