Posted August 7th, 2006
We are having a special service this Sunday, one in which all of the singing will be done without accompaniment (a capella). We do not believe that this is the only acceptable method of singing to the Lord in worship as some do. Instead, I use servcies like this as a way to remind all of us that the music is not the main thing in worship songs, it is the lyrics and the truth about the Lord conveyed in those lyrics. I do all that I can each week to help people focus on the lyrics instead of just going along for the ride with the songs. Below is the explanation I gave our church in a church-wide email:
Brethren,
As I mentioned during the announcements on Sunday morning, our music will be a little different this Sunday during Gathered Worship. The only music we make will be with our voices, the instruments that we carry with us wherever we go. To help us prepare I have put together a page on our website with audio files you can click on to practice and learn parts.
http://www.redeemerbiblechurch.com/acapella/
The hymns:
#101 Come, Thou Almighty King
#100 Holy, Holy, Holy
#55...
Continue reading...
Posted August 3rd, 2006
Brothers, I thought it would be humbling for us and helpful to our brothers and sisters in Christ if we shared our experience with the practice and priority of private worship. At Redeemer we use the term private worship, which I think is very helpful, but you may know it as "quiet times" or "devotions."
Private worship is the act of setting aside our preoccupation with our daily responsibilities to put our focus on the Lord. When I teach on worship I often mention the various ways worship should manifest itself in our lives – in public or gathered worship, in family worship (whoever we live with), in private worship, and in all-of-life worship. When one is missing the others will suffer as well. I have found that most of the time when someone has endless complaints about public worship along the lines of "our public worship just isn't doing anything for me, isn't helping me connect with God" that they have a non-existent private worship life. How can we expect to have intimate times of God on Sundays if we never seek Him during the week? Pardon the frankness, but it's like a husband...
Continue reading...
Posted August 3rd, 2006
Brothers, I feel compelled to share a couple of things about our mid-week prayer meeting that I hope will benefit any who read our blog. First, I wanted to explain the format of prayer meeting so people can get a sense of what we do on Wednesdays. We pick up a congregational prayer sheet as we come in and begin by singing for about 15 minutes. We then move through the prayer sheet which includes praises, petitions for the sick and injured, and various kinds of special requests, sharing new items and asking for updates as we go along. We then break into men/women and get assigned several requests from the sheet and from there split into groups of 2 or 3. In our smallest groups we share additional personal needs and requests as well as how we are doing spiritually. It is a wonderful time of small group and one on one admonishment and encouragement. I feel that it's one of the best times our church has to "stimulate one another to love and good deeds." (Heb 10:24)
On the first Wednesday of the month we pray through either the Lord's Prayer or...
Continue reading...
Posted August 1st, 2006
Hey guys,
I posted a new hymn text on my blog last night. (David, it's not new to you...but we're looking forward to a tune!)
It is called "What Love Is This?" I was moved to write it after singing a Watts' text at the Together for the Gospel conference last April.
Posted July 26th, 2006
Hey guys! Long time, no post.
James 1:27 says, "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."
I've been thinking about how this verse applies to worship. I've had the opportunity to visit some widows in the nursing home and hospital, some older believers in their homes, and our church has a monthly birthday party at a nursing home at which God's word is shared and old gospel songs are sung. One of the things I've noticed is the joy that these older believers have when their favorite old gospel songs are sung (in addition to reading God's word to them and praying with them). Often these are songs that I am not familiar with or of a style and era that seems rather 'corny' today. Nevertheless, the gospel is sung and their souls are ministered to.
It occurred to me that this is one good reason to at least familiarize ourselves with the songs of previous generations (as foreign and corny as they may sound). We may not use them in our corporate worship services. We may not sing them at...
Continue reading...
Posted July 24th, 2006
I promise not to frequently post things not directly relevant to worship. However, a long lady began attending our church recently who has now been diagnosed with leukemia. It has been a hard road for Amy Wilhoite. But she and her husband Brandon, and their son Gary, have been a shining example of faith during trial to us. I hope by reading her blog, she will encourage you, as well. It has certainly helped me worship our Lord. Please read her blog and pray for her.
Posted July 17th, 2006
Brothers, I recently followed some links from the Indelible Grace site and discovered the music from Red Mountain Church of Birmingham, Alabama. I love this stuff! It's similar to Indelible Grace, but perhaps it's a bit more "rootsy." They do modern versions of old, often obscure hymns. It is fabulous. Check it out here. At some point, I may do reviews, but I recently bought Help My Unbelief and The Gadsby Project. I'm excited, as it gives our church just another good source of lyrically rich, yet culturally relevant, music.
Posted July 17th, 2006
On the recent Albert Mohler Program, Dr. Russ Moore sits in and talks about a new book, Death by Suburb. You need to listen to this. How do our church worship programs often make things worse? Listen here.
Posted July 16th, 2006
Grace Church of Columbia - Grace Gathering
Sunday, July 16th, 2006 10:00 am
Call to Worship
Psalm 46
Opening Song
A Mighty Fortress is Our God (Martin Luther)
Confession of Sin/Assurance of Pardon
Silent Prayer for Forgiveness
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Songs of Meditation
O Come and Mourn With Me Awhile (Frederick Faber, Eric Ashley)
Before the Throne of God Above (Vikki Cook / Charitie L. Bancroft)
Scripture Reading
Proverbs 5
Song of Worship
Better is One Day (Matt Redman)
Offering
Offering Prayer
Receiving the Offering
Thou Lovely Source of True Delight (instr.)
Message
Lust Tackled by the Gospel of Grace: Matthew 5:27-30
Lord's Supper
Invitation to the Table of our Lord
Thou Lovely Source of True Delight (Anne Steele, Kevin Twit)
Serving the Bread and the Cup
Confession of Our Common Faith
The Nicene Creed (Traditional English Version)
Lord's Supper
The Bread and the Cup
Community Life
Welcome to Guests
Announcements
Sharing and Praying
Song of Thanksgiving
Amazing Grace (John Newton)
Benediction
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
Posted July 12th, 2006
Grace Church of Columbia - Grace Gathering
Sunday, July 9th, 2006 10:00 am
Call to Worship
Colossians 1:15-20
Opening Song
Jesus, I Come (Greg Thompson / William Sleeper)
Confession of Sin/Assurance of Pardon
Confession: Reconciliation (Grace Church Confessions)
Leader:
"If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
--Matthew 18:15-18
God's People:
Father, Your word tells us that, if a brother sins against us, either directly by hurting us or indirectly by harming your church, we should approach him in love. But we have disobeyed you, Lord. Instead of going to him, we have gone to others. Instead of talking to him, we
...
Continue reading...
