There are albums each year that come out of nowhere and make you realize how good music can be. Those albums are the ones that we’ll look back at years later saying “Remember when _____ released ________?” The new album from SONS is the first release of 2012 that has that power.

Keep Quiet is a diverse album that uses driving guitar riffs and precise drums to make an incredible piece of art from start to finish. It’s all topped off with the dynamic vocals that lead singer Aaron Newberry adds to each and every track.

What I love about the composition of Keep Quiet are songs like Retribution. It’s the perfect mix of heavy guitars dissolving into the great string work that makes the song so good. The songs all seem to have a flow that leads to the next track without shocking the listener into something they don’t expect.

While the album has a dark sound, it engages the listener to really think about where they stand with songs like Masters of Flattery and Under the Sun. The lyrics definitely don’t shy away from tackling the fickle Christianity or facade of Holiness that we can see in society.

The song Ghosts seems to be the perfect way to usher in the last 3 songs of the album. The combination of beautiful strings and haunting vocals will easily grab your attention every time you play through the album.

Keep Quiet ends with a track called Is This a Dry Season or Agnosticism, which is probably the most dynamic track on the album. The lyrics “We worship God on Sundays, using the weekdays for the fall. The Church’s budget overflows while poverty persists. How can the heart of Jesus and the prideful coexist?” will ring though your head as this song holds a mirror up for every listener.

This is easily one of my favorite albums of 2012. What’s crazy is that it’s also one of my top 10 albums I’ve ever listened to! Their first release on Slospeak Records is something epic that you can’t miss. Please, do yourself a favor and add this album to your collection. You can get it from Amazon or iTunes when it hits on February 14th.

At the end of February, we’re introducing Collision Small Groups as a way that you all can build those relationships and grow as disciples of Christ. God has called each of us to Impact the world around us. This is just one way that we can help sharpen and encourage each other as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Initially, there will be two Small Groups offered:

Daughters – (Girls Small Group)
This group will start meeting on Sunday February 26th at 7 p.m. For six weeks, this group will study what it means to grow through the struggles and challenges that we all go through as Christians. Erin Shipley will be leading the study at Columbus Coffee off of Bradley Park Drive.

Fight Club – (Guys Small Group)
Starting on Tuesday February 21st, the guys will be meeting at 9 p.m. at Matt Nestor’s home. Through this 6 week study, Matt will be leading this group in a discussion based study on the struggles we go through as Christians.

Each of these groups will only have 8 spots so that we can keep the groups small and effective. Our prayer is that over the six weeks, relationships will be made and people will feel better equipped for serving in the community.

If you’d like to sign up for one of these Small Groups, please visit the event table at Collision Coffee House on Thursday night or e-mail us at ryan@collisioncm.com. We’ll create additional Small Groups based on sign-ups over the next two weeks.

With no previous exposure to Pioneer, a five-piece band from Indianapolis, Indiana (previously known as News from Verona), I had no predisposal as to what their latest self-titled album would hold. In fact, I had no expectations good or bad whatsoever. By two tracks into this album, I was drawn in to the unpretentious and youthful spirit of Pioneer.

Think Dashboard Confessional meets Angels and Airwaves, meets Relient K. By the fourth track, I found myself nodding my head, smiling slightly, feeling the innocence of being 16 again…when the world was exciting and the future held so much imagination and promise.

The music of Pioneer feels like summer…simplistic, bright, energetic, and free. Full of driving melodies and poignant attitude, I challenge anyone to not feel young again as they experience Pioneer. I personally find the sensation inescapable.

Vocally, Chad Shirrel (vocals/guitar) is consistent and passionate. Lyrically, Pioneer is searching, but uplifting. The best example of this is on the track “Reaching”

“I was looking for answers to all the questions I have for you. Is there a reason we’ve been crawling in the dark? But then I heard you say that we were made to be failures from the start. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t reach for something more than we are. Though we are afraid that doesn’t mean that we can’t be greater than ourselves as we are if you believe in whose image you were made.”

Spiritually, these lyrics are encouraging, especially if you know the voice to whom these questions are directed. Each track on Pioneer seems to hold a similar theme of past reflections and lessons learned pointing to a greater source than our own individual strength. A recurring metaphor for the idea of this source is described as “light” throughout the album such as on the track “Better Days”…

“I saw a side of me I should have never seen rise up from the darkest part of me now I’m begging to be free. I let it find a hold and take control and lead me to the places we don’t go somewhere at the bottom of my soul. I was pounding on the walls of the world. Now I’m reaching out for so much more…
I put all my faith in everything that was bound to fade away from me. Now I can finally see. I used all my strength to climb my way into the light again now better days are heading my way”

Pioneer’s overall message is universally relatable because everyone questions life, everyone searches for meaning, and everyone wants to find clarity and purpose. After my first exposure to Pioneer the band and the album, I came away feeling energized and encouraged as I think all listeners will if they make Pioneer an addition to their music library.

You can purchase Pioneer’s self-titled album on January 24, 2012 from iTunes or Amazon. Keep up with Pioneer on Twitter by following @PIONEERtheband.

Indie rockers sosaveme and SONS (formerly Sons of God) will be in concert Sunday January 15th. Local artists Chase and Amanda will be kicking off the night at 7 p.m. and it’s a concert you don’t want to miss!

When: January 15th @ 7 pm
Where: Solid Rock Church Student Building (6959 Warm Springs Rd.)
Cost: $5

We put a goal on paper or tell the people around us so that they can remind us of the resolution when we give up that pursuit in 5-6 weeks. For some people, keeping a resolution for 2 months is a huge accomplishment since they can’t be dedicated the other 10 months of the year! I don’t have a desire to make a resolution for 2012 because I seriously don’t see a value in doing this. Am I lazy as we head into 2012? Not really; I’m just trying to be realistic.

In this realistic mindset, God is reminding me of what really brings change. No resolution will bring the change that some of us are honestly looking for. In Galatians 5:22-25, Paul lays out that real transformation comes from the Spirit of God. This same Spirit that was given to us after Christ’s resurrection. The same Spirit that shaped the formation of the church. The same Spirit that was embodied in the writers of scripture.

Instead of making a list of resolutions that will get tossed the first time I find an All You Can Eat Wing Restaurant, I’m going to work on my relationship with the one that brings real change. It’s not a resolution, it’s a shift in how I live my life. I want to know that I’m changed because of a God that is constantly faithful. Shallow promises about how I’m going to be better on my own have no chance of lasting. The truth is that I’m done with resolutions, I’m ready for transformation.

For the past 3 years, Worship for One has been a night to reflect on who Christ for our community. It’s a time to stop and remember that it’s not about the gifts, shopping, parties or good feelings. It’s about a God who came into this world as baby to change the lives of lost people.

Come spend a night reflecting on Christ this Christmas season. Worship for One takes place Thursday December 15, 2011 starting at 7 pm. We’ll be in the student ministry building at Solid Rock Church (6959 Warm Springs Road).

To get ready for Christmas 2011, we have a team of skilled wrappers who want to get your gifts ready for Christmas morning. On Sunday December 11, 2011, stop by the Student Ministry building at Solid Rock Church (6959 Warm Springs Rd.). There, we’ll be wrapping gifts for people around the community.

You can drop off your gifts for an hour and then bring them back home without even breaking out the scissors. We want to serve you in this small way during this holiday season. In return, we’re asking for a donation to our 2012 missions fund. We have 2 different missions trips that our college and twentysomethings will be taking part in next year. Your support means so much to our students and this ministry.

Don’t fuss with the wrapping paper this year, visit us on December 11th!

Over the past 2 weeks we’ve seen the horror that has hit the news from the prestigious University, Penn State. Their football teams former assistant coach is being brought up on charges for sexual abuse of more than 8 children over the past 15 years. The beloved coach of 60 years, Joe Paterno along with the University President are now out of their jobs. What started with one mans horrible acts have created this domino effect that is being plastered all over the news, radio and magazines.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this in our society. Every couple of years we see similar things happen within corporate America, the financial industry and even our churches. Recently, reading through the first couple chapters of 1 Samuel really brought to light how we have to stand with integrity as followers of Christ.

In 1 Samuel, it talks about Eli and his two sons who are the priests of the Tabernacle at Shiloh. While Eli takes a hands off approach, we see his sons stealing from the sacrifices that are brought by God’s people. Eli’s sons were taking advantage of the young women who kept up the front of the Tabernacle. After hearing of these reports, Eli makes it know that he’s displeased with his sons actions. Nothing changed and no real “action” was taken.

Soon after this a man of God comes to Eli with the message that God is sick of what’s going on in His house. God tells Eli that both his sons will die on the same day and because of the actions of the family, generations will be cursed. While Eli may not have been the one stealing the sacrifices, he was guilty of not standing up for what was right in the sight of God.

We see this same domino effect in Eli’s family because no one stood with integrity for what was right. As men and women of God, it’s our role to stand up for what’s right instead of standing idly by when things are so wrong. We can’t make the excuse that confrontation may be awkward when there is abuse, wrong doing or evil being done around us.

Just like Eli, we will have to answer for our inaction when we say nothing in the face of evil. We have the choice to make a stand and take action when it may not be popular, but it honors God.

“I will honor those who honor Me, but those who despise Me will be disgraced.”

-1 Samuel 2:30b [HCSB]

On Episode 60 of the podcast, we sit down with this amazing artist as he shares about his new album, talks about what inspires him and performs a couple live songs. You can download Episode 60 via iTunes or on our podcast page. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get the latest episodes downloaded as soon as they are released.