Historian Lester Ruth, a scholar whose work every worship leader should pay attention to, recently spoke to the National Worship Leader Conference this year in Washington, D.C.. He gave the most marvelous talk on what Trinitarian, Christ-mediated worship looks like and what its liberating implications are. In his talk, he gave one of the best illustration of how worship, in the moment, works Trinitarian-ly. Check this out: Ancient Christians had a great image for describing this relationship of Jesus Christ … Read More
My Time at the Pop Rock Worship Consultation at Calvin (with pictures)
Many have asked for me to share my experiences at Calvin College this week. I was graciously invited by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship (CICW) to join a well-rounded group of songwriters, artists, music industry leaders, educational leaders, scholars, and worship leaders. Please read one of the organizer’s (David Taylor) wonderful reflections and comments here. Who Was There? Matt, Charlie (Graham & Latifah in the background)(some of these lines are blurry, but I’ll do my best to categorize) Songwriters/Artists: … Read More
Why the Church (Always) Needs New Songs
Psalm 96 is the biblical ground zero for songwriters. It is the validation and motivation of our vocation: “Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth” (NIV). I’ve been lately in dialogue with several leaders and presenters at the upcoming series of National Worship Leader Conferences across the US (you should really consider going)–D.C. next week, San Jose in June, and Kansas in July. I’ve been impressed by the content that will be presented, … Read More
Why We Evangelicals Need a Break from “Surrendering”
The Gospel Coalition just put up a post of mine reflecting on “surrender” language in worship songs. The heartbeat of this post is to encourage a pastoral sensitivity to not only what we say and sing in our worship services but the way things are actually heard. I’m arguing that, though the idea of “surrender” could be biblical, it is prone to being heard and expressed in ways that actually undermine the gospel. I deal with topics that have lately … Read More
When Worship and Theology File for Divorce
In my last post, I processed how theology is most properly “done” in worship, not in the classroom. I ended the post with a warning to worship leaders to not become enamored by speakers, teachers, and theologians who aren’t invested in the worship of a local church. Simon Chan, a theologian invested in the local church’s worship, says that when worship and theology (at least in the way we typically define those terms…many I’m reading would say that worship is theology), … Read More
What if Theology is Best Learned in Worship, Not the Classroom?
I’ve been blown away, lately, by what liturgical theologians (scholars who study the forms and practice of Christian worship) call the distinction between “primary theology” and “secondary theology.” Roughly, “primary theology” is the theology that is “done” through the experience of the people of God in the worship service. “Secondary theology” is what we typically think of as “theology”–abstract theory we study and ponder in books and classes. Where is Theology Done? In some of the worship circles I float in, … Read More
How the Calvary Chapel Movement has Impacted Worship Worldwide
**UPDATE: Several have commented and asked about how to get Fromm’s dissertation. It’s not formally published, so I emailed him and asked. He said the best way is to request it to be loaned out from Fuller Seminary’s library. (Sorry, it’s a little tedious!)** I have just finished reading Chuck Fromm’s fascinating dissertation with an impossible-to-understand title: Textual Communities and New Song in the Multimedia Age: The Routinization of Charisma in the Jesus Movement. Fromm is publisher and founder of Worship … Read More
How Worship is a Murderer
Many of us struggle to see gathered, corporate worship as helpful to our spiritual growth and vitality. And even if we find it helpful, we might lift an eyebrow at anyone who might say that it is instrumental or (dare say it) necessary. The irony for those of us who take lightly the weekly gathering of the people of God is that the spirit which rises up within us that says “I don’t really need this that much” is the … Read More
Worshiping Our Way Out of Sin
For much of my Christian life, I thought sin was primarily fought on the flesh-level, where battleships fire their guns and jets launch their missiles. Recently, I’ve come to realize that the true action is where submarines do warfare. I used to think that, to defeat sin in my members, I must engage things like spiritual disciplines to in a sense “suffocate” the sin out of my flesh. Lust problem? Fast a bunch to teach yourself how to deny cravings. … Read More
Worship as Trinitarian CPR
The worship service is a dynamic moment. Too often, we’re tempted to think low thoughts about what a worship service actually is and what is actually happening there. So, let me put it bluntly. In worship, God intends to kill you and then make you alive again. Every week. God wants His weight to so crush you, His heat to so scorch you, His light to so blind you, that you must cry out to God the Father, “Save me!” … Read More