Blog entries tagged Congregational Singing

RESULTS 1-14 OF 14 RESULTS

1. Give Tongues of Fire and Hearts of Love

Here’s a great missionary hymn (one source called it one of the greatest ever written) by Isaac Watts (1674-1748). I should add that it is entirely new to me. Watts wrote many hymns, most notably “Joy to the World,” “Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed,” and “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.” On this Lord’…

2. For All the Saints

Here is a video of one of my favorite hymns, “For All the Saints.” It comes from a worship service at Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church in Arlington, Virginia. I love the video because it’s a real church service, not a concert performance. I love the soaring melody that goes with this triumphant. When I hear it sung (which, sad t...

3. Mighty to Save

Recently I’ve enjoyed singing “Mighty to Save.” Here’s a version from Hillsong in Australia. Listen and sing along and let your heart be uplifted as you worship the Lord.…

4. FM Radio Religion

So what’s happening in the “worship wars” these days? Terry Mattingly provides one answer in a column called FM Radio Reality in Church, which describes how one megachurch in California manages to put together three “radically different services” each week. Conventional wisdom suggests that nothing divides a church mo ...

5. Arise, My Soul, Arise

In 1742 Charles Wesley wrote a hymn called Arise, My Soul, Arise. Though greatly used by God in past generations, it is not often sung today, and I daresay that most under 30 have never heard it. For that matter, I can only remember singing it once or twice. I thought I would post the words to this powerful hymn to encourag ...

6. My Ten Favorite Contemporary Worship Songs

A few months ago I wrote about my ten favorite hymns. Later I added another entry on my top ten gospel songs. At the time, I promised that I would eventually write about my favorite contemporary worship songs. I intended to get around to it earlier but kept putting it off until Steve Boisse reminded me a few days ago. So on ...

7. My Perfect Church Is . . . A Singing Church

Consider this a follow-up to my earlier entry on My Perfect Church. After thinking about that list some more, I wanted to pare it down to a few succinct principles that could be easily memorized, I was surprised by the first thing that came to mind, and I couldn’t get it out of my mind so I left it in first place. My ...

8. My Ten Favorite Gospel Songs

A few weeks ago I wrote about my ten favorite hymns. Today I’m offering this list of my ten favorite gospel songs. Two quick notes are in order. First, I find it difficult to define what I mean by “gospel song” so I won’t even try, and I’m not where exactly how to demarcate between a hymn and a gospel song ...

9. My Ten Favorite Hymns

During my recent sabbatical from blog-writing, I started thinking about the hymns that mean the most to me at this point in my spiritual journey. The more I pondered it, the more I realized that certain hymns have become exceedingly precious and important to my soul. What follows is a list of my ten favorite hymns. It is no ...

10. Whatever Happened to Congregational Singing?

Since this is Sunday, let me pose a question that has been rattling around in my head for the past few months. Whatever happened to congregational singing? In my travels to different churches, I have noticed that hearty congregational singing seems to be going out of style. I am choosing my words carefully here. By “hearty ...

11. Wednesday, August 18, 2004

4:29 PM Today's entry in the Crosswalk weblog is called What We Saw in Chuck Colson's Office. 2:52 PM Answers in Genesis has a delightful article (with pictures) on how chameleons change colors called A Coat of Many Colours. 2:05 PM Another new book just arrived: The American Prophecies by Michael Evans. Subtitled "Ancien...

12. Sunday, March 7, 2004

9:23 AM Finished my final bike ride before our trip. Marlene is packed already—naturally I've not really started yet. We leave for the airport in a little over an hour. We're flying ATA to St. Petersburg where someone from Word of Life will pick us up and drive us to the conference center in Hudson—about an hour...

13. Thursday, November 27, 2003

11:40 AM The rain stopped before the service so about 40 people joined me for the Pastor's Stroll "Christian Heritage" tour of downtown Oak Park. We visited the site of "Temperance Hall," the original First Methodist Church (home today of the Original Pancake House) whose members included John R. Mott and William E....

14. Wednesday, November 19, 2003

2:13 PM Thousands are asking, "How long until the Pastor's Stroll?" Answer: Only 8 days. It all starts at 7:45 AM on Thanksgiving with a continental breakfast followed by the Praise and Prayer service in the Dining Room. The joggers get to run with Pastor Davis, the more-sedated types can do the Pastor's Stroll with me ...