WORSHIP NOTES Volume 12, No. 12 (December 2017) New Year’s resolutions abound every year at this time, and while all are well-intentioned, it’s common knowledge that most of them don’t make it through the middle of January. Below are some suggestions for some steps that could enrich and deepen our corporate practice and individual walk of worship. IN THE SERVICE 1. Read more Scripture. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing …
WORSHIP NOTES Volume 12, No. 11 (November 2017) Here are the books that over the years have most impacted my understanding of worship. THE CENTRALITY OF WORSHIP The first, and ultimately the most influential, is: About 25 years our missions pastor walked across the hall and showed me the first edition of this book. It was the first Piper book I ever read, and I would never be the same. …
This trip was both one of the most exhausting trips I have taken, and at the same time one of the most rewarding.
WORSHIP NOTES Volume 12, No. 10 (October 2017) I apologize that Worship Notes for October is so late; after taking part in World Reformed Fellowship’s conference “The Global Impact of the Reformation and its Relevance for Continuing Reformation” in Wittenberg, Germany, I continued on to Singapore for a non-stop week of teaching there. I would like to now share some reflections on my time in Wittenberg and on the 500th …
WORSHIP NOTES Volume 12, No. 9 (September 2017) “The most important musical group in the churchis the congregation.” This vital truth was hammered home to me from several different angles during the month of September. Capitol Hill Baptist Church I had long wanted to visit this church (especially since I grew up in the D.C. area), located just five blocks from the U.S. Capitol. The first Sunday in September I …
WORSHIP NOTES Volume 12, No. 8 (August 2017) “Reformation Day,” and “Reformation Sunday” on the Sunday immediately preceding, is celebrated every year in Lutheran and other churches in commemoration of Martin Luther’s posting of his 95 Theses on the church door in Wittenberg; this act is commonly seen as setting in motion the discussions, debates and conflicts that resulted in what we now call the Protestant Reformation. This year there …
What a rich and full week it was! What amazing believers! They are so joyful and full of life, in spite of their often very difficult circumstances. We can learn a lot from them about contentment and peace in the Lord.
WORSHIP NOTES Volume 12, No. 7 (July 2017) (original cover artwork by Emily Ozier for our 2010 Festival of Lessons & Carols) THE ELEMENTS OF A LESSONS & CAROLS SERVICE (continued) 2. THE THEME Obviously the theme is the birth of Christ! But often we have looked at the Christmas story from varying angles, with an overarching sub-theme giving direction and focus to the individual lessons and to the …
Thinking Ahead: A Christmas Festival of Lessons & Carols (part 2 of 2) Read More »
I returned a week ago from two weeks of teaching at Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary JETS). It was my fifth time to teach at JETS, and my sixth time in the Middle East (the other time was Lebanon; I have never gotten to Israel!).
Volume 12, No. 6 (June 2017) Those of us involved in church music ministry know all to be well that it is high time that we were about making plans for our 2018 Christmas services. The publishers know that too: they have already been dumping new issues on us for a couple of months now. My now-grown children are grateful that they no longer have to be subjected to …
Thinking Ahead: A Christmas Festival of Lessons & Carols Read More »
