Worship

“Church leaders affirm the profession of another person’s faith when they allow that person to have a public, leading role during the church gathering. And that affirmation is easily misunderstood, especially by unbelievers.” CPost

Ron Hamilton never set out to be Patch the Pirate. A serious composer of formal church music, Hamilton never dreamed he’d become a children’s musician wearing the uniform of a ship’s captain and talking about scurvy and doubloons. But he lost his eye to cancer in 1978 and children began to see him as a pirate, so he became one and sold a boatload of records.

“The text has its origins in the ‘O Antiphons’—a series of refrains sung on each day from December 17-23 during the evening Vespers service. Each one focuses on a different name of Christ in anticipation of the Incarnation.” Ref21

Ligonier: The anemia of evangelical worship—all the music and energy aside—is directly attributable to the absence of genuine expository preaching.

Proclaim & Defend: The New Testament does not record any examples of clapping in worship nor do the epistles mention the practice … Clapping hands in churches is another small sign of negative cultural influence in our churches and the tendency to minimalist theology and practice.

Babylon Bee: Okay, so the Bible doesn’t come out and say we can only sing songs written 250 years ago or more, but come on—it’s the obvious interpretation.

Theology Central: At IX Marks, Dever interviews Getty. And it’s way better than I thought it would be. Even though I disagree with at least one important point, this is on balance a very interesting conversation. Every pastor should listen attentively.

Congregational singing has suddenly become cool (again). Just listen to Mark Dever, who testifies that, “The effect (of congregational music) on my own soul is electrifying.” Dr. Dever counsels pastors to reduce the praise band and the organ “by 80%” so that the voices of the congregation may be heard. After all, says, Dever, “We’re not required to play any instruments.