South African Christian News: Telling the God Stories of Africa
In our January worship column, we noted: We must stop trying to win the approval of the people, with their divergent song preferences. We must win the approval of God. That’s how the apostle Paul overcame divisions that were based on personal preferences: Am I trying to win the approval […]
One of the most influential factors which people take into account, when deciding which church to attend, or even to join, is ‘the church’s music ministry’. And there’s such a range to choose from: from hyper-conservative churches where the hymn-and-a thing led by the organ music style of the 1950s […]
The Divine Trinity had just been looking through the Body of Christ onearth. Now They meet in conclave to review their findings. Theirspecial focus this time was the question “How does the congregationsing?” Let’s eavesdrop on their trialogue://////////oooO!!!Oooo\\\\\\\\\\ “It’s interesting to notice how they usually equate singing withworship“, said the […]
Singing songs in the Sunday services is one of God’s effective methods of “making disciples”. Jesus expects us to keep His comprehensive purpose — to make disciples — at the centre of our service for Him. A disciple is one who is being “taught” the teachings of Jesus, and who […]
Is it possible to sing worship songs to God that actually are songs that worship money? “No” says Jesus. You cannot worship God and money. Yet the motivation behind publishers’ surveys asking us to name the most popular worship songs is this: “If we publish the popular worship songs, we […]
The home pages of church websites sometimes have a photograph intended to draw the attention of browsers looking for a church to visit or join. I noticed one that got me thinking: “What picture best describes your church?” It was a picture taken from the fifth row of seated people, […]
It is dangerous to allow our musical preferences to divide the Church. We disobey Jesus when we allow our preferences to erode the unity for which Jesus prayed. All believers, young and old, white and black, are one in Christ. Worship together. Sing together. Serve together. Witness together. Because this […]
In the normal world, when the COVID-19 lockdown is over, churches will once again gather for worship services just like in old times. Aren’t we looking forward to that? Especially to the joy and edification of singing together. This present lockdown gives pastors, song-leaders and church administrators an opportunity to […]
With the changing musical cultures, the Church of Jesus Christ is in danger of dividing along generational lines. The natural driving force is the people’s preference for the kind of song they like. If they don’t like another style of singing, they avoid it. People’s preference prevails. But what about […]
In the 1970s, when the new wave of “praise and worship songs” swept through the churches, there were people who liked them and people who disliked them. “Worship wars” divided congregations. Usually, the older generation wanted to retain hymns, while the younger generation was eager to embrace the new contemporary […]
