12 Sunday Dec 2010
Posted in Theology
This is probably my favorite Advent hymn. I love the original two verses by Wesley, but I especially appreciate the first half of verse 3, penned by Mark Hunt.
I’m a bit of a hum-bug about Christmas, but hymns like this really do prepare my heart (through the truth of the Gospel presented therein) for the celebration of our Substitute’s birth.
28 Saturday Aug 2010
Posted in Personal
Tags
My Cry Ascends
First, before I get onto the reflective part of my post, go check out this new worship CD. I never recommend worship CDs anymore…but this one is rocking my face off, especially Paslm 68. Isaac Watts’ words +Celtic flavoring + men’s choir in unison + 6/8 time signature = SCRIPTURAL AWESOMENESS!
23 Sunday May 2010
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
experience, Gospel, homosexuality, music, Scripture, theology, witnessing, worship
Many folks in evangelicalism who routinely ‘share their faith,’ go about telling their story. They talk about how Jesus has saved them from this or that sinful behavior or thought pattern. Some folks’ sin of choice involves alcohol, some are sidelined by homosexual behavior, others by drugs, anger, or nicotine. Whatever they wrestled with before, they have the victory over now…all thanks to Jesus.
Here’s the problem: even if we are to grant that God has wrought such life-change through sanctification, this is still not the Gospel. Such life-change is potentially a fruit of the Gospel, but the Gospel and its fruit must never be confounded. Someone recently asked me to summarize the Gospel. Here’s what I answered:
That Christ, acting outside of me, apart from my will, died for me in history and that he rose again, giving me his righteousness which covers me like a robe would. His righteousness is always and always will be alien to (outside of) me.
21 Friday May 2010
Posted in Uncategorized
Isaac Watts, the lyricist of such hymns as “Joy to the World” writes in this hymn of Christ, our sacrifice. The hymn contains all the necessary elements…confession of sin, assurance of pardon, indeed the Gospel itself.
28 Wednesday Apr 2010
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
culture, experience, Gospel, homosexuality, Jennifer Knapp, music, politics, repentance, Scripture, theology
In view of recent events regarding Jennifer Knapp mentioned on Chris Rosebrough‘s program, I believe the following words from Jerram Barrs, while not being the final word on the subject, are in fact, relevant to the discussion.
17 Saturday Apr 2010
Posted in Uncategorized
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Will, at the Sojourns with Jesus blog, continues his reflections on Jennifer Knapp and sexuality in the Church.
Jesus in divine obstructiveness has refused for whatever reason to leave me alone especially in my sexuality. I have loved Jesus since early childhood and believed in Jesus even when I did not believe in God. I walked away from him but he never walked away from me. Jesus invaded my life including my imagination, desires, and struggles at seventeen. My only problem with Jesus has always been that he wants to be in charge of all my life including my sex life. He is thoroughly un-modern in his insistence that he is the Lord of my heart and I am not {suppose to be}.
14 Wednesday Apr 2010
Posted in Uncategorized
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Will, at the Sojourns with Jesus blog, writes about Christian singer Jennifer Knapp’s coming out as a lesbian. I’m looking forward to hearing the remainder of his comments.
My spiritual journey with God can best be described as wrestling. I am by nature a skeptic. It is hard for me to believe in a invisible being called God that is a Sovereign Lord. That belief goes against my nature and my culture. The virtue of our society is that we are our own lords and anything goes as long as its “consensual” and “no body gets hurt”. Sovereignty implies submission and the idea of submission goes against my very nature. I love music and it has been a great influence on my spiritual journey particularly in my late teens and early 20s. I really fell in love with the raw honesty of Jennifer Knapp’s music at a time I nearly walked away from the Church. She spoke in her music about struggles with a sovereign God. I’ve struggled too.
Click here to read the rest of Will’s post.
08 Thursday Apr 2010
Posted in Uncategorized
In this blog article, the question is asked, “is your worship worthy of God?” The following quote from Calvin is offered:
Moreover, that which St. Augustine has said is true, that no one is able to sing things worthy of God except that which he has received from him. Therefore, when we have looked thoroughly and searched here and there, we shall not find better songs nor more fitting for the purpose, than the Psalms of David, which the Holy Spirit spoke and made through him. And, moreover, when we sing them, we are certain that God puts in our mouths these, as if he himself were singing in us to exalt his glory.
Quote by John Calvin taken from John Calvin: Pilgrim and Pastor
It seems that Calvin has a point to make and makes it well. It would, in response to Nathan’s question, seem to point out a serious deficit in worship which is exclusively hymn-driven (or even ‘blended,’ I’d argue). This is why, as a Reformed worship leader at a non-Reformed congregation, I strive to incorporate psalmnody whenever possible. We don’t chant them, but I am capable of doing so myself due to the fact that I was in a psalm-chanting Episcopalian congregation while in college.
24 Wednesday Feb 2010
Posted in Uncategorized
08 Monday Feb 2010
Posted in Uncategorized
As a worship leader, I’m continually evaluating the theological merits of songs which we could do at our church. Anytime I hear a new CD, I spend time reading the lyrics before I ever press play. Lyrics to hymns like “He Leadeth Me,” “Peaceful Bower,” “As Thy Days” and “How Firm a Foundation” are excellent at communicating the truths of the gospel or truths which result from the gospel…why would anyone ever sing crap? Because it’s catchy.
People sing “Nothing Is As Wonderful” (an old Vineyard chorus) or even “Hosanna” by Hillsong, where I take real issue with the line, “I see a near-revival coming as we pray and sing.” What the heck is THAT mess??
“But Dave, it’s only one line.”
Every line counts. Ever notice how a person will remember the one part of a story that’s fictional? It’s like we’re drawn to repeat lies (intentional or otherwise) like a glutton toward food or drink or whatever makes him gluttonous. Singing even one line that makes no sense or isn’t completely true is disaster. This is why I won’t ever do the song “Here Is Our King” by David Crowder, unless it was just the chorus, joined to different verses. The verses are a mish-mesh of nothing. Don’t believe me? Read them and then I challenge you to make actual sense out of them. You won’t be able to, I promise.
Gay and Evangelical 