Some people say you are what you eat. I say you are what you listen to.

My friend and pastor Rich Blaylock listens to podcasts from some of Christianity’s most electrifying apologists. That’s why he’s insightful and deep for his 24 years.

(Of course he also listens to really loud rock. This morning, I had to check my eye sockets, ears, nostrils, and mouth for signs of bleeding. I say he’s going to be the rock on which God builds His church.)

Another friend and co-worker, Mich, listens to a variety of musical styles, including alternative rock. That’s just about right; in case Rich isn’t the rock on which God will build His church, Mich is the alternative rock. She gets along well with a variety of people of differing ages and social strata; someone whose musical tastes linger on the wide gamut of musical personalities that make up alt rock would fit in, methinks, with all types of people.

My wife Cathy likes R&B-type grooves along the lines of Mariah Carey, John Legend, and Elliott Yamin. She needs music like this to handle the pressures of her job. R&B can also stand for riveting and beautiful, which she is.

I listen to pop fluff, so I’m fluffy. Analogical stretches aside, I go for anything with a tight sense of harmony. We Are The World-type songs, you know, or Barbara Ann (Beach Boys), The Lion Sleeps Tonight (The Tokens), even Hold On (Wilson Phillips). And of course, gospel and Contemporary Christian Music provides much opportunity for layers and layers of harmony.

This 2003 study says people are drawn to musical styles that reflect their personalities. According to the study, people who listen to “reflective and complex” music score well in tests that measure verbal ability, self-perceived intelligence and political liberalism; people who enjoy “upbeat and conventional” music score highly on extraversion, self-perceived physical attractiveness, athleticism and political conservatism.

What music do you listen to? Do you think it reflects who you are?

Last Sunday, I attended the 11AM service at Victory Fort Bonifacio, the progressive church in Makati to which I belong. The Sunday message was delivered by 24-year-old Richard Blaylock, Victory Fort’s youth pastor, and I tell you, he knocked it - CRACK! - out of the ballpark.

Rich was amazing. He was eloquent, confident, and funny. He connected to old and young people in the church, and save for a poorly chosen video - yes, Rich, you liked Dodgeball, but we didn’t, and that clip was just cruel - it was a perfect message.

I was so blown away by Rich’s preaching that it struck me yesterday that many of the men I admire most in life are significantly younger than I.

Pastor Dennis Sy, pastor of Victory Greenhills, a church in Greenhills I used to attend until I started working for the Fort (I MISS YOU, GREENHILLS!), is only 27. Pastor Dennis Sy has it all: humor, passion, heart. Victory Greenhills is the growing Greenhills church it is because of the volunteers and the way he invites and inspires them to rise up to every challenge.

Pastor Carlos Antonio, Director of Every Nation Productions and one of the most imaginative, effervescent, charismatic people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, is 29. Caloy Antonio is a wellspring of ideas, a virtual library of creativity. Ah, his sense of humor! He was making fun of me this afternoon and I called him ‘fathermocker.’ He laughed his huge laugh; a Christian man who can appreciate a good, albeit slightly dirty, pun, is always tops in my book.

And then there’s Pastor Rich. I have the privilege of working with Rich daily; I often have lunch with him (Lord knows why he chooses to hang out with me). The depth of this man always astounds me; his wisdom and insight is unparalleled for someone his age. Despite that, when he gets to horsing around with Teri, our worship coordinator, or talking about Metal Gear or other videogames that go - WHOOSH! - over my head, his eyes gleam with a mischief that reminds me that he is also still a kid at heart.

In Timothy 4:12, Paul says, “Do not let anyone treat you as if you are unimportant because you are young. Instead, be an example to the believers with your words, your actions, your love, your faith, and your pure life.”

No matter how young you are, God can use you mightily. Age is nothing but a number; there are no handicaps with God. He has used the weak to chastise the strong, and he can use you - yes, YOU - to touch someone, regardless of how old you are. What matters is this: are you willing to be used and are you ready to do what it takes so you can be used?

I look at the young men and women of our church and I am so encouraged to raise my son Nathan well so he can join their ranks. I look at Rafa Oca, who’s making waves at Victory Greenhills even as a volunteer, so funny and so passionate about serving God. I look at young artists like Benjo Marquez, whose smile can light up a room and whose story about being healed from cancer has strengthened the faith of many an old geezer like me, or at pastor kids like Joshua Isleta or Nathan Punzalan, and I wonder what God holds in store for these guys. I know one thing: it’s gonna be so bright, we gotta wear shades.

(And with that post, I reveal my age. Cheers!)

Note: If you’re interested in hearing what Rich had to say, you can click here to download his podcast. (It’s still not up yet; I’ll give the link once it’s up.)

In the wake of Mandisa’s God Speaking revival by Alvin and the Chipmunks, I discover they also revive Jennifer Hudson’s Spotlight! Wow, this music editor has excellent musical taste. TWO THUMBS UP!

Mandisa’s God Speaking gets a reworking courtesy of Alvin and the Chipmunks. Even when sped up 30 times, Mandisa still sounds spectacular!

How many blogs do you maintain?

I’ve been a blogger since 1999. I started one blog back then. Today, I maintain almost 12.

It’s hard to maintain quality when you have that many blogs. It’s just too complicated.

Time to settle things down and simplify things. I’ve watered down my online - and offline - relationships with all this hullabahoo. It’s time to fix up my blog life, glue things shut, and put an end to the madness.

Two blogs: GannsDeen.com and Hyundai Getz Philippines: Life With Gina. Everything that I wish to blog about should ideally fall under these two.

If you’re a blog buddy, holler in my Comments box so I can start fresh and add you to a set of new links on the right sidebar.

I’m taking it back to basics, and it’s going to be so much easier. Please join me on this simpler, easier, more interesting ride.

(Listen to Yours by Steven Curtis Chapman and and read Stephen Curtis Chapman Yours lyrics on this post. GannsDeen.com does not offer Yours mp3’s or Steven Curtis Chapman mp3s for free download or paid downloads. If you like what you hear, please leave a comment in the Comments box. Come back to GannsDeen.com for the latest and best in Christian, country, and pop music.)

Steven Curtis Chapman is so inspiring. After the death of his five-year-old daughter, he bounces back with the second single, Yours, from his album This Moment. The first single, Cinderella, spoke of what was like to enjoy the presence of a daughter while she is young. After the tragic postscript of Maria’s death, Steven releases Yours, reminding us that everything is God’s and He remains sovereign, even in the midst of loss and death. Wow.

Psalm 24:1 tells us “The earth is the LORD’S, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it.” This, as well as Psalm 89:11 (”The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; The world and all it contains, You have founded them.”) is a constant reminder that God the Creator reigns sovereign over the works of His hand and love. How can you not appreciate a song based on these verses?

Yours is an absolutely beautiful song. I can’t even begin to explain to you how beautiful it is. You can sing along with it, especially with its coda - It’s all Yours, God - over and over, and just bask in His presence. I’m fighting back tears even as I type this; that’s how affected I am by the power of God and the power of this song. Yours deserves to be on your iPods and sung in your churches (maybe not as worship, but you certainly can use it for a special number).

Another reason why I like Yours is because Jonas Myrin co-wrote Yours. I think Jonas Myrin is absolutely brilliant, and he is one of the most anointed Christian songwriters in the world today. You can see it with the melodic flow of Yours, easily memorable and anthemic in its treatment. Woot, Jonas!

And Steven Curtis Chapman mentions Manila! Thank you, Steven! Woot, Philippines!

Listen to Stephen Curtis Chapman Yoursmp3
Read the Yours by Steven Curtis Chapman lyrics after the jump.
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(Listen to A New Hallelujah by Michael W. Smith and and read Michael W. Smith A New Hallelujah lyrics on this post. GannsDeen.com does not offer A New Hallelujah mp3’s or Michael W. Smith mp3s for free download or paid downloads. If you like what you hear, please leave a comment in the Comments box. Come back to GannsDeen.com for the latest and best in Christian, country, and pop music.)

I have been a Michael W. Smith fan since 1990, when I first heard Place in This World on the radio. Something about this man struck me, and I’d been a fan ever since. I have every album he’s released since 1990, and he’s become a staple in the Deen household.

Two of my favorite Michael W. Smith albums are Worship and Worship Again. I love how Michael leads communal worship, and how the Spirit works through him to speak to the thousands in his worship concerts. So you can see how very excited I am about the release of his third worship album, which, thankfully, is titled A New Hallelujah, vs the obvious Worship Again Again (hyuk hyuk).

I am very excited about the release of A New Hallelujah. I wasn’t too thrilled with Stand and Healing Rain, and Christian radio would agree with me. A New Hallelujah brings Michael back to fighting form, and I’m very excited to see how A New Hallelujah sounds as an album.

Meanwhile, the song A New Hallelujah itself is a great worship song. A midtempo praise song with a triumphant, singable chorus and several echo portions, always a sure congregation pleaser, A New Hallelujah sings about bringing a new dimension of praise into worship. The whole ’sing a new song’ gets a fresh touch with A New Hallelujah, and I’m confident A New Hallelujah will revive Michael’s fortunes with CCM Inspo and AC radio in the USA.

Listen to A New Hallelujah Michael W. Smith mp3
Read the Michael W. Smith A New Hallelujah lyrics after the jump. Read more

Jennifer Hudson sang her debut single, Spotlight, on Good Morning America late last month, but I learned about it only today, thanks to this Reuters article.

Jennifer Hudson is HOT! Spotlight is HOT!

Jennifer Hudson’s Spotlight Billboard positions the week ending August 23:

HipHop R&B Songs: #13 with a bullet
R&B Airplay: #8 with a backward bullet
Dance Club Airplay: #14 with a bullet (yeah, let the gay boys take JHud to #1!)

Cathy and I recently came into two of Zen Zest’s new Cocktails Collection women’s fragrances: Malibu and Bellini, and being the fragrance freaks we are, we couldn’t be happier… at least with one of them.

By far the better smelling of the two is Zen Zest Bellini, “a zesty combination of orange, coriander leaves, jasmine, violet leaves, vanilla, and musk.” Normally, I’m not a big fan of vanilla and musk, but the combination of these two with orange and jasmine makes Bellini a nice evening fragrance. It reminds me a bit of Mariah Carey’s M, albeit without the lingering toasted marshmallow scent; instead, we get a light bottom note of jasmine, which works well for nighttime.

Zen Zest Malibu, on the other hand, “combines the enticing sparkle of citrus and the freshness of wild mint, rhubarb jelly, and the tang of orange.” The mint and rhubarb overpowers the citrus, and it doesn’t work for me and Cathy. However, we can totally see some people with livelier personalities totally going for this scent.

You can buy Zen Zest Bellini at all Zen Zest kiosks and stores in major shopping malls across the nation. Their website’s down, unfortunately, so if you’ve any information, you’re just going to have to email them.

(Listen to Song of Glory by Ashmont Hill. You may also read the Ashmont Hill Song of Glory lyrics on this post. GannsDeen.com does not offer Ashmont Hill mp3’s for free download or paid downloads. If you like what you hear, please leave a comment in the Comments box. Come back to GannsDeen.com for the latest and best in Christian, country, and pop music.)

Ashmont Hill is a new recording group composed of Phil Thompson, his sisters April Joy Thompson and Deborah Bullock, along with Deborah’s husband, Will Bullock. As always, I learned of the group when I saw their debut Inspo single, Song of Glory, enter the Radio and Records Inspo charts two weeks ago. As always, I visited MySpace and was pleasantly impressed with the quality of the group. More importantly, I learned that Song of Glory has a spectacular pedigree that has made me fall in love with the song even more.

Song of Glory, which is found on the group’s self-titled debut album out May 13 on Axiom Records in the US, is a soaring worship song written by - brace yourselves - Calvin Nowell and Tony Sutherland, the writers and original performers of Unrestrained, arguably the greatest worship song I have ever heard. No small surprise, therefore, that Song of Glory is knocking at Top 10 at Inspo radio, with a very strong chance of a #1 finish. The worshipful lyrics, the smooth, airtight harmonies, and the memorable melody makes Song of Glory a very powerful addition to Inspo radio today.

Don’t take my word for it; give Ashmont Hill’s Song of Glory a listen and see if you agree with me.

Listen to Ashmont Hill Song of Glory mp3
Song of Glory Ashmont Hill lyrics and an Ashmont Hill Song of Glory video after the jump. Read more