Here are the lyrics that forced his record label to label the album “explicit.”

You say you always treat people like you like to be
I guess you love being hated for your sexuality
You love when people put words in your mouth
‘Bout what you believe, make you sound like a freak

‘Cause if you really believe what you say you believe
You wouldn’t be so damn reckless with the words you speak
Wouldn’t silently consent when the liars speak
Denyin’ all the dyin’ or the remedy

Tell me, brother, what matters more to you?
Tell me, sister, what matters more to you?

If I can tell what’s in your heart by what comes out of your mouth
Then it sure looks to me like being straight is all it’s about
It looks like being hated for all the wrong things
Like chasin’ the wind while the pendulum swings

‘Cause we can talk and debate until we’re blue in the face
About the language and tradition that he’s comin’ to save
Meanwhile we sit just like we don’t give a shit
About 50,000 people who are dyin’ today

Tell me, brother, what matters more to you?
Tell me, sister, what matters more to you?

Derek is using the same tact that Tony Campolo does when he says things like this: While you were sleeping last night, 30,000 kids died of starvation or diseases related to malnutrition. Second, most of you don’t give a shit. What’s more is that you’re more upset with the fact that I just said ’shit’ than the fact that 30,000 kids died last night. This song seems to be asking what message the church sends when we get all up in arms about homosexuality without being concerned about the global AIDS crisis.

While the song is – for sure – controversial in nature because of the use of two words that many deem inappropriate, I would argue that the song is by no means “explicit” in nature like his record label suggests.  Many of the songs on the radio today make this song sound like a nursery rhyme in comparison.  Besides, the message Derek is conveying is one that the church desperately needs to hear, but unfortunately, so many of the “normal” methods modern preachers and prophets use to convey it aren’t being heard.

So, my prayer is that the controversy surrounding this song will draw a large amount of attention to it, and that in so doing, the message of compassion, justice, non-judgment, and unconditional love (which the last time I checked is the message of Jesus) will be heard.