New Liturgy Site a Sign of the Times for Evangelical Worship

Zac HicksConvergence of Old and New in Worship, History of Worship and Church Music, Worship Resources, Worship Style, Worship Theology & Thought2 Comments

Over the years, I’ve attempted to catalogue and explore the shifts that we’re observing taking place in mainstream evangelical worship.  Many of these shifts, in my opinion, are in the right direction, and encouraging them has been one of the chief aims of this blog since its inception in 2009.  Those of us who have been in the contemporary worship biz for a while are probably aware of one of the leading sites to provide music and resources for worship … Read More

Introducing Edbrooke Collective and Their Debut Album, Rewritten

Zac HicksAlbum Reviews, Convergence of Old and New in WorshipLeave a Comment

I began praying several years ago, as I became more and more aware that God was raising up like-minded musicians and worship leaders across the country, that He’d stir up gospel-centered, theologically-minded, historically-aware, tradition-embracing artists in Denver.  Whether it’s God’s direct answer to those prayers, or whether it’s the law of averages (actually my understanding of God’s providence doesn’t allow for “laws of averages”!), I’m watching our sleepy mountainous city wake up.  And I’m finding many not-so-strange bedfellows crop up, particularly in the Acts 29 network of churches and church plants.

More Communion, More Roots: David Crowder’s Final Album and the Trajectory of Modern Worship

Zac HicksChurch & Ecclesiology, Convergence of Old and New in Worship3 Comments

Worship Leader Magazine recently published an interview of David Crowder shortly after the release of their final album, Give Us Rest or (A Requiem Mass in C [The Happiest of All Keys]).  (Even the title carries with it our modern generation’s characteristic mixture of reverence and irreverence, being a requiem with a not-so-subtle reference to Spinal Tap…I know that’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but it sure is mine.)

Was Early Church Worship Reserved and Stoic?

Zac HicksConvergence of Old and New in Worship, History of Worship and Church Music, Worship Style, Worship Theology & Thought11 Comments

Lunette with Orante. From early Christian fresco, second half of the third century. Catacomb of Priscilla, Rome, Italy. Photo credit: Scala/Art Resource, NY.Traditionalist critics of modern worship often point to the hyper-emotionalism associated with the movement as evidence of its imbalance toward expressiveness over and against theological depth, biblical accuracy, and historical connectivity.  Sometimes, these critics will point to “how the church has historically worshipped” to advocate for more reserved, “reverential” forms of worship expression.  They will admonish the church … Read More

The Right and Wrong Kind of Ancient Future Worship

Zac HicksConvergence of Old and New in Worship, History of Worship and Church Music, Worship Style, Worship Theology & Thought2 Comments

As Holy Week rolls around every year, our worship senses are heightened toward tradition.  Evangelical churches who once adopted a more “low church” model for worship are returning to the value of worship expressions which typically have characterized “high church” environments–Holy Week noon-day services, celebrations of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, Saturday vigils, etc.  Ancient future worship–blending old forms with creatively new expressions–is something many churches are now seeking, perhaps in reaction to the hyper-now-ness and contemporaneity of the of … Read More

Confessional Evangelicalism vs. Just…Evangelicalism

Zac HicksChurch & Ecclesiology, Convergence of Old and New in Worship1 Comment

I think I work with one of the smartest guys on the planet.  My colleague and partner in crime, Dave Strunk, continually blows me away with his ability to synthesize information and process things from a systematic perspective.  He has written a brilliant review of Al Mohler’s chapter in the book The Spectrum of Evangelicalism.  His basic point is that the term “confessional” matters in the phrase “confessional evangelicalism.”  It’s a very important piece for anyone who’s considering wrestling through … Read More

More and More are Returning to Tradition

Zac HicksConvergence of Old and New in Worship, History of Worship and Church Music1 Comment

In case you haven’t seen the 2007 US News article, “A Return to Tradition,” it’s worth a read.  It corroborates a lot of what this blog has been saying over its short life-span.  Retrieval and recovery is something that evangelicals are becoming more and more interested in, but it’s not limited to evangelicals.  Check out the article.

An Art Project Worth Supporting – Bifrost Arts

Zac HicksConvergence of Old and New in Worship, Hymns Movement News & ReviewsLeave a Comment

When I heard the first Bifrost Arts album, Come, O Spirit, a few years ago, I was excited to hear the wedding of the emerging Seattle-esque, pop-orchestral song style (perhaps made most famous by one of the album’s producers, Sufjan Stevens) with historic Christian hymnody and liturgical service music.  It is a truly unique venture. When I heard Bifrost’s commander in chief, Isaac Wardell, share from his mind and heart at the Bifrost Arts conference earlier this year, I came away … Read More

Why Architecture Matters: Our Quest to Unify Organ and Drums for the Sake of the Gospel

Zac HicksConvergence of Old and New in Worship, Personal Stories & Testimonies, Worship Style, Worship Theology & Thought5 Comments

Philosopher and liturgical theologian, Nicholas Wolterstorff, recently reminded listeners at the “Liturgy, Music, and Space” Conference hosted by Bifrost Arts this past spring that the architecture around and in your worship space makes theological statements whether you like it or not.  For instance, a tall, raised platform at the front the sanctuary with the Communion table positioned in the very back can make the theological statement that the Lord’s Table is so holy that its access must be limited and guarded.  Or, think of a worship space in which the seating is arranged in a circle or semicircle around the leaders in worship in the middle.  This can make a statement about the unity of the people of God in worship and the tearing down of sharp divisions between the congregation and the worship leaders.  Or, think about the warehouse with a huge stage and lighting structure.  It says, “we’re here to perform for you…sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.”  Architecture tells the story of your theology of and priorities in worship.  I want to share with you how we’ve chosen to let some recent changes to our sanctuary’s architecture inform our theology of worship. 

CCM Artist Challenges Modern Worship to Write Better Songs and Embrace Liturgy

Zac HicksConvergence of Old and New in Worship, History of Worship and Church Music, Songwriting, Worship Theology & Thought5 Comments

Fernando Ortega has always behaved as one cut from a different swatch of the Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) cloth.  His instrumentation has almost always been a bit more folky and “classical.”  His melodies have always been a bit more lyrical.  His albums have always shown an awareness and embracing of the Church’s hymn tradition.