Category: Worship

Is “My Song is Love Unknown” antisemitic?

I’ve written a few times about the growing resurgence in antisemitism. I talk in terms of resurgence because this is a historic problem and whilst we think primarily of Nazi Germany, neither Britain nor the church has a good record here. Testimony to our failure include the writings of Martin Luther and some shocking examples… Continue reading Is “My Song is Love Unknown” antisemitic?

Celebrating Easter with joyful praise

When we first arrived at Bearwood Chapel, there didn’t seem to have been a significant emphasis on Easter. The Brethren tradition tends to particularly stay away from church calendar occasions. However, we had a few people, particularly but not exclusively from the older end of the church who wanted to make a bigger thing of… Continue reading Celebrating Easter with joyful praise

In Christ alone

Every so often I pick up on a complaint/objection to Stuart Townend’s hymn “In Christ alone.”  Here is one such example. There are people who would be happy, they say, to sing the hymn but are deeply distressed by the line “Til on that Cross, as Jesus died The wrath of God was satisfied.” Now,… Continue reading In Christ alone

Blest is the one whose bowels move

My friend Andrew Price drew our attention to an old Isaac Watts’ hymn recently. You will be relieved (pun not intended) to hear that it has nothing to do with bodily functions or IBS. Traditionally, when people referred to the emotions they talked not of the heart which was seen rather as the seat of… Continue reading Blest is the one whose bowels move

Me and my idol

Tom Wood writes in Gospelling Life Together: We admit our own striving for wholeness through approval, comfort or security from others, from self-accomplishment, from this world’s offers of life or even our religious successes, as if they are life. Wood, Dr. Tom. Gospelling Life Together: How Gospel Discipleship Can Change Your Life (p. 69). Sandals… Continue reading Me and my idol