The Israelites sang Psalms. For example, when going up to Jerusalem, they sang the Psalms of Ascent (120-134). And Jesus and his disciples sang “a hymn” at their last Passover celebration: Psalm 118. The early church continued singing of the Psalms. And then the Reformation restores Psalm singing by the …
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Have you ever realized that God that created music, but not as a physical object? Music does not have a shape, colour, smell or taste. Music does not exist until it is made. When the music ends, it ceases to exist. Something else: have you ever realized that you can’t …
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What is the difference between a School of Business and a School of Divinity? These are completely different studies – but what about a course with the same title, like “Leadership”? How is leadership in a church different than in a non-religious organization? Organizational strategy and vision are a good …
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Last night, I submitted a paper titled: “HOW DO THE PSALMS PROVIDE LIFE-LONG SPIRITUAL FORMATION AND GROWTH?” Some brief thought below. Dallas Willard describes spiritual formation as follows: …the Spirit-driven process of forming the inner world of the human self in such as way that it becomes like the inner …
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“Worship is like no place else in this world. But there is one place that it does resemble, and that is heaven” Just before AD 1000, Grand Duke Vladimir of Kiev was interested in selecting an appropriate religion for his new nation. His emissaries investigated the main religions of the …
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Culture is part of creation and is beautiful and fascinating at the same time. Although culture should not become the guideline or regulatory principle, people are joining the culture when joining a church (as with any organization). Have we identified what our church culture is, and do we identify with …
Read MoreDismissal at the end of the worship service does not mean a standard formula while you can put on your jacket or put the books back in the pew. Walters states that the dismissal of the congregation requires thought and be done intentionally. Something significant happens at the end of …
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Dr. J Oswald Sanders repeats “His faith imparted vision” a few times when discussing vision and church leadership. “Moses, one of the great leaders of all history, “endured, as seeing him who is invisible.” (KJV) His faith imparted vision. Elisha’s servant saw the obvious menace of the encircling army, but …
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I had a discussion with some church members about singing. Their point was that the songs in the church should, in principle, be praise songs and that we should be joyful when singing. My argument was that the church’s circumstances in this world might justify a lament, even as the …
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