"Zealots" for Jesus?

Every once in a while, something comes along that's too good to pass up. I regularly get e-mail updates from a variety of youth-focused ministries with links to current trends, music, and events in the youth ministry world. Recently, I received one of these e-mails about a group called FF5, or Family Force 5 - a high-energy rock band trying to capture people's attention for Jesus through their music. While I applaud their desire to honor God with their gifts and talents, I wonder if they understand the history behind some of their suppositions about why they're doing what they're doing.

For example, in the interview transcript passed along to me through the e-mail mentioned above, the following exchange takes place between the interviewer and Solomon Olds (aka, “Soul Glow Activatur”), the presumed leader of FF5:

There’s no misunderstanding that you guys enjoy music that’s pumping, having fun, and dancing. Is there a bit of hope to change the world’s perception that Christians are quiet and can’t move?

Exactly! We want people to know that Jesus is the baddest break dancer that ever
lived. He is our hero, and we want people to know that there is humor and fun in
God’s love. Just like the zealots of the Bible, we want to show people that you can dance and have fun for Jesus (emphasis added).

Jesus is the "baddest break dancer that ever lived?" I'm not sure how to even respond to that. If Mr. Olds (or should I refer to him as Mr. "Activatur?") means that Jesus isn't a very good break dancer (as his English litterly suggests, albeit in a very poor way), then I guess I would probably agree. If, on the other hand, he's suggesting that Jesus is the best break dancer that ever lived, I'd have to think about that for a minute. Maybe it's just me, but the idea of Jesus being the "baddest break dancer that ever lived" seems to contradict Jesus' own testimony about himself when he said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matt 11:28-29). And didn't Isaiah prophecy about him,

"Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out."

I just have a hard time imagining this "gentle" and "humble in heart" man who "will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets" - who will not break a bruised reed or snuff out a smoldering wick - break dancing at all.

And do we really want to be "just like the zealots of the Bible?" According to The Enhanced Strong's Lexicon, the word zealot refered to "one burning with zeal" and was "used of God as jealous of any rival and sternly vindicating his control." Moreover, as the lexicon goes on to report,

"From the time of the Maccabees there existed among the Jews a class of men called Zealots who vigorously adhered to the Mosaic law and endeavouring even by a resort to violence, after the example of Phinehas, to prevent religion from being violated by others; but in the latter days of the Jewish commonwealth they used their holy zeal as a pretext for the basest crimes."

I'm not sure Mr. Activatur really wants to go down that road. I'm not sure I want to go down that road!

Again, I applaud anyone who wants to use their gifts and talents to glorify God. In fact, I encourage all believers to do so. But let's not forget that glorifying God isn't done on our terms, but on His, and so we better understand His terms if we really want to glorify Him with the gifts and talents that he's given us.

To God be the glory, now and forever. Amen.