Scott Aniol

Scott Aniol is the founder and Executive Director of Religious Affections Ministries. He is Chair of the Worship Ministry Department at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he teaches courses in ministry, worship, hymnology, aesthetics, culture, and philosophy. He is the author of Worship in Song: A Biblical Approach to Music and Worship, Sound Worship: A Guide to Making Musical Choices in a Noisy World, and By the Waters of Babylon: Worship in a Post-Christian Culture, and speaks around the country in churches and conferences. He is an elder in his church in Fort Worth, TX where he resides with his wife and four children.

Author Archives: Scott Aniol

Parallelism in Psalm 96

Parallelism in Psalm 96

This entry is part 8 of 9 in the series Sing to the Lord a New Song You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

Last week we looked at several aspects of how various poetic devices were used in Psalm 96 to shape the content and form the singer and listener. Many of these poetic devices are still used in poetry and hymnody today. The most common poetic device in Hebrew poetry is parallelism, which has been captured in… Continue Reading

Bible Narratives Devotional, Week 41: The Light of the World

Bible Narratives Devotional, Week 41: The Light of the World

This entry is part 41 of 52 in the series Bible Narratives Devotional You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

Week 41: The Light of the World Weekly memory verse: 2 Corinthians 4:6 – “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. “ Weekly hymn: “O Splendor of God’s Glory… Continue Reading

How Poetry Forms Us

How Poetry Forms Us

This entry is part 7 of 9 in the series Sing to the Lord a New Song You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

Singing both helps us express right affections to God in response to God’s character and works, and it also helps to form those affections when we make present through the art realities that are past, present, and future. But our affections are also formed by the art itself; in the case of Psalm 96, the… Continue Reading

Bible Narratives Devotional, Week 40: True Repentance and Faith in Christ

Bible Narratives Devotional, Week 40: True Repentance and Faith in Christ

This entry is part 40 of 52 in the series Bible Narratives Devotional You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

Week 40: True Repentance and Faith in Christ Weekly memory verse: John 6:40 – “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” Weekly hymn: “I Sought the Lord” (free download)… Continue Reading

How Singing Forms Us

How Singing Forms Us

This entry is part 6 of 9 in the series Sing to the Lord a New Song You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

We have seen thus far that good hymns help us to express the affections of our hearts in response to God’s character and works, which brings him great glory he deserves, and that this kind of expression in public is a great witness to the unbelieving world. But there is a second reason that we… Continue Reading

Bible Narratives Devotional, Week 39: Jesus Heals and Forgives

Bible Narratives Devotional, Week 39: Jesus Heals and Forgives

This entry is part 39 of 52 in the series Bible Narratives Devotional You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

Week 39: Jesus Heals and Forgives Weekly memory verse: 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 – “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and… Continue Reading

Singing as a Response and Witness

Singing as a Response and Witness

This entry is part 5 of 9 in the series Sing to the Lord a New Song You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

Psalm 96 is a call to sing, and it gives us clear explanation of why we are supposed to sing. As we have already seen, the very structure of the psalm gives both calls to sing and reasons for that singing. So what, then, are the reasons David gives for singing to the Lord? Worthiness… Continue Reading

Bible Narratives Devotional, Week 38: Jesus’s Ministry in Galilee

Bible Narratives Devotional, Week 38: Jesus’s Ministry in Galilee

This entry is part 38 of 52 in the series Bible Narratives Devotional You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

Week 38: Jesus’s Ministry in Galilee Weekly memory verse: Colossians 1:18 – “And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.” Weekly hymn: “When Morning Gilds the Skies” (free download) Weekly catechism: What is the church? The church… Continue Reading

Singing: Response to Who God Is and What He Has Done

Singing: Response to Who God Is and What He Has Done

This entry is part 4 of 9 in the series Sing to the Lord a New Song You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

We are studying Psalm 96 in an attempt to answer the question, Why sing? Last week we saw that the unique power of singing is that it helps us to express affections of the heart in ways that would not be possible if we didn’t have song. Song gives us a language for the expression… Continue Reading

Bible Narratives Devotional, Week 37: Jesus’s Early Ministry

Bible Narratives Devotional, Week 37: Jesus’s Early Ministry

This entry is part 37 of 52 in the series Bible Narratives Devotional You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

Week 37: Jesus’s Early Ministry Weekly memory verse: John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Weekly hymn: “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” (free download) Weekly catechism: What is prayer? Prayer is an offering up of… Continue Reading

Why Does God Call Us to Sing?

Why Does God Call Us to Sing?

This entry is part 3 of 9 in the series Sing to the Lord a New Song You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

Last time in our study of Psalm 96, I made the point that structurally this psalm oscillates between calls to praise God through song followed by reciting reasons for praising God. Understanding this structure will help us to discern why God would have us sing this psalm, any psalm, or any song in worship for… Continue Reading

Bible Narratives Devotional, Week 36: The Birth of Jesus Christ

Bible Narratives Devotional, Week 36: The Birth of Jesus Christ

This entry is part 36 of 52 in the series Bible Narratives Devotional You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

Week 36: The Birth of Jesus Christ Weekly memory verse: Psalm 100:1–2 – “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!” Weekly hymn: “All People That on Earth Do Dwell” (free download) Weekly catechism: Since you have been saved by grace alone… Continue Reading

Getting Things Done: Google Inbox + Evernote = Productivity

Getting Things Done: Google Inbox + Evernote = Productivity

Note: Since Google Inbox has been depreciated, I have updated my productivity system. You can read the update here. I teach a PhD course at Southwestern Seminary in research and writing, and the first thing we discuss on the first day of class is productivity. I am convinced that organization and productivity are essential in… Continue Reading

Bible Narratives Devotional, Week 35: Return from Exile

Bible Narratives Devotional, Week 35: Return from Exile

This entry is part 35 of 52 in the series Bible Narratives Devotional You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

Week 35: Return from Exile Weekly memory verse: Romans 8:5 – For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. “ Weekly hymn: “Spirit of God, Descend upon My Heart”… Continue Reading

What’s wrong with the recent evangelical “social justice” movements?

What’s wrong with the recent evangelical “social justice” movements?

The term “social justice” has become quite a buzz word in evangelical circles in recent years. Social matters like immigration, racial reconciliation, and sexuality are taking center stage in conferences and online discussions, with loud voices expressing strong options. Other voices are beginning to object to the direction of such discussions, expressing concerns over the… Continue Reading

An Enthronement Psalm

An Enthronement Psalm

This entry is part 2 of 9 in the series Sing to the Lord a New Song You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

Psalm 96 was placed by the editors of the psalms in a series that are unified by a common poetic genre and theme. Psalms 93–100 are often referred to as “Enthronement Psalms,” since their central message is affirmation of God’s kingly reign over all things. This psalm in particular is an Enthronement Psalm directly connected… Continue Reading

Bible Narratives Devotional, Week 34: Babylonian Captivity

Bible Narratives Devotional, Week 34: Babylonian Captivity

This entry is part 34 of 52 in the series Bible Narratives Devotional You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

Week 34: Babylonian Captivity Weekly memory verse: Ezekiel 37:27–28 – “My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.” Weekly hymn: “Jerusalem, My Happy… Continue Reading

Sing to the Lord a New Song

Sing to the Lord a New Song

This entry is part 1 of 9 in the series Sing to the Lord a New Song You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

It has always been a characteristic of God’s people that they are a singing people. This was Paul’s admonition when he commanded Christians in Colossians 3 and Ephesians 5 to sing. Early church father John Chrysostom emphasized the power of singing when he said, “Nothing so arouses the soul, gives it wings, sets it free… Continue Reading

Bible Narratives Devotional, Week 33: Babylon Invades Judah

Bible Narratives Devotional, Week 33: Babylon Invades Judah

This entry is part 33 of 52 in the series Bible Narratives Devotional You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

Week 33: Babylon Invades Judah Weekly memory verse: Psalm 86:11 – “Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.” Weekly hymn: “Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken” (free download) Weekly catechism: What is sanctification? Sanctification is the work of God’s Spirit by which… Continue Reading

The Conservative Philosophy of Culture and Worship

The Conservative Philosophy of Culture and Worship

Last week I offered a brief synopsis of the standard evangelical progressive philosophy of culture and worship. Today, I’d like to offer a simple counterpoint to that view. This conservative philosophy, of course, is a central focus of much of what we write here at Religious Affections, and this post is not meant to be… Continue Reading