Strategic Portraits

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A Revival of Hymns Could Help

Like most pastors, I’m considering what it might look like when our congregation is able to gather again. In the online discussions that I have participated in, some have suggested that the congregation not sing. It may be that the prohibition against singing is even mandated in some places. Such a prohibition is hard for me accept. But I get it. Singing takes more breath energy than speaking and the “particles” that inevitably fly from one’s mouth when singing (especially when it is in German!) may travel more than the prescribed six-foot social distancing boundary. Still, as a life-long church musician, that is a hard pill to swallow. As I’ve pondered this, I wondered if singing acapella at a soft level might be an effective compromise. As a choral musician, I know that some of the most poignant moments are often when the choir is singing very softly. I can imagine that a congregation singing hymns softly would have a profound effect. Why hymns?

The Light of the Word Has Dawned

I have mentioned several times in this column that I grew up going to churches that did not observe the Church Year. I knew nothing of Lent, Advent, All Saints Day, and Epiphany. Christmas, Easter, and Palm Sunday were the only special days that we observed in the tradition in which I was formed. For the last ten years, however, I have been in a position to lead churches into the observance of some of the richness that can be found in the rhythms of the Church Year. My spiritual life has been profoundly deepened. This Sunday is “Epiphany Sunday.” It is the close of the Advent Season and celebrates the revealing of Christ to the world. The biblical stories that typically accompany this Sunday are the appearance of the Magi in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus’ baptism at the Jordan River, and Mary and Joseph’s encounter with Anna and Simeon at the Temple when they came to dedicate Jesus. All of those narratives reveal that Jesus is the Savior for the whole world. Epipha

How to Complain to God

Nobody needs to tell us that life is tough. From the moment we come out of the womb, life is full of events that shock our system and challenge our sanity. Some cynics have said, “Never trust anyone who smiles…it makes you wonder what they’re up to!” If we take life as it comes at us, it is very easy to become negative and complain about everything. Of course, constant complaining doesn’t cultivate many friendships. Most of us know that a positive attitude about life brings a multitude of benefits. Those in the medical field will readily confirm that a positive attitude is a critical factor for healing. Even in the midst of great troubles, a positive attitude helps us to count our blessings and seems to make life a little better. Besides, doesn’t the Bible tell us to “count it all joy…when we encounter various troubles” (James 1:2)? So when it comes to dealing with our problems, we who are trying to follow Jesus wrestle with internal tension. On the one hand,

Filtering the Waters of Willow Creek

Too many people were observing the show but not meeting God. They meandered in and out of relationship but weren’t in real community. They sought their spiritual fix but didn’t give themselves fully to Christ. Walt Kallestad, Pastor of Community Church of Joy, Phoenix [1] In 2010, I attended one of the satellite broadcasts of the Willow Creek Association Global Leadership Summit. The list of speakers was quite impressive and the substance of their presentations was thought-provoking. I can still recall Robert Reich’s talk on altruistic motivation, China’s economic minister speaking about the impact of Christianity on progressive Chinese culture, and the inspiring story of TOM’s Shoes. I also remember the host’s condescending remarks about traditional churches. As he welcomed everyone to the event, he admitted that some might be surprised to have such a world-class event hosted by a local church. “But not to worry,” he said, “you won’t have to sing old hymns or hear

The Jesus People Movement and the Genesis of Contemporary Praise & Worship Music

...The Nature of Praise and Worship Music Contemporary praise and worship music has become a fixture in evangelical churches. There is no turning back the tide. It is here to stay. But the form and understanding of the genre has “run off the tracks” in many places. What the Jesus People experienced in their worship gatherings is often far from what a worshipper in a typical evangelical church in America might experience forty years later. I recall in the mid-1980’s attending a number of church growth conferences where the facilitators – who seemingly had no experience or expertise in worship theology – told their audiences that praise and worship music must be embraced in order for their church to grow. Frequently, the music was adopted and embraced without the ethos that was present in the early days of Calvary Chapel and the Vineyard. I believe the disconnect was a contributing factor to the worship wars. In their corporate worship, the early Jesus People we

Revivalism's Legacy

“Lord, whence are those blood-drops all the way That mark out the mountain’s track?” “They were shed for one who had gone astray Ere the Shepherd could bring him back.” “Lord, whence are Thy hands so rent and torn?” “They’re pierced tonight by many a thorn.” “The Ninety and Nine” Words by Elizabeth C. Clephane, 1868 Music spontaneously improvised by Ira. D. Sankey, 1874 I was only five years old when my brother told me I was going to hell. Older brothers are like that. He had just prayed to receive Christ as his personal Savior in Sunday School and was pleased to inform me of my fate since I had not yet “prayed the sinner’s prayer.” This, of course, was very upsetting to me and I went crying to my mom. She explained salvation to me as best she could for a five-year-old to understand and led me in the prayer. This put my brother at bay for a while and ruined his fun. My mom was