Why Young Folks Are Turning to Reformed Worship

This is a brief quote from the article, “Young, Restless, and Reformed” (link).
“If there’s an appeal to students, it’s that we’re not playing around,” Hughes said. “We’re not entertaining them. This is life and death. My sense is that’s what they’re interested in, even from an old man.”
I know this article and quote are old, [...]

Principles for Worship

Multnomah University professors Brad Harper and Paul Louis Metzger discuss principles for worship, based on John D. Witvliet’s Worship Seeking Understanding.  The one that spoke most to me was their third principle:
Integrating liturgy and culture requires us to be critical of our own cultural context. Worship leaders need to critique the culturally generated worship [...]

ESV BCP Daily Lectionary

How’s that for acronyms? The English Standard Version (ESV) of the Bible has a fantastic tool for performing the daily office of the Book of Common Prayer (BCP). The ESV compiles the daily Bible readings: Psalms, OT, NT, Gospel – click this link. Not only that, if you use an RSS reader of some kind [...]

Why do Christians Sing?

This coming Sunday I will be preaching on worship…especially in song. As I have done research and preparation for the message, it has been difficult because there is so much I want to convey and I need to redact my material. Anyhow, song is powerful.
Creation was birthed in song, Song accompanied pivotal moments in redemptive [...]

New Testament Worship II

     Worship in the book of Revelation is Temple worship. This should not be surprising, because the Tabernacle instructions given to Moses on Mount Sinai were “a copy and shadow of the heavenly things.” (Hebrews 8.5) God told Moses to make everything according to the pattern shown to him on the mountain. 
      We get [...]

New Testament Worship

 
     Revelation is a battleground book. Many camps divide over interpreting the book 
and in the recent past entire denominations have formed over particular views of the 
last days. I’d like to look at the book through a different lens – that of worship. Many 
folks claim to want to worship like ‘the New Testament church’ worshiped, which 
generally [...]

What’s a Pulpit Worth???

John Piper encourages pastors and hearers to protect the pulpit from trivialities and instead delight in God through the ministry of preaching in the Church.

15 Ways My Pentecostal Upbringing Has Shaped Me…for the good

John Piper recently posted on his blog some reflections on Fundamentalists and why he doesn’t despise them (http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1251_20_reasons_i_dont_take_potshots_at_fundamentalists/). I was inspired by such to reflect on my own spiritual and theological journey in Pentecostalism. Here are 15 reasons why I am grateful for my Pentecostal heritage:
15. I learned that prayer was not merely a monologue [...]

“Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound that Saved a Wretch Like Me” vs. “Prevenient Grace, How Fair the Sound, that calls all Sinners Equally”

I don’t want to be totally obnoxious…but I was thinking about the beloved Hymn “Amazing Grace” and was wondering how a theological Arminian could really sing it.
Traditional Arminian theology believes in “prevenient grace”…essentially meaning that God exerts a measure of grace towards all sinners. Some would even say that God works equally in His grace [...]

Music Review of Brian Doerksen

Currently hooked on “Holy God” and “Triune God” from the latest album “Holy God”. I love the lyrics to “Triune God”:
Triune God
Brenton Brown & Brian Doerksen
Triune God
Uncreated
Perfect Three in One
Sacred bond
Humble friendship
Living dance of light
Draw our lives into the wonder of Your
Majesty Your fellowship divine
The Spirit’s liberty
The grace of Jesus Christ
The Father’s faithful love
The [...]

Music Review of Tommy Walker

Tommy Walker has been one of my favorite worship leaders ever since I first heard his music. Some of teh songs that remain dear in my heart are: He Knows My Name, As We Worship You, That’s Why We Praise Him, Ah Lord God, Mourning into Dancing, How Lovely Your Dwelling [...]