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» Serving Assorted Preferences and Future Generations in Our Songwriting

On Worship Matters, Bob Kauflin posts Reviewing Awesome God Children's CD Reviews. Near the end, he quotes one reviewer's critique of their musical style:
While it is true that there are many different 'tastes' in music, I cannot but think that there are some elements of the way an instrument is played that accentuate the fleshly nature of our fallen self. What do I mean? Well it is fairly obvious that romantic music is designed to create a certain 'mood' in the listener. Other music such as heavy metal causes the listener to feel intensely powerful and invincible. Bob posts his reply:
Our understanding of how music works in worshipping God is probably more similar than you'd think. We, too, never want the music to overpower the lyrics, but rather serve them. Probably the main area we see things differently is what music "causes" us to do. Music moves us emotionally, but there is a powerful associative effect that can be trained and/or changed. Heavy music doesn't automatically cause someone to "feel intensely powerful and invincible," although that kind of music is often used to voice those attitudes. I like Bob's last line, "that kind of music is often... (continue reading...)

» On Covenants and Those Who Sing Them

This is a previous post from my blog. Brothers, any other thoughts about singing covenants? What about other ways to utilize them in worship gatherings?At Grace Church, we see the great value in, not only holding to a confession of faith, but also giving ourselves to a church covenant. Mark Dever, in his great new book (with Paul Alexander), The Deliberate Church, says this about church covenants: As mentioned before, a church covenant answers the question, How do we commit to living together? The form of the covenant is the way we express our commitment. The content of the covenant is the way we understand our commitment. Our church here in Washington, D.C., was founded with such a covenant, and the original still hangs framed in our main meeting hall, complete with the original signatures from 1878. Requiring people to sign a church covenant lets them know that they will be expected not only to believe the statement of faith, but to live it. It also lets them know how they will be expected to live it out-- i.e., in clear ways that build up the corporate body and enhance the corporate testimony of the church in... (continue reading...)

» “God is my girlfriend” or Reflection of the Psalms?: Kevin

Although it's doubtful I'll be using "Draw Me Close to You" in the near future (we use tons of Indelible Grace, Getty, and Sovereign Grace), I think it's dangerous to make the kind of statements Colson makes. First, how dare we have requirements for song lyrics that the Psalmist himself couldn't stack up to! Second, to make mention of specific songs, in the manner Colson did, by no means reflects the love of Christ that should bind His people together. Simplistic proclamations deeming some songs as shallow and some not are not helpful. Regarding simple love songs, often the how is as important as the what. If we're stringing together scores of sentimental, shallow songs to form a complete worship service, that's not wise. Imagine if you just talked in sappy, baby speech to your wife all the time. Using a simple song in the context of several theologically rich songs, however, can be quite moving. For example, Chris Tomlin's "How Great Is Our God" is a simple, yet God-centered, song. Placed at the end of a song service, perhaps following "How Great Thou Art," results in a moving, fitting response to God's greatness. Colson is right that much... (continue reading...)

» “God is my girlfriend” or Reflection of the Psalms?

What do you think of Sam Storms' response to Chuck Colson?

» Great Thoughts on Family Worship

Families are part of the local church. Don't miss Jim Hamilton's humble and practical remarks on family worship.

» Kevin, You Ruined My Plan!!!

So, Kevin...I guess #5 on your list rules out building the entire service around a drawing where one lucky guest wins a new car?

» Unbelievers in Easter Gatherings: Kevin

Eric raised a great question. How should we consider unbelieving guests as we plan our Easter gatherings? Here are five fairly obvious thoughts:

1) As Eric stated, we should be proclaiming the gospel and Christ's resurrection all the time.
2) It is wise, however, to particularly celebrate Christ's Resurrection at this point in the church calendar.
3) Nothing is better for a believer than seeing Christ's people worship Him with joy. We could do no more loving a thing than worship God so passionately in our meeting that he falls down saying, "God is really among you!" (1 Cor. 14:25). That is truly "seeker-sensitive."
4) However, we should not pretend that unbelievers will not be among us. We must seize this wonderful opportunity to proclaim the gospel simply and clearly during our Easter meeting, praying for the Spirit's work in their lives. We truly have a "captive audience" that comes perhaps once a year.
5) We must not do this in a way, however, that deprives the gathering body from celebrating Christ's resurrection. The purpose of our gatherings is to do just that-- gather as God's people to praise Him corporately. A meeting solely concerned with the seeker... (continue reading...)

» Good/Friday and Easter Songs: Kevin

Well, I started this discussion, so perhaps I should answer my own question:

Good Friday Songs (taken from our Good Friday gathering song list):
Thy Mercy My God is the Theme of My Song (Indelible Grace)
There is a Fountain Filled with Blood
Beautiful, Scandalous Night (great tune by Daugherty, Hindalong-- "the Choir")
Who Is This So Weak and Helpless? (Indelible Grace)
Sacred Head, Now Wounded
How Deep the Father's Love for Us (Townend)
The Power of the Cross (Getty/Townend)
O Come and Mourn with Me Awhile (Indelible Grace)
Lift Up They Bleeding Hand (Indelible Grace)

(as you can tell we love the IGrace stuff! we may add a few more in here, as well)

Easter Songs (gathering not planned; incomplete list)
See What a Morning (Getty)
Christ the Lord is Risen Today (Wesley)
Beautiful Savior (Townend) (line: "you're the risen One; heaven's Champion")
Jesus Is Lord (Getty)
In Christ Alone (Getty)
He Is Risen (Schumacher)

I am very encouraged about the increasing quality of great Easter hymns! Soli deo gloria!

» Good Friday, Easter, Suggestions, Etc.

David covered a lot of quality songs for Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday.
My comment: Should we be singing anything special for Good Friday and Easter? After all, if our focus is not on the cross and resurrection every Sunday, we've got other things to worry about than these two days.
That said, I do believe it is wise to account for an unusual amount of unbelievers in attendance on Easter morning. I think it is wise to preach directly and simply on the Gospel, as opposed to preaching on its applications and implications (as we might do most Sundays as we move through books). This is always good for believers and unbelievers alike.
I want to highly recommend the songs from David's CD Cross-Centered Worship. I plan to review this on An Infant in a Cradle in the future. For now, let me say that I have been listening to this CD for a few months now and every listen brings fresh blessings. I look forward to singing more of these songs and hope others will do so as well. The "cross-centeredness" in Cross-Centered Worship makes them more than applicable for Good Friday and Easter.

» Unbelievers at Easter Worship

Easter is normally the most highly attended service of the year with many nominal believers (sometimes called Christmas/Easter Christians or CREasters for short) present. Are there any ways that we should take this into account as we plan our worship services for Easter? Those on the doxologue would all agree that worship is for believers, not unbelievers, but in what ways can we explicitly reach out to and acknowledge unbelievers that would not violate this biblical principle and take us into the realm of “seeker sensitive?”