U2: From early beginnings to global success

U2: From early beginnings to global success

I am one of 10000 or so who can say, ‘I was there!’  I was there when an up and coming Irish band named U2 made an impromptu appearance on the main stage at the Greenbelt Festival in August 1981.  As I recall, they had travelled down from the north-east to perform, using borrowed instruments, before returning there for a concert later that evening.  At the time, they were beginning to break through and to be seen as the latest ‘Christian’ band.  The lead singer did nothing to refute that as he told the crowd, ‘We’ve come because we felt the Lord was telling us to.’  Six years later, U2 would be the biggest rock band in the world.

Bono, Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Junior.  These are names known to many, the band line-up at their first gig in late 1976, and still together 42 years later.  Arguably, U2 is still the biggest and best band in the world, with sales approaching 200 million albums.  Unlike certain bands that endure as a tribute act to themselves (for example, the Rolling Stones), U2 continues to reinvent their music and to have things to say.  

What are the factors that have contributed to the success and influence of U2?  I am currently part way through some sabbatical reading on the band, but these are some brief thoughts thus far:

1.     Time and place.  The band members met at Mount Temple School in Dublin.  Neil McCormick, a journalist and contemporary at the school, suggests that 1970’s Dublin was a city that lacked exposure to the wider world. This meant that U2 did not have many examples to follow, good or bad.  They could create in their own way.

2.    The school itself.  Mount Temple was unique in Ireland as a non-denominational school.  It encouraged freedom of thought and expression.  Bono (Paul Hewson) formed a childhood gang called Lypton Village, that gave him his nickname and allowed him space to develop an identity in what was very much a creative community.  Not only did it contribute to the formation of U2, but also the less-heralded and experimental band, the Virgin Prunes.  Dik Evans, brother of the Edge, was a founder member, along with Gavin Friday and Guggi (their Lypton Village names).

3.    Loss. Tragically, Bono’s mother died when he was only 14.  She collapsed at the funeral of her father, having suffered a brain haemorrhage, and never recovered.  This loss is often referenced in Bono’s lyrics (he is the primary lyricist for U2), from  the early hit ‘I will follow’ (‘The boy tries hard to be a man, his mother takes him by the hand’) to ‘Iris’ (on ‘Songs of Innocence’).  It fuels the rage that he sometimes feels at the world.  Larry Mullen, the band’s drummer, also lost his mother in a road traffic accident, when he was almost 17, having also lost his oldest sister in 1973.

4.    Christian faith. Bono, Edge and Larry have all embraced a Christian faith from teenage years.  Adam has tended to follow a more ‘rock and roll’ path!  Mount Temple underwent something of a religious revival for a time with many pupils making commitments to Christ.  The three Christian members of U2 became part of a Charismatic church called the Shalom Fellowship, which was a huge influence in their faith development.

5.    Leaving the Shalom Fellowship.  As the band gained some success, they came under pressure to give it up for the Lord. Apparently, there was a prophetic word from a member of the fellowship that they do so, and for about two weeks, Edge left the band.  He returned having decided that their music and their faith was compatible.  The band members gradually loosened ties to the fellowship and pursued their faith in other ways.

6.    Success in America.  Even before their career began to flourish in the British Isles, U2 sought to ‘break’ America.  That the strategy was spectacularly successful can be seen the sale of over 10 million copies of the 1987 album, the Joshua Tree, in the US alone.  That success continues to this day.

7.    A commitment to social activism.  In 1988, Bono said: ‘To me, faith in Jesus Christ that is not aligned to social justice – that is not aligned with the poor – it’s nothing’ (quoted by Steve Stockman p 53, in his book ‘Walk On’).  That commitment is exemplified in his work for Amnesty International, persuasion of world leaders to ‘Drop the Debt’ in developing world countries, and the fight against AIDS.

You may already have stopped reading.  I’ll stop here for now!

-->

Watch this space for thoughts on the continuing influences on U2’s lyrics and particularly that of the Christian faith.

Good Friday Reflection

Good Friday Reflection

I didn’t know what I was doing, really.  I just got caught up in the excitement of the occasion!  I heard them coming, and I went out to see what the commotion was.  A melee of people, moving down the Mount of Olives, a buzz of constant shouting in the distance, not in anger but in…joy.  Others joined me to see what the fuss was, and before we knew it we were a crowd, waiting for this other crowd.  As they drew near, moving through the valley and up the slope towards Jerusalem, I saw him – a man, riding on a donkey.  Nothing unusual about that.  What was unusual is what the crowd were doing.  They were pulling down tree branches and spreading them before him.  They were taking off their cloaks and throwing them in front of him and his donkey.

We lined the roadside, as if a King were passing by!  Maybe one was, because the crowd that came with him kept shouting: ‘Hosanna to the son of David!  Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!  Hosanna in highest heaven!’

As I said, I didn’t know what I was doing, but before I knew it I was shouting aloud too: ‘Hosanna, hosanna to the Son of David.  Hosanna to the King!’  That’s what you do, isn’t it?  You go along with a crowd.  You join in.  So I did.  Even before we knew who it was, we were shouting.  Before the crowd that went with him told us it was Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth, a man whose reputation for doing remarkable things goes before him, we were yelling out.  And we wondered, some of us, whether he really could be the one promised by the prophets of old?  Could he be Messiah?  Then, I more or less forgot about it – until this morning.

Again, I didn’t really know what I was doing.  We were gathered outside the palace of the governor, Pilate.  He was giving us the choice between two prisoners – one would be released and one would be executed.  To my amazement, one of them was Jesus, and he already looked in a bad way.  And Pilate asked us which one he should release.  The crowd roared back, ‘Free Barrabas, free Barrabas.’  That went on for some time.  When the noise died down, he asked, ‘What do I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?’  The crowd shouted louder than ever: ‘Crucify him, crucify him!’  I was aghast – even more so when I heard myself going along with the crowd, shouting: ‘Crucify him, crucify him!’

And now they have.  Now we have.  Now I have.  As I said, I didn’t really know what I was doing.  Now I find myself looking at the cross, the dead body of Jesus upon it, wondering, ‘What have I done?’

The thing is, he gasped out a few words as he hung there, dying.  ‘Father, forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing.’  Did I know?  I just went along with the crowd.  I didn’t mean for a man to die, not this man!  Could God really forgive me?

As the end drew near, and his agony increased, he cried out, ‘Eloi, eloi, lama, sabachthani.’  My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’  It was agony watching, hearing, never mind the agony of being on the cross.  And I wondered how could God let him die like this?

Finally, he spoke his last: ‘It is finished.’  Then he breathed his last.

Now I stand here wondering.  Is it finished?  Is it finished for Jesus?  Is it finished for me?

Or is it only just beginning?


Buckingham Parish Church
30th March 2018

25 Dreams for Well Street United Church

This is a copy of my article for our church's October magazine.

Whilst studying for ministry, and for a number of years after, I had a quote from George Bernard Shaw on my office wall:

‘You see things and you say “Why?”  But I dream things that never were and I say “Why not?”’

I believe that both of these positions are valid.  We need people in life and in our church who ask “Why?”  Why are things the way they are?  We also need people who dream of things being different and who ask, “Why not?”  Why can’t this dream become a reality? 

I doubt that anything has ever changed for the better without someone having a dream that things could be different.  History is full of examples.  One such person is, of course, Martin Luther King with his famous ‘I have a dream’ speech.  King looked out on the injustice of racial segregation and he dreamt of a better future where all human beings are equal.  Today, it is much better although there is a long way to go.

I would not put myself in the company of Martin Luther King, but in the past week I have been moved to dream some dreams for our church.  After just over a year as your minister, I have had a good look at our church with all of its strengths and weaknesses.  There are many great things about our church, and there are areas in which we could do better!  Maybe you will have more dreams to add, but here are my ’25 Dreams for Well Street United Church’. 

·      I dream of a church that is putting the King at the heart of Buckingham

·      I dream of a church in which Christ is at the centre of all we do and are

·      I dream of a church ‘without walls’ in which the world is welcome in the church, and our church goes out into the world with the Good News

·      I dream of a church that opens itself to the challenge of God’s Word in the Bible

·      I dream of a church in which we are all FTCWs (Full-time Christian workers) taking our faith seriously in the workplace

·      I dream of a church in which we live up to the ‘United’ part of our name

·      I dream of a church that realises we are better together

·      I dream of a church in which we respect the rights of others in the church to hold different views to our own

·      I dream of a church in which we are always seeking to encourage one another

·      I dream of a church in which we know how to have fun together

·      I dream of a church that treasures all people from the very young to the very old and encourages them on the journey of faith and discipleship

·      I dream of a church in which our children and young people are not just the church of tomorrow, but the church of today

·      I dream of a church in which our older people are not just the church of yesterday, but the church of today

·      I dream of our children and young people growing into people of faith who want to change the world

·      I dream of a new church building that is a hub of community life in its locality and for our town: a place that is ‘owned’ by people as their church, even if Sunday worship is not what they do

·      I dream of our church being in the marketplace in Buckingham on a Saturday morning, sharing our faith in creative ways

·      I dream of our church being present on the Town Council, on school governing bodies and the like, bringing a Christian influence

·      I dream of God’s Spirit being so powerfully present in our worship that questions of style are not an issue

·      I dream of a church in which worship is both a Sunday and a Monday to Saturday activity

·      I dream of a church that treasures its non-conformist tradition in which we are agents for transformation in the world

·      I dream of a church in which we put what others need before what we want

·      I dream of a church known throughout the area as one that cares for all, but especially for the last, the least and the lost

·      I dream of a church that is both local and global in its impact

·      I dream of a church that is passionate about growing the Kingdom of God rather than its own empire

·      I dream of a church that is truly putting the King at the heart of Buc­kingham!

On the Day of Pentecost as related in Acts 2, Peter quotes from the prophet Joel:

‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.  Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.’ (Acts 2:17)

I guess the above makes me an old man!  Yet the important thing here is that prophecy, visions and dreams are all signs of the Spirit.  I believe that some of my dreams are already a reality at Well Street and in our Methodist chapels.  For all of these dreams, I want to say ‘Why not?’

My question for you is ‘Will you dream these dreams with me, and help them become a reality?’

Show Up!

This is a copy of my article for my church's May magazine.

At the time of writing, the General Election is fast approaching.  At your time of reading, it will loom even closer or possibly may have passed.  Either way, it is a significant time in the life of the United Kingdom.

I confess to feeling a little disenfranchised in our Buckingham Constituency.  We have the privilege of having House of Commons Speaker, John Bercow, as our Member of Parliament.  However, convention dictates that the main political parties do not field candidates out of respect for the office of Speaker and to ensure that he is re-elected.  It could be tempting not to bother to use our vote, since the result is a foregone conclusion.  That would be to fail to exercise our hard-won right to vote and to forget that there are also local elections taking place.

What can we do when it comes to the elections?  What does the Bible have to say?

Firstly, we can show concern.  In 1 Timothy 2v1-2, we are urged to pray for ‘all those in authority’.  The task of politician is often a thankless one, but they need our prayers whether or not they are people of faith.  To be honest, we need our prayers too – it reminds us that government is essential for the order of society.  Of course, our prayers should not only be at the present time but all the time!

Secondly, we can show respect.  Romans 13v1 says, ‘Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.’  We will not always agree with those in government, we will sometimes need to oppose, but if we are indifferent we show a lack of respect for the authority that God has allowed. 

Thirdly, we can show up!  It could be said that the government we get is the government we deserve.  The more people who vote, the more will our government reflect the will of the people.  Also, when we vote we earn the right to criticise and hold to account our elected representatives, be they Member of Parliament or local councillors.

Finally, we can show interest.  It’s a bit late for this set of elections, but it would be great to have members of our church having the conviction to stand for election in the future.  Take a look at www.christiansinpolitics.org.uk and, in particular, the ‘Show Up’ video.  It’s very thought-provoking.

As we vote, and as the make-up of our new government becomes clear, may God’s kingdom come and God’s will be done, on earth as in heaven.

Five Rules for Life

If I were not a follower of Jesus Christ, I would be glad to have Jonathan Sacks as my rabbi!  Once again, I find myself nodding in agreement, this time with his ‘Five Rules for Life’ as published in the Times (5/1/13). 

Here are the five rules, in speech marks with my own brief comments added.

1.     ‘The first thing to do is dream…. Dreams are where we visit the many lands and landscapes of human possibility and discover the one where we feel at home. The great religious leaders were all dreamers.’

I am currently encouraging my church to dream dreams for ‘Vision 20/21’, based upon John 20:21 (‘As the Father has sent me, I am sending you’).  We are asking what are our dreams for the year 2021?  Why 2021?  Well, it’s not so close that we feel those dreams unattainable, nor so far away that they mean nothing for our generation.  If we aim low, we are likely to hit the mark.  If we dream large, we may not attain it but we are likely to achieve so much more for Jesus!

2.     ‘The second rule is, follow your passion. People who follow their passion tend to lead blessed lives. Happy in what they do, they tend to spread happiness to those whose lives they touch. That is a life worth living.’

Sixteen years as a Baptist minister have taught me that I am a ‘big picture’ person rather than a ‘details’ person.  Where it is possible I am happy to delegate the latter.  Some people may be passionate about the detail, but I am not!  Sixteen years has also taught me to say ‘No’ to things that do not appeal to me.  For example, I had a passion to see the Street Pastors’ Scheme set up in my former city of Peterborough, so I took steps to help it happen.  I turned down the opportunity of store chaplaincy because it did not excite me, important though it may be.

3.     ‘The third rule I learnt from the psychotherapist who survived Auschwitz, Viktor Frankl, whose Man’s Search for Meaning is one of the most widely read books of our time. Frankl used to say: Don’t ask what you want from life. Ask what life wants from you.’

Before I trained as a Baptist minister, I had a career in the building society world.  For a long time, I found great fulfillment in it.  I moved to another building society for a substantial pay increase and a company car, only to find that the job satisfaction vanished.  I had had a sense of calling to pastoral ministry for some time; now was the time to pursue it.  This was what life – or God – wanted from me.  I believe He still does!

4.     ‘The fourth rule is: make space in your life for the things that matter, for family and friends, love and generosity, fun and joy.’

Early in my time as a Baptist minister, I became a bit of a workaholic.  This was what I had been called to and I was enjoying it so much that my working week was closer to 80 hours than the 35-40 that is the norm in other walks of life.  I tended to wait until the end of the week to see what time was left for leisure.

I came to realize that overwork is not a virtue.  It is a denial of the Sabbath rest that God has built into his plan for us. I now try to build leisure into my week, irrespective of how much there is to do.  I work from rest, rather than the other way around.  I feel much better for it and, strangely, the ministry is usually still done and is probably more effective.  Oh, and I still enjoy the ministry – most of the time!

5.     ‘The fifth rule is work hard, the way an athlete or concert pianist or cutting-edge scientist works hard. The American psychologist, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, calls this the principle of “flow”. By this he means the peak experience you have when you are working so hard at a task that you are unaware of the passing of time.’

Whilst overwork is not a virtue, hard work is!  It is quite possible for clergy to ‘underwork’, since a lot of the time no one knows what we do!  Sacks reminds that the Hebrew word for serving God – ‘avodah’ – also means hard work.  Whilst ministry can be a slog, I often find that there is fulfillment in working hard especially when following a passion.

Sacks concludes:

There are many other rules but these are some of the most important. Try them and you will be surprised by joy.’