Sing to the Lord a New Song
At least nine times, Scripture directly refers to a “new song,” via both psalmist (Ps. 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1) and prophet (Isa 42:10;… Read More »Sing to the Lord a New Song
Articles on Worship
Isaac Watts on the perpetuity of a sabbath
Several of the controversies which have risen, with regard to the sabbath, whether jewish or christian, and the holiness of it, though they are not… Read More »Isaac Watts on the perpetuity of a sabbath
How Can We Conserve Biblical Worship? Full Series
I have received several e-mails asking if parts or all custom writing paper of this series may be used in church newsletters, bulletin inserts, etc.… Read More »How Can We Conserve Biblical Worship? Full Series
How Can We Conserve Biblical Worship? Part 6
How can we conserve biblical worship? We can conserve biblical worship by regulating our worship by God’s Word, by learning to distinguish between ordinate affection… Read More »How Can We Conserve Biblical Worship? Part 6
How Can We Conserve Biblical Worship? Part 5
Conservative Christians will be committed to transmitting these worship forms to future generations. This leads to my final point of discussion. If our goal as… Read More »How Can We Conserve Biblical Worship? Part 5
How Can We Conserve Biblical Worship? Part 4
Conservative Christians will be committed to worship forms that have been nurtured within the community of faith. Such discernment is difficult, however, because all of… Read More »How Can We Conserve Biblical Worship? Part 4
How Can We Conserve Biblical Worship? Part 3
Conservative Christians will be committed to worship forms that foster ordinate affection toward God. Commitment to the Regulative Principles of Worship solves the question of… Read More »How Can We Conserve Biblical Worship? Part 3
A Good Friday devotion
My good friend Michael Riley has compiled a book of hymns and poetry that can be used this Friday to commemorate the suffering of our… Read More »A Good Friday devotion
How Can We Conserve Biblical Worship? Part 2
Conservative Christians will commit to worship regulated by the Word of God. Ever since Cain and Abel, God’s people have been asking, “What is the… Read More »How Can We Conserve Biblical Worship? Part 2
How Can We Conserve Biblical Worship? Part 1
The Apostle Paul declared to the Ephesian elders in his farewell address to them that he was “innocent of the blood” of all of them,… Read More »How Can We Conserve Biblical Worship? Part 1
The Lord's Day
Christians should set apart every day unto to the Lord as a sacrifice of worship, but the first day of the week has been specifically… Read More »The Lord's Day
Applications are not as important as Philosophy
I have strong convictions about worship philosophy. I also have strong opinions about certain applications of that philosophy. But these are not the same thing.… Read More »Applications are not as important as Philosophy
The Watts Controversy
On the wall in my study I have three portraits. All three are portraits of theologians who were also heavily involved with music. They are… Read More »The Watts Controversy
Is Music a Separation Issue?
Music philosophy is not a separation issue of the same kind of level as heterodoxy or flagrant, known sin. Probably one of the most common… Read More »Is Music a Separation Issue?
What is influencing fundamentalist worship today?
As I consider the landscape of fundamentalism today,1 some characteristics of its worship encourage me, while others concern me. The primary influences on modern fundamentalist… Read More »What is influencing fundamentalist worship today?
Externalism
Externalism is a sneaky error in which we insist that the outward appearance reveals the heart. Or, another way of saying it is that inward,… Read More »Externalism
Why trying to emulate Edwards may actually be emulating Finney
I’ve been doing some reading recently from both Jonathan Edwards and Charles Finney. In most ways, these men, their philosophies, theologies, and practices are polar… Read More »Why trying to emulate Edwards may actually be emulating Finney
Charles Finney on "excitements"
From Revivals of Religion (CBN University Press), 1978. Men are so sluggish, there are so many things to lead their minds off from religion and to… Read More »Charles Finney on "excitements"
Accessible vs. Immediate
I’ve heard a lot of teaching recently on what makes a good sacred congregational song, and among qualities listed, “accessibility” is inevitably among them. I… Read More »Accessible vs. Immediate
Is worship like riding a roller coaster?
Joy. What exactly is joy? I can say that I experienced the emotion of joy while riding a roller coaster. It’s this thrilling enthusiasm that… Read More »Is worship like riding a roller coaster?