Worship Matters

As a follow up to what I posted on Monday, here’s an example of focusing on the content without ignoring the container. This is a video from the WorshipGod08 conference, where Ryan Ferguson is reciting Psalm 25, using the English Standard Version (ESV) translation.  It’s about 4 minutes and very moving.

If you want to see more, you can watch Ryan’s interpretations of  Psalm 145, Psalm 22, and Hebrews 9 and 10.

If you’re interested, you can contact Ryan at ryanf@nhcconline.com.

What would happen if we always heard/read/thought about Scripture with this kind of emotion and thoughtfulness?

A few months ago I had the privilege of speaking to a few classes at Southern Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. During a Q&A, someone asked me what things we can do to keep our meetings from becoming dull, rote, and routine.

Although there are probably a number of ways to answer that question, what came to my mind was the difference between containers and content in our meetings. “Container” describes what’s going on during a particular portion of the meeting. In a more formal church the containers might be listed out in a bulletin and include things like Call to Worship, Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Pardon, Worship in Song, Pastoral Prayer, Giving of Tithes and Offerings, Lord’s Prayer, Sermon, the Lord’s Supper, and Benediction. In a less formal church containers still exist, but are generally assumed. They could include the “worship time,” “ministry time,” announcements, sermon, testimony time, special song, prayer for the sick, welcoming of guests, communion, and the closing song.

In either case, we can get caught up in focusing on the “containers.” How they fit together, how much time each one requires, whether or not we’re approaching them with creativity, and other administrative and aesthetic questions. We think the meeting has gone well when we fit all the “containers” in to the allotted box of time, or when things flow smoothly. “Worship didn’t take too long.” “Smooth transition from announcements to the special song.” If we’re really on top of things, we assign a theme to the containers so that they all relate to the same topic or have a similar focus.

The problem with this thinking, as helpful as it may be in some ways, is that we can neglect what actually fills those containers. In other words, the content. No liturgy in itself - traditional, contemporary, emerging, orthodox, or otherwise - has the power to change a person’s life. Yes, God instructs us to do everything “decently and in order” (1 Cor. 14:40), and liturgies and forms make a difference, but our greatest concern should be using every opportunity in our meetings to magnify the greatness of God in Jesus Christ in people’s minds and hearts. To rehearse, celebrate, and be changed by the gospel. (For an in depth treatment of this topic, check out Bryan Chappell’s Christ-Centered Worship.)

When we focus on content more than containers, no part of the meeting has to be “routine.” Each container becomes an opportunity to experience the glory of Christ in a unique way. Here’s what I mean.

The “call to worship” becomes more than a perfunctory few words to start the meeting. It’s a personal invitation from God himself to encounter his presence in the midst of his people, to dwell on his greatness and goodness, and to remind ourselves that we have been called out of darkness to proclaim his excellencies.

“Worship in song” becomes more than a set list, a pre-sermon filler, or a time to try out a new song or arrangement. It’s an opportunity to revel in the glorious gospel, to display the unity Jesus has made possible through his substitutionary death, to watch the Holy Spirit stir up deeper affections for God’s worth and works, and to teach and admonish one another.

“Tithes and Offerings” becomes more than an awkward moment where we make sure the church has enough money to make it through the week. It’s a time to remember that God always does more than we could ask or think (Eph. 3:20), that our giving is always a response to his overwhelming generosity toward us, and that we have experienced the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who though he was rich, yet for our sake became poor, so that we by his poverty might become rich (2 Cor. 8:9).

The “sermon” becomes more than a pastor proving his relevance or persuading people they should come back next week. It’s a transcendent, sacred moment when God addresses his people God’s eternal and unchanging Word, when hearts are opened before the living God, Holy Spirit surgery is done, and life-changing gospel hope is imparted. It’s also a time to educate people on how to read, study, interpret, and apply Scripture.

The Lord’s Supper becomes more than an interruption to the meeting or a dutiful, uninformed response to Jesus’ command. It’s seeing the gospel in visible form, experiencing real spiritual union with Christ and each other, and declaring to ourselves and each other that the Lord really is coming again.

Prayer provides more than an opportunity for the tech crew and musicians to move things around and get in place. It’s conversing with our heavenly Father, expressing our desperate need, expecting him to do abundantly more than we could ask or think (Eph. 3:20), asking him to conform our hearts and wills to his own, and teaching the church how to pray.

Even the announcements are an opportunity to demonstrate how the gospel motivates us to do what we do, provide testimonies of how individuals are joyfully laying down their lives, make known what God’s grace is accomplishing, and highlight ways people can live out their faith before a watching world.

Whenever we do something repeatedly, week after week, we have two tendencies. One is to revert to a formalism that requires no faith or Spirit-given power. It’s easier. It’s more efficient. And it’s deadening.

The other tendency is to become more creative with the containers at the expense of what’s being said. That too is deadening. Focusing on content over containers doesn’t negate creativity. It just gives it the right focus, direction, and purpose.

As we think about, plan for, and lead our meetings, let’s never lose sight of the fact that gathering as the church is one of the most significant events on earth. More dramatic than any movie, more exciting than any sporting event, and more life-changing than any political rally. We are the people of God, met together in his presence, joining with innumerable saints and angels in heaven, proclaiming the greatness of the Lamb who was slain, edifying each other through the use of spiritual gifts, and being transformed into his image as we feed on his Word and behold his glory (1 Pet. 2:9-10; Mt. 18:20; Heb. 12:22-24; Rev. 5:9-10; 1 Cor. 12:4-7; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Cor. 3:18).

How can that ever be dull or routine?

UPDATE: We’ve now reached our goal of 100 requests for a free copy of Alli en la Cruz. Thanks for helping us get the word out to our Spanish brothers and sisters!

I’m excited to announce the newest release from Sovereign Grace Music: Allí en la Cruz. Translated, that means There at the Cross. I’m so excited that I want to give 100 of them away (details below).

In 2002 we produced our first Spanish CD, Sea la Gloria solo a Ti, twelve Sovereign Grace songs translated from the English versions. We were happy we could produce something to serve our Spanish churches, but as you might guess, the songs sounded like what they were - translations. On top of that, we used the original instrumental tracks. Definitely not Hispanic.

In contrast, the 10 songs on Allí en la Cruz were all written in Spanish for Spanish speaking churches. And similar to other Sovereign Grace songs, they’re congregation friendly and focus on the gospel, our need for Christ, God’s character, God’s Word, and our faith-filled response. Titles include Only by Your Grace, How Great is Your Love, Majestic God, and We Are Your Children (Solo por Tu Gracia, Que Grande Es Tu Amor, Dios Majestuoso, y Somos Tus Hijos).

The primary writer and main vocalist is Mauricio Velarde, a young musician who came to Christ a few years ago at my church. When he first came, he was playing in his own band and writing love songs. But as Mauricio attended our Spanish congregation, Iglesia Gracia Soberana De Gaithersburg, he began to catch a vision from his pastor, Joselo Mercado, and Ken Boer, music director at Covenant Life, for writing songs that would serve the church and glorify Jesus.

The album started out as a local church EP. But when I heard the songs, I told Ken that I wanted to take it on as a Sovereign Grace project. With the additions of a few other writers (Jose Torres, Jose Troche, and Miguel Medina) we soon had a full length album.

For the most part we used vocalists and musicians from my church. John Behrens, a gem of an intern, did most of the engineering. Mauricio oversaw the project and made sure different Hispanic styles were authentically represented. He even let me display my massive accordion chops on one song. The album was mixed and mastered in Nashville and I’m really pleased with the final product.

I realize most of you reading this won’t be able to understand the lyrics (although I think you’d dig the music). But maybe you know someone who would not only understand the songs, but actually be able to sing them. If so, I’d like to know who they are.

I have 100 copies of Allí en la Cruz I want to give away to pastors and/or worship leaders of Hispanic congregations (one per church). If you can recommend anyone, just send their name, mailing address, email address, and church name to bob@worshipmatters.com. Or simply use the contact tab above. Oh, and it’s okay if the Spanish pastor or worship leader is you. We’ll send an album to the first 100 requests we receive.

If you just want to purchase the album you can get it for $10 or download it for $7 at the Sovereign Grace online store. Lead sheets and guitar charts are included with the CD.

You can also find out more about the album at the Alli en la Cruz Facebook page or the Sovereign Grace Music website, where we’re giving away the song “Somos Tus Hijos.”

Thanks for helping us spread the word!

Our church is in the middle of a series on 1 Peter and we’ve been talking a lot about suffering. Peter starts off by telling us that we will be grieved by various kind of trials, “so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 1:7). For the Christian, trials are never purposeless, random, or wasted. God is using them to work out his perfect plans and to conform us to the image of his Son.

How do we know this? Because he has promised in his Word that “for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28). He is sovereign over every disappointment, defeat, disease, and disaster.

When we gather as the church, it’s always an opportunity to remind one another of the truths upon which our lives are built. So we’ve been singing songs that highlight God’s sovereignty and care during our suffering, whether that stems from being persecuted for our faith or simply living in a fallen world.

This past Sunday, we introduced Desert Song, written by Brooke Fraser. It’s been around a while, but we thought this series would be an ideal time to introduce it. Here are the lyrics:

This is my prayer in the desert
And all that’s within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is the God who provides

And this is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved of more worth than gold
So refine me, Lord, through the flames

I will bring praise, I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice, I will declare
God is my victory and He is here

And this is my prayer in the battle
When triumph is still on it’s way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on His promise I’ll stand

All of my life, in every season
You are still God, I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

This is my prayer in the harvest
When favor and providence flow
I know I’m filled to be emptied again
The seed I’ve recieved I will sow
By Brooke Fraser, Copyright 2008 Hillsong Publishing (Admin. in U.S. & Canada by Integrity’s Hosanna! Music)

Another song we sang on Sunday was from our album, Come Weary Saints. It’s called As Long As You Are Glorified and was written by my good friend Mark Altrogge. It’s a humble prayer that acknowledges God’s unchanging character in the midst of changing circumstances. You can listen to the song or right-click to download here. Download the guitar chart here.

Shall I take from Your hand Your blessings
Yet not welcome any pain
Shall I thank You for days of sunshine
Yet grumble in days of rain
Shall I love You in times of plenty
Then leave You in days of drought
Shall I trust when I reap a harvest
But when winter winds blow, then doubt

Oh let Your will be done in me
In Your love I will abide
Oh I long for nothing else as long
As You are glorified

Are You good only when I prosper
And true only when I’m filled
Are You King only when I’m carefree
And God only when I’m well
You are good when I’m poor and needy
You are true when I’m parched and dry
You still reign in the deepest valley
You’re still God in the darkest night

So quiet my restless heart
Quiet my restless heart
Quiet my restless heart in You
Words and Music by Mark Altrogge. © 2009 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music/Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI). Admin. by Integrity’s Hosanna! Music.

I posted more thoughts on ways God can use congregational worship to strengthen people’s faith during seasons of suffering in this post and this series.

I was talking with a pastor the other day about one of his worship leaders who has a hard time leaving old songs behind (as in “Shine, Jesus, Shine”). Apparently there are a few songs from the 80s that the worship leader still finds quite moving. Unfortunately, the pastor and many young members of the congregation don’t share his enthusiasm.

Our conversation led me to think of a few questions that might be asked in this situation:

Is it wrong to retire old songs?
If so, how do you know the right time?
Do we even need to be singing new songs?
What makes a song “old?”
Once a song is retired, should we ever bring it back?

Here are a few thoughts on this topic. Hope they’re helpful.

1. Most corporate worship songs won’t pass the “time test.” That’s okay.
Charles Wesley wrote over 6500 hymns in the 1700s. Three hundred years later most churches don’t sing more than 20-30 of them. Percentage-wise, that’s not very impressive. But in terms of effect, few hymn writers have had a more lasting or broad influence than Wesley (Although Isaac Watts, who only wrote about 650 hymns, has a much higher percentage of longevity.) It’s safe to say that in a hundred years we won’t be singing most of the songs we’re singing today on Sundays. Some will last one week, others for a few years, some for decades, and others will still be sung after we’re gone. All have a place in a congregation pursuing both old and new expressions - psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs - of God’s praise. (Col. 3:16)

2. Music can hinder or help the impact of truth on our hearts.
One of the primary purposes of singing as a congregation is to “let the word of Christ dwell in us richly,” (Col. 3:16). But if that word is wedded to poorly performed, unsingable, or distasteful music, people may never hear the word at all. On the other hand when the music is appropriate, enjoyable, singable, and well-played/sung, it can heighten the impact of biblical truth on our hearts. That means we need to give serious thought to whether or not the songs, arrangements, and musical settings we use are truly helping people sing biblical truths with passion. Churches can err in one of two ways. Either our music is so “relevant” that people don’t even notice the words, or our music is so foreign that people have a hard time connecting at all.

3. A song should be retired when the musical setting no longer inspires faith to sing the lyrics.
God intended music to affect us emotionally (Mt. 11:17; Job 21:12). When a tune or musical setting no longer does that, or affects us negatively, we can change the arrangement, alter the melody (if it’s public domain), or stop using the song. It’s a fact that we tire of some tunes more quickly than others. That doesn’t necessarily mean they were bad to start with. It just means they aren’t the “100 year” kind of melodies. Wise leaders are on the lookout for fresh musical expressions to complement those that have stood the test of time.

4. A song should be retired when there are better or just different songs you want to introduce.
More than a few times we’ve taught a song that seems like it will be around for a while. But when you teach around 18 new songs a year, as we do, there’s just no way to keep doing all of them consistently. So some of them are retired by default.

5. Music leaders are called to submit their musical preferences to their pastor and congregation.
I said in my book that my iPod isn’t the best place to start for choosing songs to sing on Sunday. What affects me personally may be vague, ineffective, or even offensive to others. We’re to use our gifts “so that the church may be built up” (1 Cor. 14:6). While there are good reasons to expand the musical palate of a congregation from time to time (to display the glory of God in a variety of ways, enable a broader range of emotional responses, and provide a fresh setting for lyrics), I shouldn’t insist a song still “works” when no one around me agrees.

6. Retired songs should be brought back based on their their lyrical, not sentimental, value.
To sing a song simply because it’s a “old favorite” can subtly emphasize our musical enjoyment more than our passion for Christ. It’s focusing on the “container” more than the “content” (an upcoming post). But there are times when an old, familiar song says exactly what you want to say, and people’s hearts are filled with faith as they sing it (even “Shine, Jesus, Shine”). In the not too distant past I’ve used “In my Life Lord, Be Glorified,”"Oh, Lord, You’re Beautiful,” and a few older Sovereign Grace songs that seemed to fit the moment.

More could be said, I’m sure. What about you? How have you handled retiring songs?

At last year’s WorshipGod conference, I gave a message on The Future of Worship, based on the opening verses to Psalm 78. I’m increasingly aware of is how important it is to pass on the right things from generation to the next, and this message was an attempt to address that topic.

Here’s a 3:45 video clip from that message where I’m focusing on Ps. 78:7: “so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.” I talk about how important it is to make sure those who are following us are putting their hope in God and the gospel - not us, our musical preferences, our technology, or our efforts.

What are your children and those you’re mentoring learning from you about where their ultimate hope lies?

I’m in the sixth day of using Prof. Grant Horner’s Bible reading plan and thoroughly enjoying it. It involves reading from 10 different sections of the Bible each day, using bookmarks to keep your place. Each time I read I come away with a greater appreciation for God’s sovereignty over history and am already starting to see the benefits of Scripture commenting on Scripture.

This morning one of my readings was Matthew 6. Three times these words caught my attention:

And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Mt. 6:4, 5, 18)

Jesus used that phrase when he was speaking about giving, praying, and fasting. It made me think more carefully about leading others in worshiping God.

I tend to think that the most important parts of my life are what everyone sees. Sunday mornings, conferences, public events. I spend a lot of time preparing for times when I’m in front of people. I have a tendency to think that those times must have greater significance than what I’m doing when no one’s looking. Certainly God is watching more closely and more is accomplished for the kingdom when I’m leading huge crowds than when I’m by myself. Right?

Maybe.

As usual, Jesus cuts across the grain of my assumptions. What he said can revolutionize how I think about public ministry.

1. God thinks what I do when no one else is watching is pretty important.
Time alone can seem so inconsequential. That’s why we can fill it so easily with seemingly harmless activities with Facebook, Twitter, video games, TV, movies, web surfing; or more overtly sinful activities like viewing pornography, nursing bitterness, or lusting after what we don’t have. But God sees it all. Our heavenly Father sees what we do in secret. Meditating on that consistently is bound to lead to the fear of the Lord.

2. The rewards of eternity are better than the rewards of this life.
Countless millions spend their lives pursuing goals, possessions, and achievements that will vanish when they die. Jesus lets us in on a secret. The rewards to live for are the ones the Father will hand out on the last day. At that moment, the number of my blog readers, Facebook friends, Twitter followers, or fans will have zero effect on my status before God. So why are those things so important to me now?

3. Being rewarded by the Father is infinitely more important than being rewarded by people.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with honoring others or being honored. In fact, God tells us to give honor to whom honor is due (Rom. 13:7). The problem comes when we live for and seek the praise of men rather than the praise of God (Jn. 5:41-44). When we act spiritually simply to impress others, we have all the reward we’ll ever get. When, by God’s grace in Christ, we hear “well done” on the last day, we’ll realize in a moment the only evaluation that mattered.

Bottom line: if I gauge my maturity only by what I do when others can see me, I may be terribly deceived about my true state before God.

May we be faithful to help the people in our churches remember that our heavenly Father both sees and rewards - what we do in secret.

Last weekend I attended the Resolved conference, led by Rick Holland from Grace Community Church. The conference is based on the Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards, and this year’s theme was Jesus. In eleven sessions, we got a fire-hydrant dose of why the person and work of Jesus Christ is so glorious and life-changing.

This was my second Resolved conference. My good friend CJ Mahaney has spoken at all six, but I’ve gone the past two years to give away Sovereign Grace Music song sampler CDS to the 3000+ attendees. Being in Palm Springs hasn’t been bad either.

The music for the conference is provided by Enfield, led by John Martin. John has become a good friend and a godly musician I deeply respect and appreciate. In fact, as I’ve gotten to know the other members of the band (John’s wife, Lisa, guitarists Patrick Anderson and Paul Hoover, bassist/songwriter Ryan Foglesong, drummer extraordinaire David Zimmer, and newcomer multi-tasker Will Pierce), I’ve been greatly encouraged by their genuine humility, love for the church, crazy music chops, love for each other, joy, servant hearts, and artistic creativity. All inspired by their desire to bring glory to Jesus Christ. They even let me teach a song this year, All I Have is Christ. You can watch the video here.

Each year at the conference they release an album. This year it was The Enfield Hymn Sessions, Vol. 1. (You can find the previous albums, “Back to Calvary” and “O For That Day” at the Resolved site.) I listened to their new album, produced by Brian Steckler, on the way out to the conference and wanted to tell you about it.

As the name suggests, it’s a recording of 12 hymns. Here’s the list (with my favorites starred):

*1. There is a Fountain- Standard melody with a driving 4/4 accompaniment.
*2. Jesus Shall Reign - Jubilant 12/8 arrangement with a new chorus. One of my favorites on the album.
3. And Can it Be - Original tune with a 6/8 accompaniment, and some occasional fresh harmonies. Nice mandolin work on this one.
4. Lead On, O King Eternal - New music and chorus. Great rendition. Christian Ebner is the guest vocalist.
5. Our Great God - Fernando Ortega’s anthem to God’s greatness. Beautiful song. Pizzicato strings add a nice touch.
6. Crown Him with Many Crowns - Celebrative arrangement of the standard tune.
*7. Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken - Another one of my favorites. Hope to teach this at my home church some time.
8. I Will Glory in My Redeemer - Nice arrangement of Steve & Vikki Cook’s song.
*9. O the Deep, Deep Love - Original tune, but a hauntingly beautiful arrangement. For my reworking of this hymn, click here.
10. Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven - Lilting 3/4 arrangement with a new chorus.
11. Blessed Assurance - New music and chorus. Michelle Anthony is the guest vocalist. This arrangement is more reflective than the original hymn, and very moving. “This weight of heaven pours on my soul; longing for heaven where I’ll be made whole.”
*12. Be Thou My Vision - Hard to go wrong with this song. Great arrangement.

The musicians of Enfield are among the best I’ve heard from a local church. That doesn’t come through as clearly on the album as I’d like, due to the fact that a string quartet or soloists play a prominent role on most of the songs. That being said, the album is still a great collection of fresh hymn arrangements and re-writes, filled with gospel truth that will make your soul soar and your heart sing for the glory of the Savior.

John has kindly allowed me to give away the MP3, lead sheet, and rhythm chart for the song Jesus Shall Reign. Enjoy.

You can download the album for $7.99 at Amazon or $9.99 at iTunes.

Back in 2005 we produced an album called Worship God Live, a live album that featured Pat Sczebel and me each leading six songs. Pat serves as one of the pastors at Crossway Community Church, in Surrey, British Columbia. He’s been a dear friend for years.

Pat inspires me in many ways. He’s one of the most encouraging guys I know. He’s a caring husband, a faithful dad, a diligent pastor, and he has a heart for the lost. But most of all, I’m affected by his genuine love for Jesus Christ. Through a variety of circumstances, in want and fruitfulness, Pat’s love for the Savior has produced encouragement, hope, and faith that affects everyone around him.

One of Pat’s songs on this album is “Jesus, Thank You.” It typifies Pat’s life - a life of gratefulness that God sent his Son to endure the punishment we deserved and to reconcile us to God.

When he first sent the song to be considered for a Sovereign Grace project, it somehow got passed over. Later on, at a songwriter’s retreat, he played three songs that all needed some major work. He pulled out “Jesus, Thank You” again, thinking maybe it was better than the first response indicated. He was right. He did some more work on the song and produced a song that combines a clear statement of substitutionary atonement with our grateful response of love and obedience.

The original first verse went like this:

This mystery of grace I cannot comprehend
Why would You save a wretch like me
Why would the perfect holy One crush His only Son
For the worst of sinners Crucified

Good, but not great. It became:

The mystery of the cross I cannot comprehend
The agonies of Calvary
You, the perfect, holy One crushed Your Son
Who drank the bitter cup reserved for me.

And here’s the chorus:

Your blood has washed away my sin
Jesus, thank You
The Father’s wrath completely satisfied
Jesus, thank You
Once Your enemy, now seated at Your table
Jesus, thank You.

You can download the guitar chart here.

Last year at the NEXT conference, I had the privilege of leading “Jesus, Thank You” with the band Reilly. We sang it after CJ Mahaney had preached a message on the death of Christ from Mk. 15:33-39. Enjoy.

I’m thrilled that our latest kids’ album, Walking with the Wise, is finally available. This is the third Sovereign Grace kids’ album, the second being To Be Like Jesus (June 2009), and the first, Awesome God (Aug. 2004).

Walking with the Wise contains 13 songs based on different verses from the book of Proverbs. Titles include W-I-S-D-O-M, Make Me Wise, A Good Friend, Lazy Bones, A Cheerful Heart, and All Ears.

While the number of “worship CDs” for children has increased exponentially in recent years and may have reached a saturation point, many of them assume that kids are already Christians. One of our aims in making kids’ albums is to help parents raise children in the “discipline and instruction of the Lord.” We write most of the songs in a way that proclaims truth rather than simply being an expression of a child’s heart.

This approach can make the album sound less “worshipful,” but in the long run, we think it better represents what’s happening when kids sing. They’re memorizing words that will hopefully influence the way they view God, themselves, and the world. While there’s certainly a place for kids singing songs of praise to God directly (Mt. 21:16.), music is also a tool to teach teach kids truths about God, God’s Word, how we’re relate to him and each other, and most importantly, who Jesus is and what he did to rescue us from our sin.

For example, here’s verse 1 from Mark Altrogge’s song, “Where It All Begins,” which teaches about the fear of the Lord (Prov. 1:7).

When others try to draw you in
So you would join them in their sin
The fear of God will keep you safe
And give you strength to run away

Here’s another sample from a song Stephen Altrogge and I wrote called, “To Tell the Truth,” based on Prov. 12:19 and Prov. 25:18.

A little lie seems harmless like ordinary words
But lies we tell to others are like a sword that hurts
When someone tries to tell me that covering up’s okay
Don’t let me be dishonest, help me to humbly say
To tell the truth is what I want to do
Because You love the lips that speak the truth
To tell a lie leads me away from You
So help me, God, to tell the truth

Whenever we produce an album for children, it’s easy to drift into rules and moralism. “Be this way and you’ll be a Christian boy/girl.” We may teach kids what’s right and wrong, but they won’t necessarily see that they need a Savior. So even on an album based on Proverbs, we’ve looked for ways to direct little hearts and minds to the gospel.

This is the chorus to Zach Jones’ song, “I Don’t Have to Hide,” taken from Prov. 28:13:

Blessed is the one who fears the Lord and admits his sin
Blessed is the one who trust the Lord, who alone forgives
Jesus died so I don’t have to hide anymore.

Another example is “Who Can Say,” based on Prov. 20:9:

Who can say, “I have made my heart pure
I am clean from my sin”?
No one’s blameless in God’s holy eyes
That’s why the Savior came
Jesus, Jesus, only You did everything right
Jesus, Jesus, died and rose
So we could have new life

While our kids’ albums are mainly for 6-10 year olds, younger and older kids, and even adults enjoy them. It’s a good thing, because I know some moms (including my oldest daughter) who have been hearing To Be Like Jesus in their car for a year now.

I was grateful for the input of Mike Bradshaw, children’s ministry pastor at my church, who suggested some creative dialogue and musical ideas that made Walking with the Wise more engaging than our previous children’s albums. Right now Mike is in the middle of leading “Summer Celebration,” an event for about 500 6-10 year olds, incorporating many of the songs from Walking with the Wise.

The CD contains lead sheets, guitar charts, and accompaniment tracks to all the songs. We want to make it as easy as possible for you to put these songs to use. You can buy the CD for $12 from the Sovereign Grace online store, or download the MP3 album for $9. You can also hear samples at the Sovereign Grace Music site, and download a free song, Lazy Bones.

Whether you use Walking with the Wise for Vacation Bible school, summer camp, children’s ministry, family worship time, or just singing in the car, we pray these songs will help kids appreciate the precious truths of God’s Word and point them to Jesus Christ, our great Savior.

Yesterday I posted a song I sang at the NEXT conference for those with disabilities.

A week or so before the conference began, I had a growing sense that there would be people at the conference who would be encouraged by attending, but would be battling the effects of sexual sin - either condemnation for sin in the past, or struggles with sin in the present. A preoccupation with either could rob them from enjoying the fruit from the conference. As the conference went on, that sense grew stronger.

As I prayed for those individuals, I again thought that the Lord might want to encourage them through a song. I could have simply shared my impression and exhorted them to believe the gospel, to trust that Christ, through his atoning death and victorious resurrection, fully paid for their sins and freed them from slavery to sin. Instead, I sang a song which came to me a few moments before we went on stage to lead the final session. I quickly jotted the words down on the back side of one of the guitar charts.

Someone emailed me yesterday to ask why I’d call a song like this spontaneous, when I had written the words down beforehand. Good question. It was spontaneous in the way the thought came to me (somewhat out of the blue), in the impression I had right before the meeting to share it, in the quickness with which the words came, and in the musical aspects. I also didn’t know when I might sing it going into the conference, or whether I would sing anything at all. I shared more thoughts about spontaneous/prophetic songs in an earlier post.

Regardless of what you call it, it was another opportunity to minister the truth of God’s Word and the gospel to his people through song. You can listen to it or download it by clicking here.

Here are the lyrics. I pray you’re encouraged by it.

Not a single spot
Not a single stain
Not a single blemish
Now remains
You have been washed clean
With the blood of Jesus Christ
And if your trust is in Him
You are righteous in my eyes

And though there is a battle
Though you fight the war
There are temporary pleasures
That’s not what you were made for
There are everlasting pleasures
That are waiting at my hand
And I only give joy
That will never ever end.

And if you fall again
My forgiveness will remain
For your debt is paid in full
And my love will never change
So trust in me each moment
For what you cannot do
For I’ll give you strength to conquer
For your life has been made new
I’ll give you strength to conquer
For your life has been made new.

For further encouragement in battling the effects and temptations of sexual sin I’d meditate on 1 Cor. 6:9-11, 1 Thess. 4:1-7, Rom. 8:1-4, 2 Cor. 5:17-21, Col. 2:13-15. Two books I’d highly recommend are Sex Is Not the Problem - Lust Is by Josh Harris and Battling Unbelief: Defeating Sin with Superior Pleasure by John Piper.

The 16th chapter of my book, Worship Matters, is called “To Cherish God’s Presence.” I talk about how one of the effects of biblical corporate worship is a greater pursuit of God’s active presence. I wrote:

For many years I’ve sung spontaneous songs during corporate worship that I believe are a form of prophecy. They’re similar to a spoken prophetic impression from the Lord, only they’re sung, they rhyme, and are often sung “from God to us.” I’ve never believed for a moment that the words I sing are “word for word” from the Lord. That’s called Scripture. But these songs seem to consistently communicate in verse the Lord’s heart for a particular individual, group, or situation. The effect over the years has been an increased awareness of God’s care for his people.

I first met guitarist Ben Gowell when he played on our Worship God Live album back in 2005. He regularly plays for  Paul Baloche and Sara Groves, and is currently on tour with Michael W. Smith. In other words, he’s pretty good. But really makes him special is that he played on our second kids’ CD, To Be Like Jesus, and co-produced and played on Walking with the Wise, coming out later this month.

I’ve always been struck by Ben’s humility, his love for the church and his family, and his commitment to playing skillfully for the glory of God. So I asked him recently if he had any thoughts on how an electric guitarist might improve his skills, especially if he wanted to play in the studio. While most electric guitarists in churches aren’t going to end up on professional recordings, learning to play like a studio guitarist will benefit any player. Here’s what Ben sent me. Feel free to pass them on or add your own thoughts in the comments.

Grow in your appreciation for many different styles of music.
Styles like country and R&B were not things that I naturally gravitated towards in high school and college, but in the interest of trying to make myself a more well-rounded guitarist, I sought out a country guitar teacher, purchased Country and R&B albums, and focused in on what the guitar players were doing on those albums. One of the most beneficial things you can do to grow as a player try to emulate what guitarists are doing in different styles. Although guitar lessons were a big part of my learning as a player, equally important was the process of listening to a lot of stuff and copying it. This develops your ears and gets you thinking more like a musician/arranger than just a guitar player.

Play as much as you can with good musicians.
There’s something to be said for ‘woodshedding’ by yourself in your own practice space, but there’s just no substitute for playing with other people. This is where you develop a few different important things. Learning to listen to what’s going on in the rest of the band so that what you play complements and doesn’t compete with everyone else or the vocalist. Often times in a session, I’ll just sit and listen through a song a few times before I even touch my strings. I want to know, what is the mood/vibe of the song? What is the style of the song? What is the message of the song? These are all important questions to ask before you just start noodling around on the guitar. Again, this gets you thinking more like a musician and less like just a guitar player.

Invest in different pieces of gear.
No serious studio guitarist has just one guitar and one amp. Most have dozens of guitars, at least a half a dozen amps, and a wide variety of effects pedals to pull from. Can great music be made with just one guitar and amp? Absolutely. But when we’re talking about being a serious session player, particularly an electric guitarist, you’ve got to be able to get a lot of different tones. Some of that comes from your fingers, but the gear matters, too. The electric guitar, probably like no other instrument in the band, has the exciting and difficult job of creating interesting sounds and textures that can give very different vibes to different songs. The same two notes, based on what effects you’re playing them through, can set a completely different mood. I always tell people to start slow with your purchases. Experiment with different amps to see what they really sound like. Try different pedals and guitars and find their nuances. Look at what bands of the past have used for gear and then listen to their albums. Part of becoming a serious studio electric guitarist is getting a ‘tone education’. Yes, it can be expensive, but you can build your gear list slowly. Buy good used stuff when possible, so that if you don’t love it later on, hopefully you can sell it and not lose money.

Finally, work on playing counter-melodies.
A lot of playing electric guitar is the stuff in-between all-out soloing and just chord playing. Think of an amazing symphony where instruments are playing different counter-melodies over each other. I try to think like that as a guitarist, only on a smaller scale. If everyone in the band is just playing the chord changes with each other, the music will start to sound very mechanical and robotic. Look for melodic hooks and riffs that give the listener something more than chords to listen to. But make you’re your counter-melodies don’t fight with the main vocal melodies - another important reason to listen to what’s going on around you and not just play as a soloist. It’s helpful to buy a loop sampler pedal so you can record different chord changes and then work on coming up with “parts” over them. It can be a very helpful tool for coming up with different counter-melodic parts, and unless you have a good friend who can comp G, C, and D for you for hours on end, a loop sampler pedal is worth having.

Every time I lead the singing at a conference it’s a learning experience. This year’s NEXT conference was no different. In this post I want to share some of the thinking behind the songs we sang.

NEXT is a conference geared towards younger singles and married couples, so the majority of people who attend are probably between 17 and 30. This was the 11th year of the conference and was similar to past years. There were six morning and evening sessions, starting Friday night, with an afternoon session added on Saturday. I co-led with three separate bands: the Na Band (three times), Zelos (twice), and Generation Letter (once). Saturday afternoon was an acoustic band, made up of players from the different bands.

We tried to come up with a close to final songlist for the conference before it started. Part of reasons was we were using a string section and a choir for two different sessions. So here are some of the things I considered when choosing the songs:

Conference theme - Grounding our lives in the authority of God’s Word
The message topics - This probably is the most significant factor in determining where to put songs.
New songs we wanted to teach - These are songs that we want people to consider taking home with them because they’re so good. Usually no more than 3-5 a conference.
Songs the bands knew - Since each band has a limited repertoire I asked them to submit song they felt particularly good about leading.
Familiar songs - it’s occasionally helpful when people can sing a song they know by heart
Songs that bands had written - Some were new, some old.
Sovereign Grace songs - wanting to introduce non-Sovereign Grace folks (about 50% of the conference) to our music
Songs we wanted to present- We wanted to have a couple times when people were just listening, allowing the truth to sink in as they reflected on it.
Songs we had done in previous years - This provides continuity from year to year.
Time allotted for singing - It matters whether we have 28 or 45 minutes.
Songs Josh requested - Each year Josh Harris has a couple songs he’d like us to sing.

And here’s the conference song list I posted earlier, with comments:

FRIDAY PM - NA BAND
Jesus Paid it All - Stanfill chorus - focused us on the gospel
Holy Moment -familiar song, great opening statement to make, “As we come today we remind ourselves of what we do.”
Greater Than We Can Imagine - uptempo song about the glory of God, naming different attributes
How Great is Your Faithfulness (Redman/Myrin) - one of the songs we wanted to teach, communicated the conference theme well, planned to sing this three times during the conference
The Saving One (Starfield) - solid song about Jesus being our great Savior, probably new for some people
Completely Done (Baird/Baird/Gunderlock) - a Sovereign Grace song that celebrates the finished work of Christ
All I Have is Christ (Jordan Kauflin) - a popular song from last year, proclaiming the sufficiency of Christ
Message: Josh Harris - What Are You Built On?
The Saving One (Starfield) - emphasizing God’s power to save us
In Christ Alone (Getty/Townend) - very familiar song, conference theme, related to the message

SATURDAY AM - ZELOS
Be Praised (Michael Gungor) - uptempo song that declares God’s greatness, familiar from the previous two years
My Hope is Built (Shane & Shane) - request from Josh, conference theme
The Name Above All Names (Judah Groveman) - song by Zelos extolling the greatness of Jesus and his power to save
The Saving One - one more time
Before the Throne of God Above (Bancroft/Cook) - Familiar Sovereign Grace song that turns our eyes to our justification in Christ
Message: Mark Dever - Christ’s Work Accomplished and Applied

SATURDAY AFTERNOON - ACOUSTIC BAND
For the Cross (Redman) - familiar song, used in previous years, follow up to Dever’s message
Thank You for the Cross (Brenton Brown) - same as For the Cross
I Hear the Words of Love (Bonar/Gauntlett/Kauflin) - requested by Josh because we sang it at T4G, I reharmonized it and added a chorus. Expression of faith in the gospel.
The Prodigal (Baird/Baird) - a presentation song, with a video. I had the impression God wanted to speak to prodigals who had come to the conference.
Jesus Paid it All (Trad./Stanfill) - a reassuring follow up The Prodigal, also in line with Dever’s message
Message: Kevin DeYoung - Scripture

SATURDAY PM - ZELOS + STRINGS
His Name is Jesus (Trad./Groveman) - a Zelos song, and one we learned last year.
How Great is Your Faithfulness - repeat of the song we taught the first night
Scripture reading - we read various verses that referenced God’s Word
How Firm A Foundation (Trad.) - an updated arrangement
Mighty to Save (Morgan/Fielding) - familiar song that the band knew
By This We Know Love (Judah Groveman) - a Zelos song we taught last year, emphasizing God’s faithfulness through the cross
Speak, O Lord (Getty/Townend) - brilliant song asking God to speak to us through his Word
Message: CJ Mahaney - Sanctification
O Great God (B. Kauflin) - a Sovereign Grace song from the Valley of Vision, asking God to change our hearts
Refiner’s Fire (Doerksen) - very familiar and appropriate for the message

SUNDAY AM - GENERATION LETTER
Across the Great Divide (Mark Altrogge) - new arrangement of an old Sovereign Grace song, focused on Christ’s justifying work
King of Peace (Generation Letter/Cook) - a Generation Letter song that combined a number of themes from the conference
Jesus Messiah (Tomlin/Cash/Reeves/Carson) - a song the band knew and familiar to many
Grace Unmeasured (B. Kauflin) - a Sovereign Grace song that references grace that “gives me the pow’r to do what is right”
Only Jesus (Doug Plank) - Sovereign Grace song, “come change our hearts, conform our ways”
Message: D.A. Carson - God
Be Thou My Vision (Trad.) - familiar hymn that seemed the right follow up to a message on God

SUNDAY PM - NA BAND + CHOIR
Greater Than We Can Imagine - from the first night, emphasizing that God is greater than we can imagine
The Father’s Love (Joel Sczebel) - Sovereign Grace song that speaks to the Father’s love in sending his Son
How Great Thou Art (Trad.) - great follow up to Carson’s message
Here is Love (Trad./Redman) - we had a choir arrangement of this, and it reminded us how this great God demonstrated his love towards us
Revelation Song (Jennie Riddle) - soloist/choir song, drew people’s attention to the glory of God around the throne
All I Have is Christ - another reminder of our only and ultimate hope
Spontaneous song for those with disabilities - this came after a testimony from a young woman who had grown up with a disability
Message: Kevin DeYoung - The Church
O Church Arise (Getty Townend) - so grateful to God for Stuart Townend and the Getty’s who write songs like this
Revelation Song - just had to do it again…

MONDAY AM - NA BAND
Come Thou Fount (Trad./Alt. Kauflin) - always a great song to start with
God Over All (Devon Kauflin) - familiar Sovereign Grace song, theme of God’s greatness
King of Peace - repeated this from yesterday because it went so well
Spontaneous song for those battling condemnation or failure related to sexual sin - had been thinking for over a day that God wanted to minister to this group
How Great is Your Faithfulness - one more time at the last session
Completely Done - pointing our eyes to Christ’s work, rather than our own
Message: Jeff Purswell: The End Times
How Great Thou Art -”when Christ shall come with shouts of acclamation”

Got back yesterday from NEXT 2010. It was three and a half days of singing, preaching, and hanging out with about 2500 others who wanted to dig deeper into God and his Word. A powerful time. All the main session messages are available for download from the NEXT website. If you couldn’t make the conference, I’d encourage you to check them out. And if you did make it to NEXT, I’d download them to listen to them again. Josh Harris on foundations, Mark Dever on the work of Christ, Kevin DeYoung on Scripture and the Church, CJ Mahaney on sanctification, D.A. Carson on God, and Jeff Purswell on the end times.

I’m posting the songs we sang at the conference today, and later I’ll share reflections as well as some of the thinking that went into choosing the songs.

FRIDAY PM - NA BAND
Holy Moment (Redman)
Greater Than We Can Imagine (Mark Altrogge) CHART
How Great is Your Faithfulness (Redman/Myrin)
Saving One (Starfield)
Completely Done (Baird/Baird/Gunderlock) CHART
All I Have is Christ (Jordan Kauflin) CHART

The Saving One (Starfield)
In Christ Alone (Getty/Townend)

SATURDAY AM - ZELOS
Be Praised (Michael Gungor)
My Hope is Built (Shane & Shane)
The Name Above All Names (Judah Groveman) CHART
The Saving One
Before the Throne of God Above (Bancroft/Cook) CHART

SATURDAY AFTERNOON - ACOUSTIC BAND
For the Cross (Redman)
Thank You for the Cross (Brenton Brown)
I Hear the Words of Love (Bonar/Gauntlett/Kauflin) CHART LEAD SHEET
The Prodigal (Baird/Baird) CHART
Jesus Paid it All (Trad./Stanfill)

SATURDAY PM - ZELOS + STRINGS
His Name is Jesus (Trad./Groveman) CHART
How Great is Your Faithfulness
How Firm A Foundation (Trad.) CHART
Mighty to Save (Morgan/Fielding)
By This We Know Love (Judah Groveman) CHART
Speak, O Lord (Getty/Townend)

O Great God (B. Kauflin) CHART
Refiner’s Fire (Doerksen)

SUNDAY AM - GENERATION LETTER
Across the Great Divide (Mark Altrogge) CHART
King of Peace (Generation Letter/Cook) CHART
Jesus Messiah (Tomlin/Cash/Reeves/Carson)
Grace Unmeasured (B. Kauflin) CHART
Only Jesus (Doug Plank) CHART

Be Thou My Vision (Trad.)

SUNDAY PM - NA BAND + CHOIR
Greater Than We Can Imagine
The Father’s Love (Joel Sczebel) CHART
How Great Thou Art (Trad.) CHART
Here is Love (Trad./Redman)
Revelation Song (Jennie Riddle)
All I Have is Christ

O Church Arise (Getty Townend)
Revelation Song

MONDAY AM - NA BAND
Come Thou Fount (Trad./Alt. Kauflin) CHART
God Over All (Devon Kauflin) CHART
King of Peace
How Great is Your Faithfulness
Completely Done

How Great Thou Art