Together for the Gospel!

I just returned this weekend from hands-down the best conference I have ever attended. What a fabulous 3 days.

1) As a church planter, the conference was incredibly encouraging. I left encouraged to keep plugging away, keep trusting God's promise to build His Church His way.

2) I was greatly encouraged by the unity present at the conference across denominational lines. There was true brotherhood around the gospel without the "lowest common denominator" feel of other non-denominational events I have attended. The understanding of the gospel and of God and His Church was so marvelous that I felt more at home than had I been at a meeting of my own denomination.

3) It was a wonderful opportunity to see old friends and catch up with them. Nice to chat with you, David and Eric.

4) The worship through music was AMAZING. Bob Kauflin, if you read this, your song selection and humble leadership were greatly appreciated. It was a remarkable experience to sing such God-centered songs with 3000 passionate men. A preview of heaven, for sure, although the sopranos and altos there will round things out nicely. :)

Now I can't wait to head up to Minneapolis in September for the Desiring God National Conference!

Singing to Jesus or My Prom Date?

The New York Times recently featured a story about a popular CCM/worship band. The article has interesting things to say about the state of Christian music and the evangelical subculture.

Read the article here.

Read Dick Staub's comments here.

Martin Luther: Pastor-Musician

Gene Edward Veith reviews the 4-CD set, Martin Luther: Hymns, Ballads, Chants, Truth. This is one of my favorite "worship albums." It offers a great look at a pastor who loved for the church to worship God in song. It features every work ascribed to Luther. The songs are interspersed with quotes from Luther on the topic of worship.

Stuck in a Rut?

Good post, Eric. Sometimes I think some of our churches are like pre-Vatican II Catholic ones. Everybody is talking in a completely different language. Nobody but the dudes up front know what is going on.

On the other hand, a lot of evangelicalism today is so completely disconnected from history. This is one thing that I think we can learn from the emerging church. Young people today don't just want relevance; they want historical connectedness. They want a big story to which they can tie themselves.

So, let's not overreact, Reformed community, and act like any pursuit of relevance amounts to selling out.

Stuck in the Rut...Stuck in the Rut...Stuck in the Rut...Stuck in the Rut...Stuck in the Rut...Stuck in the Rut...Stuck in the Rut...

Does this quote apply to our congregational gatherings?

Sometimes we Christians are not very wise, as Jesus seems to have realised (see Lk. 16:8). On occasion we get stuck in the rut of a tradition that it is not in itself biblical. We fail to recognise that the words we use or the precise activities in which we engage are no longer appropriate. Instead of showing the contemporary relevance of the gospel, we veil that relevance and strip it of its power.

By our actions, we are really conveying an unspoken message that the gospel belongs to a past generation, or is permanently enshrined in some ancient tradition. But Christ and the gospel are always contemporary. We need to see to it that we live, speak, act, and witness in ways that are appropriate to him and to our time.

Sinclair Ferguson, The Sermon on the Mount: Kingdom Life in a Fallen World, page 156 (emphasis and odd Scottish spellings are the author's).

Screwtape on Worship

Bob Kauflin has posted today a great letter from "Tapescrew" to "Woodworm." This is a play off of C.S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters. This short letter gives much truth about the problems in modern worship.

Family Worship Book

Great thoughts, David, on family worship! I appreciate the emphasis on "moment-by-moment" worship. I do think we do a sort of spiritual damage when we stress God to our children at certain times and ignore Him the rest of the time. This only teaches our children that God is someone to give part of your life to, rather than your all and everything.

How can a reader get a copy of your "family worship book"?

Sunday Morning Peep Shows

It is that time of year again when seasonal candy reminds what our songs, prayers, sermons and services must not be!

Brothers, don't let your worship service be a Sunday morning peep show!

Serving Assorted Preferences and Future Generations in Our Songwriting: Kevin's Quick Response

An observation and follow-up question:

In our efforts to give authentic voices to the praises of modern people, we have, I think rightly, attempted to write modern worship songs. However, it often seems to me that much of the "modern" music really isn't that modern. This is possibly because it's written by more mature saints (a good thing), but the tunes often sound like they're microwaved from the previous decade.

1. Is it worth the effort to write "modern" worship songs?
2. How can we give voice to modern man without becoming obsessed with being "hip?"
3. How do we balance being culturally relevant with being historically connected? Or are either important at all?

Serving Assorted Preferences and Future Generations in Our Songwriting

On Worship Matters, Bob Kauflin posts Reviewing Awesome God Children's CD Reviews. Near the end, he quotes one reviewer's critique of their musical style:

While it is true that there are many different 'tastes' in music, I cannot but think that there are some elements of the way an instrument is played that accentuate the fleshly nature of our fallen self. What do I mean? Well it is fairly obvious that romantic music is designed to create a certain 'mood' in the listener. Other music such as heavy metal causes the listener to feel intensely powerful and invincible.

Bob posts his reply:

Our understanding of how music works in worshipping God is probably more similar than you'd think. We, too, never want the music to overpower the lyrics, but rather serve them. Probably the main area we see things differently is what music "causes" us to do. Music moves us emotionally, but there is a powerful associative effect that can be trained and/or changed. Heavy music doesn't automatically cause someone to "feel intensely powerful and invincible," although that kind of music is often used to voice those attitudes.

I like Bob's last line, "that kind of music is often used to voice those attitudes." That is a good summary of how I feel the music should serve the text. Music should allow us to express the attitude of the text. When I sing Martin Luther’s “A Mighty Fortress is Our God,” I do feel invincible, as I should. The song text teaches me that because of who God is for me in Christ and his Kingdom, I can let everything go and yet suffer no ultimate harm. I should feel invincible, because my God is a mighty fortress and I am in Him. That “feeling” is the proper result of this right theological perception. The tune must help me express that “feeling.” In this case, a “soft” tune would do violence to the text. Luther’s tune complements his text so that, by the end of the fourth verse, I am ready to charge into hell exclaiming, “Do your worst! God has willed his truth to triumph through me; His kingdom is forever!”

Luther’s tune was not designed mindlessly, as notes thrown on a page simply so a text could be sung in obedience to the command to sing. The tune was “designed to create a certain ‘mood’ in the listener.” Is this wrong? No, it is absolutely right. It is right, because mood created by the tune is appropriate to the mood demanded by the text.

Would it ever be wrong to use music to create a mood? Certainly. It would be wrong when there is no substance to the text. If the “mood” is all there is, with no understood theological truth producing the mood in our souls, then it would be wrong. It would also be wrong if the “mood” affirmed something theologically false or celebrated something sinful. (For example, the heavy metal classic “Highway to Hell” makes the listener feel invincible as they celebrate the fact that they are on a highway to hell. Certainly, this is not how our depravity should make us feel.) Bob goes on in his response to write:

Having said that, we aren't married to a particular style, and encourage singing songs in different ways, to reinforce the principle that there is no music that God prefers above all others. Rather, it's our job to use music wisely and responsibly, and to find ways to glorify God in various genres, rather than just a few.

He concludes:

We have no illusions that we’ll ever produce a project that will be acceptable to every musical preference or theological perspective. But in the mean time, we’ll continue to seek to write and promote music that will serve churches and parents in proclaiming the glories of God and the Savior to future generations.

I appreciate these comments. I think it is healthy to vary in our styles and to “encourage singing songs in different ways.” I also appreciate the desire to “serve churches and parents in proclaiming the glories of God and the Savior to future generations.” I think it is important to write for the coming generations, as well as for our own.

One of ways that I like to “encourage singings songs in different ways” and to serve future generations is by writing texts in standard meters. I have a heart for “traditional churches” and for my own generation. They often like different styles. Yet, they should be embracing the same God and the same theology. I would like them to sing (at least some of) the same texts.

Writing in standard meters allows for singing of texts in a variety of styles. This way, David may compose a modern tune (and sometimes make needed metrical adjustments), yet a more “traditional” church can chose a well-known tune of appropriate meter to set it to, if they so prefer.

I’m not proposing that all songs should be written in meter. I’ve written in irregular meter and will continue to do so. Some of my favorite songs are in irregular meter. Yet, I wonder if some quality texts are so tied to their contemporary tunes that the text will be lost when the tune goes out of style. I believe the church would profit from more metered songs. Might disciplining ourselves with meter not only result in more texts that are poetically artistic but also help to preserve them for the coming generations? Might such discipline make our texts more useful to the assortment of musical tastes in the body of Christ?

On Covenants and Those Who Sing Them

This is a previous post from my blog. Brothers, any other thoughts about singing covenants? What about other ways to utilize them in worship gatherings?

At Grace Church, we see the great value in, not only holding to a confession of faith, but also giving ourselves to a church covenant.

Mark Dever, in his great new book (with Paul Alexander), The Deliberate Church, says this about church covenants:

As mentioned before, a church covenant answers the question, How do we commit to living together? The form of the covenant is the way we express our commitment. The content of the covenant is the way we understand our commitment. Our church here in Washington, D.C., was founded with such a covenant, and the original still hangs framed in our main meeting hall, complete with the original signatures from 1878.

Requiring people to sign a church covenant lets them know that they will be expected not only to believe the statement of faith, but to live it. It also lets them know how they will be expected to live it out-- i.e., in clear ways that build up the corporate body and enhance the corporate testimony of the church in the community. Implementing a church covenant helps to correct the misperception that members can live in either isolated individualism or unrepented sin and still be members in good standing. It provides a biblical standard of behavior for members, notifying them of what it means to be a member of the local church, and reminding them of the obligations that membership entails for our lifestyles and interactions with each other. Church covenants make membership meaningful because they clarify the spiritual and relational commitments that membership signifies. Clarifying the commitments of membership promotes the health of the local church because it keeps nominalism at bay and keeps us accountable to growing in real Christian piety. And the more we grow in true Christian holiness and love, the more evidence we have that we are indeed His disciples (Dever and Alexander, 62).

Very well put! In agreeing to a church covenant, we agree to "be the church" one to another in a certain fashion. It propels us toward being the type of community of faith that draws people to the love of Christ. It gives us a standard to which we can hold one another, expecting the loving discipline of the church when we go astray. We could say that confessions of faith guard the church's doctrine, while church covenants guard the church's practice (although there is obvious overlap between the two). More and more churches across America are returning to this wise, old practice of using church covenants. Grace Church is one of them.

To sign a covenant, however, and then forget it is obviously not to be preferred. Dever advocates in his book that churches regularly read their covenant vows to one another. He suggests reading the covenant when the body gathers to take the Lord's Supper. Probably about a year ago, however, I had another idea.

Rich Mullins once spoke of the power of great hymns. He said in an interview, something like, "How many of Wesley's sermons can you name? But if I asked you to list some of Wesley's hymns, you could probably name many!" He went on to argue for the enduring benefit of great, well-written hymns.

Why are hymns so powerful? I say, because, first, they help us emotionally respond to deep, theological concepts. We can read great truths, and that is good. But to sing those truths is greater. Hymns enable to us to connect our heads and hearts. They help us to exult in those truths. They assist us in reveling in the truths of the gospel. Great hymns can help us engage our hearts, and not just our minds, in worship.

Second, hymns help us remember great truths. Singing rich theological concepts helps cement them in our brains. Coupling great words with great music can result in great retention. This is why I am so delighted that our son Hadley is already singing songs like "Amazing Grace" and "Holy, Holy, Holy." As he begins to understand those concepts, I want him to remember them, and then eventually sing them with deep praise for the Lord.

What does this have to do with church covenants? Perhaps about a year ago, I approached a good friend, Eric Schumacher, about composing a church covenant in verse form that could be sung by our congregation. How great it would be, I thought, to have a covenant, composed in verse form and wedded with great music, indelibly written upon our hearts!

Eric accepted my request, and I am delighted. The pastor of Bethany Baptist Church in Keokuk, Iowa, he is not only a gifted preacher, but a gifted hymnwriter. I am amazed at the way God has gifted him in taking great truths and putting them in verse form.

Recently Eric began collaborating with another friend of mine, David Ward, who hosts ReformedPraise.org. I encourage you to check out their first piece together, "There Is No Greater Portrait." In addition, Eric has numerous hymns posted at CyberHymnal.org. Please pray for Eric, asking God to use him greatly in giving His church great hymns.

Below is "Covenant Song." I told Eric recently that, as a sinner, I'm simultaneously excited and bummed. I love the song! However, it's so good that I know we won't be the only church to use it. Of course, that's selfish, and I want many local churches to benefit from this great work. I can just be happy enough knowing that we were the first to use it! A great benefit of the song is that it can be song to a great Indelible Grace tune, "Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken," by Kevin Twit.

Brought by God the Holy Spirit to trust Jesus Christ the Son,
We, the church of God the Father, as his people join as one.
Having been, our faith professing, baptized in the Triune name,
We, in joy and holy earnest, do this covenant now proclaim.

We will work with love and patience for the Spirit’s bond of peace.
As we pray, we will endeavor to see holiness increase.
We will warn, exhort, encourage, as occasion may require.
We will seek to love each other, ever quick to reconcile.

We will not forsake assembling, nor neglect to serve in prayer.
We will seek to teach the gospel to those God puts in our care.
We will bear each other’s burdens and in sorrow share our tears.
We will celebrate God’s blessings, sharing in each other’s cheer.

We will strive to walk in newness, free from worldly lust and sin,
As proclaimed in our immersion, “Dead with Christ and raised with Him!”
We, our presence, gifts and service, do to this church now commit.
We will keep her faith and practice; to her discipline submit.

Should the Lord be pleased to move us, we will seek to quickly find
An assembly of like doctrine with a covenant of like kind.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus with God’s love upon us fall;
May the Spirit’s sweet communion be forever with us all.

Amen.

May God the Father write these words of covenant commitment to one another on our hearts, Grace Church!

"God is my girlfriend" or Reflection of the Psalms?: Kevin

Although it's doubtful I'll be using "Draw Me Close to You" in the near future (we use tons of Indelible Grace, Getty, and Sovereign Grace), I think it's dangerous to make the kind of statements Colson makes. First, how dare we have requirements for song lyrics that the Psalmist himself couldn't stack up to! Second, to make mention of specific songs, in the manner Colson did, by no means reflects the love of Christ that should bind His people together.

Simplistic proclamations deeming some songs as shallow and some not are not helpful. Regarding simple love songs, often the how is as important as the what. If we're stringing together scores of sentimental, shallow songs to form a complete worship service, that's not wise. Imagine if you just talked in sappy, baby speech to your wife all the time. Using a simple song in the context of several theologically rich songs, however, can be quite moving. For example, Chris Tomlin's "How Great Is Our God" is a simple, yet God-centered, song. Placed at the end of a song service, perhaps following "How Great Thou Art," results in a moving, fitting response to God's greatness.

Colson is right that much of evangelicalism sings baby talk to God in her songs. He is wrong to say that there is never an appropriate time to express simple praise to our Lord.

"God is my girlfriend" or Reflection of the Psalms?

What do you think of Sam Storms' response to Chuck Colson?

Great Thoughts on Family Worship

Families are part of the local church. Don't miss Jim Hamilton's humble and practical remarks on family worship.

Kevin, You Ruined My Plan!!!

So, Kevin...I guess #5 on your list rules out building the entire service around a drawing where one lucky guest wins a new car?

Unbelievers in Easter Gatherings: Kevin

Eric raised a great question. How should we consider unbelieving guests as we plan our Easter gatherings? Here are five fairly obvious thoughts:

1) As Eric stated, we should be proclaiming the gospel and Christ's resurrection all the time.
2) It is wise, however, to particularly celebrate Christ's Resurrection at this point in the church calendar.
3) Nothing is better for a believer than seeing Christ's people worship Him with joy. We could do no more loving a thing than worship God so passionately in our meeting that he falls down saying, "God is really among you!" (1 Cor. 14:25). That is truly "seeker-sensitive."
4) However, we should not pretend that unbelievers will not be among us. We must seize this wonderful opportunity to proclaim the gospel simply and clearly during our Easter meeting, praying for the Spirit's work in their lives. We truly have a "captive audience" that comes perhaps once a year.
5) We must not do this in a way, however, that deprives the gathering body from celebrating Christ's resurrection. The purpose of our gatherings is to do just that-- gather as God's people to praise Him corporately. A meeting solely concerned with the seeker can forget the purpose of the meeting-- to encourage the saints in the gospel and enable them to praise God for that good news. That, too, is an opportunity we do not want to miss.

Good/Friday and Easter Songs: Kevin

Well, I started this discussion, so perhaps I should answer my own question:

Good Friday Songs (taken from our Good Friday gathering song list):
Thy Mercy My God is the Theme of My Song (Indelible Grace)
There is a Fountain Filled with Blood
Beautiful, Scandalous Night (great tune by Daugherty, Hindalong-- "the Choir")
Who Is This So Weak and Helpless? (Indelible Grace)
Sacred Head, Now Wounded
How Deep the Father's Love for Us (Townend)
The Power of the Cross (Getty/Townend)
O Come and Mourn with Me Awhile (Indelible Grace)
Lift Up They Bleeding Hand (Indelible Grace)

(as you can tell we love the IGrace stuff! we may add a few more in here, as well)

Easter Songs (gathering not planned; incomplete list)
See What a Morning (Getty)
Christ the Lord is Risen Today (Wesley)
Beautiful Savior (Townend) (line: "you're the risen One; heaven's Champion")
Jesus Is Lord (Getty)
In Christ Alone (Getty)
He Is Risen (Schumacher)

I am very encouraged about the increasing quality of great Easter hymns! Soli deo gloria!

Good Friday, Easter, Suggestions, Etc.

David covered a lot of quality songs for Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday.

My comment: Should we be singing anything special for Good Friday and Easter? After all, if our focus is not on the cross and resurrection every Sunday, we've got other things to worry about than these two days.

That said, I do believe it is wise to account for an unusual amount of unbelievers in attendance on Easter morning. I think it is wise to preach directly and simply on the Gospel, as opposed to preaching on its applications and implications (as we might do most Sundays as we move through books). This is always good for believers and unbelievers alike.

I want to highly recommend the songs from David's CD Cross-Centered Worship. I plan to review this on An Infant in a Cradle in the future. For now, let me say that I have been listening to this CD for a few months now and every listen brings fresh blessings. I look forward to singing more of these songs and hope others will do so as well. The "cross-centeredness" in Cross-Centered Worship makes them more than applicable for Good Friday and Easter.

He Is Risen!

A Resurrection Sunday song suggestion.