worship The Weekly Ascent September 01, 2018 Someone said to me recently “I don’t know that I have ever really worshipped God.” It wasn’t the confession of an atheist or a non-Christian, but the words of a godly
Family Where Should Your Children Be During Worship? August 23, 2018 But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 19:14) Where are children supposed to be
Hymns What Then Shall We Sing About? December 05, 2017 One of the most powerful influences in creation is music. Music has the ability to impress the mind, provoke the emotions of the heart, and activate the deepest recesses of our memories. In
Jesus Benefits of Singing Psalms October 25, 2017 Every now and then I get a call or email from my insurance agent. He wants to check in on me, make sure I'm still paying my bills and all that. But what
Anxiety Improving Our Call to Worship February 27, 2017 Surely the aim is a good one. Yet the intended result is impossible for God's people to do. I speak of those leading in worship who begin the service with something along these
Christ Above the Clouds December 22, 2016 Earlier this week, while visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park with my family, I was reminded of the fact that no matter how dark things are in the valleys, the sun is always
Church Planting In This Election Cycle, Remember the Sabbath (and the rest of God’s moral law) October 12, 2016 Need a break from election-season stress? How about embracing the break God built into creation from the beginning? The Sabbath day is such a beautiful gift from God. Through it, the giver of
singing Why We Sing April 06, 2016 Of all the things we do in worship, singing is the most mysterious to me. That's probably not a great statement about my theology, but it's accurate. I understand the _why _of our
children Children in Worship February 25, 2016 An article yesterday over at Reformation 21 on family-integrated worship caught my eye. I enjoyed the historical peek at a time period in Scotland when the church was wrestling over having children in
Jesus Missing Jesus With Thomas April 10, 2015 On the evening of the first Lord's Day, the day of Jesus' resurrection, Thomas was absent. The other disciples were gathered together when Jesus came and stood among them displaying his nail pierced
encouragement "Not In Our House!!" April 08, 2015 Have you ever tried to resist the inevitable? I do this whenever I sit down to eat. No matter how much I try to avoid it, my superlative skills in unintentionally creating social
prayer What Must I Be To Pray? December 12, 2014 I trust you won't hold it against me if I told you that I've often wondered what makes someone a good prayer. I know, I know, that sounds awfully critical and judgmental—two
Church The First Word of God to His Church October 24, 2014 Have you ever noticed that almost every letter in the New Testament–James, Hebrews, and 3 John excepted–opens with the words “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the
Psalms Speaking to One Another in Song October 10, 2014 If I'm honest, I think one of the downsides of being a pastor is that I don't often get to sit in the pews. I know pews aren't always the most comfortable and
Deer Tick A Very Little Thing August 04, 2014 From childhood, I remember that Timex watches used to have commercials featuring either "torture tests" or short documentaries on true circumstances where their watches endured extreme conditions but still functioned afterward.
John Calvin The Things I Learn Grading March 07, 2014 As I near the end of grading by wading through student papers on worship, I have enjoyed learning or re-learning as well. Here are a few gleanings to share with you. On communion,
Bob Kellerman Browse Worthy: Worship February 17, 2014 In addition to Jared's post encouraging us to see if our spiritual clothing is appropriate for worship, there have been several other recent articles on the subject of worship that are quite helpful.
worship How about not dressing up for worship? February 15, 2014 Sure, I’ll wear a suit. We’ll have the kids put on some decently nice outfits. My wife will look wonderful as always. But maybe tomorrow, all of us could choose not
biography Saturday Evening at a Pastor's Home October 05, 2013 The house is clean. Mostly. You know, pretty clean. Soccer gear is stowed away so Sunday visitors don't impale themselves on cleats. Homemade pizza with whole wheat crust, kids eating at the kitchen
singing Improving Congregational Singing January 02, 2012 According to the forty-seventh Psalm, we are to sing the praise of the Lord "with skillfulness." I will leave the musical instruction side of that commandment, with its pitches, note reading,
Church Maybe Timeliness is Next to Godliness December 08, 2011 Tardiness to worship is like the common cold. Every church deals with it. It's not the most serious malady facing us, yet it distracts us and drains us. And we have yet to
Church iPew? December 06, 2011 John had noticed that his pastor, for quite some time, had been excited. A longtime churchgoer, John had never seen him quite this enthusiastic. For several months the pastor had been talking about
Psalm 50 A Word on Worship From Psalm 50 March 15, 2010 “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God.” These sobering words of I Peter 4:17 summarize the message of Psalm 50. It is a resounding call
