Comments for donald goodhall http://donaldgoodhall.wordpress.com thoughts on life, love, and existence Tue, 02 Jun 2009 04:09:00 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Essentials Green Creative Project – YOU MADE A WAY by Rebekah http://donaldgoodhall.wordpress.com/2009/04/24/essentials-green-creative-project-you-made-a-way/#comment-21 Rebekah Tue, 02 Jun 2009 04:09:00 +0000 http://donaldgoodhall.wordpress.com/?p=82#comment-21 Just listened to this song and "Rescue." Amazing Donald!!!! Annabelle just sent me the lyrics for one of your newest songs about justice flowing like a river, response etc.. sounds beautiful.... was really encouraging for me to read!!! Let me know when its up!! You're gonna have to release a cd at this rate!! :-) Just listened to this song and “Rescue.” Amazing Donald!!!! Annabelle just sent me the lyrics for one of your newest songs about justice flowing like a river, response etc.. sounds beautiful…. was really encouraging for me to read!!! Let me know when its up!! You’re gonna have to release a cd at this rate!! :-)

]]> Comment on Cultural Relevance by Rebekah http://donaldgoodhall.wordpress.com/2009/04/04/cultural-relevance/#comment-20 Rebekah Tue, 02 Jun 2009 03:36:02 +0000 http://donaldgoodhall.wordpress.com/?p=71#comment-20 Ok, my newest pondering is exactly on this issue and how it relates to Cambodia... A group of us here are talking about it all the time. I don't necessarily have a assertive viewpoint as yet.. It's just got me thinking... I go to this church in Cambodia where they play the newest hillsong songs, dance, sing, cry out to God... all in Khmer... it's beautiful but is it the best way for them to see God? I have so many Khmer friends who in their broken english have all the Christian lingo down! They talk about "the blood," being "saved by grace" and "Praise the lord" and "Halleleujah" all the time.... I think in so many ways when we go as missionaries to places we place our WESTERN beliefs on a culture. Sometimes I wonder if people here are Christian or just Americanised for this is the way they express their faith. I want to know how is religion culturally appropriate to Cambodia? Is worshiping God here gonna look exactly the same as it does back home for us?? Is hillsong and our western style of worship helping people meet God or is this a Western hype that they want to be a part of?? I want to know "Is the way we respond to Jesus Christ universal or can it differ according to culture? And if responding to Christ will differ according to culture, then why does it seem to look the same the world over?? How did this look like in Nepal for you Donald?? SUCH a flippen good question. Just wish we could discuss it over a nice coffee :-) Ok, my newest pondering is exactly on this issue and how it relates to Cambodia… A group of us here are talking about it all the time. I don’t necessarily have a assertive viewpoint as yet..

It’s just got me thinking… I go to this church in Cambodia where they play the newest hillsong songs, dance, sing, cry out to God… all in Khmer… it’s beautiful but is it the best way for them to see God? I have so many Khmer friends who in their broken english have all the Christian lingo down! They talk about “the blood,” being “saved by grace” and “Praise the lord” and “Halleleujah” all the time….

I think in so many ways when we go as missionaries to places we place our WESTERN beliefs on a culture. Sometimes I wonder if people here are Christian or just Americanised for this is the way they express their faith.

I want to know how is religion culturally appropriate to Cambodia? Is worshiping God here gonna look exactly the same as it does back home for us?? Is hillsong and our western style of worship helping people meet God or is this a Western hype that they want to be a part of?? I want to know “Is the way we respond to Jesus Christ universal or can it differ according to culture? And if responding to Christ will differ according to culture, then why does it seem to look the same the world over??

How did this look like in Nepal for you Donald??
SUCH a flippen good question. Just wish we could discuss it over a nice coffee :-)

]]> Comment on HONG KONG by Janaya http://donaldgoodhall.wordpress.com/2009/05/23/hong-kong/#comment-19 Janaya Sun, 24 May 2009 03:34:41 +0000 http://donaldgoodhall.wordpress.com/?p=93#comment-19 Sounds like a great time. Can't wait to hear more about your adventures. I love you xxx Sounds like a great time. Can’t wait to hear more about your adventures. I love you xxx

]]> Comment on Essentials Green Creative Project – YOU MADE A WAY by Heather http://donaldgoodhall.wordpress.com/2009/04/24/essentials-green-creative-project-you-made-a-way/#comment-18 Heather Wed, 29 Apr 2009 03:55:56 +0000 http://donaldgoodhall.wordpress.com/?p=82#comment-18 What a great song. I love how you go back and forth between Jesus making a way and your response to Him. Beautiful lyrics and melody. Recording/vocals not bad at all! Do we ever like to hear ourselves? Definitely a powerful song that states the truth and offers the singer a chance to respond. Great stuff. Heather What a great song. I love how you go back and forth between Jesus making a way and your response to Him. Beautiful lyrics and melody. Recording/vocals not bad at all! Do we ever like to hear ourselves? Definitely a powerful song that states the truth and offers the singer a chance to respond. Great stuff.
Heather

]]> Comment on Cultural Relevance by JT http://donaldgoodhall.wordpress.com/2009/04/04/cultural-relevance/#comment-17 JT Mon, 13 Apr 2009 05:47:30 +0000 http://donaldgoodhall.wordpress.com/?p=71#comment-17 I like that Donald. Some thoughts... When I look at Jesus and who he was as the Son of God - he was offensive and disruptive culturally. Religion WAS the culture of the Jews, and everything he did/said/was undermined (in their own eyes) the authority of the leaders. The key is that Jesus was and is relevant to PEOPLE because he spoke to the human condition, rather than failings of a culture/religious understanding. The trouble was that the cultural/religious leaders were too attached to their culture that they could not hear Jesus as the interpreter. Like you say - everybody shares reality at some point, in some way. Some will argue that pain/suffering/love and the other experiences of life cannot truely be shared because a person's understanding and ability to relate is dependent on your own experience. But that's a cop out to me - everybody identifies with the language of the heart. The scary thing for me personally is that in attempting to affirm the other's reality it's easy to slip into affirming their philosophy. I think Don spoke on this (in an abstract way - I'm connecting invisible dots) during the "They like Jesus, but not the Church" series. Too often in today's society a person's PHILOSOPHY is who they are - NOT the realities of their experience. Following that logic, if you disagree with a philosophy you reject the person. There's no chance to relate experiences, and reinforces those perceived utter disconnections. In trying to establish personal freedom and enforce 'basic human rights' - people have lost (or are denied) the ability to connect at a fundamental level. How you overcome that... I do not know. Patience, love and grace? I like that Donald. Some thoughts… When I look at Jesus and who he was as the Son of God – he was offensive and disruptive culturally. Religion WAS the culture of the Jews, and everything he did/said/was undermined (in their own eyes) the authority of the leaders.

The key is that Jesus was and is relevant to PEOPLE because he spoke to the human condition, rather than failings of a culture/religious understanding. The trouble was that the cultural/religious leaders were too attached to their culture that they could not hear Jesus as the interpreter.

Like you say – everybody shares reality at some point, in some way. Some will argue that pain/suffering/love and the other experiences of life cannot truely be shared because a person’s understanding and ability to relate is dependent on your own experience. But that’s a cop out to me – everybody identifies with the language of the heart.

The scary thing for me personally is that in attempting to affirm the other’s reality it’s easy to slip into affirming their philosophy. I think Don spoke on this (in an abstract way – I’m connecting invisible dots) during the “They like Jesus, but not the Church” series. Too often in today’s society a person’s PHILOSOPHY is who they are – NOT the realities of their experience.

Following that logic, if you disagree with a philosophy you reject the person. There’s no chance to relate experiences, and reinforces those perceived utter disconnections. In trying to establish personal freedom and enforce ‘basic human rights’ – people have lost (or are denied) the ability to connect at a fundamental level.

How you overcome that… I do not know. Patience, love and grace?

]]> Comment on Cultural Relevance by Rebekah http://donaldgoodhall.wordpress.com/2009/04/04/cultural-relevance/#comment-16 Rebekah Sat, 04 Apr 2009 07:09:00 +0000 http://donaldgoodhall.wordpress.com/?p=71#comment-16 SUCH a good question- how do you be culturally relevant?? I think we need to actively pursue and learn about different cultures... being ignorant or pushing a mindset or belief on a culture you know nothing about is ineffective and simply rude... I'm so reminded here in Cambodia that Jesus Christ transcends all culture. I was in a Khmer church last week singing Brook Fraser's "Hosanna" - They sung in Khmer and I English but we all raised our voices, our hands and our hearts to the same God. It was such an amazing feeling that even though I don't speak Khmer or necessarily know this culture very well, we have SO much in common because we all love and worship Jesus. Glad to see your blogging Donald!!! :-) SUCH a good question- how do you be culturally relevant?? I think we need to actively pursue and learn about different cultures… being ignorant or pushing a mindset or belief on a culture you know nothing about is ineffective and simply rude…

I’m so reminded here in Cambodia that Jesus Christ transcends all culture. I was in a Khmer church last week singing Brook Fraser’s “Hosanna” – They sung in Khmer and I English but we all raised our voices, our hands and our hearts to the same God. It was such an amazing feeling that even though I don’t speak Khmer or necessarily know this culture very well, we have SO much in common because we all love and worship Jesus.

Glad to see your blogging Donald!!! :-)

]]> Comment on new song – RESCUE by Jason Chollar http://donaldgoodhall.wordpress.com/2008/12/07/new-song-rescue/#comment-8 Jason Chollar Tue, 09 Dec 2008 23:04:06 +0000 http://donaldgoodhall.wordpress.com/?p=43#comment-8 Donald, I love it! The melodic tension in the verses, the clean and simple words and melody, ... great song! Great delivery too. I love the "throw down" version. I look at myself playing and get all embarrassed, but you make it look so smooth. It really was fun to watch. Thanks for sharing your gift! Donald, I love it! The melodic tension in the verses, the clean and simple words and melody, … great song! Great delivery too. I love the “throw down” version. I look at myself playing and get all embarrassed, but you make it look so smooth. It really was fun to watch.
Thanks for sharing your gift!

]]> Comment on new song – RESCUE by donaldgoodhall http://donaldgoodhall.wordpress.com/2008/12/07/new-song-rescue/#comment-7 donaldgoodhall Tue, 09 Dec 2008 19:43:30 +0000 http://donaldgoodhall.wordpress.com/?p=43#comment-7 Will, i have posted the lyrics up, it's a pdf just below the video link. I love technology but it wasn't my friend this time around, so unfortunately i had to post the only recording i had of it, which happened to be the one take just to get the idea down. Oh well, think it might be sweet with a band!! Thanks for your comments!! Will,
i have posted the lyrics up, it’s a pdf just below the video link. I love technology but it wasn’t my friend this time around, so unfortunately i had to post the only recording i had of it, which happened to be the one take just to get the idea down. Oh well, think it might be sweet with a band!! Thanks for your comments!!

]]> Comment on new song – RESCUE by Will Bernard http://donaldgoodhall.wordpress.com/2008/12/07/new-song-rescue/#comment-6 Will Bernard Tue, 09 Dec 2008 19:08:31 +0000 http://donaldgoodhall.wordpress.com/?p=43#comment-6 I couldn't make out all of the words from the recording but liked what I heard. This grand story is all about our God who comes to us. Often we reverse that and talk about us finding Him as if we're the heroes of the story. "You came to us." Love it. I couldn’t make out all of the words from the recording but liked what I heard. This grand story is all about our God who comes to us. Often we reverse that and talk about us finding Him as if we’re the heroes of the story. “You came to us.” Love it.

]]> Comment on Languages of Art and Music by Berlin Holiday http://donaldgoodhall.wordpress.com/2008/11/28/languages-of-art-and-music/#comment-4 Berlin Holiday Mon, 01 Dec 2008 07:06:30 +0000 http://donaldgoodhall.wordpress.com/?p=38#comment-4 I love art and music as well. They are found everywhere and I really do wanted to take classes to be a musician. Sadly, that's not the path I'm trudging on right now. I love art and music as well. They are found everywhere and I really do wanted to take classes to be a musician. Sadly, that’s not the path I’m trudging on right now.

]]>