This is Part 2 of 2 posts where I am asking 5 questions of one Ron Block. Here is Part 1 (questions 1-3).

4.      What is the most important insight you would have for artists who are praying for discernment in how to properly balance imperatives like personal worship, church serving (local), Church serving (the Bride entire), family, art (intake and output), rest, and asking famous musicians really long questions?

Balance is not exactly my area. Can’t you ask someone else?

All those things are spokes. Christ is the hub, the center. I know when I acknowledge Him as that, and rely on Him as my inner source of goodness, my relationships with family, other people, and work, are put right. When I get out of sync there, everything else begins to wobble and spin.

We need to take time to reflect, to be alone with God, to worship Him privately as well as with other believers. God wants us to experience our union with Him, to abide, to walk in reliant trust. Without taking time for that relationship, we’re just setting ourselves up for more self-effort, more frustration, more failure.

5.      What (300 books?) have you been reading lately and how has it impacted you?

Since I’ve been in a songwriting deadlock for a couple of years I recently read a book called Art and Fear, a short, easy book but it packs a punch. I also reread a book by Brenda Ueland called If You Want To Write, with some of the same themes. If I could encapsulate both books in a few sentences, it would be “Nearly everyone struggles with feeling inadequate as an artist. Some people quit because of it. But we learn to write, to paint, to play, by doing it – not by theorizing about it. So sit your butt in that chair and get back to work. Stop thinking about quitting, and stop your lame whining and procrastinating.” Similar to Steven Pressfield’s The War of Art, but without the “F” word. I highly recommend all three books.

Two more that I’m rereading right now (I have to read things over and over or they don’t ‘take’); Jeanne Guyon’s Intimacy with Christ, a humble, childlike series of letters by Guyon to a friend about various aspects of walking with Christ. And I don’t mean a figurative “walking” with Christ, like “read more pray more give more do Christian crossword puzzles more.” She shows what it is to be walking with Christ as an ever-present, indwelling Lord and Savior, and what it means to take up your cross.

And lastly, Dan Stone’s The Rest of the Gospel (When the Partial Gospel Has Worn You Out). Exactly what it says. This book gave me a lot more to go on than merely “Jesus died to pay my sin debt so I can go to Heaven when I die.” I can’t live on money that’s stuck in a trust fund until I’m eighty-five. I need spendable assets right now, every day. Dan Stone shows the pin number for the divine debit card so that I can access what I need, when I need it.

Thanks, Ron. Catch Ron at these virtual locations:

RonBlock.com Ron on Facebook Ron on Twitter Ron at The Rabbit Room Ron at Banjo Hangout

Hear Ron perform with his band, Alison Krauss and Union Station, here and here. Buy records here.

Ron Block is an amazing musician and a regular smart alec. Also, he’s got mad insights. This is part one of two posts featuring 5 questions for RB.

1.      I made fun of Twitter, then joined. You made fun of it (called me a Twaitor), then you joined. Is there a group that ends in “Anonymous” for guys like us?

I, uh, joined because I got free air miles on..uh…Southwest. Yeah, Southwest. I find 140 characters to be extremely limiting to my inner child, who has a very copious supply of words and phrases and doesn’t like to edit. By the way, it’s RonBlockAKUS. Not that I ever use it, except every few days.

2.      Is it more important for artists who are Christians to convey truth or to create with excellence? (Note: Answer may not contain the words “False” or “Dichotomy.”)

There is often a false dichotomy constructed between those two concepts.

On creating with excellence: Artists who are Christians should first of all create art that is excellent. It should resonate with realness, honesty. There are many secular musicians who do this; Bonnie Raitt, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Pat Metheny, Tony Rice, to name a few.

I have a friend, a great musician. A songwriter gave him a cd of a gospel song and told him, “The Lord gave me this song.” When my friend listened to it later, he said his first thought was, “Wow, God must be a really crappy songwriter.”

That’s technique. We should do our best to play, sing, write, paint as well as we can, and go on improving the talent we’ve been given. That songwriter may have had a real God-moment, but the technique didn’t allow it to come through. I’ve, uh, never experienced that, myself.

On conveying truth: If an artist experiences truth on a regular basis, rather than merely reading about it in the Bible, and is honest, his work will begin to show it. It will be conveyed. I hear this a lot in the music of Andrew Peterson and his Square Peg buddies, and also Fernando Ortega.

3.      Why was it important to write the song, “He’s Holding On To Me?”

I have rarely written a song with the concept of “What I Want To Say” in mind. I’ve done it a few times for Alison Krauss when she has an idea of a song she wants.  But even then it has involved the following method.

Usually I start my writing with humming melodies over guitar chords (or, in many cases, attempting to). One day a bluegrass sort of tune and feel started up. I used my quick little recorder to capture each little bit of it until I had a verse and chorus recorded, played and hummed with nonsense syllables (you should hear it. It sounds ridiculous). When that was done, I did what I usually do; I put the guitar down, sat at my laptop, and played the tune over and over. Quite often the nonsense syllables suggest words to me, and the song and subject begin to take shape. When I do it this way, at least in the past, I often get whole lines pop into my head. Then, later, if they need a little editing, I try not to be lazy about it.

I don’t have a lot of song-craft; often I get stuck and don’t know where to go with it, so I’m always learning as I go. Many times I’ve wished I’d gone to some school or other and studied composition and all that. But that’s what I get for spending way more time practicing banjo and guitar than writing songs or going to school.

Gospel songs are my primary output probably because I read a lot in that direction. I have often lamented (and I think my wife has, too, secretly, while sleep-talking) that I haven’t written one of those huge country songs. I just want to own a Scottish castle. Just one. I’m not greedy.

Songwriting is like a faucet. It has to be opened up frequently or the water turns to brown sludge. I’m finally writing again; sludge was first, then rusty water. Now it is less rusty but still doesn’t taste that good.

Part Two to follow tomorrow. Meanwhile, see Ron at these places:

RonBlock.com Ron on Facebook Ron on Twitter Ron at The Rabbit Room Ron at Banjo Hangout

Hear Ron perform with his band, Alison Krauss and Union Station, here and here. Buy records here.

I am pleased to welcome Stephen Altrogge. I asked him Five Questions. Stephen makes me laugh on Twitter all the time.

1.       Why do you have such a hard name to pronounce? Are you just trying to be difficult? 

Simple. Many years ago, back in Germany, my ancestors decided that they had had enough of telemarketers calling them during dinner time.  They decided that they needed to change their last name to something difficult to pronounce so that they could immediately identify a telemarketer over the phone. At first they were going to use the name “Nllywgnfsrn”, but then realized that even they couldn’t pronounce it. So they settled on Altrogge.

Or maybe they were just being difficult.

2.       You write/perform music and write books. Are you also an inventor, or a bee-keeper?

I’m not a bee-keeper, but I desperately wish I was. What little boy hasn’t told his parents that he wants to be a bee-keeper when he grows up? Plus, bee-keepers get to carry around a smoke-making device at all times. Do you know how useful that would be? Getting tired of a conversation? Pump a little smoke into it. Need to run through heavy gunfire? Throw up a smoke screen. Want to entertain small children for hours on end? Smoke signals. The possibilities really are endless.

3.       What is your life for?

Wow, we just went from the totally absurd to the totally serious. But that’s okay, that’s how I tend to roll myself. So here goes. My life is for the purpose of showing how great Jesus really is. 1 Corinthians 10:31 defines my life purpose: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” I write books and music and drink coffee and love my wife and play with my little girl to make Jesus look great. That’s what I am on planet earth for.

4.       Do you think sports are worth spending time on (plug that book, son)?

Yes. Two reasons. First, sports are a wonderful gift from God. I get so much joy from watching sports and playing sports and that joy is a gift from God. Second, sports present a wonderful opportunity to glorify God. When I play sports, I can give thanks to God for giving me a healthy body, can be grateful for the joy of making a basket, and can have a wonderful time with other friends who enjoy playing sports.

I wrote a book where I address this in detail entitled Game Day for the Glory of God: A Guide for Athletes, Fans, and Wanabes. You can get it on Amazon HERE: http://www.amazon.com/Game-Day-Glory-God-Athletes/dp/1433501392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262717328&sr=8-1

5.       What are you reading (or have read lately) that has mattered?

I’m reading an awesome book called Old Testament Theology that’s looking like it’s going to be a home run. My knowledge of the OT is limited at best. I mean, I obviously know all the well known stories like “Jacob and the Lion’s Den”, and “Samson Feeding the Five Thousand”. But I really do want to grow in understanding how the Old Testament links to the New Testament, and I think this book is going to be a huge help.

Thanks for doing this interview. If anyone is interested in finding out more about me, like why I love salami, or how I got $32,000 from the Prince of Nigeria, they can find me on my blog (www.theblazingcenter.com), Twitter (twitter.com/stephenaltrogge), or Facebook (facebook.com/stephenaltrogge). Thanks!

Greeting readers of this here bloggity thing. I have this announcement, see?

I’ll be starting a new feature called “Not Pasted Quotes.” Just kidding, I already do that sometimes. The new feature will be called, ”Five Questions For.”

This will involve me asking five questions and, hopefully, receiving five corresponding answers to those five questions.

I am not very good at interviewing, and this may not be that much easier, but at least it’s brief.

The main thing this affords us is an opportunity to get to know a little more about people who are worth getting to know more about.

I have been thinking artsy-fartsy types (musicians, storytellers, dill farmers) but maybe that will not be the case at all times. Maybe I will interview my son, or the Mayor of Odd, West Virginia (a real town).

Anyone you want me to interview? What, did you say “My Rock Yo Mama?” Please speak into the microphone. Annunciate.

So, you have been warned. Is it totally lame if I use the shorter 5Q4? What about 5?4? It feels lame, but also easy to type.

As is often the case, lameness and laziness are issues for me.

I hope you like the people I rope into doing this. I also I hope I actually stick with it. Starts on the ‘morrow.