I see this testimony time and again. It is my own story, too. I continue to meet young people, attracted to the ancient faith that their parents abandoned and they never knew. Ritual…liturgy…hymns. This is the testimony of Stephanie S. Smith at worship.com. It’s written so well. Here’s the first half, but you can read the full post here. It’s just another example of why new generations are interested in the convergence of old things and new things: old hymns … Read More
Two Styles Don’t Have to Mean Two Churches within a Church
Don Sweeting has recently left our church to become President of Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando. On his way out, he has given some valuable reflections on how God shaped worship at our church during his tenure. You can read his whole post, but here are some highlights: In my current pastorate we have multiple services and mulitiple styles. Our mission calls us to more than one direction stylistically…For our main services, currently we have what we call a classical … Read More
“We Throw One Hymn into the Mix Every Sunday”
I try to stay connected to several online worship leader forums. On one of them, under a discussion of “Contemporized Hymns,” I found this insightful comment left by Robert Cottrill: H-m-m… It seems to me the wording speaks volumes–“this church throws one hymn into the mix every Sunday.” Sounds rather like a bone tossed to a barking dog to keep him quiet! This approach is all too familiar. A church committed to contemporary music, that tries to keep the old … Read More
Indelible Grace Finally Gaining Legitimacy in the PCA
Indelible Grace (the pioneer of the hymns movement) is leading a hymnsing at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. This is exciting! (The artist list is pretty hot, too.) What is being undersold about this event is that it’s connected with a larger event–the General Assembly (GA) of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). This is significant. I was involved with the PCA for 5 years, gaining some important ministry chops at a church plant here in Denver, interacting with the … Read More
Two New Hymns I’m Loving
There is one man in our congregation that I can say loves old hymns even more than I do. He’s got a Ph.D. in English Literature or something comparable, and he’s often firing off emails with obscure hymns. He led me to these two. I love them, and someone needs to put a new tune to these bad boys so the church doesn’t lose them: “God in the Gospel of His Son”Words: Benjamin Beddome, 1787 (verses 1-2); Thomas Cotterill, 1819 … Read More
Robbie Seay Band Dabbles in the Hymns Movement
By recommendation of my friend John Gooch, I picked up Robbie Seay Band’s album, Miracle, released this past March. John knew I’d bite hook, line, and sinker when he texts me with descriptive words like “theologically rich” and “hymns.” It is a great album. Miracle is further evidence of what I have tried to explain to traditional worship advocates who continually criticize the theological shallowness of modern worship. I have noticed an evolution in the mainstream artists (e.g. Chris Tomlin, … Read More
A Great Worship Song on the Holy Spirit
We’re heading toward the season of Pentecost. I’ve been on the prowl for a good worship song on the Holy Spirit. Surprisingly, though evangelical modern worship is most influenced by Pentecostalism, there are few songs of quality which deal with the person and work of the Holy Spirit. My friend in North Carolina, Bruce Benedict of Cardiphonia (a robust site with all kinds of resources and reflections on worship and liturgy), has set an old Charles Wesley hymn, “Come, Thou Everlasting … Read More
Why Every Worship Leader Should Study Rock History
In yesteryear, it was common for aspiring church musicians to pursue degrees in church music. Those paths of study included music history…and for good reason. Traditional church music is a descendant of western classical music. For those of us who have studied classical music, we all can attest that we are better at our craft of making and performing music because we have studied the ebbs and flows of music history. Through the lens of a singer: one does not … Read More
Reformation Sunday…wishing more worship leaders were equipped to celebrate it
This Sunday is Reformation Sunday—a time when Protestants thank God for how He refined and revived the Church in the sixteenth century. Being Presbyterian, we’re wedding the celebration of the Reformation with the 500th anniversary year of the birthday of John Calvin. Our unique slant on acknowledging Calvin is by stepping back several centuries and worshiping with a liturgy straight out of Calvin’s Geneva. We’re going instrument-less and hymn-less. We’re singing a capella psalms. We’re comparing the Genevan liturgy to … Read More
Great New (Old) Worship Songs for Advent and Christmas
(Updated December 2011) For this Christmas season, or if you’re thinking ahead to the next, here are some modern worship style Christmas songs. They’re great historic hymns that we’ve set to new music which carry Advent/Christmas themes. They aren’t “updated” standard Christmas carols. They’re old hymns that modern worship has all but forgotten. But they’re worth reviving, and here they are: All Ye Gentile Lands Awake lyrics | mp3 | chord chart | lead sheet | video tutorial | about All Ye Gentile Lands Awake by Zac … Read More