What Was Early Church Worship Music Like?
This is an important question because many earnest believers desire to worship on the Lord’s Day in form and content the same way that Christ and the Apostles worshiped. The New Testament is very clear about the purpose of music for the church, but it does not give explicit indication as to what the form […]
“His Master’s Voice” and Passive Worship Culture
Most are familiar with the late nineteenth-century English painting His Master’s Voice. It features Nipper, a fox terrier, staring into a phonograph and listening to a recording of his recently deceased owner. In the early 1900s, a revision of this painting became the trademark of the Victor Talking Machine Company. A consumer who was looking […]
Setting Up a Worship Service—Biblical Philosophy and Practical Resources
I recorded this episode of the Better Together Podcast, the official podcast of the Executive Office of the National Association of Free Will Baptists, with Dr. Eddie Moody, Executive Secretary. You can listen and view this at the YouTube link below. Planning a Worship Service Eddie Moody: 01:09 So, you’ve had a lot of experience […]
Questions To Ask When Selecting Songs for Congregational Worship
When selecting songs for Sunday worship, here are seven questions I try to keep in mind. Does the congregational worship music I select . . . glorify God? edify the body? teach Christian doctrine? place emphasis on content? promote unity in the Church of the past and present? promote excellent art? favor the voices of […]
Music Ministry Is Not the Same as Worship Ministry
Somewhere along the line, we started referring to music ministry as “worship ministry.” In a related manner, the music portion of a service is now often called “the worship service,” and the person who leads this music portion is now often called “the worship leader.” At the risk of being viewed as a pedant, I […]
What Is the Purpose of Music for the Gathered Church?
Previously published at The Helwys Society Forum. Paul’s words in Colossians 3:16 are straightforward: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” However, this straightforward command is not always easily understood and applied… […]