I’ve just finished reading C.S. Lewis’ classic The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to my daughter. It’s a book full of wonderful parables and analogies to the gospel. At one point, when the children in the story are discussing Aslan (the lion character who represents Jesus Christ), the youngest child Lucy asks,

“Then isn’t he safe?”

“Safe?” said Mr Beaver; “… Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

My good friend and colleague Ben Pakula has just released a new Christian children’s music album called A Very Special Tent. And my whole family agrees: this album is totally awesome. The lyrics seem simple on the surface, but they’re a work of art: Ben is able to pack a huge array of fundamental gospel truths into a few catchy and fun verses. Here’s the lyrics to the title track:

There once was a tent, a very special tent,
a tent God came to live in.
His people would have died if they went too far inside
because a holy God can’t stand sinning! (uh oh!)
But God made a way that he could stay with them.
An animal died to pay for sin,
so once a year God would let a high priest in
to show his people he loved them.

Chorus:

Oh the love of the mighty mighty God,
the mighty mighty God who deals with sin
Oh the love of the mighty mighty God,
let’s turn and follow him!

There once was a man, a very special man,
the fullness of God lived in him.
He gave his perfect life as a perfect sacrifice
like the animal that died for sinning!
You see, Jesus died to pay for all our sin,
and God’s holy anger went down on him.
He paid the price by death and suffering
but he did it because he loves us!

There once was a tomb, a dark and gloomy tomb
the body of Jesus lay in.
But he gave his friends a scare when they came to find him there
And they discovered something so amazing?
You see Jesus rose! He conquered death and sin!
He’s the true high priest that God let in
to the tent in heaven where God has always been
and that’s how we know God loves him!

Now we are a tent, a very special tent,
the Spirit of God lives with us
Because the Lord has died, we’ve all been justified
and given new life in Christ Jesus!
So let’s all live with Jesus as the king,
‘Cos he’s the mighty, mighty God who deals with sin
and when we die we’ll be in the tent with him
‘Cos we know that he loves us!

Other songs on the album proclaim justification by faith alone, salvation, the return of Jesus, mortification of sin, thanksgiving, assurance, and more.

But it’s not just the lyrics that are awesome. Ben has a background in heavy metal music, and his musical style pulls no punches. It’s very, very professionally produced. It’s driving, heavy and loud. I’m sure my Year 5-6 public school Scripture class will love it. But even my one-and-a-half year old squeals with delight when she hears the double-kick bass drum and distorted guitar in the song ‘Powerful Love’!

Like Jesus Christ whom the album honours and proclaims, this album is definitely not safe. But it’s good—very, very good.

Ben’s album can be ordered from CEP.