When to Worship Together? on Getting to Nimble Ep. 18
Why do we worship corporately on Sunday mornings? When would we worship if we removed the “but we’ve always…” from our thinking?
worship
Strengthening Congregational Song with John Witvliet, on Music and the Church, Ep. 43 [with transcript]
In this conversation with Dr. John Witvliet, director of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, we talk about making change in our churches in a week-by-week process, the importance of resources to validate aspects of ministry that aren’t currently supported, and – the big one – how important teachability and curiosity is to leadership.
An Easy Way to Create Hymn Sets (plus 10 Sets to Get Started)
I’ve been holding out on this post because…it seems obvious? Like making a hymn set should be really straight-forward, and why didn’t I try it sooner? But maybe you’re like me just a few months ago: I thought creating hymn sets – also know as medleys and song sets – would be tricky. And I …
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Congregational Participation at Mass, with Mary Catherine Levri, on Music and the Church Ep. 25
Church services can be incredibly distracting places, especially for leaders—you’re in the choir, you’re reading the scriptures, you’re leading prayers, you’re preaching the sermon. What does it mean for us participate with our hearts—not just our lips!—when we’re busy with mundane things like adjusting a microphone or remembering a last minute announcement?
Who Listens to Contemporary Worship Music, with Mark Porter | How Your Church’s Acoustics Can Work For You, on Music and the Church Ep. 4
Interview: Contemporary worship music is often billed as the same style of music people listen to outside of church. But Dr. Mark Porter’s new book, Contemporary Worship Music and Everyday Musical Lives explores how this is often not the case, and argues against the idea that music is a neutral canvas.
Authenticity—Is It Worth the Hassle?
“Authenticity” can mean a lot of things—as I’m using the word, authenticity is where leading musicians sing true words that convey their personal beliefs and and, in so doing, express their inner self. For example, while singing the true words “Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!” the musicians convey their personal belief in the words …
The Right Kind of Music: Can Hymns Be Prayers?
This is the first post in a series about my research on fundamentalist Christian music. Read the others here: Why May Women Sing If They May Not Preach?, Musical Form in Piano Hymn Arrangements, and Should Church Services Include Classical Music? Things have been quiet on Music and the Church for a while—since May, I’ve …
National Congregations Study: Worship Is Increasingly Informal
This post is part of a series on the National Congregations Study, a sociological study of religious congregations in America. Check out my summary of the study’s main findings and specifics on worship services, the surprises and highlights of the study, and what it tells us about the power of small groups and choirs. The recent report …
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National Congregations Study: The Main Findings
This post is part of a series on the National Congregations Study, a sociological study of religious congregations in America. In addition to this summary, check out specifics on worship services, the growing informality of worship services, the surprises and highlights of the study, and what it tells us about the power of small groups and …