One of the things I’m going to miss most (among many!) during this unusual season when our church can’t gather is our annual “Facing the Cross Service,” a simple service we observe each year during Holy Week that recounts the last few days, death, and burial of our Lord through Scripture readings and hymns. Since… Continue Reading
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 14:26–33: What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.… Continue Reading
Each year in our church, we have a Holy Week service that has become one of our most anticipated services. It is a simple service of Scripture, hymns, and Communion, following a similar structure to a Lessons and Carols Christmas service, but focusing on the events leading up to and including the Cross. Over the… Continue Reading
We hear it all the time in corporate worship services: “God, we invite you to come as we worship you.” “God, fill this place as we worship.” “God, you are welcome here. Come down as we worship you.” The motivation is, of course, noble: we want to commune with God in worship. We don’t worship… Continue Reading
In 1 Cor 9:22, Paul says, “I have become all things to all men that by all means I might save some.” This should not be seen as a declaration of ministry pragmatism, but a rhetorically powerful restatement of the great depths of slavery Paul embraced to make Christ known to all men. Indeed, one could very… Continue Reading
Although there is no prescribed liturgy1 in Scripture, we do have clear commands that our corporate worship be “decent and in order” (1 Cor 14:40). Furthermore, since we are shaped by doing things over and over, our weekly corporate gatherings for worship are formative in shaping the worship in the rest of our lives, and… Continue Reading
Josiah may have been one of the bravest men who ever lived. Receiving the kingdom with the sword of God’ʹs impending judgment dangling over its head, Josiah set about reforming the worship of Judah with an almost frenzied diligence. He cleansed and repaired the Temple, destroyed idolatrous shrines, altars, and images, defiled the high places of idol worship (making them unusable),… Continue Reading
PURCHASE THE BOOKLET ON AMAZON When your car has broken down for the umpteenth time, you ask yourself the question: do I fix it or replace it? That kind of choice confronts us with kitchen appliances that break, computer gadgets that fail, and never‑ending household repairs. Is it better (and cheaper) to fix what we have or to replace… Continue Reading
I am pleased to announce the publication of an instructive booklet by David de Bruyn titled, Recovering Intentional Worship: Some Things to Consider Including in Your Church Service. If you are a regular reader of this blog, you will recognize the subtitle of David’s booklet as the title of a series he did on this… Continue Reading
UPDATE (5/29/11 6:24a EST): Several people have requested that I include links to the extra hymns in these services; they are linked below. Next week I am looking forward to participating in what has become an annual gathering of conservative friends. We’ve met for the past four years for mutual encouragement, instruction, discussion, and worship.… Continue Reading
A music pastor recently asked me the question, “How do you treat holidays like the 4th of July in your church?” Great question; here are some short thoughts: We can’t ignore that the 4th of July is the day of our country’s birth (especially when it falls on a Lord’s Day), but neither should we… Continue Reading
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 Lord for our atonement. Michael writes, I have put these together in a small booklet that some of you might find useful, either for use individually, with your families, or perhaps… Continue Reading
I’m excited to announce the coming publication of my new book, Sound Worship: A Guide to Making Musical Choices in a Noisy World! This book is targeted for the average Christian layman. My first book, Worship In Song, is a biblical approach to tackling issues related to music and worship, but it’s quite technical and sometimes… Continue Reading
Conservative churches that want to do a special service around Christmas time often have a hard time finding cialis price quality “pre-packaged” programs. So what are other alternatives? One of the best and most flexible options, in my opinion, is “A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols.” I used this service all but one of… Continue Reading
Christ-Centered Worship: Letting the Gospel Shape Our Practice, by Bryan Chapell. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2009. 307 pp. $24.99. “Structures tell stories.” So opens Bryan Chapell’s recent volume, Christ-Centered Worship: Letting the Gospel Shape Our Practice, published by Baker Academic. Chapell, noted homiletician, theologian, and author of the popular volume, Christ-Centered Preaching, is president of… Continue Reading
For many Christians, wedding are unfortunately an opportunity for sentimentalism, extravagant pageantry, and smarmy music. It is my burden however, that a Christian wedding be an opportunity to magnify Christ and proclaim his gospel. Tomorrow I will be participating in the wedding ceremony of my sister-in-law, both as a minister and as a musician. My… Continue Reading
Forrest, Dan, Lord of Glory. Price: $6.95 Item #: 243758 Publisher: SoundForth, 2007 Length: 112 pp. Purchase: Book | Spiral-bound | Preview pack | Demo CD | Accomp CD | Rehearsal CD From the website: From Dan Forrest: My desire is for this cantata to communicate the unadorned scriptural story of the incarnation in the… Continue Reading
As pastors and music directors, we have the responsibility of planning and leading the congregational worship services in our churches. Does it matter how those services are ordered? Some church leaders favor spontaneity and freedom in their worship. If someone has a testimony or favorite hymn they’d like to offer at the spur of the… Continue Reading
One great weakness in church worship today is that pastors have entirely given up the planning of services to musicians. This wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing if the musicians worked with the pastors, and there is certainly benefit to the input of musicians regarding the hymns and other music within a service. But without… Continue Reading
Speaking of good things coming out of SoundForth, I recently received a choral demo from them featuring the music of David Rasbach. First, and add it to your choral collection. It is excellent. It is only $6. It is professionally recorded, features the Bob Jones Academy Chorale (which Rasbach directs, and whose sounds is better… Continue Reading