Pastors and parishioners perennially battle over who has authority in matters of church practice, particularly in corporate worship. Should what happens in the corporate gatherings… Read More »The Regulative Principle of Worship
Recently, an article was written by Thomas Rainer here regarding a worship style that is attractive to Millennials. Just to be clear on the name “Millennials,” it… Read More »Biblical worship is trans-generational
It is becoming increasingly popular today to assume that since the essence of worship is the language of the gospel, then it follows that worship… Read More »Worship in the Assembly
Many of the “worship wars” today are fueled by, I believe, differing views of the nature of worship itself. Clearly differences over what worship is and… Read More »What is Worship?
This is a series to further explain the articles of “A Conservative Christian Declaration.” . We affirm that inordinate expressions of worship often arise from… Read More »Article 9: On Harmony and Variety in Ordinate Expression
I participated on Friday in the Southwest regional meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society. The theme of the meeting this year was the decline of… Read More »Evangelical Worship and the Decline of Denominationalism
It appears that it is now cool for Evangelicals to observe Lent. Children of the Reformation have traditionally rejected Lent. In fact, eating sausages on… Read More »Lent and the Regulative Principle of Worship
During the time of the Kings of the split Kingdom, there were certain kings of Judah (Southern Kingdom) who did right in the sight of… Read More »Manasseh’s Blended Worship
This is a series to further explain the articles of “A Conservative Christian Declaration.” . We affirm that the worship of God is regulated through his… Read More »Article 7: On Scripture Regulated Worship
In Wiser Than Despair, Quentin Faulkner argues that religion manifests itself in myth (divine revelation and doctrinal content), ethos (behavior or morals), and cult. After acknowledging… Read More »What does it take to keep you from corporate worship?
Artworks are valued for what they do but not for any immediate function. Art is far from “useless,” even though its distinctive value is realized… Read More »Preludes, Postludes and Offertories
This week I am in the midst of teaching an intensive block class called “Biblical Foundations of Worship and Culture.” Although teaching 8:30-4 each day… Read More »Receive a Master of Arts in Worship without having to relocate
This essay was originally published during the Easter season, but it applies equally to celebrations of Advent and Christmas. Today (the day upon which I… Read More »Shall We Observe Holidays?
This post is excerpted from “A Deliberate Choice.” December is for Advent. Historically, Christians have begun their reflections upon the incarnation, not by celebrating it,… Read More »The purpose of Advent
A passage often cited by evangelicals to prove that every cultural expression is legitimate since people from every nation will be admitted into heaven is… Read More »Does Revelation 5:9 prove that all kinds of cultural expressions will be in heaven?
This article first appeared in Artistic Theologian 2 (2013). Books reviewed: Christ-Centered Worship: Letting the Gospel Shape Our Practice, by Bryan Chapell (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2009); Story-Shaped Worship: Following… Read More »Gospel-Shaped Worship: A Review of Recent Literature
I have a theory I’d like to explore more at a later time, but I thought I’d offer some thoughts about it today considering the… Read More »Thankfulness as a central worship affection
The following is the paper I presented yesterday at the national meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society: PDF Audio Version Most church leaders readily recognize… Read More »The Mission of Worship: An Assessment of the Missional Church Movement’s Impact Upon Evangelical Worship Philosophy and Practice
This article first appeared on The Artistic Theologian, the online theological journal of Southwestern Seminary’s School of Church Music. The Lord Jesus Christ gave the church… Read More »The significance of worship for the Great Commission
Most church leaders readily recognize that God has tasked churches with several different purposes, yet how those purposes work together has equally mystified them. One… Read More »What is the relationship between worship and evangelism?