For some time now there has been a serious controversy in the body of Christ over music. It has been going on for years and still divides churches more than any other issue.
Why?
It's not a disagreement over biblical commands. Some try to argue that it is, but it's not. Colossians 3:16-17 commands us to sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Psalm 150 commands us to praise God with a variety of instruments. ...
ARTICLE Sparring Over Worship 5 points to make when your congregation dukes it out over musical styles. Steve Bierly
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I wrestled with whether to let Kevin sing during the morning worship service.
I felt uncomfortable with one of his selections, a soft rock song done in
a falsetto. But I overrode my reservations; the song was theologically correct
and had a clear message.
Afterward, one church leader told Kevin his song was "an abomination that
totally ruined the worship service" and that "this sort of thing has ...
In most churches 30 years old or older, the original worship service looks much like the one last Sunday. The songs, message, schedule, and style are predictable and comfortable. These services provide genuine spiritual nourishment for regular attenders. If they were dissatisfied, they wouldn't keep coming back.
At the same time, many churches older than 30 years are struggling to reach unchurched ...
The conflict between form and freedom in worship is not new, and we have both sides in our congregations. Some wish we would throw out the liturgy so we could be free to "move with the Spirit." Others are tired of innovations and want to return to the good ol' days when they knew what was happening and could follow the bulletin play by play.
DEVOTIONS The Nuts and Bolts of Worship These foundational principles can guide your planning team each week and beyond. The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship gathered insights about worship planning from 100 congregations and assembled a crash course of collected wisdom about the topic. Here are some highlights:
Worship planners and leaders need more than skills and understanding of worship; they also need pastoral virtues.
Worship planners are spiritual leaders, not just technicians. In the early church ...
These are some of the procedures that are helpful in planning a worship service.
Finding the Focal Point
Center worship around a theme—a focal point or central idea that gives the service sequence and depth. Sometimes the theme is supplied by the season of the year. Other times a special emphasis of the church, like a Family Sunday, suggests worship themes.
Printer view of these results
