We had a medical emergency last Sunday during our gathering at Restore. It was one of those “they don’t teach you this in seminary” moments. I was in the middle of preaching when I looked over and saw that someone…
What churches could learn from the Pub Choir phenomenon
Have you noticed hardly anyone at your church sings the congregational songs anymore? I have. And I visit quite a few churches around the place. The singers and the band on stage seem to be really into it, but the…
I am part of the resistance
I am a part of the resistance. While I sense I am not all alone, I also sense my number is small, especially so in my own ecclesial family of moderate to progressive Baptists. Many of the current responses to…
Learning from the political worship songs of our American past
The American Civil War was “a war with a musical soundtrack,” according to Christian McWhirter. And that soundtrack continues to echo through the American church today, illustrating the different life experiences of Black and white Christians in particular, once again…
In new worship album, Chris Tomlin remembers Keith Green with remake of ‘O Lord, You’re Beautiful’
Chris Tomlin has been called “the most often sung artist in the world” as his music has inspired and uplifted an entire generation of believers, reportedly being sung by 40 million worshipers every Sunday. Along the way, the Christian artist…
To be more welcoming, let’s remove our flags
It seemed like déjà vu. I was sitting in a worship planning meeting with several other church staff when someone said, “I got another email asking about why the flags are no longer in the sanctuary.” And then the next…
When it comes to leading corporate prayer, are we really all in this together?
Let’s talk about corporate prayer. Houston, we’ve got a problem. Yes, I know it is dangerous to hold oneself out as an expert on anything related to prayer. My true confession is that I’m a whole lot better at praying…
The air of gathered worship: A 12-Sunday challenge
My mother tongue is not church. However, I have been intimately engaged in the church since my mid-20s. Thus, I am now not only fluent in church, but can speak a couple of different dialects. Perhaps my 20-year deficiency is…
I’d rather swim than worship
It was a haunting statement by a pastor. She was asked how her church had rebounded from the impact of COVID upon live worship attendance. Like most, she reported that only about 65% of the pre-COVID attenders had returned to…