Category Archives: Worship

What the worship wars taught us… or should have

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the attire of the pastors, the vehicle for musical notation (or lack thereof), the authorship date of the songs.

And now, by and large, those wars have subsided and a delicate peace has settled in. Churches either went full throttle in one direction, and left any detractors in the smoke (and those detractors found a different church), or they went the “blended” route and offer multiple service styles in multiple venues in order to appease the factions and prevent them from killing each other. A small amount of churches survived the worship wars with their worship ethos in tact. Good for them.

Now we are at a worship crossroads.

This conversation isn’t so much about style. It transcends style. Continue reading →

Sovereign Over Us

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There is strength within the sorrow, there is beauty in our tears
You meet us in our mourning, with a love that casts out fear
You are working in our waiting, You’re sanctifying us
When beyond our understanding, You’re teaching us to trust

CHORUS
Your plans are still to prosper, You have not forgotten us
You’re with us in the fire and the flood
You’re faithful forever, perfect in love
You are Sovereign over us

You are wisdom unimagined, who could understand Your ways?
Reigning high above the heavens, reaching down in endless grace
You’re the Lifter of the lowly, compassionate and kind
You surround and You uphold me, Your promises are my delight

Chorus
Even what the enemy means for evil
You turn it for our good, You turn it for our good and for Your glory
Even in the valley You are faithful
You’re working for our good, You’re working for our good and for Your glory

The Central Act of our Worship Service

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al mohlerIn an article entitled, “Expository Preaching—The Antidote to Anemic Worship,” Dr. Al Mohler writes:

Evangelical Christians have been especially attentive to worship in recent years, sparking a renaissance of thought and conversation on what worship really is and how it should be done. Even if this renewed interest has unfortunately resulted in what some have called the “worship wars” in some churches, it seems that what A. W. Tozer once called the “missing jewel” of evangelical worship is being recovered.

Nevertheless, if most evangelicals would quickly agree that worship is central to the life of the church, there would be no consensus to an unavoidable question: What is central to Christian worship? Historically, the more liturgical churches have argued that the sacraments form the heart of Christian worship. These churches argue that the elements of the Lord’s Supper and the water of baptism most powerfully present the gospel. Among evangelicals, some call for evangelism as the heart of worship, planning every facet of the service—songs, prayers, the sermon—with the evangelistic invitation in mind. Continue reading →