MattCast

I pay tribute to “It’s a Wonderful Life,” my favorite movie of all-time. This episode is especially geared to all the George Baileys out there who play by the rules and wonder if it matters.

Soundtrack:

“Snowfall,” by TRG Banks, from the album, “TRG Banks’ Christmas Album,” 2018. Promoted by freemusicarchive.org. Licensed under Public Domain CC0 1.0 Universal (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/).

“Buffalo Gals,” written by John Hodges; adapted by Dimitri Tiomkin, 1946.

Dickens, like many of us, is complicated. His brilliance is slightly shadowed by a cloud of choices he made in his personal life…a life of secrets. However, this flawed instrument gave us some of the best prose in the English language. Ad Music: “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwTRjvjVge51X-ILJ4i22ew); “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfRC80jSAc8); “Mary, Did You Know?” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5ljQ13TbyM); “O Christmas Tree” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmQPYXNxDYI) Background Music: “Christmas Meditation,” by Dee Yan-Key, from the album, “Christmas Album,” 2020. Promoted by freemusicarchive.org. Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/legalcode).

The Tower of Babel is proof that sometimes God has to disrupt our plans for fame and fortune. It should cause us as artists and pastors to ask, “What are we making?"

Ad Music:

“Hopeful Journey,” by Scott Holmes, from the album, “Corporate & Motivational Music 2,” 2018. Promoted by freemusicarchive.org. Licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/legalcode).

One of the most neglected tools we have at our disposal as believers is thanksgiving. It’s not a holiday so much as a discipline that remembers God’s faithfulness in the past, help in the present, and blessing in the future.

Ad Music: “Like JJ (ID 1281),” by Lobo Loco, from the album, “Around,” 2020. Distributed by freemusicarchive.org. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode). Song was lengthened to equal vocal track.

Response Music: “Retreat,” by Gold Coast. Written by Andrew Dean Piland. Distributed by soundstripe.com. License available upon request.

Isn’t it interesting how we separate work and play? Shouldn’t our creative work be fun, even though it’s not easy? Work and play should be a both/and, not an either/or.

Ad Music:

“Corporate Vision,” by Scott Holmes, from the album, “Corporate & Motivational Music,” 2018. Distributed by freemusicarchive.com. Licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/legalcode).

Our spiritual enemy is always after our gifts as artists, whether to convince us to stop using them or using them against us when we’ve had a modicum of success. How do we fight it?

Politics and art have been frenemies over the years. How do Christian artists walk the line between expressing their beliefs while being accessible to the largest audience possible? When do our political beliefs need to bow to our Kingdom beliefs?

“Northern Lullaby,” by Sergey Cheremisinov, from the album, “The Healing,” 2019. Promoted by freemusicarchive.org. Licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/legalcode). “Empty Lines,” by Unheard Music Concepts, from the album, “Harbour,” 2016. Promoted by freemusicarchive.org. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode).

Our month-long emphasis on Pastor Appreciation concludes with a special production giving tribute to pastors and shepherds in the Church today.

Background music:

Act 1: “Appreciation,” by Chad Crouch, from the album, “Evolver,” 2019. Promoted by freemusicarchive.org. Licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/legalcode).

Act 2: “Solitude,” by Ryan Andersen, from the album, “Solitude (Piano Atmospherics),” 2018. Promoted by freemusicarchive.org. Licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/legalcode). “Flawless,” by Ryan Andersen, from the album, “Solitude (Piano Atmospherics),” 2018. Promoted by freemusicarchive.org. Licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/legalcode).

Act 3: “A Broken Man,” by Jordan Biel, from the album, “A Broken Man.” Copyright 2020, Innovate Records. (https://music.apple.com/us/album/a-broken-man/1529908306)

More than ever, pastors need friends, but it’s one of the most challenging aspects of the ministry. We explore the mechanics and practics of finding healthy friendship as pastors, reminding ourselves that the Lord desires it for us even more than we do.

Ad Music: “Piano Parapentes (ID 1155),” by Lobo Loco, from the album, “In a Movie,” 2019. Promoted by freemusicarchive.org. Licensed by CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode).

“Dawn Awaits,” by Cody Martin. (License available upon request)

“Cue 4 - Sad-Loss-Grief-Dark-Piano backmasked (A Darker Side To Light),” by Soularflair, from the album, “CUES for Film, TV, Games, etc (SOLO PIANO - or mostly piano),” 2018. Promoted by freemusicarchive.org. Licensed by CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode).

“Aspire,” by Scott Holmes, from the album, “Corporate & Motivational Music 2,” 2018.

In a time where Christians enjoy trashing their church, current and even present, Matt looks back at his formative years and counts the blessings of the church that made such an influence on his life.

“Inspirational Outlook” by Scott Holmes, from the album, “Inspiring & Upbeat Music,” 2019. Promoted by freemusicarchive.org. Licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/legalcode).

“Horizon Ending” by Soft and Furious, from the album, “You know where to find me,” 2018. Promoted by freemusicarchive.org. Licensed under CCO 1.0 - Universal (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/legalcode).