RELEVANT - Issue 96 - November/December 2018

96 M ARK WAHLBERG | LOVELYTHEBAND | Y VONNE ORJI ST. PAUL AND THE BROKEN BONES | SCOTT HARRISON KRISTENE DIM ARCO | JENN JOHNSON | 2018 GIFT GUIDE F A I T H , C U LT U R E & I N T E N T I O N A L L I V I N G

Lauren Daigle A star is born: How Lauren Daigle went from a worship leader to one of pop’s most buzzedabout artists.

NOV-DEC 2018 // $6.95 US

AVAILABLE NOV 9TH

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CONTENTS NOV-DEC 2018 // ISSUE 96

5 0 // ON FIRE Inside the new charismatic movement.

T H E M A G A Z I N E O N FA I T H , C U LT U R E

5 4 // LOVELY THEBAND

& INTENTIONAL LIVING

The fast-rising indie act writes songs about things they can’t talk about any other way.

November-December 2018, Issue 96

5 8 // PR AY ING WITH YOUR E Y ES OPEN

Now with 100% more Funky Bunch.

Make praying without ceasing a part of your life with this one weird (biblical) trick.

6 8 // FED UP

Publisher & CEO | CAMERON STRANG

We live in an era of unprecedented food production. Why are millions still hungry?

Brand Director | JESSE CAREY Senior Editor | TYLER HUCKABEE

7 2 // THE ART OF THE SIDE HUS TLE

Senior Writer | TYLER DASWICK

Welcome to the gig economy. Here are your instructions.

Social Media Coordinator | LESLEY CREWS Copy Editor | KATHY PIERRE

7 6 // IT’S TIME

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Contributing Writers: Joseph Riggs, Josh Pease

Is the American Church ready for its own #metoo movement?

Creative Director | JOHN DAVID HARRIS Designer | JORDAN WILLCOX

8 0 // ST. PAUL & THE BROKEN BONES

Features Lauren Daigle

Director of Web Development | DANIEL MARIN

These bones are meant for rockin’, and that’s just what they’ll do.

8 4 // A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO ADVENT Ready to incorporate a little liturgy into the Christmas celebration?

Production Manager | MARK JACKSON Audio Editor | CHANDLER STRANG Video Editor | CLARKE FLIPPO Contributing Photographers: Tom Newton, Gabriel Rivera, Chantal Anderson, Craig Wetherby, McNair Evans, Riker Brothers, Myriam Santos, Urban Outfitters, Jacob McKinley, Jack Caldwell,

p.62 She’s a gifted vocalist and an ace songwriter, but who picked this worship leader to become a pop star?

3 4 // THE ESSENTIAL 2018 GIF T GUIDE Your cheat sheet for thoughtful, creative and non-materialistic gifts this Christmas season.

Jeremy Cowart

1 4 // FIRS T WORD Cameron Strang on the cost of standing up.

Director of Sales & Partnerships | HEATHER COOK Account Executive | FELICHIA WRIGHT

1 6 // CURRENT YouTubers you should be watching, our favorite video games of the year, Insecure’s Yvonne Orji, the declining divorce rate and much more.

Traffic Manager | CAROLINE COLE Marketing Director | AME LYNN FUHLBRUCK Operations Manager | JESSICA COLLINS Project Manager | BRIDGET DOMBKOSKI

4 2 // MARK WAHLBERG Hollywood’s earliest, prayingest riser speaks out about his faith.

48 // 6 WAYS TO HAVE THE MOS T

The latest books, music and movies you ones you don’t want to miss.

AWK WARD FAMILY ME AL E VER

Having a painless, conflict-free Christmas dinner has never been tougher.

on what it takes to make a difference.

TO SUBSCRIBE RELEVANTmagazine.com/subscribe Rates: 1 year (6 issues) U.S. $27.99, Canada $37.99, International $43.99 SUBSCRIBER SERVICES WEB: RELEVANTmagazine.com/subservices Phone: 866-402-4746 EMAIL: support@relevantmagazine.com BULK DISCOUNTS: 866-402-4746 RETAIL DISTRIBUTION Michael Vitetta, Curtis Circulation Company mvitetta@curtiscirc.com POSTMASTER: Send address changes to RELEVANT Magazine, P.O. Box 531147, Orlando, FL 32853.

Finance Director | MICHAEL BOWLES Operations Coordinator | GABRIELLE HICKEY

should know about. Trust us, these are

9 6 // L AS T WORD

RELEVANT MEDIA GROUP 55 W. Church St., Suite 211, Orlando, FL 32801 RELEVANTmediagroup.com

NOV-DEC

8 8 // RELE VANT SELECT S

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: www.RELEVANTmagazine.com/advertise

Founder of charity: water Scott Harrison

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION RELEVANT magazine (Publication Number: 1543-317X) is published bi-monthly by RELEVANT Media Group. Filing date: 09.30.18. Number of issues published annually: 6.

Annual subscription price: $27.99. The complete mailing address and General Business Offices of the Publisher are located at 55 West Church St. Suite #211, Orlando, FL 32801.

The names and addresses of the Publisher, Editor and Managing Editor are: Publisher, Cameron Strang; Editor, Cameron Strang; Managing Editor, Jesse Carey; 55 West Church St. Suite #211, Orlando, FL 32801. The owners are: Cameron Strang, 55 West Church St. Suite #211, Orlando, FL 32801; Stephen Strang, 600 Rinehart Road, Lake Mary, FL 32746. There are no known bondholders, mortgagees and other security holders owning or holding 1 percent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages or other securities.

The tax status, the purpose, function and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income purposes have not changed during the preceding 12 months. Issue date for circulation data: July/August 2018. Extent and Nature of Circulation are as follows. Total number of copies (net press run): average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 39,000; number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date,

02

38,000. Mailed outside-county paid subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541: average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 19,999; number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 17,062. Mailed incounty paid subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541: average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 0; number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 0. Paid distribution outside the mails including sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales, and other paid distribution outside USPS: average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 5,094; number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 5,150. Paid distribution by other classes of mail through the USPS: average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 2,097; number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 1,846. Total paid distribution: average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 27,190; number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 24,059. Free or nominal rate outside-county copies included on PS Form 3541: average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 0; number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 0. Free or nominal rate in-county copies included on PS Form 3541: average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 0; number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing

date, 0. Free or nominal rate copies mailed at other classes through the USPS: average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 0; number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 0. Free or nominal rate distribution outside the mail: average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 8,189; number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 8,350.

Total free or nominal rate distribution: average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 8,189; number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 8,350. Total distribution: average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 35,379; number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 32,408. Copies not distributed: average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 3,621; number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 5,592. Total: average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 39,000; number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 38,000. Percent paid: average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 76.85%; number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 74.23%.

Annual publication of this statement is required. Published November/December 2018.

Cameron Strang, RELEVANT magazine

2017

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MACK BROCK GREATER THINGS

DEBUT ALBUM | AVAILABLE NOW FEATURING GREATER THINGS, CHRIST IS RISEN, & DO IT AGAIN

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Many things have changed over the past 2,000 years.

The good news of Jesus Christ isn’t one of them.

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Join the conversation www.ancientmodernbible.com 89

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®

NOV-DEC MARCH-APRIL

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2017

A “Best National University” U.S. News & World Report

At the Edge of Everything.

At the edge of the Pacific Rim, the future unfolds with opportunity. And challenges. Engage the world with what you know — and believe.

Faith for the Future. spu.edu/voices

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FIRST WORD a letter from the publisher

political fray. We’re pro-Jesus and holistically pro-life—which applies

Putting Our Money Where Our Mouth Is AS

to the unborn, the born, refugees, war and the aspects of life and

ARE VOCALLY

about. And since those issues don’t

POLITICIZING

neatly side with either political party, we try to stay out of the partisan echo chamber.

But something has changed. Faith leaders are vocally politicizing and bastardizing the Gospel message,

name of God. They’re tweeting

PAWN. THEY’RE

It’s not OK. And it’s time somebody stands up to it.

That’s why we posted what we did. And why we will again, when

leader, so they were ending their business with us.

needed. We are not going to focus cynicism in the world—but we will

divisive things the leader had tweeted that day. The

unapologetically call out things that

implication was obvious—this isn’t OK—but we added no

cross the line. If that means we’re

commentary. We just put it out there.

going to lose more business, so be it. what we publish, but it’s important

because of something we published that was out of her

you can read our pages knowing

control, but she didn’t ask if we could take it back, or cool

we’re an independent voice that

it with posts like that. She understood why we did it, and

isn’t influenced by revenue or the

backed our editorial voice and mission.

religious establishment.

That’s the delicate balancing act in media. Many outlets

Standing up for what’s right has a

make revenue the deciding factor in coverage. You can get

cost. For us, it’s advertising revenue.

a big feature if you pay enough. You can buy posts, and ad

For you, it may be something else.

dollars influence favorable coverage. We’ve never done that.

But let’s always be willing to put our stand up for what’s right. We can

editorial autonomy. Otherwise, how could readers trust us?

sleep well at night knowing we’ll be

RELEVANT is about much more.

I’ve always felt there are two ways to enact change: You

GOD.

money where our mouths are. Let’s

and editorial teams. I take it very seriously that we protect

you measure success by profit. But what we’re trying to do at

DIVISION IN THE NAME OF

You may disagree with some of

about their decision wasn’t upset. She personally lost income

If I’m totally honest, it’s a decision that’s held us back if

SPREADING

on the negative—there’s enough

post at RELEVANTmagazine.com quoting some especially

We’ve always had a strong line between our revenue

MESSAGE,

They’re spreading division in the

about their CEO, who happens to be a prominent Christian

To her credit, the account manager who let me know

THE GOSPEL MAKING JESUS

teat of political power.

Wondering what we said, I found the article. It was a brief

BASTARDIZING

A PARTISAN

a message from our ad sales team.

out. They didn’t like an article we published

AND

making Jesus a partisan pawn.

unbiblical vitriol while sucking the

with us every holiday season was pulling

HAS CHANGED. FAITH LEADERS

human dignity that Christ talked

we were finishing up this issue, I got Apparently, a big charity that advertises

SOMETHING

on the right side of history.

It’s going to take that kind of conviction for this generation to chart a different course.

can either point out what’s wrong, or you can essentially turn your back and point to a better way. Over the years, we’ve always chosen the latter. I’m an optimist, and I’d rather inspire people with what’s possible so we can all be part of that future. As bad as things may be now, tomorrow is a new day. The future can be what we make it.

C A MER ON S T R A NG

That’s why RELEVANT has largely stayed above the

NOV-DEC

Founder & Publisher

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CURRENT A B I M O N T H LY L O O K A T F A I T H , L I F E A N D C U LT U R E

The Divorce Rate Is Plummeting, But There’s a Catch New research credits the unexpected drop in the American divorce rate to millennials, but not all is as it seems.

T

HE NUMBER OF AMERICAN

before they get married. It’s

institutions that have

becoming a symbol of status.

been disrupted thanks to

And statistically, waiting is

millennials is well-known:

good for marriage. Marrying

taxis, hotels, retail, home

later in life has long had a

THE DIVORCE RATE AMONG AMERICANS DECLINED BY 18 PERCENT OVERALL BETWEEN 2008 AND 2016.

buying—the list is long.

positive correlation to lasting

But now a new institution has found itself

commitments. Studies show

in millennial crosshairs, and it’s a surprising

couples who get married

one: divorce. According to a new study from

when they’re 25 are 50

the University of Maryland, the divorce rate

percent more likely to last

declined by 18 percent between 2008 and

than couples who get married when they’re

have been the most vulnerable to divorce

2016, and a big reason for that is millennials.

only 20.

are now just shacking up instead of tying the

It seems like good news at first blush, but

But this also means millennials without

knot. The trend doesn’t exclude Christians.

a deeper look reveals a more nuanced trend.

access to higher education or a stable career

It’s not necessarily that marriages are lasting

feel less able to consider getting married,

Maryland professor Philip Cohen told

longer, but more that the type of people who

meaning they’re more likely to simply

Bloomberg, marriages are getting rarer

feel that marriage is an option is changing.

cohabitate or avoid relational commitment

even as they get more stable, and represent

in general altogether.

“an increasingly central component of the

Millennials tend to wait until after they have an education and a stable job

NOV-DEC

In short, couples who previously would

016

As study author and University of

structure of social inequality.”

2018

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CURRENT

The Number of Christian Refugees Allowed in the U.S. Has Plummeted LAST YEAR, then-Secretary

Ariana Grande Opens Up About Mental Health After surviving tragedy, the singer wants fans to know it’s OK to not be OK.

POP STAR ARIANA GRANDE

unharmed, 22 of her fans

knows firsthand the toll

were killed that night.

that anxiety can play in

“Mental health is so important,” she tearfully

And this summer, Grande’s

said. “People don’t pay

mental health. And now, she

ex-boyfriend, rapper Mac

enough mind to it because

wants her fans to know that

Miller, died of a drug

we have things to do. We

it’s completely OK to talk

overdose after publicly

have schedules, we have

about difficult subjects like

struggling with addiction.

jobs, we have kids and places

depression, PTSD and grief.

Last May, a terrorist set

In an interview with Beats

to be, and pressure to fit in,

1, Grande talked about her

Instagram stories … facades,

off a bomb at one of her

song “Get Well Soon,” which

trying to keep up. People

concerts in Manchester,

is a tribute to the victims of

don’t pay attention to what’s

England. Though Grande was

the Manchester attack.

happening inside.”

of State Rex Tillerson told reporters that “the protection of [religious minorities]—and others who are targets of violent extremism—remains a human rights priority for the Trump administration.”

However, according to a new report, the last fiscal year saw a 44 percent drop in the number of Christian refugees allowed in the U.S. as a result of the immigration crackdown.

That comes out to about 11,000 Christians who are now in legal limbo, awaiting resettlement after being driven from their homes by Islamic extremists.

[T H E N U M B E R S]

TOTAL REFUGEES ALLOWED INTO THE U.S. 2016 85,000

2019 30,000

MISC.

NOV-DEC

White Castle is now offering a

A recent survey found most of the

Almost half of young people aged 18

vegetarian version of their famous

autonomous car crashes taking place

to 29 deleted the Facebook app from

slider for $1.99. It’s made entirely

in California are a result of human

their phones over the past year—44

from the plant-based meat-imitator

error rather than the machines. Whoa,

percent to be exact. It’s official:

Impossible Burger.

guess we really are that bad at driving.

Facebook is your parents’ thing now.

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CURRENT

THE HOT LIST

Powering things by the sun is so hot right now.

Our Definitive Cultural Power Rankings

C ROS S OV E R A P P EA L [Hottest]

Lauren Daigle is entering the mainstream. Tori Kelly is entering the worship space. It’s a moment.

30- M I N CO M E D I E S [Hotter]

BoJack. American Vandal. The Good Place.

It’s been a killer fall.

A L I E N RU M O RS [Hot]

The Rise of Solar Cities

Looks like your dad was

A new, super high-tech planned community

onto something with that

could help reinvent urban living.

late-night radio show.

T PUMPKIN SPICE [Cold]

We saw this stuff in August, for crying out

his year, families in an area

farm-to-table restaurants. There will even be

just outside of Fort Myers,

electric shuttles to get people around, though

Florida, will begin moving into

technically, the town is designed so that

America’s first “solar city.”

everything—from the school to the shops and

Babcock Ranch is a planned

the park—is within walking distance.

community that will be one of the most hightech and eco-friendly in the world.

Powered by a massive solar field consisting

Even the gym is designed with energy efficiency in mind: When you walk on the treadmills, the energy created by your steps

loud, and who even likes

of 350,000 panels—the size of 200 football

feeds right back into the electric grid. Maybe

Pumpkin Spice Oreos?

fields—the community will house families

the best part—aside from the whole saving the

in thousands of Alexa-powered smart

planet thing—is the price. Homes are being

homes surrounded by specially designed

built with attracting young families in mind,

community gardens that will supply local

and start in the low $200,000s.

YO U R FA N TASY FO OT BA L L T EA M [Colder]

Nobody cares about how an injury tanked your season. Keep your fake football to yourself.

C H R I ST I A N L EA D E RS ’ ANTI-SOCIAL J U ST I C E TA K E S [Coldest]

Jesus gave His life to love the marginalized.

Simply put: The Gospel

Church Is Becoming Even More Segregated

by Politics

is justice.

NOV-DEC

020

POLITICAL DIVISIVENESS HAS HIT THE CHURCH. LifeWay Research

recently conducted a survey of American churchgoers (specifically, those who attend Protestant or nondenominational congregations) and found that most younger attendees (those under the age of 50), prefer to attend a church where people shared their political views.

Interestingly, as people got older, they were much more likely to want to attend churches where people think differently about politics.

2018

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CURRENT

Jim Carrey’s Come[Back] to Jesus Moment The comedy legend returns to the spotlight, now reinspired by spirituality.

IF YOU’VE SEEN the

new Showtime series

consciousness.”

He’s also been

indication that you’ve made the decision

Kidding, then you’ll

taking the actual

to walk through the

understand the fact

message of Jesus

gate of forgiveness to

that Jim Carrey isn’t

to those who need

grace, just as Christ

afraid to get deep in

to hear it, visiting

did on the cross. He

his artistic evolution.

Homeboy Industries,

suffered terribly and

a ministry which

He was broken by it.

And now, he’s opening up about

seeks to rehabilitate

his own spiritual

former gang

was to look upon the

journey. He recently

members and

people who were

revealed that hanging

inmates.

causing that suffering

in the entryway of his house is

“And the decision

Carrey told

with compassion and

them, “I

with forgiveness, and

a portrait

believe that

that’s what opens the

he painted

suffering

gates of heaven for all

of Jesus in

leads to

of us. I wish that for

every race

salvation ...

all of you. I wish that

“to capture

Your being

Christ’s

for myself.”

here is an Aaaaaaaalrighty then.

Christians Are Totally Cool With Genetic Engineering … for Mosquitoes WHEN IT COMES TO GENETICALLY ENGINEERING ANIMALS,

American evangelicals mostly oppose messing with God’s design. However, there is one major exception: killing off those darn mosquitoes. Pew recently asked evangelical Protestants about a variety of scenarios involving scientists altering the

genes of animals. In all of those scenarios, a majority of Christians said that was “taking technology too far.” However, there was an outlier. When asked about genetically engineering mosquitoes “to prevent the spread of disease by limiting reproduction,” nearly 70 percent approved.

MISC.

NOV-DEC

Spotify is testing a new feature in

Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz

A new study from Harvard (they’re

Australia where free users can skip an

has opened a food truck that gives

smart) reports children raised in

unlimited number of ads. They say it’s

free meals to the homeless. Sadly, he

religious households are more likely to

to help them track which ads people

pulled the ultimate Christian dad joke

not struggle with mental health issues

don’t skip, but hey, we’ll take it.

and named it “Thy Kingdom Crumb.”

later in life.

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[ R E L E V A N T R E C O M M E N D S]

Good Game As video games continue to mature into immersive pieces of art, here are our picks for the year’s most thoughtful entries.

R

EMEMBER BACK WHEN there

“Subnautica” lets you

was a theory that video games

explore vast underwater worlds. Dive in.

could break your brain? That is ... well, it’s not necessarily

not true. Anything can break your brain if you don’t exercise enough discipline and moderation with it.

NOV-DEC

But it’s not a given either, since the video

SUBNAUTICA

forward. One where we use nonviolent

games of 2018 come in a wildly diverse and

[S T E A M, X B 1, P S 4]

and more creative solutions to solve our

potentially enriching variety.

In explaining why Subnautica focused

problems. One where we are not at the top

Video games in 2018 still have a lot of

more on creative solutions than guns and

of the food chain.”

problems associated with the dawn of the

violence, creator Charlie Cleveland told an

format. Many of them still revel in violence

interviewer that he wanted his underwater

FLORENCE

(Fortnite) and misogyny (GTA), but as the

exploration game to be “a reminder that

[i O S]

genre grows, creators are getting more

there is another way forward. I’ve never

This popular iOS

serious about bringing in new talents with

believed that video game violence creates

game puts you in the

fresh ideas. The results are often gorgeous,

more real-world violence,” he said. “But

shoes of an inquisitive

thrilling and even redemptive. Here are

I couldn’t just sit by and add more guns

20-something and has

seven games that aren’t just fun, but also

to the world either ... So Subnautica is

you sort through possibly the most

stimulate thought, reflection and who knows,

one vote toward a world with less guns;

complicated task of all: her relationships.

maybe even a little personal growth.

a reminder that there is another way

With boys. With her parents. And with

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2018

the world around her. Florence finds elegant ways of communicating the complexities of modern life through gameplay, especially by showcasing

the way our real-life conversations are often like games themselves, for better or worse.

CELESTE [S T E A M, X B 1, P S 4, S W I T C H]

At first blush, this looks like a throwback to the simpler days of platform gamers, with two-dimensional gameplay. But don’t be deceived by Celeste’s simplicity.

Woven through this notoriously tight, addictive game is a tale of anxiety, depression and—most importantly— relying on others. Few games this year had more heart or real emotion at their core than

MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN

Celeste.

[P S 4]

Marvel Comics’ infamous web-slinger has a long history of great games, but GOD OF WAR

rarely have those games felt quite so in tune with the character’s key ethos:

[P S 4]

great power and great responsibility. The vast urban jungle of New York City is

In the past, God of War games have

a ton of fun to swing around in, but this game is as much about Peter Parker as

been heavy on great gameplay,

it is about his superhero counterpart. At the end of the day, the game explores

short of any sort of moral compass.

the unending difficulties of being a good person in difficult times—with or

But we live in a new era of video games, and few

without a mask.

display the growing sense of maturity more than this franchise, which replaces its standard “kill-them-till-

NI NO KUNI II:

they’re-dead” button smashing with a quieter tale of

REVENANT KINGDOM

a guilt-ridden father and his young son, the love they

[S T E A M, P S 4]

share, and the growing sense that the sins of the past

From a national scale, 2018 was a difficult year, full of divisiveness, peril and

must be dealt with before healing can begin.

understandable cynicism. Revenant Kingdom feels so out of step that it ends up being a welcome relief—an adventure in which your team of travelers is seeking not power, conquest or even respite, but instead to unite various colorful tribes around a “Declaration of Interdependence.” We’ve heard worse ideas. The goal is to seek peace, promote diversity and find creative solutions to all-too human problems.

SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS [P S 4]

There’s a sadness hanging in the air to both the world and the story in Shadow of the Colossus, in which you embark on a lonely mission in a wide but sparsely populated world on a somber, heartbreak-fueled mission. The game takes very seriously to the

question of what we’re willing to do—and ultimately what we’re willing to become—in order to deal with our grief.

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MISC. [G L O B A L V I E W ]

Where the World’s Most Committed Christians Live

The popular game Fortnite was just cited in a U.K. study as a leading cause of divorce across the pond. Who would’ve thought crippling video

ETHIOPIA 98%

game addiction would actually hurt your marriage?

HONDURAS 94% PHILIPPINES 91%

GHANA 89%

Archaeologists % OF COMMITTED CHRISTIANS 0-39%

40-59%

60-79%

80-100%

recently found evidence of nomadic ancient people near the Jordan River,

HE MOST COMMITTED CHRISTIANS

T

“committed” believers are found.

IN THE WORLD LIVE IN ETHIOPIA.

Several countries throughout Africa had

Researchers looked at global data

high rates of committed Christians, especially

sets of Christian populations,

compared to the United States, Canada, Mexico

including frequency of church

and parts of Europe—which remain the least

attendance, how often people pray and how

committed to Christianity. Countries in South

important Christians say faith is to their day-to-

America also ranked high, as did the Philippines.

day lives to determine where the world’s most

Here’s a look at some of the notable findings.

98%

80%

[E T H I O P I A]

[C O L O M B I A]

Christianity was declared the official

Catholicism is widespread in the

religion of the country in the third

South American country, where it

century, and today, Christians make

served as their official religion until

up 60 percent of the population.

the early 90s.

which lends further evidence that the book of Exodus’ account of the Israelites’ escape from Egypt is historically true.

Remember that old NES game Duck Hunt? Seth Rogen dropped a cheat

NOV-DEC

code for it on Twitter

68%

11%

[U N I T E D S TAT E S]

[U N I T E D K I N G D O M]

Despite its roots, Christianity is

Though Christianity is technically

controller controls

on the decline in the U.S., with

the country’s most popular religion,

the duck. Plug that

more adults declaring themselves

just 5 percent of the population

religiously unaffiliated every year.

regularly attends church.

026

that blew us away: Turns out the second

thing in and show your younger self a real high score.

2018

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08/10

CURRENT

That’s right. When all else fails, just try to fall asleep into your palms.

HBO Is Getting Rid of Its Porn STARTING IN 2019, HBO will no

Preventable Stress Has Become a Millennial Health Crisis R

ESEARCHERS AT THE

factors like financial stress and lack of job

STANFORD CENTER on

opportunities are major contributors to

Longevity recently released

health issues, but they also cite the pressure

the findings of their

of social media as a long-term risk factor in

Sightlines Project, which

stress-related illnesses.

examines how millennials live compared

The research is underscored

to previous generations. They made some

by a new study from the

surprising discoveries about a new set

American Psychology

of health risks, many of which could be

Association that found that

prevented if millennials were better at

millennials are the most

handling stress.

stressed out generation.

Millennials are at a greater risk for

Thanks to advances in

diabetes, heart disease and even cancer in

medical technology however,

middle age because of an overall poorer

there are treatments out there. So you can

quality of life. The researchers believe

relax now.

longer air adult content or host it on its HBO Go app. For years, the premium cable network has aired pornographic latenight movies and produced explicit documentary series, but next year, they are being scrubbed from its platform.

They will continue to produce edgy programming like Game of Thrones and The Deuce.

Ironically, the move signals a concerning cultural trend when it comes to porn. A network rep explained to The Los Angeles Times, “While we’re greatly ramping up our other original program offerings, there hasn’t been a strong demand for this kind of adult programming, perhaps because it’s easily available elsewhere.” The implication is that in a media environment, where pornographic sites dominate web traffic, supply far outweighs the demand.

MISC.

NOV-DEC

LeBron James is already flexing

Elon Musk announced a Japanese

A Pew study reports Catholicism has

more than his basketball talents

billionaire will be the first private

experienced the greatest decline

in L.A. The superstar is developing

citizen to go to the moon. Musk

of religious switching among world

multiple TV shows, and Space

estimated the trip to cost roughly

religions. Thirteen percent of U.S.

Jam 2 is still in the works.

$5 billion. Now that’s a vacation.

adults identify as former Catholics.

028

2018

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09/10

CURRENT

[ R E L E V A N T R E C O M M E N D S]

5 YouTubers You Should Be Watching YouTube is a big deal. You don’t have to settle for Logan Paul.

IT’S HARD TO DEFINE exactly what YouTube is in 2018. On the one hand, there are a lot of reasons to be skeptical, from its propensity for mind-numbing content to its famously toxic comment section. On the other hand, it’s the most obvious streaming alternative to television, delivering hundreds of thousands of ondemand channels with some really and truly inspiring stories. If you’re looking for some good YouTubers but don’t want to sort through all the trash, here’s where to start.

Say Goodnight Kevin

Joseph Solomon

Kristin Johns

[K E V I N M C C R E A R Y ]

[J O S E P H S O L O M O N]

[K R I S T I N JOHNS]

Few people are as sharp at film

Joseph has mastered YouTube’s key

Kristin’s YouTube channel follows

assessment and the woeful

trick: hooking you from the jump.

a pretty standard format: makeup

Christian industry than Kevin.

You’ll stick around for his practical

tutorials, fashion tips, interior

You won’t be able to find a better

advice about dating and mental

decorating schemes, road trip

takedown of faith’s failure in the film

health, all told through his lens as

journals, goofing around with

industry than his “How to Make a

a spoken word artist and a guy who

her husband. But unlike other hit

Christian Movie.”

takes his faith seriously.

YouTubers, Kristin is upfront about her faith (she has a whole video about her testimony) and makes it

Kurzgesagt

Fitness Blender

[I N A N U T S H E L L]

[D A N I E L & K E L L I S E G A R S]

What is a wormhole? How does climate change work? Why are some people optimists? In a Nutshell takes a scientific approach to the questions you’ve taken for granted, with charming animation.

It’s like if Bill Nye worked for Pixar.

NOV-DEC

Workout and healthy living videos are one of YouTube’s biggest brands, but nobody’s better at it than Daniel and Kelli Segars, whose fitness routines involve little special equipment and are focused on real health—not just losing weight (although you will). It’s free, it’s manageable and it’s a great way to take that New Year’s resolution by storm.

030

clear that engaged Christianity is the fulcrum of any healthy life.

[F U N FA C T]

According to a Defy Media study, 95 percent of Gen Z-ers use YouTube.

(The next highest platform was Instagram, with 69 percent.)

2018

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CURRENT

[ T H E R E L E V A N T Q + A]

Yvonne Orji Isn’t Insecure About Her Faith How the star of HBO’s Insecure balances her edgy role on the show with a higher calling.

F YOU’VE SEEN HBO’s

I

hit comedy Insecure, then you’ll know what Yvonne Orji means when she calls her

character Molly a “beautiful mess.”

She’s a driven 30-something with a promiscuous, and oftentimes, hilarious romantic life. However, in many ways, the at-times scandalous scene-stealing character couldn’t be more different than the NigerianAmerican actress who plays her. The stand-up comedian (who also holds a masters degree in public health) is a devout Christian who believes God has called her to make an impact through comedy.

YOU GOT YOUR START IN COMEDY WHILE DECIDING WHAT TO DO FOR THE TALENT PORTION OF A BE AUT Y PAGE ANT. WHY DID YOU DECIDE ON STAND-UP ?

I found myself going, the only thing I need to do today is to sit down and pray and say, “Hey God, I don’t want to be a laughingstock of this pageant. I actually want to advance to the next round. Help!” And loud as day, I heard the Holy Spirit say, “Do comedy.” And I was like, I don’t understand, why would you tell me to do this? Am I even funny? Do I even like talking in front of people? It was just out of the blue, and that’s how I know it wasn’t me.

HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO MAKE THAT LE AP AND SAY, ‘OK GOD, I’M GOING TO

I was just naive enough to believe the Word. I read the Bible and I’m like, ‘Wow, Joseph’s brothers really sold him into slavery and then it went south! … Eventually he became like [a ruler] of all Egypt, but wow the road to get there was crazy. But hey, it was all worth it because at the end of the day, the dream he had at the beginning is exactly what happened at the end. For me, I read that like, “Wow, that’s crazy,” but I thought, “But what if that happened today?” So, when God tells you something crazy like, “Do comedy,” you’re like, “Well, You must have a massive plan for all of that because this is wild. But hey, I’m down for adventure.”

TRUST YOU WITH THIS’?

NOV-DEC

032

I can’t even mention my foray into entertainment without mentioning Him. I had no idea that entertainment was even an option.

IN ADDITION TO INSECURE, YOU AL SO STILL REGUL ARLY PERFORM STAND-UP. HOW DOES YOUR FAITH PL AY INTO YOUR COMEDY?

I think my faith … you know, it’s not like I put it on a coat hanger and then take it out wherever convenient or necessary. I don’t use profanity in my comedy. I don’t do blue humor. And so, for me, that’s how faith plays in. I can still tell jokes. I can still make people laugh, make their days go a little lighter.

2018

033

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The Essential 2018 Gift Guide S

TRESSED ABOUT FINDING the right gift for your

we’ve got you covered. Here’s our curated list

picky boyfriend/girlfriend, mom and dad’s

of items for everyone in your life, including a

“unique” tastes or that newlywed friend who

few selections should you decide to go ahead

just moved into a new place? Don’t worry,

and treat yo’ self in the new year.

G I F T S

L

F O R

Y O U

ooking for a few things to add to your list?

From luggage that you’ll have for life and a killer phone charger to a fresh take on a classic camera and the ultimate pour-over kettle (Look, it can’t hurt to ask, right?), here are a few of our favorite things.

Away Carry-On Luggage

Founded by a millennial entrepreneur, Away specializes in lightweight carry-ons that are made to last. They’re also hightech: Each one comes equipped with an ejectable battery so you can charge your devices on the go. $225 AWAYTRAVEL.COM

NOV-DEC

034

2018

R ELE VA N T GI F T G U I D E

Bodum Goose Neck Water Kettle This kettle’s slow-flow design ensures a careful pour every time, meaning you get the most flavor possible out of your tea and coffee. $34.99 TARGET.COM

Native Union Smart Charger This sleek wall charger can juice two devices at once, and is carefully calibrated to make sure they’re charged quickly and safely.

Table Tiles

$49.99 NATIVEUNION.COM

These 3D optical illusion table tiles not only look killer, but they are also the most fun you can have playing with drink coasters. $18 AREAWARE.COM

Polaroid OneStep 2 Like the classic Polaroid, the OneStep 2 lets you snap and develop pictures in an instant, but its updated features allow for state-of-the-art quality. $119 POLAROIDORIGINALS.COM

FluidStance Deck Certified by the Mayo Clinic as an effective way to burn calories, these balance boards turn any standing desk or meeting into a fun, mini workout session. $129+ FLUIDSTANCE.COM

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G I F T S

F O R

H E R

Y

ou know what’s better than pipers piping, French hens and turtle doves?

Literally everything on this list.

Here are some cool products that any woman in your life would love to see under the tree on Christmas—and in her closet the rest of the year.

CAUSEBOX These seasonal, hand-curated boxes are filled with home goods, skincare products, jewelry and other unique items that help support world-changing organizations.

Nisolo Isa Boot Nisolo footwear is ethically handmade by artisans in Peru. They are also committed to fair pricing. Did we mention that they look great too?

$49.95 CAUSEBOX.COM

$198 NISOLO.COM

INKMADE Edifice Scarf Inspired by architectural designs, INKMADE accessories specialize in unique styles from a womanowned company. $80 INKMADE.CO

NOV-DEC

036

2018

R ELE VA N T GI F T G U I D E

Kitten Handheld Mirror If the internet has shown us anything, it’s that cats make everything more fun. This mirror brings some feline whimsy to your morning routine. $24 URBANOUTFITTERS.COM

People Tree Carina Jacket People Tree partners with only fair-trade producers, manufacturers and farmers so you can feel good and look good in their stylish, urban livinginspired winter line. $133 PEOPLETREE.CO.UK

Rifle Paper Co. Notebooks Smartwool Mittens Keep your hands toasty even on a frigid day with these extra-cushioned Smartwool mittens, which are made entirely in the USA.

Rifle Paper Company combines style with affordable stationary. Sure, their 6 x 8.5inch notebooks contain 64 pages of thick, high-quality paper, but they’ll also look great on your desk at home, in your office or on the shelf once you’re finished with them. It will make you actually want to take notes during the sermon, trust us. $15 RIFLEPAPERCO.COM

$32 SMARTWOOL.COM

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G I F T S

F O R

H I M

G

ift cards are boring, so instead of giving dad, your bud or your bae something he’s gotten before, go with something that will stand out this year. No matter what your budget is for the dude in your life, you’ve got options for things he’ll actually use.

Harry’s Razors Not only are Harry’s razors cheaper than overpriced drugstore brands, but the company also gives a percentage of its profits to nonprofit organizations helping communities in need. $15

NOV-DEC

MVMT Watch

Shinola Journal

Founded on the principles of great design, MVMT makes classic timepieces that won’t break the bank.

Shinola ensures the craftspeople who make their incredible goods get fair wages and full benefits.

$135

$22

MVMTWATCHES.COM

SHINOLA.COM

038

LAMY Fountain Pen Made in Germany, the LAMY is the luxury car of pens. It’s so smooth, you’ll want to start writing letters. $30 LAMY.COM

2018

R ELE VA N T GI F T G U I D E

Patagonia Black Hole Duffel

Water Drop Sweatshirt

Keep your gear protected from the elements in this decked-out duffel, perfect for a city commute or a trip to the mountains.

All profits from charity: water apparel help fund the organization’s operational costs, so they can provide even more clean water to communities in need.

$129 PATAGONIA.COM

$35 CHARITYWATER.ORG

Lunar Moon Sculpture Utilizing 3D printing and hi-def topography, this replica of the moon will officially be the coolest-looking thing on your desk. $89 ASTROREALITY.COM

TOMS Suede Porter Boot

Casper Nap Pillow

The buy-one-give-one brand has come a long way since their original foray into footwear, and their new water-resistant leather boot may be their most fashionable offering to date.

This super soft mini pillow can turn anywhere, from your couch armrest to your desk at work, into a nap zone. (We won’t tell your boss.)

$149.95

$35

TOMS.COM

CASPER.COM

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RELEVANTMAGAZINE.COM

G I F T S

F O R

H O M E

Q

uality decor, kitchenware, home goods and art don’t always have to break the bank. But investing in things that will last and have timeless style (sorry, Magic Eye poster and bean bag chair) will ensure that these items won’t need to be repurchased (or returned to your Christmas list next year).

Double Wall Olive Wood French Press With two walls of glass, this is like having a tiny work of art displayed on the counter. $90 CHUBOKNIVES.COM

Pigeon Toe Ceramics Smalls Mug You know why you have so many coffee mugs? Because you haven’t found the right ones. These ones, handmade by artisans, are literally perfect, and will render the rest of your collection obsolete. $40

For every one sold, LSTN provides medical assistance to the hard of hearing in developing countries. $129.99

PIGEONTOECERAMICS.COM

NOV-DEC

LSTN Gramercy Wireless Speaker

LSTNSOUND.CO

040

2018

R ELE VA N T GI F T G U I D E

Dodecahedron  Hanging Terrarium Bring some of the outdoors inside with these cool hanging terrariums. The included twine makes them super easy to install and can turn a previously drab space in your home into a mini garden.

Heck, even if you go with fake plants, the angular designs give any room a splash of contemporary style. $42 URBANOUTFITTERS.COM

Farmers Market Coffee The vision of Lutheran World Relief’s Farmers Market Coffee is to provide families in poor communities around the world with an opportunity to have a means of stable income by guaranteeing fair pricing. $11 LWRFARMERSMARKET.ORG

Olliebox Nester Collection This carefully crafted kitchenware collection will let you finally ditch those cheap plastic bowls so you can serve your guests in style. $260 OLLIEPROVISIONS.CO

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AD M

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2018

Day in the Life of Mark Wahlberg How faith fuels the life of the busiest man in Hollywood

BY T Y L E R H U C K A B E E

M

ark

Wahlberg

morning today” and reader, he really

with the rest of the Funky Bunch. He

is tired. Not in

sounded like a man who got up at 2:30

saw that role, just like everything he’s

the way you, the

in the morning.

ever done, as a gift. And if there’s one

person reading

Wahlberg has a few reasons for this,

this, might be

but the overarching theme is that he

tired: as in what

is a guy who likes to get things done,

“I think I realized pretty early on

you tell your friends when they ask

and you can get a lot done if your day

I was very fortunate, you know?”

you how you are on Monday. Mark

starts early. “I do whatever I need to

he says. “I had an opportunity, and I

Wahlberg is really tired. He’s been up

do to prepare,” he says, his Boston

didn't want to do anything to mess it

since 2:30 in the morning. Not because

accent traceable but not nearly as

up. So I always wanted to be the most

he’s an insomniac or a new father.

pronounced as giggling impression-

prepared and do the best possible

Mark Wahlberg gets up at 2:30 in the

ists would lead you to believe. He’s

work that I could.”

morning. That’s when his day starts. I

a hard worker, as is made apparent

And that dedication has bled over

knew this about him before we met—

by everything from his film career to

into everything he does. Not just his

he shared it on Instagram, along with

his production roles to his hamburg-

movies, his body or his other busi-

the rest of his daily schedule—but I

er chain (Wahlburgers) to his famous

nesses, but also his roles as a father, a

didn’t quite believe it. Not until he

abs, still taut and tough as pavement

husband and a Christian. It sounds like

said the words, “I got up at 2:30 in the

27 years after he debuted them along

something celebrities are supposed to

043

thing Wahlberg doesn’t want to do, it’s waste a gift.

RELEVANTMAGAZINE.COM

say but still, tired though he may be during our con-

of his priorities. When asked

versation, he is never more energized and animated

if it’s difficult to maintain a

than when talking about his family and his faith.

strong moral and spiritual compass in a place as fa-

EARLY MARK

mously seedy as Hollywood,

An onlooker observing Wahlberg’s early years prob-

he scoffs.

ably would not have picked him for stardom. He got

“If you get caught up in

swept up in gang activity in his home neighborhood

the whole world of nightlife,

of Dorchester at an early age, which led to a series of

partying, all that stuff, that

crimes, some of them violent. He spent 45 days of a

could happen anywhere,” he

two-year sentence in jail for attacking two Vietnam-

says. “I mean that could hap-

ese men in 1988.

pen on a college campus in

Wahlberg credits the Church for turning him

the middle of America.”

around. He was raised in a devoutly Catholic home,

Wahlberg’s defensive of

but it took time for the devoutly part to really sink

Hollywood, and doesn’t real-

into his own life. In 2014, he briefly sought a pardon

ly buy that there’s an agenda

for his assault and battery conviction before backing

against people of faith in the

down following protests from an Asian-American

industry, despite incessant

activist group. But during the process of seeking the

rumors to the contrary.

pardon, he did meet with and receive forgiveness from one of his victims, Hoa Trinh.

“I think I'm allowed to go and do exactly what I want

These days, Wahlberg is significantly more disci-

and how I want to do it with my personal life and my

plined. It’s part of his strict schedule, but also part

spiritual life, as long as I show up on time and do a

Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne

great job,” he says. “I think L.A. can

play parents who adopt foster

“You don't really know how important God is or appreciate God, until it's all you've got.”

NOV-DEC

044

be a very bad place if you are out at

children in Instant Family.

night and getting into all that stuff.

So, you know, that’s why I’m getting up in the morning and starting my day off in prayer, going to work out and play golf, coming home and spending time with my family. It's good weather and it's pretty nice.”

So, yeah. About that schedule.

TIME

As established, Wahlberg rises at 2:30 a.m. and spends his first 15 minutes in prayer.

“It's just the best way to possibly

2018

in prayer.”

He’s got a system for his prayers too, based on whatever his morning reading inspired in him.

“There are so many things that I think about that I pray about,” he says. “Those that are less fortunate, those that don't have God in their life and then all the responsibilities that I have as a husband, as a father. There are a lot of things that I need help and guidance on. I can lock in on what's important and what I need to focus on and then, especially, express my gratitude.”

It's those prayers that set the tone for his day: “Then from there, I just kind of go out and try to conquer the day.”

Bear in mind that at this point, it’s only around 2:45 in the morning. Time for the first of his two 90-minute workouts.

FAMILY

Mark Wahlberg also has two two-hour slots set aside for “family time.” Wahlberg is a father of four, and start the day, you know?” he says. “Everybody is

family has become the central focus of his life. He

asleep. It's really quiet.” (It’s worth noting here that

says these days he’s “much much more focused on

Wahlberg says “you know?” a lot. But with him, it

succeeding as a servant of God and as a father and a

doesn’t sound like a verbal filler. It sounds more like

husband and, you know, a family man.”

he’s making sure you’re keeping up—you’re half inclined to respond with something like “Do I ever!”)

His daily prayers are inspired by a 365-day Filipi-

He explains, "My faith and my family are the most important things. Those things allow me to be successful in all the other things that I'm doing.”

no devotional book that a friend introduced him to

Wahlberg tries to integrate these traits into the

“eight or nine years ago.” Wahlberg loved the gift so

characters he plays on screen, saying “every role I

much that he asked his wife, model Rhea Durham, to

play I try to use a little bit of the real me.”

get him another copy of the book for Christmas. She’s

That’s particularly true of Instant Family, the new

gotten it for him every Christmas since. In fact, she

foster care comedy he co-stars in with Rose Byrne,

buys him two: one for the home nightstand and one

based on the true story of writer-director Sean An-

to take with him while he travels.

ders’ experience with fostering children. In it, Wahl-

“She knows that's the one thing that I have to have

berg and Byrne play a husband and wife who decide

before the end of the year to be able to start fresh

to adopt three children from the foster care system,

on the first of the year and not miss a day,” Wahl-

a spunky 15-year-old and her two young siblings.

berg says with exceptional pride. “365 days a year

045

“In a time where families are being pulled apart

RELEVANTMAGAZINE.COM

it's nice to know that there are people out there that

ease ate away at

are helping people and trying to connect with people

his muscles. “He

and inviting people and making sure that they feel

really made an

included in this big kind of extended family,” Wahl-

impact on a lot

berg says.

of people's lives,”

His enthusiasm for the project transcends the

Wahlberg

says.

usual dutiful talking points about what an amazing

“To

point

experience the movie was. “I’ll tell you, when people

where they actu-

walk out of this movie, they have the biggest smile on

ally tried to cam-

their face that you've ever seen,” he beams. “I think

paign for him to

adoption rates are going to go through the roof.”

become saint.”

the

Walhberg is particularly proud of the movie, not

This is some-

just because it's funny or well-made, but in a way,

thing that comes

it's putting his faith to action. “I think people are go-

up

lot

with

ing to be compelled to want to go out there and help

Wahlberg:

mak-

children in need and think about bringing kids in the

ing

foster system into their home,” he says. “There are

wanting to be a

lot of kids growing up in situations like mine that

“positive

didn't have a lot of opportunity. There are a lot of

ence in people’s

kids that are out there in foster care that need loving,

lives and faith.”

supportive parents.”

Even in regards

a an

influ-

Wahlberg’s a big believer in loving, supportive

to his personal

mentors. He has a few of his own—people he relies

life, he wants to

on to keep him on track that will always give him the

leave

“honest truth about what it is I need to be doing.”

of being a hard

a

legacy

“Look,” he says. “A lot of people don't want to hear

worker, someone

it, but it's important, you know? Even if you are fir-

who took nothing

ing on all cylinders, and you think things are going

for granted. “The

good, sometimes you gotta have somebody who can

most

just be real with you.”

thing is to have

important

been

NOV-DEC

impact,

successful

KEEPING THE SCHEDULE

in

my

service

Wahlberg’s got a passion project he’s developing with

to

the

commu-

David O. Russell, the Oscar-winning director Wahl-

nity and to the

berg’s worked with on movies like The Fighter, Three

Church and to my

Kings and I Heart Huckabees. It’s the biopic of Father

family,” he says.

Stu Long, the boxer-turned-priest who became a be-

“There isn't any-

loved figure around his home in Helena, Montana,

thing you can't

who inspired thousands even as a degenerative dis-

accomplish

046

if

2018

when he related a

"The most important thing is to have been successful in my service to the community and to the Church and to my family."

conversation he'd had with a friend. “He's a very

spiritual

guy,”

Wahlberg says. “And he always helps me put things in perspective.”

Wahlberg

paus-

es briefly here. “I’m trying to remember exactly what he said.

It

was

a

beautiful

thing.”

Finally: “He said, ‘You don't really know how important God is or appreciate God until it's all you've got.”

you are willing to go and do the work. I really believe that.”

He’s got places to be. It’s time to pick his kids up from school, if his schedule is any indication. When

Maybe some of this is a result of where Wahlberg

he’s at home, his time with them is an item that can-

came from. Just a guy from a single-parent household

not be budged, and that’s something people who want

in Boston who never graduated, got involved in gangs

to work with Wahlberg will have to grow accustomed

and drugs and even went to jail. He wasn’t grandfa-

to. He says his life would be “drastically different” if

thered into Hollywood royalty like many of his peers.

he was willing to cut corners on his priorities but “I

He had to fight for it, and atone for a lot of things

certainly wouldn't be happy and in the positive, pro-

along the way. It’s made him very wary of entitlement.

ductive place that I am personally.”

“I was very fortunate to get an opportunity,” he says.

And if waking up at 2:30 is what it takes for him to

“And I was going to take full advantage of it and work

be happy, productive and maintain a healthy perspec-

as hard as I possibly could.

tive on where he’s come from and where he’s going,

The longer he talks, the less Wahlberg sounds like he woke up at 2:30. He’s guarded, but warm when he talks about his family. He’s blunt and matter-of-fact

then in Wahlberg’s mind, so be it.

“I’m pretty beat right now,” he chuckles wearily.

“But I got the rest of the day to go.”

when talking about his spiritual beliefs (“There's obviously a connection with people of Christian faith in the audiences,” he says. “People feel that I’m more authentic.”) But there was one moment in which he sounded truly tender, and even a little shy. It was

047

T YLER HUCK A BEE is RELEVANT's senior editor. He's on Twitter @tylerhuckabee.

RELEVANTMAGAZINE.COM

BY J E S S E C A R E Y

T

NOV-DEC

here’s a reason why The Office remains the go-to

watching awkwardness play out on TV is actually being part

Netflix time-killer for when you’re all caught up

of the awkwardness, orchestrating painfully uncomfortable

on the latest episode of whatever high-end drama

silences and baiting insane conversations like a maestro,

you watch to sound cool in front of your friends.

masterfully conducting a symphony of discomfort.

That reason is simple: Awkwardness is hilarious. The more

This year, instead of simply partaking in family

cringe-inducing, the funnier it is to put back on and laugh at

meals, navigating small talk by mentioning how moist the

the discomfort of others from the very comfort of your own

turkey is when things start to get heavy, make your holiday

living room.

unforgettable by creating a meal so awkward it will go on to

But the only thing that’s more entertaining than

live in family lore, like the time Michael Scott unveiled his

048

2018

“Date Mike” persona and almost got

about how those freshly baked dinner

banned from Dave & Busters.

rolls Grandma got up at 4 a.m. to

USE THE MEAL AS

start preparing are an affront to the

A RECRUITMENT

Here are some tips to have the most awkward holiday meal ever.

way God designed digestion to work.

Everyone will be impressed.

1

5

USE THE SAYING OF GRACE TO GET SOME THINGS OFF OF YOUR CHEST.

The opening meal prayer

OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUR MLM BUSINESS.

An extended meal time

3

is a great time to set the tone for the

ACCUSE A FAMILY

with family members is a perfect

MEMBER OF HERESY.

opportunity to convince potential

When the right moment

upstreams to invest in an exciting

arrives, between bites,

opportunity to sell leggings/

rest of the dining experience—by

throw out the question, “So, is anyone

nutritional supplements/makeup/

praying that God would convict your

reading any good books?” There’s a

whatever is your multilevel marketing

family members of the stuff you’ve

good chance someone will mention

business. As anyone who has ever

been mad at them about.

a title by a Christian author. It really

been subjected to such a pitch already

doesn’t matter who it is, you can

knows, there’s nothing more awkward

you because you’re praying. Everyone

probably find something to criticize

than having to tell the “business

knows this rule.

them for. The longer you are a

owner” that you literally have zero

Christian, the more natural it is for

interest in investing or lending them

aggressively ask the Lord to reach

you to find some minor theological

money because as it turns out, they

cousin Lindsey’s new boyfriend who

idea to escalate to the point of

are in pretty far over their heads with

has clearly been backsliding, pray that

shameful disbelief that someone

the whole thing.

Uncle Frank would feel compelled to

in your own family would read

finally return that $100 he owes you or

such a “dangerous” book. Suggest

gratefully thank our Heavenly Father

the excommunication, and let the

for Aunt Sally finding room in her busy

awkwardness ensue.

Technically, they can’t get mad at

Use the opportunity to passive

schedule to finally have the courtesy to show up to a family gathering (even though the potato salad she brought was clearly purchased at the store on the way over).

And they all will say, “Amen.”

6

THROW OUT SOME OPINIONS ON POLITICAL CORRECTNESS.

Honestly, it doesn’t really

4

WEIGH IN ON THE LATEST

matter what you have to say about

POLITICAL SCANDAL.

political correctness. Someone will

In the past, mentioning

likely be either offended by your

some fringe conspiracy

callousness or outraged by your

theory, baiting an uncle into arguing about a nuanced policy issue that he

desire to “censor” them.

The term alone, even when

START DISCUSSING THE

seems to be extremely confused by

randomly shouted with zero context,

BENEFITS OF KETO.

or openly insulting people who think

seems to trigger an irrationally strong

You know what people

differently could have done the trick.

reaction in most circles. In other words,

love, especially at meal

However, times have changed. All of

it’s exactly the kind of thing you’re

time? Hearing about how the new

these have become part of the day-to-

going for. Because there’s nothing more

diet you adopted after watching 20

day discourse.

awkward than sitting across the table

2

minutes of a very compelling Netflix

Instead, talk about a political issue

from someone offended or outraged

documentary has revolutionized your

with thoughtfulness, compassion,

by something you said, even if what

life, and everyone else is ingesting

grace, nuance and most of all, reason.

you said are just the words “political

“toxins” that are particularly unfit for

Everyone will be so confused by this

correctness” at a very high volume.

human consumption.

foreign approach to political dialogue

While loading your plate with the

that a dumbfounded silence will fall

third helping of whatever animal

over the table, creating an extended

protein is on the table, comment

period of deafening awkwardness.

049

JESSE CAREY is the brand director at RELEVANT. You can find him on Twitter @jessecarey.

RELEVANTMAGAZINE.COM

O N FIRE The rise of the new charismatic movement

BY J O S E P H R I G G S

“W

e give testimonies of things

number of adherents to the new charismatic

we’ve seen happen,” Kristene

movement—one that sees the extraordinary

DiMarco says, discussing

as an ordinary part of the Christian life, and

common occurrences from her

outreach to the world outside the Church

early days at Bethel Church in Redding,

not as a duty, but as a natural outpouring

California. “Like, limbs growing—people

of the things they’ve seen God do. Even as

who would walk around with one leg

most Christian denominations in America

shorter than the other, in a lot of pain.

are seeing precipitous declines in their

People were getting healed from that. Legs

numbers, the Assemblies of God—the

were literally growing out an inch or more

largest charismastic denomination in the

right in front of your eyes.”

United States—is growing. According to

DiMarco’s voice is excited, but not frantic

the most recent statistics available, the AG

as she relays her first experiences after

grew by 1.4 percent in the space of just a

she joined Bethel. She sounds more like a

year. And this doesn’t even touch on the

friend telling you about a beautiful meal

charismatic church’s global numbers, which

you missed rather than a magic trick they

are expected to top one billion by 2050. The

couldn’t explain.

Catholic Church is the only other Christian

“When your brain sees something like

group with those kinds of numbers.

that, it almost just shuts down, because it has no human way of processing that

EARLY WAVES

information,” she says.

To understand the new charismatic

She’s talking about early experiences in

movement, you have to understand the

the charismatic church. She’s a recording

old one. It stems from the Pentecostal

artist now—her take on “It Is Well” landed

movement of the early 1900s and the

on the Billboard Christian charts—but in

ministry of two men in particular. The first

2005, she was new to charismatic theology.

was a Midwestern homesteader named

Since then, she’s been just one of a growing

Charles F. Parham, who gained a reputation

BET HEL Kristene DiMarco is a worship leader at Redding, California’s Bethel Church.

051

RELEVANTMAGAZINE.COM

as a spiritual healer after a failed

large. But it wouldn’t stay fringe for

Easter Sunday charismatic revival

attempt at establishing a school. The

very long.

in Van Nuys, charismatic-leaning

second was William J. Seymour, the

If the modern charismatic movement

churches of all denominations started

son of emancipated slaves, who led

had a more official beginning, it’d be

popping up everywhere—particularly

the famed Azusa Street Revival in

in April of 1960, when the rector of St.

along the West Coast. This is generally regarded as the evangelical charismatic movement or

“It’s the overflow. It’s like, ‘How can I not help?’”

–Brian Johnson

“second wave,” which was further fueled by revivals at churches like Toronto Airport Vineyard and Brownsville Assembly of God. It’s from this era that the Prosperity Gospel, with its justly maligned “name it and claim it” theology, started to appear at some churches.

The third wave of the charismatic movement exists in

California where there were reports of

Mark’s Episcopal Church in Van Nuys,

a post-denominational setting, where

healings, tongues and real-life miracles

California, a man named Dennis J.

signs and wonders are commonplace

happening in church. These men were

Bennett, began telling his congregation

and an emotional encounter with God

influential, but their beliefs about

about some of his Pentecostal

is as much a member of the service as

the supernatural and releasing God’s

experiences. His personal expression

anyone else, offering direct revelation

power in worship services were mostly

of what it felt like to be, as Pentecostals

through prophecy, visions and

dismissed by the American Church at

call it, “baptized by the Holy Spirit,”

miraculous healing.

was so

What’s key to remember is that, in

compelling

all these waves, “signs and wonders”

that the rest

have remained a central feature.

of his church

Healing and speaking in tongues

started to

were the rule, not the exception, for

experience

committed followers of Jesus Christ.

it during the

The charismatic movement’s

service. There

unrivaled American accomplishment

were speaking

is Hillsong United—the worship

in tongues

powerhouse with an enormous

and healings

global presence, which counts some

on a huge

of Hollywood’s most prominent

scale. Bennett

celebrities among its adherents.

was forced

Though its services may seem a

to resign,

bit more traditionally evangelical/

but word of

nondenominational, with a heavy

the dramatic

emphasis on music, its theology

expression of

has roots in Pentecostalism. (Their

Pentecostalism

statement of faith says that they

started to

believe “the Holy Spirit enables us to

spread rapidly.

use spiritual gifts, including speaking

After the

in tongues.”)

J E S U S C U LTU R E The Jesus Culture music collective includes popular artists like Kim Walker-Smith and Chris McClarney.

NOV-DEC

052

2018

HIL L S ONG NYC The church has drawn attendees including Chris Pratt, Bono, Vanessa Hudgens and Kevin Durant.

PARTING SEAS

Bethel is and

Culture, which began as Bethel’s

the forefront of

youth group and morphed into a

the charismatic

worship conference in 1999, before

movement, both

eventually becoming its own church

in America and

in Sacramento, California, in 2014.

around the world.

Banning Liebscher, who started out as

It’s best known for

a youth pastor at Bethel and is now the

its vaunted worship

senior pastor at Jesus Culture, says the

music, which counts

charismatic movement is bigger than

people like Justin

signs and wonders. something is to ask, ‘What is the fruit

its fans. There’s

of this?’” he says. In his experience,

also its School

people from the charismatic church

of Supernatural

are showing outward signs of a healthy

Ministry, referred to

spiritual life.

“They’re engaged in their

and otherwise as

community, they have a heart for the

“Christian Hogwarts”

loss, they have a heart for missions,” he

in Redding. It’s

says. “There’s some really great fruit!”

an unaccredited

Lucille Houston on the West Coast,

“One of the ways that we look at

Gomez among

both affectionately

New York campus and Ben and

The same ethic holds true at Jesus

long has been at

Bieber and Selena

With Carl Lentz pastoring the

reconciliations, counseling and more.

At Hillsong, Lentz has been a vocal

institution that teaches students how to

advocate for fighting racial injustice

seek and perform the supernatural.

and reforming immigration.

“If you just crack your Bible open

And this is the heart of the new

Hillsong has become shorthand lingo

for five seconds you’d know it’s not like

charismatic movement. Not just what

for a certain type of church—cool,

we’re parting seas,” says Jenn Johnson.

happens in their church services, but

non-threatening and influential.

“But I would love to.”

what it inspires the people in those

Their public brand, star-studded and

Jenn and her husband Brian co-

church services to do. The charismatic

fashionable as it is, has overshadowed

founded Bethel Music—the worship

movement may be relatively new, but

the charismatic theology that actually

music arm of Bethel Church. The duo

its spirit is as old as the church itself.

forms the heart of the church itself.

is enthusiastic about the things they’ve

But to hear members of the modern

“That’s something that I love about

seen in church, but their work in the

the movement,” says DiMarco. “I get

charismatic movement tell it, signs and

community of Redding is just as much,

to be a part of what God is doing on

wonders are just the beginning. The

if not more, a mark of their church.

the earth. I get to be a part of what

real work is what happens outside the

“It’s the overflow,” says Brian. “It’s

church service. In fact, while signs and

like, ‘How can I not help?’ We get such

person’s life that day. I get to be a tool

wonders will always be a foundational

joy as Christians. It’s like buying kids

that He takes in His hands and uses

part of the charismatic movement, a

presents. It fills me up.”

to transform somebody’s life. There’s

new wave of charismatic churches are

Along with constant outreaches,

now becoming known for miracles of a

helping the community is a big part of

much different sort. If the first waves

their mission. After recent wildfires,

of the movement were focused on what

the church gave $1,000 to every family

was happening inside the church, the

whose home was burned. The church

new one wants to see how it can do

also has large ministries dedicated to

miracles outside of it.

international disaster relief, marriage

053

God wants to do in maybe just one

really no feeling better than that.”

JOSEPH RIGGS is a writer from Portland, Oregon, where he lives with his dog Jude.

RELEVANTMAGAZINE.COM

L O V E LY T H E

B A N D Anxiety, hope and the rise of the indie-pop superstars

NOV-DEC

054

2018

BY J E S S E C A R E Y

T

here’s a good chance that by now you’ve heard the song “Broken”

by

lovelytheband

dozens of times. Though it dropped back in spring 2017— more than a year before their debut album Finding It Hard

to Smile would release to rave reviews—the song has become one of those slow burn indie-pop masterpieces that is suddenly everywhere.

A year after its release, it held the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s alternative charts, hit No. 8 on the Top 40 chart and became the No. 1 most-played song on rock radio.

But if you were to just hear the song playing in a store, on a TV show or in the background while eating at a trendy restaurant, you might miss something that you’ll only catch if you’re really listening to it: Despite its dancy beat and catchy keyboard riff, “Broken” is a heartbreaking song.

Though the anthemic chorus, with its big gang vocal sounds triumphant and joyful, it’s actually a song about what it’s like to experience brokenness and to be around others who’ve experienced it too. In the hook, frontman Mitchy Collins belts, “I like that you’re broken / Broken like me / Maybe that makes me a fool.” It’s a powerfully vulnerable line.

“The juxtaposition with the music is like—as opposed to having a fully depressive episode for an hour—I think it’s a little bit easier to digest with some of the topics we try to tackle on the record with the music being a little bit brighter,” Collins explains.

That idea of mixing real, deep emotions with sunny, powerful music is at the core of not only

055

RELEVANTMAGAZINE.COM

who they are as a band—but

ager dealing with heart-

who they’ve always strived to

break and rejection.

be as musicians.

Greenwald, a multi-instrumentalist who also

NOV-DEC

A LITTLE BIT BRIGHTER

sings background vocals,

“The night of the release we

says he first experienced

were all crying,” Collins says,

the power of music to

reflecting on the day their

really move a person

debut album dropped after

when his dad took him

two years of working on it.

to a U2 concert at the

And when he says it, you get

Staples Center in L.A.

the impression that he’s not

He was just 7 years old

being figurative. With songs

at the time, but that per-

like “Maybe, I’m Afraid,” “Pity

formance left a lasting

Party,” “Alone Time” and, yes,

impression on him.

“Emotion,” these aren’t guys

Price,

who are afraid of showing

drummer,

the

band’s

their emotions.

his older sister intro-

remembers

Collins, Jordan Greenwald

ducing him to Switch-

and Sam Price first met on the

foot and embracing rock

West

indie-rock

music before eventually

scene, and quickly found that

turning to study jazz.

they all shared a love for a

Along the way, he dis-

certain kind of music. They all

covered

gravitated to artists who wore

and it changed how he

emotions on their sleeves and

thought about music. But

recognized the power of vul-

it wasn’t just the driving

nerability.

Hollywood

heavy

L-R Jordan Greenwald, Mitchy Collins, Sam Price

metal,

rhythms that appealed to

of attending metal concerts.

Collins looks back at early

the young drummer. It was the

“That’s when I realized that

aughts emo bands like Taking

same thing that turned Collins

people had problems that they

Back Sunday and Dashboard

on to Dashboard Confessional

like to get out with music, so I

Confessional as being forma-

and made Greenwald into a U2

kind of started getting an emo-

tive with their ability to blend

fan: Metal helped him express

tional connection to that stuff.”

punk rock music sensibilities

things he felt but couldn’t artic-

with real emotional depth. He

ulate on his own.

And yes, the album can be heavy (the song “Pity Party”

says that listening to the bands

“People aren’t moshing to

contains the lines, “I’m a sad

that broke out during the emo

hurt people—people are mosh-

man / I should probably fix my-

boom helped him “figure out

ing to get their stuff out,” Price

self / In a sad world / I’m just

how to feel things” as a teen-

says, looking back at the days

asking for a little help”), but

056

FINDING IT HARD TO SMILE [ANOTHER CENTURY]

2018

“THE WHOLE MAKING-THEALBUM PROCESS IS DEFINITELY LIKE A THERAPY SESSION FOR ME ... I’VE GOT TO LET MY HEART SPEAK.”

ty,”

in

which

he

vents about all of his deeply personal emotional struggles.

“They said, ‘Wow, you described how I feel on an everyday basis in a song,’” he remembers. “That’s a cool thing to hear because I feel like an important thing about

songwriting

and musicians, and songs in general, is maybe being able to

me. I’m not really good at talking about

say some things that people don’t know

things that I should be talking about out

how to in their everyday life, or they

loud. I’ve got to let my heart speak—

might be scared to.”

myself speak,” Collins says. “It helped

In the final lines of the chorus of

me own up to stuff that I maybe didn’t

“Broken,” the song that has made them

own up to in the past about myself.”

into one of indie-pop’s most rapidly-ris-

When Collins sings about loneliness or

ing young bands, Collins sings, “I like

wrestles with his anxieties in his songs,

that you’re lonely / Lonely like me / I

there’s a therapeutic quality to it. You

could be lonely with you.”

get the sense that his songs aren’t him

Lovelytheband

doesn’t

want

to

dwelling on darkness, they’re helping

bring you down with their emotionally

it’s not just the pop-friendly music that

him release it, while also letting others

dark music. They want you to know it’s

makes it actually sound so joyful.

know that they should be able to re-

OK to feel anxious, sad and even lone-

lease theirs too.

ly sometimes, to tell others how you’re

Somewhere along the way, lovelytheband realized that getting vulnera-

“The whole record is just my life in

feeling and ultimately, to realize you

ble—even it if means talking about the

16 songs,” he says. “It’s stuff I’m dealing

can’t really be totally alone, if they’re

hard parts of life—isn’t about bringing

with on a day-to-day basis, from depres-

lonely with you.

people down.

sion and anxiety and all of the struggles

It’s about gaining freedom.

that come in and out of that, girls who I wished loved me back … things that I

MUSIC THERAPY

wish I could make better about myself.”

“The whole making-the-album process

He remembers a fan coming up to

is definitely like a therapy session for

him to talk about the song “Pity Par-

057

JESSE CAREY is the brand director at RELEVANT. You can find him on Twitter @jessecarey.

RELEVANTMAGAZINE.COM

How to replace talking to yourself with real connection to God

BY T Y L E R H U C K A B E E

IF

you’ve been

washing dishes, maybe in

Research Center, there’s

a Christian

the shower or while you’re

reason to believe they might

for a while,

drying your hair. They’re

struggle with the quality

you’ve

little bursts of prayer in

of “prayer time.” Barna

probably got a grown-up

between the main events

found that 42 percent “find

idea of what prayer looks

of life, like a football player

it difficult to find time” to

like. You know what

pointing to the sky after a

pray and read their Bibles

we’re talking about—the

touchdown, giving a quick,

regularly.

multitasking type of prayer.

cursory shout out to God

Not on your knees by your

before getting back to the

these pressed-for-time

bed, with your h ­ ands folded

real business of life.

prayers turn into small

As a result, oftentimes

like a little cherub from

It’s sort of a necessity

hiccups of half-finished

a Renaissance painting.

mandated by the infamous

sentences and staccato

Not holding hands around

verse in 1 Thessalonians

ramblings. We say “Dear

a dinner table like in the

5:17, “Pray without ceasing.”

God,” and then go until

movies. No, you’re too busy

Clearly, if we’re going to

we’re distracted by anything

for that. It’s 2018 after all.

pray without ceasing, we

at all. In fact, more than

Some days, you can’t be

can’t spend the whole day

60 percent of Christians

expected to take actual time

on our knees. This is going

told Barna they are easily

out of your day to pray.

to require praying on-the-

distracted while trying to

Some days, you’ve got to do

go. “How hard could it be?”

spend time with God.

it on-the-go.

we figure. It’s just praying,

Many grown-up prayers

after all.

are like the drive-thru

Oftentimes, these prayers become less and

But let’s be honest. It is

less prayers and more

version of praying. A quick,

tough. Though 55 percent

the vague feeling that

mindless activity to and

of Americans say they pray

maybe we should pray,

from work, or while you’re

every day according to Pew

which eventually becomes

059

RELEVANTMAGAZINE.COM

PRAY WITHOUT CREASING (THE PAGES) Having trouble praying? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Here are three books that explain how to turn prayer from a mysterious spiritual exercise into an essential part of daily life.

a feeling of shame for not praying more, which

P R AC T IC I N G T H E PRESENCE OF GOD BROTHER LAWRENCE

The 17th-century friar turned every moment into a supernatural one.

conviction: The problem

cynicism and apathy.

isn’t that we’re not praying even know what praying

Kansas City. She has a

is. The reason we exhaust

husband, two sons and a

ourselves with prayer and

thriving business. She goes

give up in despair is that

to church regularly and

we’re trying to do something

loves to serve, but after

God never asked us to.

several years of trying to

stuff, then praying without

while being a working

ceasing is impossible and

mom, she’s stopped praying

kind of ridiculous,” Niequist

altogether. “I think I’m just

says. “Jesus didn’t even do

not a pray-er,” she says. “I’m

it. I think I grew up with

just not.”

that same idea that praying

you’ve felt like Pepper.

ANNE LAMOTT

With humor and real vulnerability, Lamott unpacks “the three essential prayers” we all need.

without ceasing basically as ‘do quiet time more.’”

So if prayer isn’t just

Prayer felt like a chore.

doing quiet time more, and

Then the amount of time

it’s not talking to God, then

you spent not praying

what is it?

started to feel like a weight

The Jewish philosopher-

hanging over your head,

turned-Catholic nun Edith

and eventually your grand

Stein wrote that “the

ambitions to pray without

limitless loving devotion to

ceasing turned into not

God, and the gift God makes

much praying at all, outside

of Himself to you, are the

of the quick blessing before

highest elevation of which

lunch.

the heart is capable; it is the

Surely, there’s a better

3

“If prayer is telling God

juggle praying on-the-go

for any amount of time,

H E L P, T H A N K S , WOW

enough. It’s that we don’t

nutritionist who lives in

If you’ve been a Christian

2

This is Niequist’s

eventually just turns into Pepper is a 29-year-old

1

spiritual practices.

way out there.

highest degree of prayer.

The souls that have reached this point are truly the heart

THE BETTER WAY

“The biggest misconception T H E O N LY N EC E S S A RY THING HENRI NOUWEN

The late priest offers his profound thoughts on “living a prayer life.”

NOV-DEC

of the Church.”

There’s a back-and-

people have about prayer is

forth implied here that

that it’s talking to God,” says

transcends talking to God.

Aaron Niequist, a pastor

“True prayer is neither a

and the author of the book

mere mental exercise nor a

The Eternal Current, about

vocal performance,” said the

060

2018

great 19th-century preacher

what’s already true: God’s

Charles Spurgeon. “It is

already here, God’s already

far deeper than that. It is

doing stuff. I don’t need to

spiritual transaction with

convince God of anything.

disciplined intentionality.

Niequist compares it to a marriage. don’t ever want to take

-AARON NIEQUIST

You’re probably just awkward roommates

“If I say to [my wife], ‘I

“THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT PRAYER IS THAT IT’S TALKING TO GOD.”

not really in a relationship.

who don’t really click in a meaningful way.

Because these

you out on a

relationships also take

date, I don’t

work: dates, team-ups,

ever want to

communication and conflict

specifically

resolution. Those intentional

focus on just

times add meaning and

us, let’s just be

comfort to the unintentional

around each

times and vice versa.

other,’ that’s

“I think that with any

not going to

spiritual practice, we get

work,” he says.

out of it the time that we

the Creator of Heaven and

But could I have eyes to see

“Yet at the same time, just

put into it,” says Jana Riess.

Earth.”

it, and could I be the kind of

being around each other

Riess is the co-author of The

person that could actually

is the most meaningful

Prayer Wheel, a book about

takes some of the pressure

participate with that

thing, and it’s actually what

medieval prayer practices.

off. Prayer isn’t the constant,

movement?”

we do for most of life. But

“You can’t just wait for the

those intimate, focused

muse to strike you, or a time

On the one hand, this

ongoing yammering we’d

This is a type of prayer

imagined it might be. That’s

that’s transactional, with

moments are what deepen

of desperate need or great

good news because, well,

God and you communicating

those roots and build the

joy. It’s just the day-to-day

that wasn’t working.

at a level deeper than

connection so we can just be

living of life with God. We

spoken language.

together as we’re driving the

sit down and we take time

boys somewhere, as we’re

to do that, we are equipped

But on the other hand, this means that prayer is

The temptation with this

something different than we

is, of course, to substitute a

cleaning up the house or

to listen better to what the

imagined.

vague feeling of reverence

whatever.”

Spirit is trying to say instead

for prayer altogether. You

In other words, any

of vomiting our guts out.

SOMETHING DEEPER

know how it goes. You start

marriage or close friendship

I hate to make those tired

“When I think of

thinking about how prayer

is going to involve a lot of

comparisons to exercise, but

‘without ceasing,’” says

is just a general feeling of

time spent just hanging

it is kind of like exercise. In

Niequist, referencing the

being consistently open

around each other, being

that you get out what you put

Thessalonians verse, “it’s

to God. It sounds good in

open to each other, willing

into it. Even a small amount

way more the participating

theory—it even lines up

to hear what the other has

is very beneficial.”

in each moment rather than

with some words in this

to say and learning the

adding words to a situation.

very article—but it doesn’t

rhythm and movements of

Way more staying aware

always work. And that’s

each other’s life without

that I am already immersed

because, like with any

necessarily being engaged

in the presence of God.

relationship, an authentic

the entire time. But if that’s

It’s like having eyes to see

connection with God takes

all you’ve got, then you’re

061

T YLER HUCK A BEE is RELEVANT's senior editor. He's on Twitter @tylerhuckabee.

RELEVANTMAGAZINE.COM

THE LIFE-CHANGING HOMECOMING OF

LAUREN DAIG How a worship leader became a bonafide pop star

BY T Y L E R D A S W I C K

L

auren Daigle couldn’t believe she was

studio album, Look Up Child. Distinct, soaring and raw,

hiding in the bathroom. She loved be-

Look Up Child is Daigle’s homecoming: to Louisiana, to

ing around people. She could—in her

the music she loves, to a deeper relationship with Jesus.

words—“make friends with a brick

It doesn’t sound like other worship albums. It doesn’t

wall,” but right then she felt she could

really sound like a worship album at all. And that could

barely stand another conversation. What was wrong

The album’s been featured on Apple Music gatekeep-

she had been waitressing at Chili’s and now her wor-

er Zane Lowe’s coveted “World Record” playlist, it de-

ship album was one of the most acclaimed and suc-

buted at No. 3 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, and it has

cessful in the genre. How could she possibly consider

garnered attention from outlets diverse as People and

leaving it all behind?

Rolling Stone. This fall, her face graced Spotify's giant

“The music thing was going 900 miles per hour,” Dai-

digital billboard in Times Square. Look Up Child is per-

gle says. “I reached this place of complete burnout. I

haps the best worship album of the year, and one of the

knew music was too much of my DNA for me to leave,

best albums of the year, period.

but I felt I needed to be rescued in that moment. I had

Daigle has obvious mainstream appeal. She exudes

lost too much of myself. But I think God met me there.

energy and magnetism, with a speaking voice like

You’re never as lost as you think you are.”

a party invitation and a singing voice that takes you

That rescue mission is at the heart of Daigle’s second

NOV-DEC

mean giant, momentous things for Daigle.

with her? Nashville was her dream. Three years ago

somewhere else. She’s a southern girl from Louisiana,

062

2018

LE

063

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but she’s taken herself far beyond

a complete star. There wasn’t just

heart was right there," she says.

the bayou. She’s cosmopolitan and

demand for her music; there was

"Just because my surroundings

worldly. She swam with sea turtles

demand for her. For a while, that

changed [in Nashville], didn’t mean

off the coast of Hawaii. She’s been

was OK. She can make friends with

the core of who I was had to change.

cliff-diving over crocodile-infested

a brick wall, remember?

God has a way of reminding you

waters. She’s eaten wildebeest (it takes like roast beef, she says).

Daigle grew up in Lafayette, Louisiana, and stayed in the South through her early 20s. After she

“I’m a passionate liver,” she

who you are. My life felt like an op-

says. “People say I’m an extremist,

tical illusion. When you’re up close

and I’m going to put myself on the

you can’t determine what it is, but

frontlines. For me, it’s fun.”

when you step back a little bit, you

That’s

when

Daigle’s

life

in

Nashville hit 900 miles per hour.

University in 2014, she went to

She was touring and performing

So Lauren Daigle stepped back.

Nashville to record her debut re-

and meeting fans and trying hard

She went home to Louisiana. It

cord, How Can It Be. From the out-

to wrap her head around all the

changed her sound, her perfor-

set, the record—an impassioned

change in her life. At the same time,

mance and her perspective. It

she had a mes-

“I was trying to find home in a million different places ...

God has a way of reminding you who you are.”

NOV-DEC

can see the whole thing right in

graduated from Louisiana State

front of you.”

somehow made her even better.

sage to deliver

Lafayette, Louisiana, lies in the

in her music

heart of Cajun culture. The air

and a heart to

in that part of the country wraps

serve

people.

around you. It weighs down the

Her boundar-

cypress trees and the insects and

ies collapsed.

presses

“Given

the

trajectory

ground.

everything Lafayette’s

toward

the

prairie-like

of

land is split by canals, and these

all this,” she

drift more than they flow toward

says,

the Mississippi River and out to

ing

speakon

her

the Gulf of Mexico. Downtown,

rise to fame,

the lights glow from the bar pati-

“you

don’t

os and nightclubs, and everything

have time to

looks ethereal and spirit-touched.

comprehend

You hear music most days, at most

what

you’ve

times, and the music is free in ev-

experienced. I

ery sense. It pours out into the

was becoming

street and fills every corner and

overwhelmed

rises up, thick and hot. It doesn’t

by the things

drown you. You float.

and purposeful worship collec-

that were meant to bring me joy.

tion—was acclaimed in a way few

Something was off-kilter.”

“In Louisiana, you go into any music place, and it’s alive,” Daigle

debuts are, cleaning up "Song of the

That’s when Daigle, one of the

says. “You sit on the street corner

Year" awards for its titular single

best and brightest young voices in

and there’s a trombone player play-

and earning New Artist of the Year

music, started hiding in bathrooms.

ing something funky, and the saxo-

honors for Daigle throughout 2015.

She first told herself she want-

phone leans in and says, ‘Oh yeah,

It was by any definition an arrival,

ed out. Then she told herself she

let me tell you what I think about

but the record had legs, too. The al-

couldn’t possibly quit. That’s when

that.’ Then the drummer says, ‘Let

bum sold over 1 million copies.

she says God stepped in.

me set both of you straight.’ There’s

In a single year, Daigle went

“I was trying to find home in a

from a talented up-and-comer to

million different places, but my

064

just this communication and energy. It’s so much fun. I missed that.”

2018

065

RELEVANTMAGAZINE.COM

When Daigle was touring How Can It Be, she realized the difference between writing music for a message and writing for a mode of delivery. How Can It Be carried a message she loved, but as she sang those songs night after night, the delivery became less satisfying. Back home in Lafayette, however, the message of the music and the delivery of that message were unified. Music there was a conversation. It was a two-way street, always.

Tapping back into that dynamic was at the center of Daigle’s recovery. She distinguishes recovery and rest. She explains that people need time to recover before they can enter true rest. That’s when you experience rejuvenation, and that was the reward of her homecoming. In that place of true rest, she could start making music, and in that place, the music would sound different from anything she had done before.

Daigle and her producers sourced Look Up Child from Cajun soul. They studied artists like Roberta Flack and Lauryn Hill and the late Aretha Franklin. They listened for the conversation inside the music, and they heard it when the artist was alone at a piano or when they fronted a full band. When Daigle talks about it, she sometimes speaks in contradictions.

The music can “steal a moment with simplicity,” she says, but at the same time, “I wanted to sweat when I get off-stage.” Soul music asks: Why not both? Daigle and her producers chose to record with an orchestra.

“I wanted the instruments to lead the way on [Look Up Child],” she says. “We wanted to make it timeless, so in 20 years people could say it’s relevant, and it could’ve been relevant 20 years ago, too. It had to

NOV-DEC

066

2018

have height and width and expansion

had to make sure the lyrical depth was

space," she says. "When I came back

and vulnerability. It’s not that we set

potent, because to me, songwriting is

[to the music], it was a pure, honest,

out to run away from How Can It Be,

giving people a prayer to sing, words in

authentic expression. The songs write

but it’s just the place I was in. You learn

their mouth that were there, but they

themselves first, but the songs start to

didn’t know how to ac-

write you after a while. Once the song is

cess. You enter the song

out there, it hits even more profoundly

with one color in the

than when I was writing it.”

“Songwriting is giving people a prayer to sing, words in their mouths that were there, but they didn't know how to access.”

kaleidoscope, but it’s

And now that she’s back inside the

not until the song is out

industry, with reviews and award

of your mouth that you

nominations landing around her and a

see the whole scope.”

nationwide tour in full swing, Daigle’s

Daigle wrote Look

made some changes. She takes breaks

Up Child like a diary. It’s

now. She flexes her schedule. After a

personal and intimate

meeting with her producers or an in-

and anecdotal, but like

terview with press or a meet-and-greet

that soul singer at the

with fans, she takes at least 10 minutes

piano, it’s also encom-

for herself. She isn’t hiding in bath-

passing and enormous

rooms anymore.

and sweeping. Daigle

“The going definitely had to stop,”

wrote about her time

she says. “This is all a constant, evolving

in

Nashville—often

process, it’s an ebb and flow with sus-

wrote to her past self in

taining yourself. Things move at maxi-

Nashville—and

about

mum speed, but you have to choose to

her return to Louisiana

be intentional and learn from each mo-

and her journey back

ment. Even in the moments when you

toward the core of her

feel lack, even in the moments when

identity. In that way,

I’ve completely handed myself over to

Look Up Child can serve

this machine, I’m never too far gone.

as both the prayer you

God is the anchor.”

didn’t know how to say

That’s why for Lauren Daigle, Look

and the prayer Daigle

Up Child will in its way be timeless. It’s

has been trying to say

as much hers as it is ours, and as she

for the past three years.

goes from inevitably famous to obvi-

Six months passed between Daigle’s

ously famous, it will be there as a re-

While Daigle and her team adapted

departure from Nashville and the be-

minder of that anchor. As she leaves

the delivery, the lyrics and message

ginning of Look Up Child. In that time,

home again, she has a part of home

that resonated so well on her debut had

she stepped away from work entirely.

with her, a totem so distinct and local

to be preserved, but evolved in kind

She wrote a list of 26 things she wanted

and pure that it can be transportive. Its

with the sound. Daigle recorded all of

to do before she turned 27 and started

delivery is of a place and of a time, but

her vocals with just a piano instead of

crossing things off, tapping back into

its message isn’t.

an over-the-top demo. Then she and

her inner adrenaline junkie. She went

her team added the orchestral instru-

skydiving and rode in hot air balloons

mentation over the top so it supple-

and started working on her scuba certi-

mented the song.

fication. She went deep-sea fishing and

from your art.”

“We wanted to keep it like a prayer,”

saw hammerhead sharks.

she says. “What would I be saying to

“I just went to live life, move back

God if I was just sitting in my room? We

home and get out of the industry

067

Turn the album on. It might be a homecoming for yourself.

T YLER DASWICK is RELEVANT's senior writer. He's on Twitter @tylerdaswick.

RELEVANTMAGAZINE.COM

Hunger is a bigger problem in America than many realize.

IF

you took a good hard look at

must choose between food and housing; and

57-year-old Bee Bee Ferguson,

31 percent have to choose between food and

you’d have absolutely no idea

education. These are impossible decisions that a

that she spent the first six

new wave of activists in the Church are striving

months of 2018 practically

to change, so no one will have to face a decision

homeless, not knowing where

like this alone.

her next meal would come from.

In the late 90s, Ferguson founded Busy Bee’s

DEEPER CHANGE

Unique Cleaning Service Inc., a small business

Andrae Bailey is the former executive director of

that offers home and business cleaning services.

United Against Poverty and recently founded an

But after a big commercial contract—a major

organization called Change Everything, where

asset that helped keep her company alive—fell

he serves as CEO. He believes that addressing

through in early 2017, Ferguson’s income began

hunger in an honest way doesn’t always mean

to waver. A few months later, Hurricane Irma

handing someone a free plate of food. And

hit, ripping through her roof and devastating her

usually, it isn’t what hungry people want.

entire home.

“It’s about changing the mind, body and spirit,”

Ferguson went into crisis mode. She was

he says. “You want to say to yourself, ‘What’s

living on her cousin’s couch, fighting with home

something that we can do as a church to change

insurance companies, unsure if she would ever

people’s lives so that they rise out of poverty and

be able to see her home again. It was at this point

have the ability to have food and other aspects of

she became what hunger relief activists call “food

life in the way that we have it?’”

insecure,” meaning she lacked steady, reliable

He suggests that in addition to meeting some

access to meals that could nutritionally sustain

of the immediate need, the Church’s role in

her. Even while living in the wealthiest country

ending hunger is larger: Change personal and

on Earth—in which as much as 40 percent of the

societal conditions causing it. But what does that

food supply is thrown out every year—a streak

actually look like?

of misfortune left Ferguson on the brink of going hungry. And she is not alone.

Bailey’s anti-poverty philosophy is a holistic one. It suggests what many people don’t realize:

There are currently over 41 million people in

People

aren’t

hungry

because

they

don’t

the United States who do not know where their

have food. They’re hungry because they’re

next meal will come from, according to Feeding

impoverished on a deeper level, and the Church

America, a nonprofit that operates a network of

needs to help them address that, not just their

more than 200 food banks around the country.

hungry bellies. But in order to effectively combat

Each year, they help feed nearly 50 million

poverty, churches must first recognize that

Americans, including 12 million children.

they can’t do it alone, and must be willing to

Many face difficult daily decisions when

partner with organizations making a difference.

it comes to food: 69 percent are forced to

Sometimes,

choose between food and utilities; 57 percent

organizations that aren’t religious and may not

069

that

will

mean

working

with

RELEVANTMAGAZINE.COM

share all of the same values directly.

solved problems, made things happen. We do

“One of the things churches aren’t always willing to accept is that a church alone cannot end

hunger,

address

poverty

and

everything we can to hide from anyone who’s not like us. That’s why all of these issues exist.”

tackle

homelessness,” Bailey says. “There are things you

UNDERSTANDING THE NEED

must be willing to do to step out of the four walls

Feeding

of the church and work with members of your

humanitarian organization in Central Florida,

community. You’ve gotta be able to work with

has a vision for a hunger-free world—but

universities and hospitals and nonprofits that

believes that a hunger-free world will likely start

aren’t faith-based.”

with a hunger-free America.

Children

Everywhere

(FCE),

a

Bailey says to effectively address a problem as

According to the organization’s CEO, Dave

big as domestic hunger, Christians must follow

Green, there are two different categories of

the example of Jesus, who lived shoulder to

people going hungry in the United States: those

shoulder with people who were nothing like Him.

who are in short-term crisis mode (like Ferguson)

“That was His goal every day: to be out with

and those in need of more long-term assistance,

the people creating change,” he explains. “We

who are more chronically food insecure.

spend every moment we can hiding from people

“We have recognized through different types

different from us, which gives us no opportunity

of data that when people have career resources

to be the salt of the earth. If we want to address

—some type of career rescue program—their

hunger, we have to ask questions. That is the

income, job security and career stability increase

kind of witness that would change the world’s

rapidly. Those are all factors that lead people out

perception of faith. Jesus lived among people,

of food insecurity,” Green says.

The idea is to not just help someone land a job, but equip them with the skills they will need to maintain employment long term.

FCE has recently launched a program that is dedicated to

teaching

fundamental

job skills—like English as a second skills

language, and

resume

computer building.

The organization also recently launched

an

entrepreneur

Teams at Feeding Children Everywhere packing healthy meals to be distributed in the community.

NOV-DEC

070

2018

training

program,

where

many

graduates of the program have

“PEOPLE WILL NEVER BELIEVE OUR GOSPEL IF IT’S A GOSPEL OF WORDS.” -ANDRAE BAILEY

gone from food insecure to owning their own thriving business.

“When we look at how to address hunger in the U.S., the best thing we can do is

hometown with a plan to help the impoverished

create a pathway to self-sufficiency,” Green says.

and working poor in a way that mirrored the way

Thanks to this program—just one year after

he had been helped.

Hurricane Irma put her life on hold—Ferguson

United Against Poverty also developed an in-

became one of many to achieve a successful

house program dedicated to teaching emotional

outcome. Ferguson’s business has begun to

intelligence alongside job skills training and

thrive, and she’s even helped her daughter jump-

acquisition. Following the program, students are

start her own business as well.

placed in an eight-week internship with on-the-

“It’s not about giving someone a fish, but

job training and job placement, with three years

teaching them how to fish,” she says.

of career coaching.

BREAD OF LIFE

people living at the poverty level were able

So how does one begin to grasp ways to equip

to graduate from STEP (the Success Training

someone who is hungry? A safe starting point is

Employment Program) with over an 85 percent

through the Church. That’s exactly what Austin

chance of getting a job.

In the last three years alone, more than 200

Hunt and his wife Ginny did. They started United

But projects like these don’t exist because a

Against Poverty, an organization that lifts people

massive nonprofit started a food program. These

from poverty, out of their church in 2003. The

happen when ordinary Christians apply holistic

organization started as a community grocery

solutions to fighting poverty within their church.

program, where people could purchase quality

Bailey says Christians should look beyond

food for a lower price. Since 2003, this small

solving the temporary solution. “Look towards

grocery program has grown into an $8 million a

embracing the gospel of life’s transformation that

year operation.

Jesus preached,” he says. “Both are important.

The organization now has more than 85

One is temporary and one is transformational.

corporate product partners donating different

People will never believe our Gospel if it’s a

products to help food insecure families access

Gospel of only words. If we help someone who’s

high-quality food and personal care items.

hungry, not in the short term but help them

“I grew up in a working poor household,” Hunt

transform their lives, it’s an undeniable message

shares. “My parents worked hard, but lacked the

that God is real and that he lives through us.”

tools to break free from financial hardship.”

Hunt also says he remembered having no plan for his life after high school, and was terrified that the generational cycle would repeat in his own life. So he went to seminary.

Once he graduated, he returned to his

LESLEY CREWS is RELEVANT's social media coordinator. Find her on Twitter @lesrcrew.

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RELEVANTMAGAZINE.COM

S I D E

HOW TO MAINTAIN THE PERFECT

H U S T L E 2017

BY T Y L E R D A S W I C K

T

hese days, you might feel like you’re hustling

speaker Jon Acuff. “When I wrote technical copy for a job,

a lot. Most millennials feel the same. In fact,

it would have been insane for me to demand that job serve

a Gallup poll reports seven in 10 millennials

as my entire creative outlet. Recognizing that, I started free-

experience burnout from work these days.

lancing.”

The struggle to keep up, maintain your spot

Most workers feel burned out when they don’t have au-

or simply keep your head above water is most certainly

tonomy within their jobs. Gallup reports that when workers

real, but sometimes taking a long break isn’t an option.

have freedom in the tasks they do, can perform those tasks

Money might not make your world go around, but it sure

and determine how much time they can spend on those tasks,

can help.

they are 43 percent less likely to experience burnout. In sim-

The good news is, there’s a way to find financial peace

pler terms: If you’re doing things on your terms, you’re not

without overextension and burnout: a side hustle. These

going to tire of it as fast as you might over mandated tasks in

miniature modes of income (to complement your main

a regular job. A side hustle could give you some satisfaction

source of income) are commonplace now. More than 44

you’re missing.

million Americans have a side hustle, according to CNN

Amelia Hobbins, 31, picked up a second job serving tables

Money, and half of all millennials report working to earn

when she was 25. Her family had accrued $10,000 in credit

extra cash outside of their main gigs. Millennials are look-

card debt. Earning supplementary income had obvious finan-

ing for supplementary income at twice the rate of baby

cial benefits, but Hobbins, a business development specialist

boomers.

with Thrivent Financial, gleaned additional perks from the

If you’re feeling your waistline stretching against your

situation.

financial belt, maybe a side hustle is the answer to find-

“I loved being on my feet and developing relationships

ing some wiggle room. According to research by GoDad-

with my customers,” she says. “At first I was embarrassed I

dy, the average side gig nets about $250 per month, and

was working a second job, but as the extra money decreased

BankRate says millennials can make an average of $580—

our debt, I felt proud. I was taking control of my life. We were

nice! But is that extra juice worth the extra squeeze? It

finally making progress, and I knew I had made the right

could be, but only if you take the right approach. Here’s

choice.”

your new financial workout plan. Hope you’re cool with MAKE YOUR GAME PLAN

adding some reps.

Hobbins’ experience also reflects a major advantage of side MOTIVATE YOUR HUSTLE

hustles identified by numerous experts: the barrier of en-

The first step toward making a change is to be honest with

try to find supplementary income is low. You can tap into a

yourself and see if you need to make a change in the first

known resource like Uber or Etsy, pick up a job you used to

place. Of course, it can be simple to evaluate financial

have (Hobbins was a waitress in college) or you can initiate

need—just take a look at your budget (You have one of

your own venture, like a monetizable baking blog or a niche

those, right?) and where you might be overspending or

delivery service. The digital age means platforms for supple-

coming up short—but there are other things to consider

mentary income are quite literally infinite, but even if you

when contemplating supplementary income. Namely, it’s

don’t want to start from scratch, that enormous marketplace

important to determine if your primary source of income

probably has an effort you care about already.

does something for you beyond the money. If it doesn’t—if

When you find something you want to do, just jump in,

it’s just a means to an end—a side hustle might be a strong

Acuff says. If you wait until you’re ready, you’re going to be

creative outlet in addition to a financial safety valve.

waiting for a long time.

“A side hustle gives you financial freedom, but more

“You’ll never know for sure when you can manage a side

than that, it gives you a creative release,” says author and

hustle,” he says. “It’s kind of like asking, ‘When do you know

073

RELEVANTMAGAZINE.COM

you’re ready to be a parent?’ You never know perfectly.

way to go.

You just try and adjust along the way.”

To brainstorm your supplementary gig, start with what

That’s not to say you shouldn’t do any research be-

you know you’ll enjoy doing. It can be as simple as listing the

forehand, however. Hobbins recommends analyzing

brands you love most or the hobbies that occupy most of your

the difference between reliable income and variable

time, then using search engines and other free online tools to find ways to monetize that interest. A business-oriented podcast like “How I Built This” or “Side Hustle School” can be inspiring. Pray about it too. And when it comes to your ultimate decision, Acuff has one rule: “Find something you love doing so much that you’d do it for free. Then, get so good at it that people pay you.”

PUT THE HUSTLE IN HUSTLE

It takes persistence and patience to handle yourself in the gig economy. If you’re working through an app like Wag! (dog walking) or Amazon Flex (package delivery), the work can find itself to an extent, but if you’re pulling yourself up by your bootstraps and starting your own pet grooming service or fashion consultancy, crafting your side hustle into something reliable and consistent takes a commitment to quality and a commitment to the long haul.

Acuff’s best tip for setting income, a steady paycheck versus something com-

yourself apart: Be a decent human being. Jesus’ golden rule

mission-based like direct sales. It’s the difference be-

of treating people how you want to be treated always applies.

tween Michael Scott’s telemarketing job and Jan Levinson-Gould’s “Serenity By Jan.” If you do want to take the startup route, do the math.

Overestimate the costs and anticipate that it will take

NOV-DEC

“Customer service isn’t sexy or shiny, but it matters,” he says. “The way you treat people will get you far more clients and customers than how good you are at something like social media.”

some time for you to make back the startup costs and

Personal attention has to come with a call to action, Hob-

begin turning a profit. If your financial need is more ur-

bins adds. That’s how you galvanize interest into actual

gent and you can’t afford to wait on a hustle that needs

investment. Start with the people easiest to sell to in your

time to take off, something more consistent might be the

life—your friends and family members—before stretching

074

2018

4 APPS THAT CAN KICK-START YOUR SIDE HUSTLE 2

1

3

4

FIVERR

VIPKID

ROVER

POSHMARK

This app connects freelance writers, programmers and designers to businesses who need their work.

Want to teach English online to international students? This app lets you serve in a way that makes you some cash, too.

Love dogs? Then Rover is a great way to hustle up some funds while dog walking and petsitting.

If your closet is bursting with, shall we say, vintage items, you can sell them on Poshmark for an easy buck (and declutter).

your network. Hobbins says early promotions like limit-

Acuff. “The big thing is to make sure you don’t steal time from

ed-time offers, special discounts and bonus offers create

your full-time job. Work hard at your job, work hard at your

urgency.

side hustle.”

“Always give the potential customer a specific next

Acuff says time tracking is a healthy way to manage your

step to take action on,” Hobbins says. “It could be as sim-

commitments, and that goes for things outside of work, too.

ple as, ‘Check me out on Instagram,’ or ‘I’m running a

Track and schedule family time and church time just as you

promotion next week. Would you like me to email you

would time for your side hustle or time in the office. If you

with more information?’ Whenever you are talking to

don’t plan it, the maintenance of your side hustle could en-

someone or posting about your business, have that call

croach on your traditional nonwork hours.

to action.”

That makes communication, in both manner and method, super important in the early going. You need to

Finally—this is intuitive, but not always executed—make an explicit goal for the extra cash you’re bringing in. As Hobbins puts it: “Earning more doesn’t mean spending more!”

be quick to respond to people while maintaining a high

She was able to leverage her side hustle to pay off some

level of personality and dedication. That’s how aware-

major debt and carve out a financially healthy path forward

ness for your effort leads to loyalty. With both, you’ll

for her family. You can do the same.

have something steady, fulfilling and supportive.

More than anything, understand that a side hustle is going to come down to a little bit more hard work, even more than

DON’T HUSTLE TOO HARD

you’re already grinding out on your day job. But if you’re in-

So you’re primed to start burning the candle at another

tentional with your goals, dedicated with your research and

end, awesome. You have something you’re passionate

honest about what efforts are going to be profitable and ful-

about, that won’t feel like work all the time, and some-

filling for you, the side gig is a legitimate enrichment factor.

thing that can be reliably maintained as a source of in-

There’s never been a better time to be a hustler.

come. Go for it! But also, proceed with caution.

Remember that you’re essentially adding a second job to your schedule. Your reaction to that might be to find

T YLER DASWICK is RELEVANT’s senior writer. He’s on Twitter @tylerdaswick.

balance, but really, your goal is to find discipline.

“Balance is a myth, so that can’t be the goal,” says

075

RELEVANTMAGAZINE.COM

How the Church messed up—and can redeem—its #MeToo moment

BY J O S H P E A S E

T

he Church is in the midst of a #MeToo tidal wave

right now is, ‘What are we going to do?’” Boz

that has taken down some of the United States’

Tchividjian says. Tchividjian is the founder

strongest evangelical institutions. The sexual

of Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian

abuse scandals and cover-ups that once, and

Environment (GRACE), an organization that both

now again, plagued the Catholic Church, are

educates churches in preventing sexual abuse,

forcing evangelicals to see a systemic rot hiding

and performs independent investigations of

behind church walls.

churches in a crisis.

For his dissertation, Wade Mullen, the

He says the time for churches to act is

director of the M.Div. program at Capital

now: “We need people who will roll up their

Seminary & Graduate School, collected reports

sleeves and realize they are called to a true,

of evangelical ministers charged with a crime

fundamental, culture change within their

in order to understand how the organizations

churches.”

respond to crisis. During 2016 and 2017, Mullen found 192 instances of a leader from an

***

influential church or institution being publicly charged with sexual crimes involving a minor,

Repentance is a familiar word for those raised

including rape, molestation, battery and child

in evangelicalism. And yet, from a 35,000-foot

pornography.

level, many evangelical churches are resisting

A 2007 report from the three largest insurers

this core biblical command. In most church

of American churches and Christian nonprofits

scandals, victims like Vonda Dyer, who came

showed they received approximately 260 claims

forward with stories of misconduct involving

of sexual abuse against a minor each year.

Hybels, are labeled liars, dissenters and

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

unreliable voices trying to—in Hybels’ words—

—one of the most influential conservative

“discredit my ministry.” Churches often rush to

seminaries in America—fired former president

suppress victims’ voices in an attempt to protect

Paige Patterson for years of gross negligence

the institution.

and spiritual abuse in his handling of assault

As Willow Creek publicly constructed a

victims. Influential Christian fundamentalist

narrative to protect Hybels, Steve Carter—the

leader Bill Gothard and his organization,

lead teaching pastor who had been selected to

Institute in Basic Life Principles, have been

be co-lead pastor of Willow Creek after Hybels’

accused of systemic spiritual, emotional,

retirement—secretly began reaching out to the

and sexual abuse stretching over decades.

women accusing him. When these meetings

Sovereign Grace Churches have been accused of

became public, Carter was accused of “switching

failing to properly report sexual assault to the

sides.”

authorities. Recently, Bill Hybels, the founder

“Meeting with these women felt like a

of Willow Creek Church, has faced allegations

betrayal,” Carter remembers. “I was trying to

of misconduct dating back years from multiple

submit to my elder board, but I had this inkling

women who have worked at the church.

that there was more than I was being told.”

“The question facing the evangelical church

077

Carter chose to resign when additional

RELEVANTMAGAZINE.COM

allegations arose from

become a powerful advocate

theological,” Denhollander

of its cultural trust, and

Hybels’ former executive

for the survivors of abusive

says. “Churches believe

realized something had to

assistant, Pat Baranowski.

church institutions and an

they’re doing the right thing,

be done. Stewart and the

Dr. Diane Langberg, a

outspoken critic of several

acting biblically, when in

team brought in GRACE

Christian institutions,

reality they’re creating a

to do an independent

practicing therapist with

“These moments are a disruption of what we want to believe is true. We protect our institutions because often, they’re our god.”

investigation. Stewart said

for the abused. If

his hope was to make sure

you bring attention

there was nothing in their

to these errors,

past that was undealt with,

they believe they’re

and to create a church

being persecuted.

environment that would be

They close their

an extremely safe place for

ranks tighter. It

the most vulnerable.

is tougher to get

“We knew we needed

the Church to do

someone who can see things

the right thing

objectively, to make sure

than even secular

we’re doing this the right

institutions,

way,” Stewart says. “The

decades of experience

specifically the Sovereign

because in churches they

Church in America has been

working with sexual abuse

Grace Churches and its

believe they’re ‘just being

so afraid of ‘being attacked’

victims in the Church, says

founder C.J. Mahaney.

obedient to God.’”

by our culture that we cover

that reactions of churches

SGC has been accused of

like Willow Creek are

negligence in its handling

circles continue to insist

the most common, tragic

of sexual and physical

there isn’t a spiritual cancer

response to victims’ claims.

abuse survivors, and yet

in churches, others are

pastoral leadership team

“These moments are a

While some Christian

up anything that doesn’t make us look good.”

Stewart says Belmont’s

Mahaney has continued to

doing everything they can to

wants to send a clear

disruption of what we want

be a celebrated presence

eradicate it.

message to their community.

to believe is true,” Langberg

within the reformed world.

says. “We protect our

Denhollander believes that

100-plus-year-old church

place for people, both a

institutions because often,

many churches become

in Nashville, Tennessee,

place for those who have

they’re our god.”

more concerned with

has made a nearly unheard

experienced abuse, but also

protecting the “unity” of the

of decision: to bring in an

a system that prevents it in

protection that creates

Church rather than fighting

independent investigator to

our context,” he says.

abusive cultures. Rachael

for justice.

look for abuses they weren’t

It’s not just institutional

Denhollander, who became

NOV-DEC

toxic environment

Denhollander believes

Belmont Church, a

aware of.

“We want to be a safe

In many church cultures though, pushing for change

the face of the survivors

when a church focuses

Newly hired executive

can be risky. Grace (whose

of the Larry Nassar/USA

so much on forgiveness,

pastor Ben Stewart, and the

name has been changed by

Gymnastics scandal, believes

they ignore justice, they

rest of Belmont’s pastoral

her request) was only a few

twisted theology creates

become hostile to any

leadership team, watched

months in to her position

church cultures that enable

outside help. “The biggest

as scandal after scandal

at her church in Kentucky

abuse. Denhollander has

problem in most churches is

robbed evangelicalism

when she sensed there was

078

2018

a problem bubbling beneath

violence policy. If the

the surface. A woman had

answer is no, they should

told her in confidence that

ask the pastor to lead in

the son of one of the church

that area, and offer to help.

elders had been accused in

Organizations like GRACE

the past of inappropriate

offer online resources

relationships with teenage

for these topics, and lead

girls, but that no charges

presentations that teach

were ever pressed.

ministries how to create a

“For me to make this man an issue, and ask what

If a church leader is irritated by these questions,

do about it, would affect

that’s a warning sign,

everyone,” she says. “I

Tchividjian says.

would respond.”

Number of charges against an evangelical pastor or leader between 2016 and 2017

safe environment.

our church was going to

wasn’t sure how people

192

and ‘I hope you die.’”

“There’s such a fear

Tchividjian says

vulnerable places of their past,” he says.

of being a dissenter or

what happened to Dyer

troublemaker, but on

represents a massive need

safe presence can only

senior pastor and elder

this topic you can’t be too

for survivors of abuse:

happen when churches

board agreed with her.

intentional,” he says. “You

the need to know they’re

rediscover a commitment

Through Grace’s leadership,

can always be engaged.

not alone. Most survivors

to what Dyer calls “the

the church created their first

Protecting the most innocent

have never told anyone

indwelling Christ.” She

official safety policy stating

and powerless in our

about their abuse, and

believes that many churches

that windows would be

churches is too important.”

when they do, what most

have subtly shifted their

of them need initially is

message from “how can I be

not immediate answers,

with Christ” to “what can I

but the incarnation:

do for Him.”

Fortunately, Grace’s

installed on every classroom door, and that whenever

***

possible, there would be two

This sort of welcoming,

teachers for every class. The

Vonda Dyer wasn’t surprised

fellow Christians who

elder board and Grace also

that Hybels furiously denied

will be there with them,

evangelicals who have

set up specific guidelines

the accusations against him.

saying they are sorry, and

access and influence all

with the man, including him

She was surprised, however,

seeking to empathize. For

around the world, deny

not being allowed to lead

that the Willow Creek board

the American evangelical

what we see happening in

any small groups for teens

defended him during a

church to change, victims

our Church, then we give

or children, as well as going

“family meeting” last March.

of abuse need to know they

the rest of our country

are surrounded by loving,

and every other country

the evangelical world, even

compassionate people and

permission to ignore us.”

illustrates the power of

those who were progressives

are safe and healthy enough

one voice speaking into a

and always talking about

to hear their stories.

church’s culture.

how ‘silence isn’t spiritual,’

“We talk about loving

were just … silent,” she says.

and engaging people in the

should ask their pastors

“I got the hate letters saying,

Church, but when we really

if the church has a child

‘Hope what you’ve done to

do it, it creates space for

protection or domestic

Bill happens to you tenfold’

survivors to share the most

to counseling.

Grace’s compelling story

Tchividjian says members

“After the family meeting,

079

“If we, American

JOSH PEASE is a writer specializing in the topic of sexual abuse in the church.

RELEVANTMAGAZINE.COM

ST. PAUL & THE BROKEN BONES The soul outfit is reckoning with the past in hopes of a brighter future.

P

aul Janeway describes his family with a quote, fittingly, from southern historical figure Andrew Jackson: “I was born for the storm, and a calm does not suit me.” Janeway

used to run from the storm. These days, he finds himself embracing it.

As the frontman for soul group St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Janeway has tangled with his Alabama origins throughout his musical career, but he’s never brought them forward to be the center of the band’s music. St. Paul’s newest record, Young Sick Camellia, is their third after 2014’s Half the City and 2016’s Sea of Noise, but Janeway is leading the group down more personal roads on Camellia. This will be the first of a three-part album series in which Janeway explores his family tree. Camellia is about him, its follow-up will be about his father and the third album will center on his grandfather.

NOV-DEC

080

2018

081

RELEVANTMAGAZINE.COM

“I grew up in a conservative,

it’s kind of entrenched culturally in me. I’m trying to swim

very religious area,” Janeway

YOUNG SICK CAMELLIA [SINGLE LOCK]

NOV-DEC

through that and find my own identity.”

says. He says at one point he

Janeway’s grandfather was a mechanic from Middlesbor-

tried to eradicate his accent, but

ough, Kentucky. Janeway says his pappaw was “tough, not

he gave up the effort years ago.

a hugger or someone who would say I love you. He was a

“A lot of people have a sense of

hard man. He showed his love through work.”

pride in being from Alabama,

Janeway’s father was raised in a single-wide trailer, poor,

but there’s complication there

in Alabama. He doesn’t hug, either. Both Janeway’s dad and

for me. My father and grand-

pappaw had “a chip on the shoulder,” Janeway says. He

father are from [the South] so

ticks off some of their old adages: “‘The world’s against me,

082

2018

“You’re always trying to give hope. That’s what music does. It uplifts me.

It creates this moment of hope that we’re beyond ourselves. ”

to call my baby / Tried to reach her but now it’s goin’ hazy / Air is gone so now I’m never comin’ home.”

“On the idea of space, it’s me feeling somewhat isolated,” Janeway says. “But it’s also the idea of my head being in the clouds, or just being weird and feeling that way at certain times.”

In the two follow-ups to Camellia, Janeway will bring the lyrics back down to earth. The second album, about his father, will be about the land and the dirt, and the third, about his grandfather, will have a subterranean quality.

I’m going to blast through mountains.’ That kind of thing is

“My grandfather told me before he passed that he was

ingrained in my DNA. I’m always trying to prove myself.”

like a caravan. He just moved trailer to trailer so he could

That competitive drive is complicated by Janeway’s up-

work on equipment and go underground,” Janeway says.

bringing, both in the Church and the South as a whole. Jan-

“So there will be three parts and three layers.”

eway used to aspire to the seminary, but he’s not religious

In that sense, the distance between Janeway and his fam-

anymore. In fact, he takes a few shots at some of the hypoc-

ily tree will be made literal.

risy he sees in modern churches on Camellia: “Gun-shaped

Writing the album was cathartic for Janeway, but the re-

Bible and a loaded tongue / Jesus ain’t the problem, but He

cord is outward-oriented, too. He wants it to be a point of

started one” he sings on “GotItBad.”

connection for people, something people can identify with

Janeway played guitar at his family’s nondenomina-

and use to create unity. It’s meant, in some way, to create

tional charismatic church growing up, and he says he still

the common ground Janeway felt he missed as his path di-

thinks about how to balance the love and compassion he

verged from his ancestors’.

heard in worship with the hardened cynicism of his ances-

“You’re always trying to give hope,” he says. “That’s what

tors. He’s still drawn to the message at the heart of church,

music does. It uplifts me. It creates this moment of hope

but the context of that message—the politics and attitudes

that we’re beyond ourselves, and bearing someone’s soul

that prevail across most of the South—bothers him.

makes you feel hopeful or connected. Music is about that

“I’m a lot less judgmental than I was [growing up in

specific moment.”

church],” he says. “Youth was the bliss of ignorance, but life

There are bigger places than Chelsea, Alabama, but Jan-

experience makes you more compassionate and more un-

eway still won’t be able to leave its shadow, and that’s okay

derstanding. You understand there are a lot bigger places

with him now. He’s suited for the storm, after all.

than Chelsea, Alabama.”

“Even in my church days, I was always drawn to songs

Young Sick Camellia filters Janeway’s heritage, evolution

that deal with hurricanes and the banks of the Jordan and

and tension through a swirling series of images, namely

things like that,” he says. “It still brings something out of

storms and outer space. Janeway, caught between his roots

me. I still feel a somewhat spiritual connection. There’s still

and his beliefs, sings through his conflict with a voice that

a passion—a passion to try and get to a higher place.”

couldn’t be anything but Southern and words that couldn’t be more torn about that.

The singer pleads on “Apollo”: “Captain, can you hear me?

T YLER DASWICK is RELEVANT’s senior writer. He’s on Twitter @tylerdaswick.

/ I wish I was the one that told you / Stuck in moon dust, try

083

RELEVANTMAGAZINE.COM

A practical guide to the most liturgical time of the year

BY J O S E P H R I G G S

E

very year around

it that they’re all supposed to

existence by the time of the

this time, families

be lit, one Sunday at a time,

Council of Tours, when monks

all over the world

but after that, things get

started celebrating by, well,

head

their

fuzzy. What order are they

fasting every day of December

basement for the

supposed to be lit in, exactly?

until Christmas. It was a

cherished yuletide tradition

What do they symbolize? Why

different time.

of

swearing

do we do this? For anyone

as they yank all the dusty,

who’s ever briefly considered

tradition evolved, falling in

cobweb-covered

grunting

to

and

boxes

Over

the

centuries,

the

full

becoming one of those people

and out of popularity but

of Christmas ornaments out

who celebrates Advent, look

never

from underneath all the other

no further. Here’s your guide.

entirely until the 1960s, when

dusty, cobweb-covered boxes.

quite

disappearing

the Second Vatican Council

Then they take them upstairs

HISTORY

established Advent as a time

and begin the other cherished

Before we start, it’d make

of hope and expectation.

tradition of figuring out what

sense to give you a little

So where does the wreath

happened

to

history about Advent. Or it

fit in? Pretty recently, actually.

Christmas

ornaments

the

missing from

would, if there was an easy

It’s the invention of a German

last year, before finally giving

way to do that. Advent’s been

Protestant

up and going out to buy some

around for a while (2,018

Johann

new ones. For many families,

years, give or take) and there’s

largely remembered for his

one of those cherished pieces

a lot of history, not all of it

work among the urban poor

of

terribly well-documented.

as a man who believed that

There’s some speculation

saving

people’s

Four candles, three white

that the apostles themselves

caring

for

and one a shade of pink,

may have started observing

needs should go hand in hand.

around

holly,

Advent in their own lifetimes,

mistletoe, pine or maybe just

but all that’s known for sure

poor

children—many

ceramic angels. Tradition has

is that it was definitely in

them

orphans—and

seasonal

decor

is

the

Advent wreath.

a

circle

of

085

minister

Hinrich

named

Wichern,

souls

their

and

physical

He worked with a lot of of was

RELEVANTMAGAZINE.COM

brainstorming a way to help them

Church has its Roman Rite, which

the “Bethlehem Candle,” is meant

practice patience until Christmas.

ascribes specific readings to each

to celebrate the love of Jesus,

In 1839, he happened upon the idea

of December’s four Sundays with

symbolizing the manger. The 85th

of a wreath that would count down

distinct themes and just assigns a

Psalm

the weeks in December.

different candle to each one.

especially the 11th verse, which

is

sometimes

associated,

So, yes, your Advent wreath was

But for those of you who aren’t

reads: “Love and truth will meet;

originally designed to keep little

Catholic or just prefer to celebrate

justice and peace will kiss.” That’s

kids preoccupied until Christmas,

Advent in the quiet of your own

right, John Mark McMillan fans. It’s

but don’t let that strip you of the

home, here’s one of the more

sloppy wet kiss time.

meaning of the Advent candles.

generally accepted calendars.

Which is ... what exactly?

The third candle is a big one.

The first candle is called “The

This is Gaudete Sunday and it’s

Prophecy Candle” and is meant

the week where you light the

MEANING

to

differently colored (usually pink)

If the backstory of Advent is a

paired with passages from the Old

candle.

little vague, then its present is

Testament that looked forward to

“rejoice” and this candle is meant

a complete mystery. Depending

the coming Messiah, like Isaiah

to represent joy. It’s sometimes

on who you ask, the four candles

9:6, “For to us a child is born, to us

called “The Shepherd’s Candle,”

could stand for the four cardinal

a son is given and the government

although, a little confoundingly,

virtues,

dispensations

will be on his shoulders. And he

Mary’s Magnificat from Luke 1 is

of salvific history, four different

will be called Wonderful Counselor,

the reading most associated with it.

groups of people who visited Jesus

Mighty God, Everlasting Father,

in Bethlehem or even just four

Prince of Peace.”

the

four

nice-sounding words. The Catholic

symbolize

hope.

It’s

often

Gaudete

is

Latin

for

“My spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has looked upon His

The second candle, known as

lowly servant. From this day all

THE CANDLES OF ADVENT 1

2

3

4

PROPHECY CANDLE

BETHLEHEM CANDLE

GAUDETE CANDLE

A N G E L S’ C A N D L E

The first candle of Advent is

This candle is meant to

This is the pink one, lit on

The last candle of Advent is

meant to symbolize hope. It’s

symbolize the love of God,

the Sunday of Christmas.

meant to symbolize peace,

supposed to be a reminder

who humbled Himself to

It’s sometimes called “The

both for Christmas and for

of the Jewish prophets who

become the baby in the

Shepherd’s Candle,” and

the upcoming year until the

looked forward to the coming

manger. It’s associated with

is meant to symbolize joy.

next Advent season. It’s often

of the Messiah.

the Psalms.

“Gaudete” is Latin for joy.

associated with doxology.

generations will call me blessed.”

prophetic writings has been made

hope and expectancy, celebrating

If your Advent wreath has five

known to all nations, according to

the past to be reassured about the

candles instead of four, the big

the command of the eternal God,

future.

white one in the center is called

to bring about the obedience of

Celebrating Advent takes a little

“The

it’s

faith—to the only wise God be

discipline. There’s a lot going on

meant to be lit on Christmas Eve,

glory forevermore through Jesus

in the Christmas season and just

representing the purity of Jesus. If

Christ! Amen.”

Christ

Candle,”

and

your Advent wreath only has four candles, well, consider upgrading

MESSAGE

next year.

In his book, Journey

The final candle is called “The Angels’

Candle.”

It

represents

Into God,

the

Heart

author

of

Philip

peace and is often lit with the

Pfatteicher

reading of some New Testament

“Since

doxology, like Paul’s words in

Bernard of Clairvaux,

Romans 16: 25 - 27, “Now to

Christians have spoken

him who is able to strengthen

of the three comings of

you according to my gospel and

Christ: in the flesh in Bethlehem,

about everyone is familiar with

the preaching of Jesus Christ,

in our hearts daily, and in glory at

the feeling of December 25th

according

the end of time.”

coming and going before you

of the mystery that was kept

Advent is a way to observe all

really get the chance to reflect and

secret for long ages but has now

three of those comings at the same

savor it. Advent is an opportunity

been disclosed and through the

time. It’s about having a spirit of

to do just that—to prepare for

to

the

revelation

the

writes,

It’s about having a spirit of hope and expectancy.

time

of

Christmas by reflecting on all Jesus’ coming meant, means and will mean in the future.

And if you’re getting to this a little late and have already missed a Sunday or two, no worries. You’ll unpack the Advent wreath again next year. Or, you know, go buy a new one.

So those are the basics. As long as you know how to light a candle, you should be set to celebrate properly. Pass it on.

BONUS CANDLE

5 CHRIST CANDLE If your Advent wreath has

JOSEPH RIGGS is a writer from Portland, Oregon, where he lives with his dog Jude.

five candles, then you’re in luck. The big center one is the Christ Candle, and it’s meant to be lit on Christmas Eve.

RELEVANTMAGAZINE.COM

R E L E VA N T SELECTS

FILM/TV MUSIC BOOKS

NEW RELEASES YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT

Tori Kelly T

ORI KELLY IS A POP STAR. That much is

full choir), then the lyrics sound like anything you’d

clear. She’s touring with Ed Sheeran.

read in any hymnal in any church pew in America.

“Unbreakable Smile” topped out at

In an age when many Christian artists are trying

No. 2 on Billboard’s Top 200. She

to make their lyrics subtle enough to sneak onto

was nominated for a Grammy. This is all standard

mainstream radio, Kelly sings “Don’t let Sunday

pop star fare, and nobody would blame Kelly for

fool ya / Here’s my hallelujah / Every single day / I’m

sticking with what’s clearly working. So eyebrows

running to Your grace.”

were raised when her new album Hiding Place

Maybe that explains the involvement of people

dropped, which doesn’t wholly abandon the pop

like Lecrae and Kirk Franklin, the latter of whom

format, but definitely recontextualizes among an

encouraged her to be bold about her faith,

[CAPITOL RECORDS]

explicitly gospel sound. And if the church-inspired

affirming that creative energy and spiritually bold

Gospel music is as

music hearkens back to the warm, vintage sound

content don’t need to exist at odds. In fact, done

timeless as genres get,

of that old-time religion (the album even features a

well, it can be the best thing you’ve ever done.

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HIDING PLACE

and Kelly deploys its charms elegantly here.

2018

ALPHA

CHRISTON GRAY

ALBERT HUGHES

CLEAR THE HEIR

[SONY PICTURES]

[CHRISTON GRAY]

Though pitched as a pre-

Christon Gray doesn’t do

civilization take on the man’s best

anything small. Not in his life

friend movie, Alpha also works as

and definitely not in his music,

an appealing art piece about the

where big hooks meet bigger

slow, silent lives of early humanity,

production which collectively

and the companions they found to

meets the biggest lyrical topic of

get them through a young world.

all: the power of God.

DOPESICK BETH MACY [LITTLE, BROWN AND COMPANY]

Beth Macy’s searing portrait of a country in crisis takes readers to the frontlines of the opioid epidemic and the

Noname

people for whom it’s not just a headline.

A strong contender for best debut of the year IF YOU LISTENED TO

Chance the Rapper’s

MOSIAC MSC

Coloring Book (and you

HEAVEN

did), then you already

[CAPITOL

know Noname, who

CHRISTIAN]

stole the spotlight on

The fresh spin on the

“Finish Line.” Now she’s

worship genre features

got her own album,

lots of soupy production

and it lives up to the

and CHVRCHES-esque

extraordinary promise

instrumentation, backing

of her early guest

Sunday morning lyrics.

verses and mixtape, showcasing a fresh talent that—mark our words—you’re going to be hearing about a lot over the next few years. Like Chance, Noname’s music gets real, charting a smart, spiritual exploration of

SEARCHING

her faith, her new home

ANNEESH CHAGANTY

in L.A., her past and,

[SCREEN GEMS]

above all, what it means to be a black woman in

ROOM 25

America in 2018. It’s not

[SELF-RELEASED]

always pleasant (and

An exploration of faith and blackness

often explicit) but it’s riveting, and one of the

John Cho is on a quest

in 2018, from one of the most exciting new talents in hip-hop.

best debuts of the year.

to find his missing daughter via her digital footprints in this taut thriller, in which the many camera tricks never get in the way of the story.

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RECOMMENDS

BOYGENIUS ME & MY DOG [MATADOR RECORDS]

Lucy Dacus, Julien Baker and Phoebe Bridgers are three of the most exciting young stars in music, and their teamup amplifies their talents, resulting in a gorgeous, emotionally harrowing listening experience.

Elevation Worship

THE SISTERS BROTHERS JACQUES AUDIARD [ANNAPURNA

They live up to their name.

PICTURES]

IN EXODUS 20:25, GOD TELLS

name, full of the sorts of soaring,

THE Israelites to make an altar

anthemic choruses that continue

of imperfect stones, telling them

to climb toward the ceiling even

that “if you use a chisel on it, you

after you think the song has surely

will defile it.” This verse inspired

reached its climactic zenith. That’s

the title track of the latest effort

pretty typical worship music fare,

from Elevation Worship, who

but what sets Elevation apart is the

acknowledge that today, we are

care and craft of the production, the

the imperfect stones, living our

sincerity of the lyrics and the real

own lives as an altar to God.

sense that worship can exist on its

Hallelujah Here Below lives up to

own as a real sermon to itself, full

the “Elevation” part of the band’s

of nuanced truth.

A delicious tale of Joaquin Phoenix and John C. Reilly as outlaw brothers in the Old West.

HALLELUJAH HERE BELOW [ESSENTIAL RECORDS]

Fans of U2, Coldplay and early Muse will appreciate the shimmering guitars and sing-along choruses.

FASHION CLIMBING BILL CUNNINGHAM [PENGUIN PRESS]

NOV-DEC

LOW

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF FREEDOM

Before he died, one

DOUBLE NEGATIVE

DERAY MCKESSON

of the world’s most

[SUBPOP]

[VIKING]

There’s a haunted quality to Low’s music,

DeRay McKesson recounts his rise

but you get the impression that these are

as a leader of the Black Lives Matter

good ghosts, sorrowful but not looking to

movement, and why he hasn’t given up

startle. Just to be heard.

hope yet.

090

acclaimed fashion photographers wrote the story of how it happened and what he learned about himself along the way.

2018

Mount Eerie AS MOUNT EERIE, Phil Elverum achieved a

somber celebrity with 2017’s A Crow Looked at Me, which documented the death of his wife in a fashion so heartbreaking you could hardly bear to listen to the whole thing. Now Only acts

NOW ONLY

as a sort of sequel, exploring the legacy Elverum

[P.W. ELVERUM &

has left behind for him and their daughter. It’s a crushing listen, but it’s tender too, reflecting on the little moments of beauty that remain even after someone you love is gone.

SUN]

A lovely and very sad meditation on the gaps left behind when a loved one dies.

BLACKKKLANSMAN

in projects a little

REMEMBER GOD

we believe and how we

SPIKE LEE

too audacious for

ANNIE F. DOWNS

actually live. She wants

[TRISTAR PICTURES]

their own good. But

to bring those spaces

[B&H BOOKS]

in Blackkklansman,

closer together, and in

it leads to one of the

Annie F. Downs is a truth

Remember God, she

Spike Lee is fearless.

most biting, thrillingly

teller who specializes

does just that, putting

Sometimes that

uncomfortable pictures

in exploring the spaces

into words what it really

fearlessness results

of the year.

between what we say

means to trust God.

The 1975 The band remains delightfully hard to pin down.

HE 1975 ONCE SCREAMED

T

predictable, a necessary bad boy counterpart to bands like One Direction. But throughout their

career, they’ve repeatedly zagged when you’d expect them to zig, confounding critics who wanted to pigeonhole them. Case in point, their new album is a soothing throwback to tasteful lounge lizard acts, with plenty of horns and handclaps to make the shift easy.

A BRIEF INQUIRY INTO ONLINE RELATIONSHIPS [INTERSCOPE RECORDS]

Not as brief as you’d expect, and a lot smarter than you’d think.

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RELEVANTMAGAZINE.COM

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Santigold WRITING ABOUT MUSIC is a necessarily

impossible task. How can words really describe what music does? But some

THE GOLD FIRE

artists are more impossible to write about than others, and few are tougher than Santigold. She bounds from genre to genre like all of music history is her personal sandbox, mastering influences with astonishing ease. Hard to describe, but incredible to hear done so well.

SESSIONS [DOWNTOWN RECORDS]

Looser than her usual work, but still laced with daring wit.

SEA PRAYER

Runner and A Thousand

CRAZY RICH ASIANS

old-fashioned it is,

KHALED HOSSEINI

Splendid Suns. This book,

JON M. CHU

deploying timeless rom-

[RIVERHEAD]

NOV-DEC

I DON’T WANT:

lovingly illustrated, tells

[WARNER BROS.]

the tale of a refugee

com tropes with skill. The second is how fresh it all

Khaled Hosseini became

family on the eve of their

There are two competing

feels, with an all-Asian

a household name

desperate scramble for

charms for this movie. First,

cast and a thoughtful

with books like The Kite

freedom.

there’s how delightfully

message about heritage.

092

2018

Andy Mineo

A

NDY MINEO IS GOOD AT JUST ABOUT everything

he does, and this bothers him. You can hear it in his music and lyrics—the excruciatingly high bar he sets for himself, and his crushing

disappointment when he fails to meet it. Instead of stewing on this, Mineo raps about it—nakedly owning up to his own drive for perfection and his fear that he won’t ever measure up. This, counter-intuitively, is part of what makes him so good. There’s a lot of rap out there about people who’ve arrived. Mineo raps about the journey.

And II: The Sword is a journey, following Mineo through a dizzying array of flows, beats and styles as he examines his own heart for whatever flaws it might have. In the hands of a lesser emcee, this would sound a little schizophrenic.

II: THE SWORD [REACH RECORDS]

from South Park, and we

From Mineo, it just sounds uncomfortably honest—like he

absolutely mean that as a

didn’t have to worry about whether or not all of this fit into

compliment. It makes the

Andy Mineo’s flow is the

honest, raw content of his

real hook—a little scrappy

lyrics come across as that

and a little playful, like

much more vulnerable, not

El-P mixed with Cartman

to mention powerful.

a vetted brand.

It doesn’t really fit into a brand. Not much about Mineo ever has. He’s a Christian rapper swinging for the big leagues. And if he keeps this up, he’ll succeed.

JUSTICE

INTE R N AT I O N A L

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2018

095

RELEVANTMAGAZINE.COM

LAST WORD A Thought Before We Go

part of the journey.

I’ve learned the most painful

There’s Hope Even When There’s No Finish Line No one is beyond redemption, and that means everyone can be a cause for change.

Let me finally say something

moments are often the ones that

about hope. I live in a country

define us. There have been so

where unemployment is at 3.9

many days when I’ve wanted to

percent, yet there seems to be

quit charity: water, run away

a collective deficit of hope. The

and hand the keys to someone

times feel caustic. So many

else. But instead I stay. We

people are angry, defeated and

tackle our problems and we

fearful of the future. But in a

grow stronger. I look back on

recent address, Pope Francis

the obstacles we endured with

said something I can’t get out of

gratitude. If we hadn’t been

my head: “A single individual is

challenged to improve, charity:

enough for hope to exist. And

water might not exist today.

that individual can be you. And

I’ve learned there are no

then there will be another you,

shortcuts. I’d always thought

and another you, until it turns

there would be a finish line for

into an us...and when there is an

our organization, but it’s taken

us, there begins a revolution.”

me 10 years to figure out our

We still have so much work

work is not about the finish

to do. Yet every day I wake

line. It’s about the race. It’s

up hopeful that we will solve

about keeping a steady pace and

problems like the water crisis in

putting in the kind of effort and

my lifetime. I believe together

creativity that gets results.

we can bring life’s most basic

There’s an old rabbinic saying

BY S COTT H A R R I S O N

I love: “Do not be afraid of work

I

really is needless.

necessity to 663 million people who still don’t have it.

that has no end.” That’s how I’ve

I’m just one guy who built

come to see this journey. If your

one charity, but it’s made a little

recently had the chance

of infrastructure had broken a

work is in the service of others—

dent. Next year, we’ll make a

to visit charity: water’s

cycle of disease and despair for

if you are compassionately

bigger dent.

very first project. It

generations to come.

pursuing an end to the suffering

was a well that we

When I go on trips like this

the world are solved: One by one. By me and you and us.

had funded on my thirty-first

and meet with the people we

you—your work will never end.

birthday and then built in the

serve, they often talk about

That idea used to scare me. Now,

IDP camp of Bobi, Uganda.

their lives as having two distinct

it inspires me. I hope it inspires

periods: “before the water” and

greatness and action in you, too.

The sprawling camp of 31,000

Maybe your “do something”

people had cleared out, leaving

“after the water.” That’s true for

a small village of about 500.

me as well. Almost everything

looks like partnering with

And while our old well was

in my life is different “after

charity: water to bring clean

banged up from a decade of use,

the water.” There have been a

water to communities in need.

clean water still flowed. It was

thousand lessons along the way.

Maybe it looks like finding a

incredible to see. We calculated

I’ve learned no one is beyond

This is how the problems of

of people less fortunate than

different cause that motivates

the handle must’ve been

redemption. Even if you think

you or starting a nonprofit of

pumped about 50 million times.

your past might disqualify you

your own. Whatever it is, my

S C O T T H A RRIS ON

When I looked around at all

from a better future, I promise

hope is that you will give your

Scott Harrison is the founder

the kids in the village who were

you, it’s never too late to make

time, your talent and your

10 and younger, I realized they’d

a change. One day you’ll look

money to make things better for

never had to drink dirty water

back, connect the dots and see

others and end their needless

in their lives. A simple piece

how your past was a necessary

suffering—because so much of it

NOV-DEC

096

of charity: water. This column was adapted from his book “Thirst,” courtesy of Currency, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group.

2018

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2018