Honoring Christ In Our Liturgy-Day 4
God’s Rhythm in the Law God’s people had been under the ruling and tyrannical Egyptian regime for over 400 years. Imagine the psychological and spiritual complexes that had taken root in the Israelite people after 400 years of oppression and slavery. During their times as slaves, Israel had fallen into idol worship, and they’d embraced in large part the Egyptian gods and their false sense of rule. After God delivers Israel from the...
Honoring Christ In Our Liturgy-Day 3
God’s Rhythm in Calling Moses was a covert Israelite masquerading as an oppressive Egyptian ruler until one day, in an act of angry justice, he murdered an Egyptian slave-master who raised his hand to harm a fellow Israelite. Moses was driven into exile for his act. He was driven away from Egypt, and was unable to be of any help to Egypt or the oppressed Israel. Moses fled into the land of Midian. He married, and accepted a simple...
Honoring Christ In Our Liturgy-Day 2
God’s Rhythm in Restoration In Day 1 of this study we looked at how God has a pattern, or a rhythm that all of creation follows in how we relate to and worship him. It is important to note that God’s rhythm not only presses its way into creative activity, but also into acts of re-creation or restoration. Sadly, when humanity chose to sin against God by disobeying him, we experienced a distance from God and a change in our nature. We...
Honoring Christ In Our Liturgy-Day 1
Rhythm in Creation The Christian’s goal is to be a vibrant Spirit-Filled part of God’s Church—committed to and directed by the Word of God. In observing some of the key passages on worship in Scripture, one can see that some distinct patterns, rhythms, and call and response conversations emerge in Christian prayer. The rhythm of Scripture is proclamation and response. God initiates worship in conversation and we respond. You will...
Honoring Christ In Hymnody-Day 3
We leave you with this modern day Hymn from Garden Cities’ Album, The Gospel of John , and we would encourage you to get on our mailing list for when we release our Modern Hymn Projects. Notice the attempt that is made here to combine the choruses of today, with the rich Trinitarian theology that is so dear to us from our history. Notice also how this song tells a story—the story of God. One of the strengths of hymnody that has been...
Honoring Christ In Hymnody-Day 2
Consider today, this songs focus on the Triune Person of the Spirit of God. Often, the Spirit today is portrayed in services and singing as a toy that is abused, or a thing that is altogether left out. Consider the beauty of how this song portrays the life and personhood of our precious Holy Spirit. Consider also how this song highlights the nature of the Holy Spirit. The writer’s soul seeks not an experience, but rather the work of...
Honoring Christ In Hymnody-Day 1
My good friend Lester Ruth is a super nerd. As a super nerd, he dissected the language of our Christian Music’s Top 40 list over the last 50 years, and compared it to the language of the hymns of our faith over the last 4,000 years. He found many striking and almost sickening realities, but I will share just a few that may help us in our study here. First, he found that Trinitarian language has all but disappeared from our TOP 40...
Honoring Christ In The Psalms-Day 6
Our Jesus, experienced the full spectrum of human experience and emotion while on earth. If we are to truly become “Christ-like,” we too are going to have to be equipped for all that life may bring. I believe it is the Psalms that prepare us with such a “strength of soul.” Each day in this study, we will ask you to explore a particular genre of poetic writing in the Psalms. We will ask for you to fellowship with the Lord in prayer...
Honoring Christ In The Psalms-Day 5
Our Jesus, experienced the full spectrum of human experience and emotion while on earth. If we are to truly become “Christ-like,” we too are going to have to be equipped for all that life may bring. I believe it is the Psalms that prepare us with such a “strength of soul.” Each day in this study, we will ask you to explore a particular genre of poetic writing in the Psalms. We will ask for you to fellowship with the Lord in prayer...