Studying the inspired psalms can certainly teach us much about hymn texts, but can they also teach us about what makes a good hymn tune? Terry Johnson believes so: Many are quick to point out that God has not given us a book of tunes. No, but He has given us a book of lyrics… Continue Reading
One of the qualities of a good hymn that is often cited is that a congregational song must be accessible. I wholeheartedly agree with this point: for a hymn to be congregational, it has to be, well, congregational! The congregation has to be able to sing it. In other words, there are some songs that,… Continue Reading
Many factors contribute to how a hymn shapes its theological content. Here is one example of how the poetic meter of a text can shape its content in powerful ways. Consider this content: It is quiet in a house on Christmas Eve. Depending on poetic form, a poet can shape that content to feel either… Continue Reading
Changing the lyrics of hymns we sing has a long, established precedent, and for good reason. If hymns are meant to be genuine expressions of corporate worship, then we should sing what we mean and mean what we sing. If a hymn is good, and yet there are one or two words or phrases we… Continue Reading
A hymn to complete another hymn, or a hymn to complete a section of worship, is how we might think of singing the Doxology, or the Gloria Patri. The Doxology known to most Protestants was composed by Thomas Ken in the 17th century, and a common version of the Gloria Patri was composed by Charles… Continue Reading
In the second book of The Marrow of Theology, William Ames’s (1576-1633) classic Post-Reformation work, Ames deals with a number of matters related to practical theology. The ninth chapter discusses prayer.1 As you will see, Ames’s approach to this topic is helpful from a historical and practical perspective. Prayer, Ames says, can be outward or inward–mental or audible.… Continue Reading
When we select the songs and hymns for corporate worship, there are plenty of weak, cowardly, and even evil reasons to motivate our choices: sheer familiarity, a pledge of allegiance buy cialis 10mg to a certain tribe within Christianity, a desire to attract or placate certain constituencies in the church, or the desire to appear… Continue Reading
There has been quite a lot of noise in the blogosphere lately over a decision by the Presbyterian Church (USA) to reject Getty and Townend’s hymn, “In Christ Alone,” since they object to the language of penal substitutionary atonement and have failed to secure permission to change the line, “the wrath of God was satisfied.”… Continue Reading
Since coming as the Associate Pastor of Bethany Bible Church of Hendersonville, North Carolina, in 2010, I have seen first hand a unique ministry created by the vision of the senior pastor here, Greg Stiekes, and his wife Rena. Truly, the word “unique” is not used in vain in describing this week-long ministry to children… Continue Reading
Dear refuge of my weary soul, On thee when sorrow rise; On thee, when waves of trouble roll, My fainting hope relies. While hope revives, though pressed with fears, And I can say, “My God,” Beneath thy feet I spread my cares, And pour my woes abroad. To thee I tell each rising grief, For… Continue Reading
I defend a conservative philosophy of worship not because I want to protect old in the rejection of new, but because I believe “traditional” forms (both old and new) are more flexible and elastic in what they can express in worship, are better suited to carry rich truth about God, and are more appropriate than most contemporary… Continue Reading
Unless you believe in orthopathy as essential to Christianity, the worship wars are much ado over nothing. They represent the dying thrashes of hide-bound traditionalists, raging against the waning popularity of those songs most familiar to them. They represent the immature clamor of people who do not understand the Romans 14 principle, and want to… Continue Reading
My Lord, my Master, at Thy feet adoring, I see Thee bowed beneath Thy load of woe: For me, a sinner, is Thy life-blood pouring; For Thee, my Saviour, scarce my tears will flow. Thine own disciple to the Jews has sold Thee, With friendship’s kiss and loyal word he came; How oft of faithful… Continue Reading
You can recognize popular art not only through its form (or formlessness), but through the feelings it evokes, according to Kaplan. He disagrees with the common objection that popular art is mere entertainment. All art, Kaplan argues, has intrinsic interest and intrinsic value, giving joy to the beholder without regard to more serious interests. That… Continue Reading
The popular arts are often criticized by aesthetes for their form, or perhaps formlessness. Kaplan responds to this by directing us once again to how people use the popular arts, much like Lewis does in An Experiment in Criticism. Kaplan points out that the problem with the popular arts is not merely its standardized, simplified… Continue Reading
How are we to worship God? We should worship in all of life, but we have been told most explicitly to worship God corporately through the following: – The reading of Scripture – The preaching of Scripture – The singing of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs – The offering of public prayer – The observance… Continue Reading
I received an email a few days ago asking what I thought about a few particular contemporary Christian songs. The individual mentioned that he thought that hymns have always been simply reflections of whatever music existed in the current culture, and that these songs were no different. I’ve copied my reply to him below in… Continue Reading
Raise thee, my soul, fly up, and run Through every heav’nly street, And say, there’s naught below the sun That’s worthy of thy feet. Thus will we mount on sacred wings, And tread the courts above; Nor earth, nor all her mightiest things, Shall tempt our meanest love. There on a high majestic throne Th’… Continue Reading
We’ve gathered much of what Tozer wrote on music and hymnody. Having done so, some reflections on his writings might be helpful. I notice three outstanding features of Tozer’s approach to worship. First, it’s clear that Tozer made an attempt to understand poetry and music. Tozer did not have to become a literary or musical… Continue Reading
(From the Introduction.) This is a book for the worshiper rather than for the student. It has been carefully and lovingly prepared for those God-enamored persons who, while they feel as deeply as the enraptured poet, yet lack the gift that would enable them to express their feelings adequately. Such will sense a kinship with the… Continue Reading