If you don't like praise music, something's wrong with you

I'm not talking about the sappy, cheesy praise songs that you could replace "Jesus" with "romantic interest" and sing without missing a beat.  I'm talking about those good ol' hymns and theologically-sound praise songs that have the power to move the soul.  Now that's good music.  Here's what Martin Luther had to say about people who don't like praise music (from Kenneth Osbeck's 101 Hymn Stoires, page 14,):

"If any man despises music, as all fanatics do, for him I have no liking (ouch, kind of harsh, don't you think?  But Luther goes on to explain why he feels so strongly.) For music is a gift and grace of God, not an invention of men.  Thus it drives out the devil and makes people cheerful.  Then one forgets all wrath, impurity, and other devices."

If you're not convinced of Luther's love and commitment to praise music, here's one more quote from him from the same book, same page:

"I wish to compose sacred hymns so that the Word of God may dwell among the people also by means of song."

One can't help but admire such a lofty goal.  Would this be the desire of every praise leader.

And since I've been pulling quotes from this book, it's only fair that I give some props to the author, Mr. Kenneth Osbeck.  What a great little book to read.  It combines my love for Christ, music, AND history into a wonderful book.  Go check it out.

Favorite reads of the week

There's always so many articles to read, but here were a few that helped me in various ways:

Justin Taylor - Spectrums of Theological Truth and Error
Justin Taylor - Ray Comfort's 180 - watched it last week.  Thought-provoking and challenging questions. 
Tim Challies - Did I Marry the Wrong Person?  - I know, I know.  The title is scary.  But I promise, it's not what you think.  A very humbling and joyful reminder of the sanctification of marriage.  So thankful for my dear wifey.
Thabiti - Moms - cute anectdote
Thabiti - Marriage - one of my favorite articles this year.  Way to go, Thabs
Last, but not least, I love gadgets and I thought this one looked pretty cool, especially since I bike a lot.  Would I actually get it?  Not sure.

If It Wasn't For You by Jimmy Needham

My favorite part of the song:
"to run and work, the law commands
but gives me neither feet nor hands.
Better news the gospel brings:
Bids me fly and gives me wings!"

What a good reminder that under the law of works we will fail every time by our fallen nature. But under the law of Christ, we are set free to live for the Lord, knowing that we are right with God because of Christ.

The Father's Love

I read this article today and was put to shame for all the times I complain and am ungrateful in light of what God has done.

A good song to respond to God's amazing love?  I'm glad you asked:

The Father's Love

On a side note, one of my favorite songs, Before the Throne, Shaneified (man, he hits some crazy high notes)

Some new websites regarding praise...

Christ and music.  What a great combination.  Not that we need to add anything to Christ, but music (and good biblical lyrics put to that music) make for some sweet tunes.  I'm always on the lookout for blogs, articles, tools, etc. anything that will equip, edify, challenge, help me in this area of the music ministry.  And the Lord knows how much I need help.  So I'm thankful when I come across new websites of men and women who love the Lord and  have a gift/passion in music.  A few new ones for me:

http://blog.pagecxvi.com/ - this site aims to make hymns more accessible

http://mysonginthenight.com/ - a bit more artsy, but strives to express worship thru art/song

http://www.lampmode.com/home/ - more hip-hop related, but solid in terms of theology and their love for the Lord

If you come across any new sites, please let me know!!

New Song This Sunday: You Have Been Raised

I'm excited to return to the blogging world and I'm even more excited about this song that we'll be singing on Sunday. It's off of Sovereign Grace's album, Risen, and it's one of my favorites. The song plays the role of a person asking questions about his own sinfulness, forgiveness, redemption. All lofty topics, indeed. The chorus answers powerfully "YOU HAVE BEEN RAISED". This is our anthem as Christians, is it not? In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul attests to the historicity of the resurrection. He then hinges all of Christianity upon this very truth in verse 19. Indeed, if Christ has not risen from the grave, we are still in our sins. Praise the Lord that He has risen.

Initial Review of Risen: So far, so good

As I mentioned before, Sovereign Grace just released a new album entitled Risen. As the title indicates, it is a CD proclaiming that Christ has conquered the grave, which is relevant ALWAYS, but especially with Easter coming up in a couple of weeks. You can check out the album here. And, it is still just $5 if you download a digital copy until April 15. Another cool bonus feature for you Iphone/Ipod users. It displays the lyrics to each song as it plays. So you can do a little karaoke, just not while you're driving.

My favorite song on the album music-wise is "You Have Been Raised" (track 3). This song asks the simple, yet all-important question: How can we know that we are saved? How do we know for sure that our sins are forgiven, that we are accepted by God? The chorus answers that in this way:

You have been raised, the tomb has been opened
Nothing can take away our hope in You
You have been raised.
You have been raised, the work is completed
Hell and its powers have been defeated
You have been raised.

The bridge adds:

The price You paid for us has fully been accepted
Because of Your shed blood we cannot be rejected

Beautiful stuff. Check out the album if you haven't yet. Each song is filled with lyrics that will encourage any believer with the freedom from sin, the newness of life in Christ, the victory we have in Christ, the hope of heaven, amongst other things. And if you're so inclined, get a copy.

Uh oh...the praise leader messed up...what should we do?

It happens. In fact, it happens more often than you think. I've had my fair share of mistakes. On my part, I want to be practicing and getting better to be as little of a distraction as possible, to get out of the way and point others to Christ. Worship should always be a response to the immensity of who God is, the mind-blowing truth that God's grace and mercy have covered all of our sins in Christ, and the beauty of our Lord and Savior. The gospel should propel us to worship. It should drive out any sense of pride and put us in our place. Worship should never be about men.

Too often, when we see/hear a mistake, we focus too much on that, whether it's a cracked voice, a missed note, a wrong key, a wrong word, a funky strum/beat...whatever it may be. I probably do this more than most, so this is really for me first. I want to encourage each of us with this reminder: when we gather corporately, we are here to worship God. We (most definitely including myself) ought to be so enthralled with who God is, so amazed that we know the perfectly holy God who created all that is in the universe, so in love with the one who first loved us and gave his only Son to die for our sins, so filled with gratitude that we just want to worship God with our lives because our lives doubly belong to him. Oh, and just as a reminder: worship is a life devoted to Christ, not just singing a song or coming to church on Sundays. To God be the glory!

The Three R's

Thank you to Bob Kauflin. Seriously. So grateful to the Lord for this man and his ministry. He has written a brief post on Desiring God called "The Three R's: Why Christians Sing." He explains these three R's so clearly and succinctly: Remember, Respond, and Reflect. It's a short but good read, so go check it out.

His post gets to the heart of why I'm writing on this blog. What a wonderful gift music and singing is, amen? Oh, and thanks for the link, Christine.

Why we sing of Christ

I think CJ sums it up much more eloquently than I ever could.

While I think it's good to sing songs of God's character (since it is from his character that he acts...and it is from his character of holiness, justice, mercy, compassion, grace and love that he sent Christ), we should never stray too far from the cross. Ever. I love what CJ says about how we are in constant need of the mediator, Jesus Christ. I think (A)as we grow in our understanding of our utter need for Christ, we'll (B)subsequently grow in our love for and gratefulness for Christ. This will (C)subsequently cause us to savor him all the more. It's your basic transitive property. If "A" then "B". And if "B" then "C". Therefore, if "A" then "C".

Anyways, if you were wondering why we sing of the "Glories of Calvary" or the "Wonderful Cross", or we "Glory in our Redeemer," it's because Christ is central to who we are is Christians. He is our identity. We exist by, through and for him. Echoing what CJ said about how heaven is fixated on Christ and the cross, we will be singing of how worthy and amazing Christ is for all eternity. So let's warm up those vocal cords, eh?

Interesting...

Skilled for sure, but a tad bit distracting for corporate worship...

Winner of the contest...

Congratulations to Caleb! Be sure to claim your prize at church tomorrow. Thanks for everyone's comments. I enjoyed seeing who people like to listen to. For those who didn't win, Lord willing, this will be a monthly thing, so check back again in the future.

Worship God Conference 2011

This is like the Shepherds' Conference, but for praise leaders. One day I would love to go. Maybe after Mateo is a litte older, then we can go as a family. This year's focus is on making sure the true gospel is clearly presented each time we gather to worship. A good thing to keep in mind, eh?

Win a free copy of John Macarthur's new book: Slave

I know this book doesn't deal specifically with praise music, but it deals with our Christian life, so it's obviously crucial.

Review from Amazon:

Throughout the Bible, followers of Jesus are commanded to submit to Him as their King. They are told to obey and follow, faithfully and without hesitation. Every time Christians utter the word Lord, they make a subtle yet profound declaration-that God is their Master and that they belong to Him. In fact, the Bible describes believers as His slaves. They have been bought with a price and now live for Christ as a people for His own possession.


But go into most churches today, even flip through most Bible translations, and you won't see or hear the word slave anywhere. That's because it has been lost in translation. In this gripping book, Dr. John MacArthur uses deep Bible teaching and historical evaluation to expertly uncover the one forgotten word that restores the Bible's definition of true Christian freedom.

What does it mean to be a Christian the way Jesus defined it? MacArthur says it all boils down to one word: Slave. "We have been bought with a price. We belong to Christ. We are His own possession."


Well, I wanted to add a random generator so that I could select the winner by random (like Tim Challies), but...umm...I didn't know how. So here's what I'll do. Just leave a comment with your favorite Christian music artist/group by Friday night, and I'll put those names on pieces of paper and select one from a hat. Or a bowl. Or something. So leave a comment and enter to win!

New Album Released by Sovereign Grace: Risen

Check out this link to read more about this new album. It's pretty straightforward: it's an album celebrating our risen Lord, Jesus Christ. I'm definitely going to get me a digital copy, which you can get for $5 through April 4th. I am thankful for such brethren who labor to glorify Christ, and we get to benefit from their work of love.

Checking out a (somewhat) new site

So a friend of mine introduced me to this site because he knew that I like finding songs that correspond to Scripture. It's called Blue Letter Bible and it's really cool. Aside from it's searching capabilities, original languages, devotionals, and commentaries, the thing that really sets this site apart is the corresponding hymns. So it will take a verse, then search through Cyber Hymnal, and list out any songs that are related to the passage. It will (through Cyber Hymnal) show the artists' information, lyrics and a Midi recording. I like to open the Midi in a separate tab so I can hear the song while I look at the lyrics. Anyways, I just rediscovered this site (my friend told me about this last year) and I look forward to using it some more. If I find some good songs, perhaps we will sing them at church.

10 Questions With Singer and Songwriter, Joseph Lee

Writing good praise songs is difficult.  You need to marry God-honoring lyrics with sweet music, which, from my own experience, is a very rare feat (all of my songs end up sounding pretty much the same).  I recently learned that Fannie Mae Crosby, one of the most prolific song writers in Christian history, wrote over 8000 hymns, and yet, I can only name two songs that we sing which she wrote (Blessed Assurance and To God Be the Glory).  This is nothing against Ms.Crosby.  It simply reflects that in corporate worship, for a song to endure the test of time, it really has to be something special.

Well, I'm sure my first interviewee would agree, he won't be as prolific as Ms. Crosby.  But he has written one of my favorite songs.  It is called "O For My Heart To Sing of Grace."

Anywho, I wrote out a few questions for Joe, and he has graciously taken the time to answer them.  Here is the interview.

Richard Lee: Hey Joe, thanks so much for taking some time out to answer a few questions.


RL: First off, how did you first get interested in writing songs?

I used to love writing poetry in English class in middle school - I had a knack for putting conceptual words together, but it'd take a minute to string whole ideas together.

RL: Who are your musical influences?

Richard Lee. nuff said. jk

Here's a few names: Shane and Shane, Brooke Frasier, Marty Sampson, Matt Redman, DCB, Chris Tomlin, Hillsong, Lecrae, Shai Linne, Trip Lee, Flame, Sho Baraka, da T.R.U.T.H., delirious?, Keith and Kristyn Getty, Stuart Townsend, Fernando Ortega, and many many more.

RL: In your opinion, what makes a good corporate praise song?

A song that has lyrics that are not centered on us, but a song that allows collective God centered worship

RL: Any new songs in the works?

I did - tossed it like the other 80% of the songs I start.  I am looking to start again :) stay tuned. 

RL: Who would you consider to be really good modern songwriters?

Shai Linne, Lecrae, Trip Lee, Tedashii, Sho Baraka, Da T.R.U.T.H., Flame, Keith and Kristyn Getty, Stuart Townsend, Shane and Shane

RL: Why, in your opinion, is it hard to find really good praise songs these days?

1.) There is a lot of songs out there that are ambiguous in theology, and I think it's because a lot of songwriters are having the aim of "if the lyrics feel right to write, it must be of God because He makes good things".  When we base songs on our feelings, we forget that our feelings deceive us (The heart is deceitful, who can know it?).  Songs easily turn into "what i'm going to do" rather than "what He has done and what I should do in response"

One of my favorite examples is a song that I used to like a lot because it gave me a drive to do good work, but the drive was in the wrong direction.  The song is "History Maker" by Delirious?.  The Chorus goes:

"I'm gonna be a history maker in this land.  I'm gonna be a speaker of truth to all mankind.  I'm gonna stand, I'm gonna run into Your arms, into Your arms again"

There are a few things that itch me with further knowledge of scripture.  Now I have to critique this song keeping that it's hard to be critical on theses lyricists because it's not easy to put theology to words and poetry - on top of that, Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.  For the sake of those reading this, it may be helpful to understand why we sing the songs we do.

The first thing - I'm gonna be a history maker: When we look at scripture, God used nobodies.  We see John the Baptist who was a man from the wilderness with a modified Tarzan suit from camel hair eating locusts and honey - he desired to decrease so that He might increase.  So the term history maker really can be dangerous for those who sing this song not knowing to depend on the Lord to complete His good work and let Him be the history maker while we are His slaves.  We don't live to make history, but we live our lives and hope and pray His kingdom come.

The second thing - I'm gonna be a speaker of truth to all mankind - that's a noble desire, but when we sing worship, our aim should be on God, not on what we're gonna do or be.  A better response should be "Who am I in Christ and what kind of response should that bring out of me?"  In comparison, maybe we can say, "Your truth leads me to testify to a lost world".

The last thing - What does it mean to run into His arms in this context?  This line can mean anything from running into His arms for comfort, running the race of the believer, or end time knowledge leading to comfort in present time.  I'm not sure what the author's purpose was with this line, but when multiple meanings can come, it may not be a good worship song in a congregational context where we are seeking unity in mind and voice speaking truth to one another through music.

2.) Desiring Christ:  A lot of songs lack a desire for Christ - a lot of songs include the benefits of knowing Christ but not Christ Himself.  It's almost as if we are singing boasting about the gifts rather than the gift giver. How does that make us different than the world?  Lecrae describes the world saying "It's not Christ, it's heaven they want".

We as believers desire heaven BECAUSE we desire Christ!  Not because of harps, clouds, and halos.  Not because the end of hard times.  Let me repeat myself - We as believers desire heaven BECAUSE we desire Christ!

I believe that if believers songwrite, they should write on Christology.  There is a huge void in songs on Christ Himself.  Repetition of songs that declare the glories of Christ - I may get tired of repetitive music structures, but I am always thinking about the lyrics and it brings me closer to the knowledge of God.  Songs TEACH no matter how redundant or plain the music to it can be.

The more we know about Christ - His work, His plan, His Holiness, His character, and so on - we can't help but sing!

RL: What song are you looking forward to singing in heaven?

Stankin Richard :(  Making me pick.

If we have cars and my glorified body can rap, I'd love to be singing Jesus Muzik.  HAHA.

All jokes aside, I'd love to be singing a new song that the Lord will drive us to sing together (as if we wrote another verse to More Love O Christ To Thee)

As for a song we know now, I'd like to sing And Can It Be (with the little edit on the lyric "emptied Himself of all but love" I like "Humbled Himelf - How great His love!")

RL: How do you go about writing a song? 

Songs sometimes just come out after knowing more about the truths of God.  I write songs best when I'm with my guitar and just thinking and providentially there is a notepad or computer right next to me.

A question I get is "How do you get the words to the idea without sounding cliche?"

Answer: My first draft sounds super cliche.  Just keep cooking the song until it's done.  When you find that the changes that you put it don't work, toss the song and start over.  Even Picasso started with basic shapes before creating masterpieces.

There's no cookie cutter way of writing a song, but this is how I do it.  I usually start with the lyrics, and music that follows the lyrics soon come out while I'm writing.  Sometimes, I hear the melody of the song while I'm writing the lyrics.

So I start on a song's theme - then different words come out almost like an essay.  Then the chorus (or main thesis) of the song usually comes first.  The verses are then written to supplement the direction of the chorus.  If the song begs a bridge, gotta do it.

RL: What aspects of God's character are not sung about enough? 

We need to sing less about what we do or what we want - We need to sing more about Christ, theology, and other areas that believers need to be instructed in.  Songs teach!

RL: How has praise music grown your love for God?

The kindness of the Lord leads me to repentance - I've learned so much of His character and how kind He is to a lowly dude like myself.  When you know the Lord more, the more you love Him and know How His love for us is soooo immense.  Praise music has allowed me to express that in ways it might be weird in normal conversation without busting out in song.

Thanks for taking the time to really think these questions out and give us some thoughts. Appreciate you bro!

Be Thou My Vision

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

This is our favorite hymn.  We sing it to baby Mateo every night.  A rustic-looking version of it hangs up in our dining room.  The lyrics describe the cry of our heart.  They are also our desire for baby Mateo.

Some songs are sung as direct praise unto God.  These are songs that proclaim God's character, what he has done, what he is doing, what he will do, etc.  But there are other songs that, while still praising God, are more reflective, like a prayer unto God.  "Be Thou My Vision" falls into that category.  Each verse ministers to me in a different way, with different aspects of my life.  Overall, the song is a constant reminder of keeping my heart, mind, eyes, etc., etc. on the Lord. 

Here are few of my favorite lines:
- "Thou my best thought by day or by night" - I could try to think of something, but I'll fail every time.  There is absolutely nothing greater than my God.  I was reflecting the other day about how cool technology is (I'm a gadget geek, for sure), and how far it has come...but then I reflected on how amazing our senses are.  How we can hear sounds, feel the warmth of the sun, taste delicious foods...and our minds can comprehend these things.  And this is just one aspect of the awesomeness and creativity of our God.  No technology can ever compare to the wonders of God.
- "Thou my great Father, I Thy true son" - My goodness.  I am adopted into God's family.  God, the Maker of all the universe, God, the Giver of life, God the source of absolute truth, perfect righteousness, joy, love and satisfaction, is my Father.  He calls me his own.  Wow.  Can you say amazing?  Can you say totally and completely undeserved?
- "Thou mine inheritance, now and always" - What a great reminder.  God is my treasure.  Not the blessings he bestows.  Not the riches of this world.  Not even the family and friends he has given me.  These things are wonderful gifts that I am forever grateful for.  But the ultimate gift, the one I will enjoy for all eternity, the very source of it all, the Giver of the gifts.  As Piper says, God is the gospel.  Without God there is nothing.  Nothing. 
- The last verse.  What a great way to end the song.  Doesn't this just ignite a flame under you to persevere and press on towards the upward call of Christ, to long for heaven, to yearn for Christ's return? 

For these reasons and more, we love this song.  But I think when we're in heaven, we'll probably sing something more along the lines of this.  Regardless, it's going to be awesome.

On a side (but sort of related) note, I'm getting the wonderful opportunity to go to Shepherds' Conference.  It is a tremendous blessing to be able to learn more of God's truth, fellowship with many like-minded brethren...and my favorite part...the singing.  What a thrill it is to be singing along thousands of other men.  I can't even imagine what millions of voices, praising our Savior, for all eternity, will be like.  O what a foretaste of glory divine!

GLAD - Gotta watch this...very creative

http://www.worshipmatters.com/2011/03/01/variations-on-a-hymn-that-hymn-thing/

1 John 2:3-4 and Before the Throne of God Above

1 John 2:3-4 essentially tells us that if we say that we know God, we obey his commandments.  And if we say we know him, and we don't, then we're liars and the truth is not in us.  What a scary thought.  Especially for a wretched sinner like me.  When I read that verse, I have to ask myself, "am I obedient to God's word?"  And the honest answer is, "no."  So then...does that mean I'm no longer saved?  Not necessarily.  None of us are perfect, before or after justification.  I know that my sins have all been forgiven in Christ.  And while God's word should be our final source of authority and comfort and joy, sometimes we can recall songs more readily because the tune helps us remember them.  That is why it's important we sing biblical songs.

This passage, and my subsequent reflection, caused me to burst out in praise, singing the second verse to Before the Throne of God Above (parenthetical remarks are my own):

When Satan tempts me to despair (because of my sinfulness)
And tells me of the guilt within, ("You sinner, how can you be saved?  How could God save a wretch like you?) 
Upward I look and see Him (Christ) there,(He died on the cross and rose from the dead) 
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free (Praise the Lord!!!!)
For God the (perfectly) Just is satisfied
To look on Him (Christ) and pardon me (the wretched sinner)
To look on Him and pardon me.

I am so thankful for good songs that put God's word into music to help us remember his truth.  By no means am I saying not to practice the discipline of memorizing Scripture.  I think that is of the utmost importance.  But using biblical songs can definitely be a great tool to take advantage of.

We're Singing THIS Song?!?!

In my previous post I alluded to the importance of choosing songs wisely.  This is in response to Colossians 3:16, which commands us as believers to teach and admonish one another with ALL wisdom through the vehicle of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.  While this is a command to believers in general, it should have even more application for those who lead their churches in singing praise.

Songs need to be chosen wisely, for several reasons.  Most importantly is the content of what we sing.  Sure, something can sound amazing.  It could even be the most beautiful piece of music ever written.  But if it's paired with lyrics that dishonor God, how can we sing that as praise unto Him?  Content matters.  When we sing praise songs, we are affirming that we believe the lyrics that we sing (at least, I hope we are...otherwise, we're either singing hypocritically, mindlessly, or carelessly...all of which are no-no's).  BUT, that means the songs we choose need to have lyrics that a Christian can sing unto the Lord.  That, in turn, means the lyrics must be true to Scripture.

So what kind of lyrics fall in that category?  Proper doctrine, characteristics of God, proper responses to who God is and what he has done, or straight up words from Scripture.  Of course, we should always make sure that what we're singing properly applies to us as Christians, and that the passages are not taken out of context.  A good example is Create In Me a Clean Heart...a classic...but unfortunately, has the line "and take not thy Holy Spirit from me."  This was taken from Psalm 51, where King David is mourning over his sin during the whole Bathsheba incident.  For the most part, it's a good song.  When we sin (which we often do), we need to go to the Lord with a contrite heart, asking God to forgive us and to give us the ability to fight sin.  The problem lies within that line quoted above.  As New Testament saints, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit.  He cannot be taken away.  So singing this song would not make any sense, and I would even venture to say that God is displeased with that song because it contradicts His truth revealed in Scripture.  So, lyrics are important.

But also very important is the music that accompanies the lyrics.  Music is such a wonderful gift, and they have incredible power.  However, as my favorite OCD detective, Mr. Monk would say, that's a gift and a curse.  Because music is so moving, it can unfortunately lend itself to emotionalism.  Do you doubt what I say?  Think of your favorite action movie (think: Gladiator, Braveheart, etc.).  Remember those great battle scenes, or those epic moments, like when William Wallace gives his final speech ("you can take my life, but you can never take my freedom!!!)  Instead of emotional, classical instruments playing beautiful music, what if Gene Kelly's "Singing in the Rain" was playing in the background?  You think it would have the same effect?  Is it wrong to be moved by music?  Not necessarily.  I think if hearing beautiful music causes you to be amazed by the creativity and intricacies of our great God, then that's great!  But if it's just moving your emotions to the point where you don't have control, I think that's dangerous.  The other thing with music: it can either help us remember a song, or it can ruin our taste for it.  A really well-written melody can aid us in recalling the lyrics to a song.  This is especially helpful in the context of praise music.  Assuming that the lyrics are solid, that means, with the help of the melody, we can recall biblical truths to encourage us and others.  What a powerful and wonderful gift!  On the other hand, the lyrics may be God-honoring, but if the melody is clunky, distracting, or hard to follow, it may not be as easy to remember (or you may not want to).

The other reason we need to be wise in choosing songs is because what we sing in church will inevitably inform and instruct peoples' hearts and minds.  This is very serious.  I believe those of us who choose the songs will be held accountable for how we lead the body in singing.  So we must make sure the lyrics are God-honoring so as to instruct and encourage believers to love God all the more, and the melodies should act as an aid to recalling those songs. 

Is that what you signed up for when you joined the praise ministry?  Or did you think it was going to be about rocking out on stage?  I hope and pray we would take this ministry seriously, that we would take this ministry to the Lord in prayerful dependence, and that we would grow in our love for Christ, which is foundational in our effectiveness in leading others to sing of His glory.

Why is this blog called Learn by Singing? Part Two

In my first post I set out to explain why I chose the title of this blog to be "Learn By Singing."  I failed.  I didn't realize there were a few other things that needed to be laid out as a foundation.  So I laid them bricks.  Now we get to dig into the central text of this blog: Colossians 3:16.

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.


Paul is writing to the church in Colossae.  They had been struggling with false doctrines and wrong teachings, so Paul was writing to encourage the saints there to mature in their faith.  Chapter 3 focuses mainly on practical Christian living.  It is filled with commands on what to do and what not to do.  Now we get to the text at hand.  


First, Paul starts with a command: Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you.  We know that the word of Christ is synonymous with the word of God from John 1.  Christ is the living word of God.  So we're dealing with God's word.  But we're not just told to casually read the Bible.  We're told that the word of God should be living in us.  But not just living in your heart as a temporary renter, but as a permanent owner of your heart, he is to richly live there.  But how?  What are some practical ways to accomplish this?


And here is where I get surprised.  I would think that the way for this to be accomplished would be through heavy doses of reading Scripture, meditating on it, memorizing it, etc.  And of course these things are vital to our Christian growth.  But instead of these tools, God provides another way: music.  AWHAAAT?!  I know, strange huh?  But that's what the text says.  The word of Christ is to richly dwell within us, and how is this done?  With all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.


The phrase "with all wisdom" indicates that such teaching and admonishing is not to be done haphazardly.  We are to be wise in how we do it.  Just as the pastor should not go to the pulpit unprepared, thinking he can just wing it, we need to come sober-mindedly before God's people, understanding the gravity of the responsibility of teaching the precepts of God through songs.  


This is why it's so important that we take care when we choose the songs we sing.  The songs should not be chosen because the music sounds good, or it'll make people feel good.  We are called primarily to teach and admonish (encourage, exhort) God's people through these songs.  I speak now to those that are in positions of leading music.  We need to take this ministry seriously!  We can't lazily throw a set together last minute and say that we honestly thought about peoples' sanctification and growing their love for God.  We must be more aware of what Scripture says about music.


Lastly, we look at the proper heart attitude of such singing: thankfulness.  And that should sum up our response to God.  He graciously made us, gave us life, patiently waited as we sinfully rebelled against him, and then he tidal-waved us with his undeserved love, gave us his Son, Jesus Christ, paid for our sins, purchased us from our slavery to sin, adopted us into his family, and now is preparing us for eternity with him.  Yes, genuine believers have EVERYTHING to be thankful for.


In closing, music is a wonderful gift from God.  Let's use it to build each other up and teach one another about God.  So, back to the initial question: why this title?  Because much truth can be learned, much encouragement to be gained, by the singing of God-honoring songs.

Sovereign Grace Sale Ending Soon!

I know, I know.  I promised a Part two of why I gave the blog this name.  But February is coming to close end, so I wanted to make a plug for the annual February sale at Sovereign Grace Ministries.  Their books, cds, and even MP3s are on sale for a good price.  SGM is one of the few resources that I really like in terms of producing good, doctrinal songs.  While I don't hold to all of the same doctrines, the major ones are the same.  Again, with anything, we should measure the content against Scripture because God's word will never lead us astray.  A few CDs of theirs that I really like:

1. Songs for the Cross Centered Life
2. Valley of the Vision
3. Sons & Daughters

Anyways, go check them out!

Why is this blog called Learn by Singing? Part One

Colossians 3:16
16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

As a praise team servant I am humbled, challenged, excited, and thankful for this passage. It essentially defines the who, what, when, where, and how (well, not really when and where, but we can take some liberty in applying the passage to our lives. More on that later.) of biblical singing. While the Bible doesn't have many passages specifying exactly what such singing looks like, we should never stray from the centrality of this verse. Before we dig into this verse, let's define a couple of terms that we often deal with in this context.

First up, "worship." In the church this term is often thrown out by people when they are talking about the time of singing. While singing is a form of worship, it does not completely define worship. True worship is anything that is a proper response to God. Speech, heart, action, motive, etc.  The next verse actually gives us a great definition of worship.  It says that whatever we do (and "whatever" encapsulates everything), do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.  So we see that a proper worship needs 4 things:

1. Genuine believer - in the name of the Lord Jesus
2. Genuine attitude - giving thanks
3. Genuine vehicle - through Christ
4. Genuine audience - to God the Father

Anything we do should entail these things.  That is worship.  Romans 12 calls us to live lives of holy sacrifice unto God in response to the great and amazing grace we have received as believers.

The other term I wanted to define was "praise."  This also often gets used synonymously as singing, but biblically "praise" is simply the fruit of our lips, according to Hebrews 13:15.  I know I'm being nit-picky, but I just want those things to be clarified.

Now, back to the title of this post and the blog: Learn by Singing.  Why in the world did I choose that?  Well, I think from the verse at the top of the page, as well as at the top of this post, it should be clear.  I want to devote the rest of part two of this post coming soon.