Whatever happened to the easy days of introducing people for The Gathering. I could just stand here and say “Chuck Colson needs no introduction” or “we all know Jim Dobson” and get away with it. Everyone, including me, knew exactly what words best described them. Those days are gone for good! Groups like Switchfoot combine music, video, websites, blogs, multiple messages, layered meanings, causes that sometimes defy easy description and a heart for merging the gospel with a culture that is invariably surprised in the way it is presented. Many in their audiences would never describe themselves as Christian and are caught off guard by the way the music and words break through their preconceived notions of what it is to be Christian. While they have sometimes alienated those who long for the good old days of Southern Gospel and church standards where we all knew what the words meant and we could hum the tunes – even though those outside the camp were clueless – groups like Switchfoot have changed the rules. In addition to their music they are committed to Lowercase People – the online magazine for artists in action.

Over the course of the past several years, more than 40 Switchfoot songs have been used for several nationally televised shows, including “Dawson’s Creek” (five songs), “Regis and Kelly,” “Felicity,” and many more. “The context in which the songs are used can be pretty funny,” says Foreman. “I remember writing a song about spiritual longing and then seeing it played back during a hot tub scene on some show. The songs can wind up very far from the edge of the bed where they were originally written.”

We are privileged to have Jon, Tim, Jerome and Chad with us this week-end in their home town. One of the cutest things I read about them was on an online review site. A girl said “I am so in love with Switchfoot if it weren’t illegal and immoral, I’d marry all those guys!”