Twenty years later, ‘In Christ Alone’ still inspires millions to sing
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“The popular hymn prompted a movement to revive congregational singing and launched the careers of Keith and Kristyn Getty.” - RNS
How We Worshiped One Sunday in September
I’d like to share the way our congregation structures its worship service. I have nothing special to offer―only my own reflections on where our congregation is, and perhaps where we’ll go. What we do on Sunday mornings, and how we do it, is important. Perhaps my comments here will be useful.
The Missing Link
Many Christians don’t think critically about what happens on Sundays. This isn’t a rebuke, just an observation. Over 40 years ago, Robert G. Rayburn shared similar misgivings:
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4 Principles of Effective Public Prayer
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On “devoting the same thought and preparation to leading in prayer as they do to preparing sermons or leading music. Here are four principles to guide this pursuit.” - TGC
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Liturgies Are the Pipes, But the Word Is the Water
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“I know the term itself can be a little slippery. I’ve seen it applied to everything from an ancient prayer book to your morning coffee routine. But where it refers to an intentional structure for our weekly gatherings, liturgy captures something that ought to be precious to all of us.” - 9 Marks
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The Regulative Principle (Again) and Worship on Sundays
In a previous article, I outlined a brief case for why the regulative principle of worship (“RP”) wasn’t a label worth owning. I still believe that. Here is a modified version of the argument I presented there:
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“Worshiping God is what we’re designed to do. Screwdrivers aren’t happy pounding nails.”
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“The English word worship comes from the early Modern English ‘worthship’; at its root it’s simply recognizing the worth of someone. … we do that in the same ways that we’d show respect for anyone else, but elevated, or exponentiated, because he’s exponentially more worthy than anyone else.” - Olinger
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Patriotism and the Church: Is It Too Much to Ask Churches to Be Careful?
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“53% of Protestant pastors say ‘our congregation sometimes seems to love America more than God.’” - Stetzer
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Do Flags Belong in Churches? Pastors Around the World Weigh In.
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“Christian cases for yes, no, and flying other nations’ flags as congregations balance love of God, neighbor, and country.” - C.Today
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On July 4 worship services
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“The focus of our worship is the Triune God of the Universe. On Independence Day, or any Lord’s Day, we mustn’t lose sight of the principal reason for our gathering.” - BPNews
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The Narcissism of Worship My Way
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“Conversational narcissism is manifested in worship when we take the topic and shift its focus to a topic of our own choosing. Instead of worship focused on God and God’s story, it is focused on me and my story.” - C.Leaders
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