I have now been employed here almost five months now, and I have learned a lot along the way. But, recently, I have had a number of conversations with members of my church regarding choosing songs for corporate worship. I was thrilled to find that Bob had posted this video of the workshop on his blog/website, Worship Matters. I think that this video will be helpful for anyone who is involved in choosing songs for corporate worship. Actually, I think that this will be profitable to church member who desires to understand or analyze the value of Christian Music in church and individual worship.

I hope that you find this as helpful as I have.

this is “grace at work”

Personally, I find many of the older hymns speaking more clearly about the Gospel of our Christ and the attributes of our God more clearly than much of the music that is being produced in main-stream Christian music today.  Often the hymns bring with them a patience and imagery that newer composers neglect. However, not all that is old is good, and not all that is new is bad. Many of the older hymns do not even speak of God or the Gospel directly. Instead, they speak of past remembered or future anticipated experiences. There is nothing necessarily intrinsically wrong with experiences, but our faith is not built on our experiences. It is built on the person and work of Christ our God. This is the reason the main subject of our songs should not be us, but rather God.

Kevin DeYoung talks through this subject and provides some food for thought. In the end, it is not music that should be the issue, but rather it should be the heart and mind of each worshipper. Each person’s thoughts and affections should be saturated with the clear truths of God and the Gospel. Songs can either establish our thoughts toward these truths or direct them unsuspectingly away.

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2011/11/30/remembering-memory-2/

this is “grace at work”

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2011/06/28/ten-principles-for-church-song-part-1/

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2011/06/30/ten-principles-for-church-singing-part-2/

http://www.9marks.org/answers/how-important-style-music-church-sings

22 “You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year. 23 And before the Lord your God, in the place that he will choose, to make his name dwell there, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always. 24 And if the way is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, when the Lord your God blesses you, because the place is too far from you, which the Lord your God chooses, to set his name there, 25 then you shall turn it into money and bind up the money in your hand and go to the place that the Lord your God chooses 26 and spend the money for whatever you desire—oxen or sheep or wine or strong drink, whatever your appetite craves. And you shall eat there before the Lord your God and rejoice, you and your household.”  (ESV)

Although it is not necessary to keep the distinct instructions of this law (after Jesus kept and fulfilled the entire law through His life and death), the law still teaches us what pleases God. By the law, we recognize in what God delights, so we can know how shape our worship and lives. This, what our family attempts to observe, focuses our minds on the goodness of God.

I appreciate the effort that my Dad has made to deliberately focus our families eyes on God through our family taditions. Here is a post from my family blog which briefly recounts this years feast in my Dad’s words.

Annual Feast to Praise God 2010

this is “grace at work”

“Brethren, there is an abiding fullness of truth in Christ; after you have heard it for fifty years, you see more of its fullness than you did at first. Other truths weary the ear. I will defy any man to hold together a large congregation, year after year, with any other subject but Christ Jesus. He might do it for a time; he might charm the ear with the discoveries of science, or with the beauties of poetry, and his oratory might be of so high an order that he might attract the multitudes who have itching ears, but they would in time turn away and say, ‘This is no longer to be endured. We know it all’.”

“All music becomes wearisome but that of heaven; but oh! if the minstrel doth but strike this celestial harp, though he keepeth his fingers always among its golden strings, and be but poor and unskilled upon an instrument so divine, yet the melody of Jesus’ name, and the sweet harmony of all his acts and attributes, will hold his listeners by the ears and thrill their hearts as nought beside can do. The theme of Jesus’ love is inexhaustible, though preachers may have dwelt upon it century after century, a freshness and fullness still remain.”

From a sermon entitled “The Fulness Of Jesus The Treasury Of Saints,” delivered February 28, 1869.

Ben’s Talk on Music in the Church

this is “grace at work”

For the last couple months I have been working out in this record breaking heat. I have been waiting – longing for the day, as so many others were as well, when the cloud would once again shade the sun and pour out cool refreshing rain. Last week, while I was working I noticed the clouds rolling in from the northwest. Could it be? I continued working with anticipation, but also ready to watch the clouds to roll on pass as they had times before. As they came nearer I heard the distant thunder and saw flashes of lightning. What an amazing display God had for his creation. In moments, the temperature dropped at least ten degrees, and large drops of rain began to pour down from the sky. It was magnificent!

My heart resounded in praise to the Creator and sustainer of life. The rain never seemed more fresh and cool. The thunder never roared louder. I wanted to shout in response to the mighty rolls, but my shouts I knew would be lost in the celestial praise. In my heart that day, I was called to worship by the heavens. I watched in awe as the earth received the rain and drank it in as though it had ocean size caverns to fill. It was much like my heart longing for the Him who alone can fill my heart. Let the rain pour! Let the thunder roll! Let my heart resound in praise to the God of the Creation.

this is “grace at work”

I am thinkin about tomorrow. I have the priviledge to meet with the people that God has chosen from out of this world and, again, celebrate Jesus Christ. We are chosen, not because of our “good behavior,” but because God wanted to, for His pleasure. We are acceptable based on the merit of Christ. Let us, once again REJOICE!!!!!

For a good post on the grace of God

In love, God has chosen us and has separated out from this world as fellow heirs with Christ. And, we are His workmanship which He is working for His own pleasure.

We have so much to celebrate. Celebrate tomorrow with great passion and joy. Celebrate God’s love with all your heart, soul, and mind:with everything in you. He is worthy!