Michael Lawrence asks “Who should pick the music?” In church. He actually means “who picks the songs”. His conclusion for reasons provided in his article is that the lead preaching pastor should do it. I think there are a couple of problems with his assumptions. The starting point is that it seems based on a… Continue reading Who chooses the songs?
Category: Worship
Tell out my soul
Earlier this week I wrote about the hymns of Timothy Dudley Smith who died on Monday. I thought I would share here some of my favourites. I realise that a few will be new to many of my readers. Name of all Majesty is a hymn of praise to Christ working through his life story.… Continue reading Tell out my soul
God’s goodness and greatness: Implications for worship
Our first response to God’s goodness and greatness is worship. In fact, Calvin says that our first priority in life is to seek to be worshippers: “We should consider it the great end of our existence to be found numbered among the worshippers of God.”[1] We exist in a Christian culture where worship is often… Continue reading God’s goodness and greatness: Implications for worship
Every promise
There have been some fantastic new hymns written in recent years. One of them in “I will stand on every promise of your word” by Keith and Kristyn Getty. It describes a number of circumstances we might face, from the simple arrival of each new day through to the horror of failing God and stumbling. … Continue reading Every promise
John Piper and coffee in the sanctuary
The other day John Piper tweeted Now, Piper tends to tweet regularly, everything from Bible verses to pithy comments and his tweets range from the profoundly encouraging to the provocatively controversial. In that respect, he’s pretty much like any of us. Some of his tweets can sound a bit grumpy from time to time. My… Continue reading John Piper and coffee in the sanctuary
There is more than one way to worship self
Celia Walden in the Daily Telegraph has joined those responding to a recent survey in the Times of CofE clergy. A lot of people have reacted to the survey’s apparent suggestion that churches and vicars should in effect just give up on the faith in order to fit in with society around. Walden particularly focuses… Continue reading There is more than one way to worship self
Why we are still meeting at the usual time this Sunday. -even with the small matter of a football game
The Lionesses go into battle at 11am, UK time this Sunday. This means the televised women’s World Cup final will clash with a lot of church services. Should we move or cancel our church gatherings so that people can watch the match? If we don’t does this reflect a problem with sexism? What would we… Continue reading Why we are still meeting at the usual time this Sunday. -even with the small matter of a football game
Services saturated with Scripture
My friend, Richard Baxter makes this important point. I think there are a few reasons why church services can feel like they’ve been shorn of Scripture reading. Daniel Blanche raises one possibility here. I agree with Daniel but I want to add a couple of other reasons here in order to help us think practically… Continue reading Services saturated with Scripture
I have lived in the goodness of God
There’s a fantastic line in the song “Goodness of God.” The first verse talks about God’s faithfulness and mercy. Then in the second verse we are taken to the darkest night of trial and suffering. It’s there that we have this line: “And I have lived in the goodness of God.” Two things strike me… Continue reading I have lived in the goodness of God
Asbury and why we don’t have to label everything immediately
I studied law at university, followed by manufacturing management and a gear shift career change into manufacturing engineering. AS both cause and consequence of those decisions, I tend to be keen to label, define, organise. It’s how my mind is wired and so I was one of those people during COVID who got through it… Continue reading Asbury and why we don’t have to label everything immediately
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