An Actual Millennial Responds to Church Efforts to Attract Millennials

Body

“John [Ehrett] takes up each of the 10 points the consultant raises. The essay defies excerpting, so I will simply quote the beginning of the post… After that, I’ll quote another millennial and former student cited by John on what this generation is really yearning for.” - Gene Veith

Discussion

Turning Up the Volume: Joyful Noise or Noise Ordinance Violation?

Body

“Neighbors in the Charlotte, North Carolina, Ballantyne neighborhood have repeatedly complained about noise from Elevation Church continuing as late as 10 p.m. And between December 2018 and November 2019, police in Seminole County, Florida, received 222 complaints against Action Church for noise issues.” - CToday

Discussion

Anne Steele: 17th Century Writer of Hymns of Sorrow

Body

“…while most hymns written by Watts and his contemporaries are well-written, moving, and scripturally sound, few of them delve into the depths of pain and questioning that characterize some of the Psalms. Anne Steele’s hymns were among these few, as were the hymns and poems by William Cowper” - Cloud of Witnesses

Discussion

What’s the problem with singing in our churches?

Body

“You’re standing to sing in a new church. The worship leader gets up to lead the first song, with the words on the screen behind him. Then you realize you can’t sing the song because you’ve never heard it. Did the worship leader write it? Who knows. But you’re left standing there, with about a third of the rest of the people. Perhaps you haven’t been in that situation before, but I have.

Discussion

What Happened to the Singing?

Body

“No doubt, the more Scripture we directly infuse into our hymn texts, the better. But it is also possible to have excellently crafted, theologically rich songs to sing in church without falling into the Puritan dilemma of text versus art. We can be faithful to the text and pursue artistic beauty.” - Cameron Pollock

Discussion

The 10 Most Popular Worship Songs in Churches Last Year Were ...

Body

“Pat Barrett’s song Build My Life and Hillsong Worship’s What a Beautiful Name were the most popular worship songs within churches in 2019…Faithlife Proclaim, a church presentation software from Faithlife, released data Wednesday showing the most popular worship songs of 2019 from the users of the software.” - Christian Headlines

Discussion

The Rule and Songs of Puritan Worship

Body

“In its simplest terms the regulative principle holds that the Word of God alone regulates, directs, and warrants all elements of worship… . We may worship God only as he has commanded us to do in the Bible.” - Church Leaders

Discussion