Southern Baptists are quite different then just a few years ago! I know because I grew up Southern Baptist and we didn’t have ballet for worship services or worry about other churches having known homosexuals on staff.
Classical ballet at Pastors’ Conference
… Riley and her church, First Baptist Church of North Mobile, are working to reclaim [...]
Entries Categorized as 'Worship'
Southern Baptists – Changing Quickly
June 23, 2009
Sacred Harp Singing – Losing Its Heart
June 22, 2009
This weekend we attended the National Sacred Harp Convention in the Birmingham, Alabama area. I enjoyed getting to hear the style singing that I grew up listening to. Although I found I was seriously out of practice. I could not sing as fast as they did.
The National Convention draws some of the best Sacred Harp [...]
Louis Bourgeois – Old 100th Tune Writer
June 15, 2009
Here is another history lesson on the music wars in the church, of the 1500’s style. This poor man, Louis Bourgeois, gave us the tune to the Old 100th but was essentially run out of town because he dared change the tunes to some familiar Psalms.
Technically though the tune we call the Old 100th was [...]
Feeding Sheep or Amusing Goats?
May 11, 2009
Feeding Sheep or Amusing Goats?
An evil resides in the professed camp of the Lord so gross in its imprudence that the most shortsighted can hardly fail to notice it. During the past few years it has developed at an abnormal rate evil for evil. It has worked like leaven until the whole lump ferments. The [...]
Consuming Fire
April 25, 2009
I really don’t understand how people will pick a verse for their theme verse and have no clue what it means. Does no one tell them? What about their own pastors?
Youth being reached for the Lord at ‘The Furnace’
They came up with the name ‘The Furnace’ from a verse of scripture in the Bible.
“Hebrews 12:29 [...]
“Christian” Clubs Are On The Rise
March 30, 2009
There is another “Christian” Club for youth in Alabama. Modeled along the lines of The Basement, The Ramp, and The Generation, Outcry is another club like atmosphere where youth gather to listen to “worship” bands, dance and have a “relevant Bible study” thrown in for good measure .
‘Outcry’ of faith
A new Bible study is sweeping [...]
The Melody Pierces the Heart More Strongly – Calvin
March 10, 2009
“Moreover, in speaking now of music, I understand two parts: namely the letter, or subject and matter; secondly, the song, or the melody. It is true that every bad word (as St. Paul has said) perverts good manner, but when the melody is with it, it pierces the heart much more strongly, and enters into [...]
Notice What I’m Not Looking For In a Church
March 5, 2009
Just wanted you to notice that what I’m looking for in a church is not a legalistic church but a Biblical church.
I did not include the following items in the post What to Look for in a Church:
1) Ladies must wear dresses at all times.
2) Ladies must never cut their hair.
3) Ladies all must have [...]
What to Look for in a Church
March 4, 2009
For quite a while I have been thinking on and pondering what it is we should look for in a church. I’m sure this will be modified as time goes on but this is a basic idea. What did I leave out or add that isn’t according to Scripture?
1) Accurate view of God. Based on [...]
Worship Volume
February 24, 2009
I found the following article very interesting. At our previous church several of the church members and even the music leader all said they were deaf in one ear. Why? My thought was that they prefered the music too loud.
Memo to Worship Bands
Can you hear me? You can? I’m sorry if I am shouting, but [...]
Sign of the Cross for Protestants !?!
February 7, 2009
What will be next? Transubstantiation? Latin worship services?
Michael J. Gorman of the Ecumenical Institute of Theology at St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore suggests Protestants should use Catholic symbols in their worship.
At the Ecumenical Institute, theological inquiry takes place in an atmosphere that acknowledges the diversity of religions and cultures while emphasizing the Jewish and Christian [...]
Acceptable Offerings
January 31, 2009
“The Lord God is not pleased with nor does He accept everything that is offered to Him in worship. He did not respect or accept Cain’s offering (see Genesis 4), and He did not accept the “strange fire” offered to Him by Nadab and Abihu. In fact, He killed them with fire for offering it [...]
Music in the Church: How Special Should We Make It?
January 16, 2009
Author: Jim Elliff
You could put the entire teaching about church music in the New Testament in a paragraph or two. Add to this teaching those spirited illustrations of corporate singing in heaven displayed in the last book of the Bible, when angels and throngs of people fill the air with thundering six to eight line [...]
Biblical Worship – A Right Understanding
December 21, 2008
The following sermon is by Dr. Peter Masters the pastor of Metropolitan Tabernacle, London. Dr John Gill was the pastor of that church for 51 years. Charles Spurgeon was the pastor during his lifetime, for 38 years.
Visiting churches over the past few months has led to much thought and research on appropriate worship and particularly [...]
God Honoring Hymns
December 8, 2008
Mark asked about God Honoring Hymns.
In your humble opinion, what are the top 10 most God honoring songs that you are aware of?
I have to give a few disclaimers.
First of all, I’m not musically inclined (I gave it all to my daughter) nor a theologian.
Second, and probably of more importance, I have really limited exposure [...]
Who Do You Celebrate Jesus or Santa?
December 8, 2008
Santa Christ?
Santa is worshiped, not the Savior; pilgrims go to the stores with credit cards, not to the manger with gifts. It is the feast of indulgence, not of the incarnation.
It is always easier to lament and critique the new paganism of secularism’s blatant idolatry than to see how easily the church — and we [...]
Youth Pastors
December 5, 2008
Defending. Contending.’s The Pilgrim has a post about youth pastors.
Who’s pastoring the youth pastors?
Besides the idea and concept of a “youth pastor” being completely absent from the Scriptures, and besides the fact that too often the “youth pastor” has never raised kids of his own, knows too little about theology and too much about MTV, [...]
Pagan worshippers trampling others …
November 28, 2008
Have you ever wondered why you hear so often about Hindu worshippers being trampled by each other as the make pilgrimages to their temples?
Children trampled as 145 die in Hindu temple stampede
Over 100 People Trampled To Death In Stampede
I have always thought “How sad to die in such a way serving a false god!” Admittedly, [...]
Our Visit to Grace Life Church – Jeff Noblit’s Church
November 25, 2008
We visited Grace Life Church this past Sunday. Several people have asked for me to tell them all about the services.
Isaiah was nice enough to introduce me to a friend that attends Grace Life Church. We were able to meet Brother Ed and his wife just before the services started. Thank you, Isaiah and Brother [...]
Torn Jeans for Worship
November 17, 2008
Months ago I had a survey on my website. The question was:
Are torn jeans appropriate for worship attire in a church service?
The answers given where:
1 – yes
20 – no
1 – depends on age group
10 – God doesn’t care
This was due to a post of mine about Torn Jeans for a King?
“I did not feel that [...]