Dash Confessional

Group, Mar/Apr 2003 by Belknap, Bryan

ministry and media* biblical discussion starters

YOUTHANDCULTURE

dashboard confessional

song: "Screaming Infidelities" (from MTV Unplugged 2.0)

topic: Emotional pain

synopsis: The singer struggles after a relationship ends.

background: Emo-rock darling Dashboard Confessional (a.k.a. Chris Carrabba) showcases his fervent fans on MTV Unplugged 2.0. With the audience passionately singing along, the album becomes a postmodern praise session. Carrabba (a Christian) pours his pain and confusion into every song, the intimate ("The Best Deceptions") and the aggressive ("Again I Go Unnoticed"). Dashboard Confessional's transparent, communal, authentic, and ragged style has touched a nerve with Millennials, who are inspired to ardent devotion when artists extend access into their interior lives. The live performance DVD (included) not only hints at the future of music but also points the church in the direction it needs to go to connect with 21st century teenagers. This disc is a great Dashboard Confessional primer-and a ticket into youth culture.

discussion questions: Ask: Could the singer have avoided his pain? Why or why not? Has someone you loved ever hurt you? What happened? What's the hardest part about dealing with emotional pain? Read aloud Psalm 42:36. Why is it difficult to remember God in times of pain? What has helped you most to overcome emotional pain? How might you minimize the pain of future relationships, especially romantic ones?