Church Boring? Entertainment Is Not The Answer   RC Sproul

If people find worship boring and irrelevant, it can only mean they have no sense of the presence of God in it. When we study the action of worship in Scripture and the testimony of church history, we discover a variety of human responses to the sense of the presence of God. Some people tremble in terror, falling with their face to the ground; others weep in mourning; some are exuberant in joy; still others are reduced to a pensive silence. However the reactions may differ among human beings to the holiness of God, one thing I never ever find in scripture is someone who is bored in the presence of God, or someone who walks away from an encounter with the living God and says "that was irrelevant". ... [Read More!]

No Such Thing as True Worship by 'Seekers'   Richard Stock

Without the knowledge of God, a man cannot know himself. The knowledge of a man in things natural is an excellent knowledge, yet it is nothing without the knowledge of self, as Augustine says. Though a man knows all mysteries, to the breadth of the earth, and the depth of the sea, but does not know himself, he is like to a man that makes a building without a foundation. Without the knowledge of God, no man can know himself. Because of that wicked pride that is naturally in man, that when he looks upon himself, he thinks he is so holy, just, and pure, that he perceives injustice to be justice, impurity to be purity; but if once he comes to see the face of God, then he sees his own justice to be injustice, and his own purity to be impurity, and his own righteousness to be folly. Therefore it is the principal thing for a man to know God; without this a man can not worship God rightly ... [Read More!]

News, Notes & Comments That Make You Say Wow

Last week was one to remember, as far as comments are concerned. But in the midst of them all, here's an interesting one that flew-in under the radar. Also some links and blog news including my acquisition of SeekerSensitive.com. I'm also announcing my forthcoming "Megachurch Jumbotron Challenge" which will be a call for biblical balance, in the messages that get projected on those giant screens in our largest church buildings. ... [Read More!]

"Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs"    Link

This phrase has often been pirated and made to advocate all kinds of church worship music. I suppose there are some who would go so far as to say that if it has lyrics that speak about God, well then it qualifies as a "spiritual song", even if it's from a 'Christian' group like ZombieGutz. With that link alone, I ought to be able to rest my case, but I'll take it a step further with this explanation of what the Apostle Paul was teaching in this important bible verse. This is part of Tom Chantry's excellent series of posts on Reformed Worship. ... [Read Link]

"All of Life is Worship" - Really?    Link

It is very common nowadays to hear Christians equate worship with Christian living. The following comments no longer surprise: "I can worship God while I am driving to work". "It is important to make certain that you do everything in a worshipful manner". "All of life is worship". Are these accurate statements? Tom Chantry answers that question in this posting. It's part of his ongoing series of posts entitled Reformed Worship. ... [Read Link]

Who Has Worship Music Myopia? (Old Versus New)

You may have seen the comment controversy under my post of a couple of weeks ago which highlighted a few of the biblical topics spanned by old worship music but neglected by today's tunes. One pastor went so far as to say that my post was attacking the very Church of Jesus Christ! Expressing sadness towards the "myopic view" that I presented of old church music, he sang the praises of that which is contemporary. Could it be though, that his proposed modern formula has myopic problems of it's own?... [Read More!]

What Are You Doing With Your Saturday Evenings?   John Henderson

When the Lord's Day arrives many if not all persons find it very difficult to discard all thought concerning secular affairs. To do this requires a mental discipline of which few possess, and in the experience of most Christians, the day is perhaps half gone before the mind becomes properly composed, to the exclusive consideration of such subjects as are proper to the Lord's Day. Hence the value of previous preparation. Hence the propriety of disposing of all business and business cares at as early an hour on the previous day as possible, so that when the Lord's Day arrives there may be no secular excitement to intrude into its sacred precincts. This view is recognized in Scripture. ... [Read More!]

Ten Hymns the CCM Crowd Couldn't Even Dream Of

If you've ever received one of those flyers in the mail inviting you to the new cookie-cutter-church in your neighborhood, you probably remember some slick marketing that went something like this: "We're not your grandmother's church. We have relevant talks, cappuccino, fun kids activities, and music from this century!". It's in vogue these days to slam old music, and yet old music is often a carrier of old truth. In fact, when it comes to some of the biblical ground covered by the old hymns, contemporary Christian music won't dare go there. If you've jumped onboard the "newer is better" bandwagon, here are ten examples to remind you why music is often in a category with aged cheese and vintage bordeaux. ... [Read More!]

Worship, Not Evangelism, The Most Important Task   Robert Reymond

To worship God - that is the primary reason why the Christian should go to church. In today's church climate this is a radical idea. Nevertheless, Christians should go to church, not to evangelize, not to provide a comfortable "consumer-friendly" setting for the unchurched, not even primarily for the benefit which fellowship with other Christians provides, and definitely not just for lectures and devotionals, but in order to worship God. Christians should also understand that evangelism and the missionary task are not the most important tasks the church has. ... [Read More!]

Today's Worship Lacks Reverence   Hart & Muether

Reverence is not obviously attractive or appealing. It is hard and uncomfortable. It doesn't create a relaxed or welcoming atmosphere. Above all it is not celebrative as that word has come to be used. Reverent worship is not an effective way of persuading the world that that Christians are capable of having a good time. That is because the modern culture can not see God as frightening. So seeker-sensitive worship has replaced a consuming fire with an affirming and empowering God, one who accepts whatever we do. It has substituted the meeting of felt needs for the demands of His law. From this it follows that we no longer need a mediator. ______ ... [Read More!]

Church-O-Rama or Corporate Worship?

Evangelical worship is becoming an oxymoron. Our songs are either belted out in the same mindless intensity with which we sing our football team's fight song, or we are crooning romantic ditties that would be more at home in an old 1930s B movie. Irreverence has become so rampant in our worship services that one would not be shocked to hear of deacons walking up and down the aisles yelling, "Popcorn, peanuts, sacraments!"
... [Read More!]

'Old' Worship Was God-Centered

Andy Stanley (son of TV preacher Charles Stanley), has released a new book designed to help you determine your style of worship. There's even an online "what's your worship style?" questionnaire that goes with the book. Similarly, Rick Warren's Saddleback mega-church invites you to bring a coffee into
(your choice of) any of their worship style venues, including: Overdrive (rock concert style worship), Ohana (Hula worship with a "luau" after the service), and Country (country music with line dancing).

With all of this modern emphasis on what's best for you in worship,
perhaps it would be useful to consider some historical contrast from
centuries gone by. ... [Read More!]

Seeker-Sensitive Scuba Sacrament

Tom Ascol of Founders Ministries, reports on a new DVD called "Baptism Central", designed to help children overcome any hesitations about being baptized. Along the way, the DVD ends up making a circus out of this important ordinance of Christ.

According to Tom, the DVD, which features a man dressed in a scuba outfit standing in a baptismal tub, was perhaps an inevitable extension of the wave started 5 or 6 years ago by ... [Read More!]