Worship in the Storms: 5 Benefits of the Gospel Found During Life’s Storms

Posted on April 21, 2012 by

Have you ever lived through a tornado or hurricane? How about an earthquake, blizzard or tsunami? Maybe an extreme drought, windstorm or flood?

No matter where you live, the threat of natural disaster always looms. Most of us go through our lives without great concern for these storms–until one hits close by. These storms are lifechangers. Oldtimers mark their lives by storms: “I remember the Andover tornado of ’91.”

Kansas was recently hit by over 100 tornadoes in one day. One of the largest swept right through my neighborhood, destroying several homes near us and demonstrating its force on our car barn.

The path of the recent "Oaklawn tornado". Our house lies on the upper right end of the blue line--the last neighborhood hit before the twister lifted.

As we hunkered down in our basement waiting for the tornado to pass by, we fully expected the tornado to do just that. After all, my family has lived in Kansas for over 40 years and we’ve never had a tornado effect our property. Sure, we know plenty of people who’ve been touched and we’ve served in the aftermath of several major storms. But you can imagine our surprise when we walked out of our house to see the wake of this EF3 tornado in our neighborhood. Several houses lost their roofs, two houses were leveled and a mobile home still rests upside down. 100-year old oaks were leveled, garages are caved in and the piles of debris will take weeks to clear. That’s just our neighborhood where the damage was minor compared to the mobile home park that lost 90 homes.

Overall this storm created more than $140 million in damage in our county.

This isn’t a news column, so why do I give you these details? Because sometimes the reality of a storm can cause us to reevaluate our lives.

5 Benefits of the Gospel found during life’s storms

1. Worship helps us retain perspective

As we waited for the tornado’s arrival, our family prayed and sang worship songs. It was an act of faith–we didn’t feel like worshiping in that moment. Psalm 34:1 says, “I will praise the Lord at all times. I will continually speak his praises.” Intellectually we all know that God is sovereign, even over tornadoes, but it requires faith to sing/speak his praises when a storm is bearing down on you.

One of my daughters exclaimed later that she saw her life go before her eyes (short as it might be at 13). Until the power went out we were gaining comfort from the weather reports showing the storm moving toward other parts of town (of course, we didn’t wish ill on anyone else). We figured we would have plenty of people to help. After the power failed, we had no idea the storm had turned down our street!

One of the songs we clung to was Praise You in the Storm by Casting Crowns:

2. Joy comes in the morning

The news reports in this storm show families who lost most of their possessions, but there is a recurrent theme – praise for personal protection. You see, not one person died in Kansas. That doesn’t always happen, and in fact several people died in Oklahoma from the same storm system, but we all know that family and friends are of infinite value. Homes, cars and possessions can be replaced–people cannot.

So there are many people, including us, offering prayers of thanksgiving for the preservation of life. When we saw the sun rise on Sunday and every person was found, there was tremendous rejoicing.

This book provides great insight into the message of the psalms, as well as a guide for how to interpret psalms.

Dr. Mark Futato was one of my seminary professors. His books on the Psalms have had some of the deepest impact on my life. In his book, Joy Comes in the Morning, he spends an entire chapter showing how the theme of mourning into dancing plays a prominent role in the community of faith. God takes us through storms and then sets our feet to dancing. Sometimes that journey is short and other times it takes many years.

I love how Psalm 34 goes on to say in verses 4-6:

I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me
freeing me from all my fears.
Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;
no shadow of shame will darken their faces.
I cried out to the Lord in my suffering, and he heard me.
He set me from all my fears.

God set us free from our fears in that storm. We were comforted by his presence and knowing that our future always lies in His hands.

I’ve recommended this song before, but its worth sharing again. Scott Krippayne understands something of God’s fingers in the middle of storms.

3. Storms cause you to rethink priorities

No one looks for storms and we all hope they pass us by. But when they comes we’re wise to embrace the chance to look at all our priorities. Those who lost everything in this storm have a chance to start rebuilding their lives. Too often we quickly revert to old patterns, but I see the wake of a storm as a chance to ask, “What am I really living for?“

If this storm had been catastrophic how would I evaluate my life to this point? How would God review my life’s efforts? Would he say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant”? I hope so, but now is the time to answer that question with an intense freshness. It’s too easy to remain busy without making lasting contributions.

One of my other mentors is Dr. Larry Crabb. His book Shattered Dreams takes a close look at his own reflections on enduring a storm of a different kind – losing his brother prematurely. The way he processes his priorities in the wake of that experience are an instructive pattern for all of us.

Casting Crowns has another song I listen to when thinking of my eternal contribution. If someone wrote a song that summarized the impact of your life, what would they say?

4. Jesus weathered a worse storm

No matter how devastating the storm we endure (and Hurricane Katrina or the recent tsunami in Japan are far worse than this tornado), we must always look to how Jesus faced storms.

First, we know that Jesus spoke and calmed some storms. He is sovereign over nature, but he doesn’t always exert his influence. I wish he would at least preserve human lives, but I think he uses these storms to keep our attention. If life were a constant tropical beach day, we would never see our need for a savior. Storms remind us that we aren’t in control and never know when destruction might arrive.

More importantly, storms remind us that Jesus weathered Satan’s worst storm for our salvation. Facing betrayal, death and his father’s temporary rejection were far worse storms than any of us could endure. Jesus persevered this “perfect storm” for our eternal salvation. 

As I inspect the damage of this recent storm, I’m reminded that sin’s wake of destruction is far more devastating. Only because Jesus endured the storm of the cross can I sing, “You Never Let Go” with Matt Redman.

5. Storms bring communities together

We have met numerous neighbors and seen our city stirred by compassion over the last week. I remember friends after Hurricane Katrina relocating to Louisianna to help the victims restore their lives. I’ve been deeply impressed by the sacrificial love shown as outsiders show genuine care for those whose lives lie in shambles.

Sure, there are hucksters and gawkers, but God seems to use storms to bring people together who would otherwise prefer the comfort of anonymity and privacy. Few of us can rebuild after life’s storms without community. How much better to have that community in place before the storms hit!

Storm Stories

Sometimes we watch the Weather Channel’s show called Storm Stories. It’s a reminder that destructive storms are happening every year. Someone’s life is being touched by a storm almost every day. How do we respond?

What are your storm stories?

Posted in Christian Worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Worship after Easter: 10,000 Reasons to Praise God for the Gospel

Posted on April 14, 2012 by

Have you suffered the post-Easter duldrums?

It sounds heretical, but I’m not talking theologically. Many pastors and worship leaders experience a natural let down after the proper focus we place on the Holy Week and especially Resurrection Sunday. It always happens for me after any major production.

But I think for many evangelical churches we suffer a worship planning let down after Easter. We’ve spent weeks, if not months, leading up to Palm Sunday and Easter. Now what do we do?

If you’re like many evangelical churches you will now enter a 7 month period of “normal” worship planning before Advent starts. You might pay attention to national holidays like Mother’s Day, Independence Day (if you’re American) and Thanksgiving. You might also be a church that organizes around sermon series and other natural rhythms in church life like the beginning of a new school year (which naturally lines up with the start of a ministry year).

But what do we really focus on in our worship during this extended season? I’ve always struggled to call worship on these “tweener” Sundays generic. Generic implies ordinary, bland and plain. Post-resurrection worship is anything but generic. Our hope rests in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. If that’s true, why do we struggle to plan meaningful worship during the May-November stretch each year?

I would venture to say that if you don’t struggle with this, your church likely either does a good job with long-term worship planning or you follow some form of the historic church calendar. Both of these are good remedies. I would also advise a third remedy.

1. Long-term worship planning

John Piper is masterful at creating sermon series

Many pastors have found it helpful to plan sermon series based around an exegetical journey through a book of the bible or some topic relevant to their community. Worship planning becomes much easier when you can predictably look ahead and know the pastor will preach on John 6 on May 15th. Whether an exegitical or thematic series, prayerful worship planning can focus on key biblical themes the church needs to soak in. This can allow great freedom for the creation of new songs, art and other worship offerings that can be agents of change for your congregation.

Northland Church in Orlando does a great job in planning meaningful worship series.

Check out Northland Church for examples of how to do a culturally relevant and biblical sermon series.

SUGGESTION: If your church does not do longer term service planning, I suggest the pastor and worship planners meet to discuss how this might be implemented –even if for only a 4-6 week experiment. I know many pastors don’t feel a freedom to plan more than 1-2 weeks because of the pressures of ministry (and the all important adrenaline rush that comes from Saturday sermon prep–been there too many times!). But sermon prep comes a lot easier when you know where you’re headed for the next 3 to 6 months.

Harbor's current series teaches how the Bible tells one continuous story.

A POSSIBLE MODEL: Harbor Presbyterian Church takes a unique approach to sermon planning. All the sites agree to a similar preaching schedule (with variance allowed for local circumstances). Typically the churches will preach a 10-12 week series on each of the following: 1 Old Testament book, 1 New Testament book, 1 Gospel and 1 topical series. The other Sundays are up to local discretion and given to the major Church holidays. Some churches will turn each of these biblical series into a topical series that can be promoted in the local community.

Do you have a method for preaching and worshiping through the scriptures?

2. The historical church calendar

There has been a recent resurgence in evangelical interest in the church calendar and other elements of historic worship. Dr. Robert Webber spent a lot of energy teaching on this through the Institute of Worship Studies and the Complete Library of Christian Worship.

I’m not an expert at using the key dates from the church calendar. But there are very meaningful opportunities associated with key Sundays like Ascension Sunday and Pentecost. Bruce Benedict at Cardiphonia has gathered a number of resources for these days. So has the Liturgy Fellowship.

3. Celebrate the Gospel – weekly

I’ve written a couple of posts about rehearsing the Gospel in our worship services, including this one and this example of a worship project that retells the Gospel.

There is no better theme to explore in our weekly services than the Gospel! So don’t say you’re going to plan “generic worship” when you don’t have a specific direction. Instead, plan a gospel-centered worship service.

I have recently been listening to Matt Redman‘s new worship project called 10,000 Reasons. I love the title song as it calls us to explore the unfathomable extent of God’s love. Like Charles Wesley’s great hymn, O For a Thousand Tongues, this song reminds us of all the unexplored themes when it comes to the Gospel.

The Apostle John said that all the books in the world couldn’t contain all that Jesus said and did. How is it that we become bored or feel like we’ve said all that can be said about the Gospel?

Here is Matt Redman’s new song:

How do you plan for worship during the post-Easter pre-Christmas portion of the year?

Posted in Worship Leadership | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Hunger Games: 5 Things Church Worship Leaders Can Learn from The Hunger Games

Posted on March 17, 2012 by

The Hunger Games movie will be released in theaters this week. Culturally sensitive worship leaders should be aware of this.

If you don’t have teenagers, it’s possible that you’ve missed this trilogy. Don’t let the target audience keep you from reading this (and definitely read it before going to the theater). Suzanne Collins has produced a provocative classic that will keep you enthralled. You’ll also start many fascinating conversations with peers, family, church members and neighbors. My friend Cliff Ravenscraft, the Podcast Answer Man, has started a podcast dedicated to discussing this book series.

WARNING: This is not for the faint of heart or for younger readers (e.g. we’re not letting our 13-year old daughter read it or watch it, as there are too many disturbing topics and images).

If you have read the book, or seen the movie by the time you read this, you may wonder what this book has to do with worship. Valid question. Read on…

The Hunger Games tells the story of a civilization living in what was the United States and the senseless ways the Capital keeps its citizens under control. The most hideous punishment is a forced form of entertainment called the Hunger Games, where “tributes” are recruited to fight each other to the death till only one tribute remains alive. This tribute is rewarded with lifelong immunity and is promoted as a celebrity to the citizens.

(I’ve already revealed more than I should as one of the book’s strengths is the constant suspenseful storytelling. My apologies to those who haven’t read it, but trust me I have left out most pertinent details.)

So, in a story filled with senseless death, deception, corruption and domination by an obviously Christless government, what can worship leaders learn (and maybe just as important, why do I suggest worship leaders read this)? I hope the following points will answer those questions.

Before I answer that question though, I must ask who shouldn’t read The Hunger Games. Pastors for senior citizens or nursery workers may not find this book particularly useful for their ministry (though the seniors may see this as a way to connect with their grandkids). Also, if you have a weak stomach for violence, the themes of death and violence may disturb your sleep.

That said, I’ve been reading plenty of senseless death in the Bible recently– consider the story of King David and his ascension and fall from power at the hands of those closest to him.

The Hunger Games shocks the senses due to masterful storytelling. That is where worship leaders can benefit. A few weeks ago I suggested worship leaders learn to be better storytellers. I think there are quite a few things to learn from Suzanne Collins in this respect.

5 Things Worship Leaders Can Learn from The Hunger Games

1. Transitions make or break the flow of the “story.”

Suzanne Collins demonstrates mastery at leaving her audience anticipating the next chapter or the next book. I had made a decision to only read one chapter per night. That all changed when I reached the end of chapter one. The last sentence completely caught me off guard and left me wondering what was next. I did put the book down that first night, but after that I learned that if I wanted to fall asleep I needed to stop reading in the middle of the chapter. Needless to say I was hooked!

Worship leaders need to master the art of transitions. In his book Worship Matters, Bob Kauflin describes his habit of spending 30 minutes weekly just rehearsing his transitions so they are thoughtful, Spirit-led and natural. Sometimes, in our desire to be led by the Holy Spirit we forget that God can provide that inspiration in advance so that we can deliver His message clearly. That’s what usually happened with the Old Testament prophets – God told them to write down his message in advance. That’s a great lesson for worship leaders who may not feel as confident in their verbal skills as they are in singing or playing.

2. Start your service with a strong “hook”

I’ve seen countless services where a worship leader or church leader gets up and casually says something like, “Hi! We’re glad you’re here. Please stand and sing.” I find myself thinking, “Why should I sing? Maybe I don’t want to…”

What if I just learned that my grandmother died this morning? What if my dad just lost his job and I don’t know how I’m going to finish college? What if I’m still thinking about the fight we just had in the car while driving to church? What am I singing about anyway?

Most people need more time to prepare their hearts and minds to worship than a 10-second intro or even a beautifully played prelude, though that can be an important aspect of preparation.

Pastor Scotty Smith is masterful at creating an emotional and intellectual hook to draw worshipers into a worship service. He anticipates the sermon, but he also connects to his congregation’s current mindset. Of course, you could argue that this is all the Holy Spirit’s job. True enough. But I do think we play a role in creating a coherent worship service that retells the Gospel as we bring God glory. That requires both disciplined planning and a constant dependence on the Holy Spirit.

The Hunger Games accomplished this through a story that takes unexpected twists and turns. It also bonded readers to the lead characters quickly. When Katniss, the main character, finds herself in the hunger games, we’re instantly pulling for her because she is presented as a noble contrast to the Capital’s cruel sense of entertainment.

All songwriters know the importance of a memorable hook and the need to quickly draw people into a song. If this is true for a song or book, it’s even more true for a worship service. Here are some tips for those starting the service:

TIPS: 1. Find someone to lead the welcome who has a gift for connecting to people.
2. Make sure to share the direction of the worship service with all people involved with leading. Don’t assume they’ll pick it up through the bulletin or elsewhere. Also, don’t assume the other musicians can read your mind. :)
3. Intentionally prepare your opening comments as if someone might put down the “book” after the first chapter if you don’t hook them (this is when people stop singing, fall asleep or start talking to their neighbors (sometimes via Twitter).
4. Study how great speakers and novelists engage audiences from their very first sentences and discuss with your planning team how to bring some of those elements into your service.
5. Practice all your transitions, but especially the service introduction. Write it out if necessary.

3. Don’t overtell the story

Collins keeps the trilogy moving with an economy of words. She doesn’t get bogged down in overly descriptive passages, though she provides plenty of descriptors to help you enter the story.

If some worship leaders have a tendency to say very little, others have a tendency to say too much–often without getting across a clear message. It’s also possible to obscure the themes and Gospel nuggets you hope your congregation grasps by hiding them or not clearly stating these connections. You can do so artfully, but make sure it’s clear. I recommend testing it on your spouse or someone not intimately involved with planning your services.

RESOURCE: Consider this song by Sovereign Grace called Only You Satisfy by Zach Jones. Here are the lyrics:

So hungry, so thirsty for
That which satisfies
This world’s full of broken cisterns
That have left me dry

There’s only one place where I’ll
Find what You made me for
There’s only one true fountain
That satisfies my soul

Only You
You’re the Fountain of living water
Only You satisfy my soul
You’re the source of eternal pleasures
Only You satisfy my soul

So desperate, so needy for
You to open my eyes
To see where I’ve turned to idols
Where I’ve bought their lies

There’s only one place where I’ll
Find what I’m looking for
There’s only one true fountain
That satisfies my soul

Whom have I
In heaven but You, Lord
And the earth
Has no one
Above You, Lord
Whom have I
In heaven but You, Lord
And the earth
Has nothing I desire above You, Lord
© 2006 NAP Record

4. Acknowledge the real battle we fight

I lead worship every Sunday at McConnell Air Force base in Wichita, KS. The families in our chapel understand the cost and nature of war. Unfortunately, for many Christians we have forgotten that the real war we face has an external enemy.

The characters in The Hunger Games know the Capital is their enemy. They are fighting for the freedom of all regions in their post-war civilization. This is the overall conflict running through all three books.

TIPS:
1. Plan songs, scriptures and themes that consider the reality of spiritual battle.
2. While our worship services rightly should focus on the person of Jesus and His redeeming mission, we should also reflect regularly on how we handle the inevitable opposition from the devil.
3. Don’t sugarcoat spiritual warfare. It’s real and we face an enemy who will show no mercy.

RESOURCE: Here’s a song about spiritual battle from Cece Winans:

5. Highlight the importance of the Last Supper

Before tributes entered the playing field for their hunger games, they were treated to a meal of their choice. Typically something rich and sustaining, but also qualitatively better than anything they had ever eaten at home.

In worship we have the chance to regularly celebrate the Lord’s Supper. While this isn’t typically our “last” supper, it is a lasting supper and it reminds us of Jesus’s last supper and how he commemorated this important part of our worship life. Smart worship planners don’t just casually prepare for this act, but prayerfully consider how to engage their congregation in this spiritual meal.

RESOURCE: Here’s a hymn I arranged based on “I Hunger and I Thirst” by John S.B. Monsell that is a good reflection for communion.

There are five points to consider. I’m sure many more could be made (like finding redemptive themes).

Will you be going to the movie?

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Psalms in Worship: Congregations Singing New Psalms (an album review)

Posted on February 25, 2012 by

Does your church sing the psalms? I don’t mean singing psalm snippets like many modern worship songs do–nothing wrong with that, but it’s not the same as psalm singing–but singing a psalm in its entirety or at least a significant portion.

There is a movement toward psalm singing in modern churches. Many traditional and liturgical churches have often sung the psalms, but I am thankful for this resurgence of psalm arranging and singing. I think every congregation can find its worship voice by studying and interpreting the psalms for their community. I also think it helps us teach the next generation to discover the fullness of the Christian life. After all the psalms explore the gamut of emotions from sorrow to exuberant joy, as well as providing a poetic history of redemption.

People have been singing from the book of Psalms for at least 3000 years. Thankfully, we don’t have the original music that David sang while tending his father’s sheep. Nor do we know the tunes Jesus and the disciples sang. If we knew this music, we might feel constrained to sing only those tunes–I know there would be groups who would advocate this, just as there would be those who rebel against this notion. Instead, God mercifully set us free to sing the psalms in musical genres that are appropriate to our local culture.

The Psalms Project

During seminary I conceived of a way to help congregations do this through what I called The Psalm Project. The goal is to bring artists of many disciplines together to study the psalms and then create works of art based on their study. In 2007 and 2008 we had many versions of this crop up in Chicago, San Diego and Denver. We had some amazing musical, visual and poetic renditions emerge. (If I can find some of the recordings, I will share those here in a future post.)

A Survey of Modern Psalm Singing

The Calvin Institute of Worship has also sponsored several projects along these lines, including one by my friend Bruce Benedict where his church and some friends created a project based around the Psalms of Ascent.

I remember in college hearing Ian White of Scotland speak of his  goal to write new versions of all 150 psalms during his lifetime. That inspired me to set a similar goal (so far I have about 10 settings). Here is a psalm from Ian White:

Brian Moss is seeking to do something similar through his Prayer Book Project, though his songs are stated as “inspired by the psalms” as opposed to being psalm settings. He will soon release his second set of songs based on the psalms.

Another group that has made a major impact on psalm singing is The Sons of Korah, getting their name from the biblical group of priests who wrote many of the psalms that David didn’t write. Group founder Matthew Jacoby said this, “The best exposition of the psalms you can do is put them to music.” While this is a professional caliber band and many songs aren’t specifically for congregational singing, the interpretations seek to strictly follow the text and get inside the emotion of the psalms. Here is their setting of Psalm 51:

If you’ve read many of my posts, you know that I love Sovereign Grace Music for writing theologically rich songs in modern musical idioms. Their review of the psalms is no exception. Our congregation has done God is Our Refuge on several occasions and loved it. Here is their “Out of the Depths”:

In the Wakeful Hours: An Album Review

With that exposure to some broader movements in modern psalm singing, I’d like to feature a new project released by Mark Chambers and his church at Westminster Reformed Presbyterian Church in Suffolk, Virginia.

In 2011 their pastor decided to preach through a number of psalms. Mark and church leaders invited the musical members of their church to write new settings to the psalms based on their communal study. Over 25 church musicians participated in the project (not counting the choir).

While the artists didn’t specifically meet to discuss their arrangements, they came with a strong collection of psalm settings that I’m sure their congregation will enjoy and sing for decades to come. It took them about 2 months to produce the project (and Mark wished he could’ve had another month to fine tune the mixes). The only outsider involved was the mixer.

Here’s what Mark had to say about the project:

“For us it was a matter of contextualization. I wanted our people to see that all music does not come out of Nashville and that we have a number of people in our own midst that can contribute quite substantively to the worship life of WRPC. That is why the CD is so diverse. I purposefully wanted it that way, too. I did not want to leave people out of the project because their material was so very different from my own. I have seen in this process our musicians grow as they have been stretched to meet a goal and to also continually rework material. Our congregants have also benefited from it by seeing that our worship life is not limited to CCM and that many people have something to say within our own community.”

Some things I love about this project:

1) Representation of the church – After listening to this project, I feel like I know some of the people of this church. They have poured their hearts and talents in these arrangements. You’ll find many voices and many instruments. One of my pastors used to say worship services should allow “Grandpa and Johnny to worship together.” This project has the diversity of styles that would truly allow all generations to sit together.

2) Fresh and diverse interpretations – I loved the choral setting of Create In Me, but also the Bob Dylanesque setting of In the Wakeful Hours. This project covered many styles, including choral, traditional, rock, folk and even a little gospel/jazz.

3) Multi-voiced – I loved hearing a wide range of musical instruments (guitar, piano, violin, trumpet, bass, drums, organ and many more). It was nice to hear the singers represent all the church’s generations, not just the youngest members. While this might keep some settings from gaining prominence on the CCM top 40 charts, it will endear the songs to their community. A very worthwhile commitment to the longterm worship life of the church!

4) Thoughtful arrangements - Many of the settings felt very appropriate to the lyrics. The psalms cover a wide emotional array and this album’s settings covered that gamut.

5) Outward focused – Many of the psalms have a focus on God’s missionary heart, but that’s not my point here. WRPCA has decided to use all proceeds from this project to support their on-going musicianary work in Austria with the Musik-Brucken project.

***WARNING: This is not an album you can just casually listen to. Instead allow each song to take you into the mood and meaning of the text.***

My wishlist

This album provides an incredible model for churches everywhere to create their own psalm projects, I do have a couple of wishes:

1) Stick to the text – Unless you’re doing as Brian Moss by writing songs inspired by the psalms, I think it’s important for psalm arrangers to stick to the text (changing translations is fine). You’re putting these songs into the minds and hearts of your congregation and it would be best to help them memorize scripture. A couple songs clearly added some new lyrics that will quickly become dated. I remember writing a song with the line, “Let’s roll!” soon after 9/11. My congregation responded negatively and I wisely removed that song from our rotation.

2) Focus on making psalms singable for your congregation – I asked Sons of Korah about why they didn’t make all their songs congregation friendly and their answer was they are a performance group. I have no problem with performance songs, I’ve written quite a few. I don’t know how many of the WRPCA authors were seeking to write for the congregation, but I believe we need many more psalm settings written for the congregation.

What do you think?

I’m very encouraged by this project. I hope many other churches take up this charge and create psalm settings they will sing and share with the rest of the world. 

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Arts and Worship: 5 Thoughts on the Nature of Biblical Artistry

Posted on February 18, 2012 by

What is biblical art? Or what makes art biblical? For that matter, how do we know if someone’s artistry is truly biblical? What difference does it make for worship leaders and thoughtful cultural artists?

If those questions have ever traveled through the synaptic highway of your brain, this discussion will hopefully help clarify and propel your thinking. This will be the first of a series of thoughtful posts on the purpose and goal and methods of biblical artistry.

(Please note that there are many fine books that approach this topic in various forms. Most of those will provide a much more scholarly take. My goal is to help the artist on the street and the worship pastor in the pew with a more conversational style. I will reference some of the great books as we go. One good place to start is Gene Veith’s State of Arts: From Bezalel to Magglethorpe.)

What is Biblical Artistry?

By biblical artistry I’m discussing the intentional pursuit of creating art from a biblical worldview — not necessarily creating art about biblical themes, though that could be included.

5 thoughts on the nature of biblical artistry

When asked to summarize the essence of worship, a fellow worship leader answered: “To love God with all my heart, soul, mind and being–with my whole life, not just with songs–but certainly including songs.”

A biblically informed and led artist would answer the same. The Great Commandment (Mt. 22:37-40) is paramount:

1. Biblical art is done out of love for God and neighbor.

2. Biblical artistry is done with excellence and empowered by the Holy Spirit. When God sought an artist to create the art for the tabernacle, he selected Bezalel (Exodus 31) because: 1) he was skilled in his craft; and 2) he was filled with the Holy Spirit. Proverbs tells us that skilled artists will perform before kings and queens. A biblical artist is always seeking to present his best art.

What role does the Holy Spirit play in Bezalel’s art? While God can always supernaturally give us skills we never possessed, he normally uses skills we’ve already refined. The Spirit empowers and directs these abilities for God’s purposes. I believe He also perfects our work in ways we couldn’t imagine.

3. Biblical artistry is done for the glory of God. J.S. Bach is famous for signing his compositions with SDG, an acronym referring to the latin phrase Soli Deo Gloria – “to the glory of God alone” or “to God alone be all the glory.” This phrase finds its roots in Paul’s admonition to “do whatever you do for the glory of God.” Sounds easy enough…

But for an artist of any discipline–visual, music, dramatic or literary–this is a constant fight. Most artists make their art in hopes that people will enjoy and appreciate their offering. Artists can be crushed through simple criticism (think of Carole King’s demise at the hands of one harsh critic). Applause and praise stokes the souls and passions of artists.

To offer God “ALL the glory” is very difficult for an artist. It becomes even more challenging when an artist depends on art for his or her livelihood. Money tends to follow those who promote their art well–regardless of quality.

Pat Delony is my friend and a very talented painter and a marketer. His undergraduate degree is in fine art and he would prefer to paint in the styles of the great master artists like Rembrandt or Money. However, he discovered that most people don’t appreciate and can’t afford fine art. They will, however, pay for natural art done through innovative styles. So Pat decided to distinguish himself as a pointillist–a style demanding very detailed fine pen work, but easily duplicated. Applying his marketing skills, Pat has created a niche for himself as a regional wildlife artist and stays very busy, but still finds time to teach his grandchildren art and help his son with his youth ministry.

As a jazz musician I find many of my teachers and peers speak critically of Kenny G, David Sanborn, Chris Boti, Kirk Whalum and other jazz musicians who’ve made a living in mainstream pop music. However, I think they are jealous of musicians who have founds ways to create art AND support their families. They are creating art that people will support with their pocketbooks, not just their critical acclaims.

That said, I understand why some will say these musicians have “sold out.” They are allowing the market to dictate what art they will create–but remember, providing for our families is not a bad thing, even Michelangelo had to create art that pleased his patrons.

4. Biblical art isn’t always popular and may not sell. A biblical artist has to be willing to speak the messages God is giving her regardless of how well it is received. In this way a biblical artist is like a prophet. While art cannot deliver propositional truth in the same way a sermon or book can, it is very effective at catalyzing conversations and asking important questions of individuals or communities.

5. Biblical Artistry requires sacrifice. Great athletes must buffet their bodies to reach the top of their sport. Farmers spend months tilling, planting and weeding their fields before they are rewarded with crops. The success of an athlete and a farmer depend on how diligently they worked when hidden from the public eye. An athlete can always have a lucky year and all farmers benefit when ideal conditions prevail, but the true test comes during difficult times.

The same can be said for artists. The artist who spends hours each week perfecting her art will eventually have the opportunity to share her art with the world. Persevering without giving up is the test all great artists must overcome. Few artists are ushered into greatness without crossing the threshold of sacrifice.

Some helpful resources to continue your thinking:

Art for God’s Sake by Phil Ryken. Phil is the consummate pastor, theologian and appreciator of great art. This short book provides a good overview of the scriptural call to create art to the glory of God. Phil is now president at Wheaton College (and I might mention Phil was a classmate of mine–and I’m not surprised at all that he is now president of our alma mater).

It Was Good: Making Art to the Glory of God (edited by Ned Bustard and Sandra Bowden). This is a collection of great articles all centered around how art can glorify God. The contributors range from pastor Tim Keller to world-renowned artist Mako Fujimara; from professor and jazz pianist Bill Edgar to Nashville producer and musician Charlie Peacock.

The Heart of an Artist by Rory Noland. Rory was one of the founding musicians at Willow Creek Community Church. He has directed and produced thousands of services working alongside some of the best musicians in Chicago and from across the Christian music world. These insights are tested in the trenches and important for all biblical artists as they consider the role of their heart in creating art (a topic for another post).

Your Turn:

Since this is meant to be a conversation starter, I’d love to hear from you. How do the scriptures shape your view of your craft?

Posted in Worship Leadership | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Valentines Day and Worship: 4 Ways Churches Should Focus on Valentines Day

Posted on February 11, 2012 by

February 14 is indelibly marked on the minds and hearts of millions of women (and hopefully men) across America and the globe.

Most women look longingly toward Valentines Day as an occasion where their “man” or suitor will forget his brutish ways and pull out all the stops on romancing her heart.

I was recently counseling with a couple and she confided that she hoped they could resolve their differences so they could properly celebrate Valentines Day–without tension and conflict interfering with their romantic love.

I think women everywhere share that sentiment. Of course, I think we should long for deep emotional connections with our spouse all year and not just on one day, but I know I’m helped to have a day to spur me on “toward love and good deeds.”

But what does this have to do with worship and the Church?

Valentines Day has not always been focused on romantic love. In fact it’s origins are shrouded in mystery. We don’t really know to which St. Valentine to attribute the day (there were 3 men with names like Valentinus whom Rome dubbed saints and all three were martyred–how’s that for romantic love?).

Many scholars believe Valentines Day was the Church’s attempt to Christianize a pagan fertility festival. But in the 5th century, the Church banned the celebration all together–it wanted to distance itself from pagan influence.

It wasn’t until the Middle Ages that people popularized Valentines Day as a symbol of love in the month of February – birds mating, signs of spring, etc… This is also when the first Valentines greeting cards were shared (ca. early 1400s).

4 ways churches should focus on Valentines Day

While there are dangers associated with tightly focusing on a secular holiday, per se, there are certainly some benefits worth considering. I suggest these four and look forward to hearing yours:

1) See it as an outreach opportunity. As far as an influence on Christian worship, there have not been too many churches who hold Valentines worship services. Many churches do however hold special outreach desserts and dinners. It’s a natural time to talk about love, marriage and God’s love.

For example, when I was at Lake Oconee Presbyterian Church, we held an annual outreach called Taste of Love. We shared the comedy of Christian comedienne Kerri Pomarolli, jazz music provided by my band and some phenomenal desserts. People came in droves.

2. Unashamedly proclaim the sacrificial love of God. The martyrdom of saints like Valentinus provides a perfect opportunity to talk about God’s love for sinners that led to the wrongful death of Jesus, God’s own son. We should proclaim this good news at all times, but Valentines Day provides an opportunity to speak into broken marriages and the longings of every girl and woman to be romanced.

I find John Eldridge’s book The Sacred Romance to be a helpful resource in learning to talk about God’s love in this way. For many men this may seem too sappy and sentimental. I get that. That’s one of the dangers of our greeting card-influenced concept of love. But God’s pursuing love is nothing short of the best love story every told–which includes adventure, war, beauty and conquest.

3. Write and sing new love songs. I’m playing a gig on Valentines Day. My preparations are causing me to realize how so many love songs equate romance with sexual intimacy. At least that’s how men think of it. Women long for so much more and men would be well served to have some new songs that paint a picture of Real Love. It doesn’t have to be “Christian” lyrics, but certainly the model of love comes from the Bible.

Steven Curtis Chapman is one guy who gets this. He writes phenomenal songs and has given the world a gift by letting us hear the songs he wrote for his wife. Check out his album All About Love. I love all the songs, but here’s one to enjoy:

4. Use the example of St. Valentine to talk about marriage. With a 50% divorce rate (and higher for 2nd marriages), the institution of marriage is in trouble. Part of the reason is that few of us understand and practice sacrificial love. No matter which St. Valentine you choose, the example of martyrdom exemplifies the kind of love God calls men to have toward their wives. The Apostle Paul said, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Eph 5:25).

Marriages everywhere would be profoundly different if we all practiced sacrificial love. Gary Thomas has a straight forward book on the notion of sacred marriage. Protestants don’t view marriage as a sacrament, but we often undervalue its importance and would be well-served to view it as a sacred opportunity–a place to see God’s presence and pleasure.

May it be so, Lord Jesus.

Your turn

How does your church approach Valentines Day? Do you ignore it? Do you see it as an opportunity or distraction?

Posted in Christian Worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Reading for Worship: 5 Books to Fuel Your Faith

Posted on February 4, 2012 by

I’ve read or started reading 5 books in the last month that have fueled my faith and challenged my thinking in good ways. None of these are “worship” books, but they all relate to lifestyle worship.

5 Books to Fuel Your Faith

1. Everyday Prayers by Scotty Smith

Scotty Smith is a well-known pastor in the Nashville area who has influenced many with his gospel-saturated teaching and ministry. The prayers in this book come from a long walk with Jesus that has required soul-searching along with scripture-digging to grapple with life’s challenges and joys. After a month of praying these prayers, I’ve come to depend on this books as a trusted source to reconnect my heart and mind with the hope and truth of the gospel. If you’re looking for ways to help you “preach the gospel to yourself” (per Jerry Bridges), this is a great daily resource.

Fueling your faith: This book demonstrates how one man moves from scripture and real life challenges to an unwavering grasp of the Gospel. I find my faith and belief in the Gospel bolstered each day. God’s words truly are words of life and Scotty helps me seem them.

2. Being George Washington by Glenn Beck

Glenn Beck enjoys his role as provocateur and catalyst in the national media. While I don’t agree with all his conclusions, his fresh unconventional approach challenges my thinking. I found the same to be true of this book on George Washington. He debunks many myths spread in classroom textbooks and gives us a vision of the faith, leadership, vision and weaknesses of our first president. I found myself inspired and using a different standard as I watch the presidential debates happening across the United States. I also find myself challenged with what vision I have for myself and my children.

Fueling your faith: George Washington faced daunting odds and circumstances in his pursuit of establishing the American experiment. I didn’t realize the internal fights he had to fight. His is a story that shows the importance of character that was formed earlier in life–reinforcing to me the need to instill these qualities in my own children. I also see a man who recognized God’s hand in all of history–seeing even the discovery of Benedict Arnold’s treason as a gift from God, saving the Revolution from a crushing defeat.

3. The Tehran Initiative by Joel Rosenberg

Joel Rosenberg is a messianic Jew. As such he has unique perspectives on Israel, End Times prophecies and current events. He also is an incredible storyteller. I find his books mesmerizing and am intrigued by how many of the things he writes are playing out in modern history (NOTE: he writes many of these things prior to them playing out historically). Frankly, my eschatological views are challenged whenever I read his novels. Even if you end up disagreeing with his eschatology (which many do), you’ll find his novels to be page-turners and the story lines to be captivating.

Fueling your faith: There are many who teach vigorously on End Times issues. Some of the attempts to portray these through literature are built on much speculation and a faulty hermaneutic (in my opinion). Rosenberg, however, looks at current events from a thoughtful perspective which helps me read the news differently and pray for the return of Jesus more passionately, while still going about His daily kingdom business.

4. Revolution in World Missions by K.P. Yohannan

I mentioned this book in a previous post. K.P. is an Indian pastor, missionary and evangelist. His organization, Gospel for Asia, has started a revolution in how the church thinks about and does global missions. He advocates training and releasing national missionaries to reach their own country as far more cost effective and long-term impacting. They know the culture, which speeds up translation and adaption issues, and can live at the same standard of living, saving tons of missionary dollars. He doesn’t write off the role of Western missionaries, but says we should reevaluate our relationship and form strategic partnerships in our areas of strength. And, of course, he holds no punches when discussing the state of the Western church. This will challenge you, but it’s worth the read.

Fueling your faith: The call to take the gospel to all nations couldn’t be more clear in Scripture, yet the Western Church has distracted itself through all of its ministries, programs and buildings. Very few churches give 10% or more of their annual budget toward global missions and yet struggle little over raising millions for building projects. Yohannan challenges me to not only support church planting here in America, but to partner with his indigenous evangelists as they plant churches throughout the many nations of Asia.

5. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein

I make it a habit every year to either read or watch the Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkein. This year I also decided to re-read The Hobbit, first read to me by my fifth grade teacher (thanks, Mr. Sanders). We’re also reading it aloud to our daughters. Since the movie is coming out next year, I figured it was a good to revisit this classic story. I highly recommend reading it before you see the story through Peter Jackson’s (the director) eyes.

Fueling your faith: Bilbo models for me a blundering faith. He didn’t believe in himself and discredited Gandalf’s belief in him. Nonetheless he joins the quest and finds ways to use his assets (a quick wit and a magic ring) to help his jolly band achieve victory. How often do I overlook the gifts God has granted me and feel they are inadequate?

What books have you read that have fueled your faith? What books are on your current reading list?

Posted in Christian Worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments