I am very pleased to announce the publication of a new book that I have been working on for the past three years—Tune My Heart:… Read More »New Book! Tune My Heart: Bible Narratives Devotional Guide for Families or Individuals
Last week I described how the layout and structure of the tabernacle communicated a particular transcendent theology of worship. Even the order of the sacrifices pictures… Read More »How the Order of OT Sacrifices Communicated a Theology of Worship
Why are there such different “tastes” among people? Is the debate over music in worship simply a “preference issue”? Are matters of music, dress, recreation… Read More »Taste and Preference: A Last Word
The first Patriarch of Israel, Abraham, was not originally a worshiper of the true God; he dwelt the land of Ur, worshiping many false gods… Read More »Called by God to Worship
The very first conflict following the Fall was a conflict over worship. Genesis 4:3–8 relates how Abel’s offering to the Lord’s was accepted, while Cain’s… Read More »The First Worship War
“In the beginning, God.” With those opening words of the book of Genesis, we find the very foundation for all biblical religion. God’s self-existence, creative… Read More »Foundations of Worship
In the wake of eighteenth-century Enlightenment and nineteenth-century revivalism, evangelical Christianity evidenced two distinct philosophies of worship. The first was the conservative philosophy that generally… Read More »Roots of Evangelical Worship: Two Worship Philosophies
Over the past month I have been exploring the various historical roots that created what we might call “evangelical worship” today, including German Pietism, American… Read More »Roots of Evangelical Worship: The Oxford Movement
Many factors, cultural and theological, converged to form what we might call today “Evangelical Worship,” including Enlightenment philosophy, German Pietism, John and Charles Wesley, American… Read More »Roots of Evangelical Worship: Charles G. Finney
For the past several weeks, I have been tracing what influences formed what today we might call “Evangelical worship,” including German Pietism, American Revival, and… Read More »Roots of Evangelical Worship: American Democracy and Camp Meetings
What today we might call “evangelical worship” stems from many different influences, some of which I have been highlighting here over the past couple of… Read More »Roots of Evangelical Worship: The Wesleys and Methodism
Along with German Pietism, revival in early America contributed to what would become distinctive Evangelical worship. American democracy itself had both positive and negative effects for… Read More »Roots of Evangelical Worship: Early American Revival
Many factors coalesced in the wake of the Protestant Reformation to produce what we now might call “Evangelical worship.” The first was German Pietism. Pietism… Read More »Roots of Evangelical Worship: German Pietism
The great shift in worship over the last century has been the result of evangelical clergy in America seeking to make the worship of the… Read More »Worship and the “Mixt Congregation”
The idea of ordinate affection is not welcome today. Narcissism has become a celebrated virtue, and is now even given the monikers transparent, authentic, and real.… Read More »Votes From the Democracy of the Dead
The difference between affections and emotions is seen in what art is used in worship. Since worship uses art, worship leaders can use it in… Read More »Affect or Effect
While the New Testament does not contain any examples or prescriptions of particular liturgies, Paul does address the matter of service order in 1 Corinthians… Read More »Orderly Worship
In the book of Revelation, God granted the apostle John a look into the temple of heaven. As with Isaiah during the reign of King… Read More »The Theo-logic of Heavenly Worship
What is he doing? The servant stared with bewilderment as his master girded up his garment and bent down to the bowl of water. He… Read More »He will dress himself for service.
He spewed the water from his mouth. Disgusting! He had recently come from his home in Colossae. There he regularly enjoyed cool, refreshing water from… Read More »Lukewarm