Bob Kauflin, Sovereign Grace pastor and worship leader, author of Worship Matters, and blogger at worshipmatters.com, reflects on his time participating in Crowder’s Fantastical Church Music Conference last weekend. As the time was drawing near for this event, I posted about why this conference was significant, especially from the perspective of the hymns movement. See Kauflin’s whole post, but here are some of my takeaways: Isaac Wardell and Bifrost Arts “led us in a low-key but engaging time of singing … Read More
Hymns Movement News: The Release of “Merciful to Me,” by Reformed Praise
I’m always excited and pleased when the cause of the hymns movement is furthered…when good musicians continue to take old hymn texts and set them to accessible contemporary music. David Ward and the crew at Reformed Praise have been doing this for quite a while. Over the years, they have faithfully provided the online community with free mp3s and sheet music of their great material. Similar to Sovereign Grace’s recent albums, Merciful to Me contains works inspired by hymns and … Read More
Review of Worship Words, by Debra Rienstra and Ron Rienstra
Rienstra, Debra, and Ron Rienstra. Worship Words: Discipling Language for Faithful Ministry. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2009. $22.99. 286 pp. ISBN 978-0-8010-3616-3 (skip to the Conclusion) The authors each bring unique contribution from their area of expertise. Debra Rienstra teaches English at Calvin College, and she therefore offers the penetrating linguistic insights. Ron Rienstra teaches preaching and worship at Western Theological Seminary. What is meant by the phrase “worship words” is clear from the stated purpose: “to help pastors and worship … Read More
David Crowder: Exhibit A on Why Pop Rock Can Be Legitimate Art
I run in circles that consistently expose me to those with the view that so-called “high art” is the only legitimate art. Everything else is at best a weak attempt at art-making or at worst worthless rubbish, so they say. Kenneth Myers’ schema, which has received heavy praise and usage among high-art-only advocates, is usually, in some form, the philosophical crux of their argument (whether or not they are conscious of Myers). Myers wrote the influential book All God’s Children … Read More
“Overcome” is a Great Modern Worship Song
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:“Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ.For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony;they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”(Revelation 12:10-11 [NIV]) A few weeks ago, … Read More
Evidently the Devil Hates “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”
I’m relaying this story from my colleague, Douglas, who is the organist and choirmaster at our church. I’m not necessarily sure what precipitated the conversation, but I found it fascinating. I’m interested in the thoughts of others…speculations as to “why.” My up-front disclosure: I believe that the spiritual realm is real and quite active (Ephesians 6:12), and I believe that demon possession still happens today (though perhaps, as my friend Sharon Beekman reminds me, not always the way that we … Read More
Teach Your Kids Great Theology through Music
Ever since my ordination exams, I’ve become a major proponent of catechizing through music. Bruce Benedict, through his days at Reformed Theological Seminary Orlando, first opened my eyes to how easy it became to memorize large portions of the Westminster Shorter Catechism when they were set to music. Well, I am a newcomer to this resource for children (thanks to my musician-producer-singer-songwriter friend, Greg Upton, for the recommendation) that I plan on using regularly for my own kids and promoting … Read More
The Best Hymn Story Book Ever
Petersen, William J., and Ardyth Petersen. The Complete Book of Hymns: Inspiring Stories about 600 Hymns and Praise Songs. Carol Stream: Tyndale, 2006. Thank God. I’ve finally come across a hymn story book that I feel good about using as a resource and recommending to others for both background and edification. I’ve been using this book for several months, often quoting it in our printed order of worship’s “worship notes”—our side column in our liturgy which explains what we’re doing … Read More
Why Traditionalist Criticisms of Modern Worship End Up Being Criticisms of the Bible Itself
You must read through the whole blog post (and track what he’s doing in the links) to realize what Jeremy Pierce is doing here. Outstanding. Pierce says and defends biblically in fewer words…and much more cleverly…what I’ve tried to say in many posts for well over a year. If this guy showed up at my doorstep, I’d kiss him. On the cheek. In a brotherly sort of way. With my wife watching. And my elders praying.
Hip-Hop Worship, Eschatology, and Aesthetics
This jazzes me on so many levels. Check out this footage from a recent worship service at Sojourn Church in Louisville, KY. The rapper is Shai Linne, whose blog called “Lyrical Theology” shows that hip-hop and Christian thought/worship aren’t antithetical. These videos conjure several stream-of-consciousness observations: Check out the cool way the medium of rap allows for creative twist on a traditional “call and response”…that’s ancient future liturgy at its finest! Check out how into it the … Read More