Articles

Love the LORD your God with all your heart and
with all your soul and with all your strength. These
commandments that I give you today are to be on your
hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them
when you sit at home and when you walk along the road,
when you lie down and when you get up. (Deut. 6:5-7)

Taking this command seriously includes singing the songs of our faith in the home. In your home. The church should be a feasting place for singable songs, and the appetite for it is nurtured at home.

WHAT SHOULD CHILDREN SING?

When he was working out how to write stories for children, C.S. Lewis was guided by what he liked himself. Songs are the same. Sing what you like, what you enjoy singing, the songs that are good for your spiritual well-being. At the heart of encouraging your kids to sing is having a heart for singing the songs yourself.

TEN PRACTICAL IDEAS

1. Use All the Help and Opportunities You Can Get

Sing as you go around your home. Stream the songs from Sunday during breakfast, or over your smartphone during the bedtime routine. If your kids are learning to play instruments, get hymn sheet music. Ask your children what songs they enjoy singing in church and sing them at home. We are not saying that your home should sound as though Maria Von Trapp took up residence there. But aim to have truth being sung in the spaces where life takes place. Keith’s family regularly sang the blessing before a meal, and we now do the same with our kids. For example, Calvin’s Doxology, “Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow,” which is a wonderful Trinitarian lyric for kids to sing.

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

These 25 words, known to many around the world today as “The Doxology,” comprise what is likely the single best-known verse of all Christian hymnology and poetry.

On the surface, these lyrics are surprisingly modest and memorable. Few of us remember first hearing them, and few recall straining to learn them. Yet, as simple and accessible as these four lines are, Christians have been singing them now for more than three centuries.

Thoughts from District Apostle Kolb...

Recently during a divine service, the strains of a well-known, rarely heard hymn—yet that day played by the orchestra—moved over me. My thoughts were fixed on the final line of the first verse:

      Here on the earth, I'm pent, can but a stranger be?
      Yet nightly pitch my moving tent, Lord, always nearer Thee...

The lyricist expresses the state of being "pent," meaning to be confined or repressed as a normal condition of being a stranger. Because of this, the person described lives a transient life here ("moving tent"), a dynamic lifestyle evolving and transforming by, not only longing, but always actively advancing closer to the Lord.

Now thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ… (2 Corinthians 2:14)

This hymn from the early eighth century is one of the oldest expressions found in most hymnals. Its origin is rooted in the liturgy of the Greek Orthodox Church. It was written by one of the famous monks of that church, John of Damascus (c. 676-c. 780).

The celebration of Easter has always been a spectacle of ecclesiastical pomp in the Greek Orthodox Church. Even today, as a vital part of the ceremony, the worshipers bury a cross under the high altar on Good Friday and dramatically resurrect it with shouts of “Christos egerthe” (“Christ is risen”) on Easter Sunday. With this announcement begins the time of joyous celebration. Torches are lit, bells and trumpets peel, and salvos of cannons fill the air. The following account describes such a scene:

From the Jan. 28, 2022 Partnering with Parents Communication

In part 1 of this series, we talked about how to incorporate God naturally into your everyday family life. Remember – you are your child’s most significant spiritual guide! Do your best not to miss opportunities to teach about God.

Here are nine additional, simple ways to bring Jesus into your child’s daily routine: 

From the Jan. 14, 2022 Partnering with Parents Communication

The best way to incorporate God into everyday life is, first and foremost, to model it for your children. If you talk about God every day, your kids will hear and see that. If you live in awe of Him, they will too. This kind of routine talk involves talking about God and the things He created that your kids may not pay attention to—people, creation, music and animals, for example.

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto Thy name, O most high. (Psalm 92:1)

"Come, Ye Thankful People" is considered to be one of the most well-known and frequently sung harvest-thanksgiving hymns in all of hymnody. It was written for the English harvest festivals, a movable feast varying with the harvest time in the various villages. Its author, Henry "Dean" Alford, is generally regarded as one of the most gifted Christian leaders of the nineteenth century, distinguishing himself as a theologian, scholar, writer, poet, artist, and musician.

I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. (Psalm 69:30) 

Upon hearing this well-known hymn of thanksgiving and praise, one would never realize that it was forged during tragic times. From some of the most severe human hardships imaginable during the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) came this stately hymn, often called the national “Te Deum” of Germany, having been sung on many occasions of national rejoicing. Germany is a home of Protestant church music, and no hymn, with the exception of Luther’s “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” has been used more widely in German churches than this hymn.

From the Summer 2021 Vision Newsletter

Worship is one’s expression to another of their worth, value, or benefit to them. As Christians, we use this word in reference to God, our Father and Creator, our Savior and Redeemer, our Helper and Comforter. Naturally, we understand that God doesn’t need our worship, however, worship is necessary for us and for the development of our relationship with God.

From the Summer 2021 Vision Newsletter

Worship is one’s expression to another of their worth, value, or benefit to them. As Christians, we use this word in reference to God, our Father and Creator, our Savior and Redeemer, our Helper and Comforter. Naturally, we understand that God doesn’t need our worship, however, worship is necessary for us and for the development of our relationship with God.

The resources and materials below come from Keith and Kristyn Getty's book, Sing! - How Music Transforms Your Life, Family, and Church, used for our small group discussions in the fall of 2019. 

The Sing! Teachings and Takeaways document includes highlighted teachings from the book that could be used by worship leaders during worship, for music/worship team meetings, or for personal moments of reflection and introspection. The graphics package contains slides with quotes from the book that can be displayed on screens either before or after the divine service experience. Finally, the facilitator guides provided in the fall of 2019 can also be found below, including the bonus facilitator guides. The latter would be especially useful for minister and music/worship team meetings. 

It is our hope and prayer that these resources will be a blessing to you, and help re-inspire singing and worship in your congregation.

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Here are some final thoughts and ideas as we strive to help our congregations better express their worship unto God through singing:

Play supportively

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure. (1 John 3:2, 3)

In his book, Written Because, the composer, Grant C. Tullar, tells about the rather unusual circumstances that prompted the writing of this hymn:

And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22)

This favorite gospel hymn has long been cited as a choice example of a balanced biblical view of a believer’s faith in Christ and the resultant good works that should then be evident. We begin with implicit trust in His finished redemptive work and then spend our lives seeking to obey Him and to fulfil His revealed will in our daily living.

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. (Proverbs 29:18)

This eighth-century (anonymous) Irish hymn text expresses, in the quaint Celtic style, the ageless need of man to have a heavenly vision and to experience God’s care and personal presence throughout this earthly pilgrimage. The author’s high regard for God is evident in the various titles ascribed Him: Vision, Lord, Best Thought, Wisdom, Word, Great Father, High King, Inheritance, Treasure, Sun, Ruler, and Heart.

How can we implement family worship in our home?

• First, discuss your intent to start this spiritual discipline in the home, and take some time to teach the value and importance of it to your family.
• Select days/times of the week that would work best for your family, and then guard these times!
  • Unless worship is codified in a family’s schedule, it will likely be supplanted by life’s busyness. Remember—family worship needs to be a priority—as for me and my house, we will serve (or worship) the Lord! If you cannot find time for 10-15 minutes of family worship, please be encouraged to take an honest look at your schedule.
• Start small and realistically, and build from there. Having family worship a couple times each week would be ideal, but once a week is better than not at all. An ideal time for family worship might be Saturday evenings, so that everyone is better prepared for Sunday. Another ideal time for family worship might be Sunday afternoon or evening. Not only does this help keep the Sabbath day holy, it also provides wonderful opportunities to discuss the message from the service in our family circles. A weekday evening can also work just fine, of course. Find what works best for you and your family, and then do your best to be regular and consistent.
  
  

What is family worship? 

• Family worship is a time set aside by a family unit to worship God together in the home. In these moments of worship, we become more aware of who God is and all that He’s done.
• Family worship generally includes three fundamental elements: scripture, prayer, and song (read, pray, sing). You don’t need to include all three elements each time, nor do they need to occur in any order. The point is to find intentional, quality time to read God’s word, pray, and sing together.
• Family worship can be short and simple. A good average time for family worship would be 10-15 minutes, especially if younger children are involved. If the children are a bit older and the conversation goes a little deeper, then perhaps the time is extended. There is no official time expectation or requirement when it comes to family worship.
• Family worship isn’t necessarily just for families with children. All Christians are called and commanded to worship. Ultimately, family worship can involve anyone who lives in the home. This may include grandparents, extended family members, friends, etc.
• Family worship can be facilitated by the head of the household (parent or guardian), or whomever in the home feels most comfortable leading it. If two parents are involved, it could be that both parents facilitate family worship together. 

Why is family worship important? Why does it matter, and why should it be prioritized?
(After all, life is busy, and parenthood is already hard!)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, JOY... (Galatians 5:22)

This hymn is generally considered by hymnologists to be one of the most joyous expressions of hymn lyrics in the English language.

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:22)

Gospel music as an important form of Christian hymnody had its beginning in the latter half of the nineteenth century and is associated with such well-known names as Moody, Sankey, Bliss and Frances Jane Crosby.

The goal with this brief article is to create awareness when it comes to the use of YouTube videos within the divine service experience.

Please note that it is illegal to include YouTube videos (music or otherwise) in religious services, without direct permission from the copyright owner(s).

The following is taken directly from CCLI's website:

YouTube’s terms of service specifies that content on the site should only be accessed for “personal, non-commercial use” except where “YouTube or the respective licensors [the copyright owner] of the content” has given “prior written consent.”

Additionally, no licenses currently exist that cover this type of YouTube-specific use, including CCLI. Just because a congregation has a CCLI license does not mean that they can use these videos without permission.

If you are currently including YouTube videos within the divine service experience, please refrain from doing so moving forward. Where possible, all service music should be live, with the possible exception of those congregations that are lacking accompanists. Where this is the case, please be encouraged to use the accompaniment tracks available on Music Companion (https://www.musiccompanion.org/resources/accompaniment-tracks-lead-sheets).

Thank you in advance for your understanding and compliance.

Continuing our series on helping congregations sing, here are some practical thoughts and ideas when it comes to song selection, introducing new songs, and musical decision-making:

Select songs strategically and purposefully

Here are some final thoughts and ideas as we strive to help our congregations better express their worship unto God through singing:

Play supportively