Posts Tagged ‘music’
A Gender-Neutral God in Hymns
by Matthew W. Bassford The other day, I found myself going through some hymns of hope and comfort that a hymn blogger has been posting daily through the coronavirus pandemic. The style (organ plus choir) isn’t my thing; from my perspective, you’ve got a nasty instrument drowning out the good parts. However, the hymns themselves…
Read MoreI used your information on hymns. Thanks!
Question: Hello, I was writing an invitation for a Wednesday night service. I was looking up a hymnist and wanted to see if he might be a member of the church. I still don’t know, but I found your writings on lyricists and hymnists in the Lord’s church. I will no doubt go back later and reread…
Read MoreBeulah Land
by Paul Springer What is Beulah land and should we sing about it? The word is used in Isaiah 62:4-5 (NKJV), “You shall no longer be termed Forsaken, nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate; nut you shall be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the Lord delights in you, and your…
Read MoreShouldn’t we be skipping some verses in Ten Thousand Angels and Amazing Grace?
Question: In the song “Ten Thousand Angels,” the last words in the fourth verse states: “Salvation’s wondrous plan was done.” In the preceding words, He gave himself to die, followed by Salvation’s wondrous plan was done gives the idea that there was nothing left for Christ to do in order for salvation to be accomplished.…
Read MoreShould my objection to clapping during singing be respected as a weaker brother?
Question: I recently came across your web site and have done some reading in your Question and Answer section which I have found most interesting. I attend a church of Christ of considerable size. Several, maybe 10-25 members clap in our song service to “upbeat” songs, but not all songs. There are are also a…
Read MoreThank you for the tips on song leading
Question: Thank you so much for the tips that you have displayed on the site about Song Leading in the Church. I have been part of the church of Christ as far back as I can remember. I am very thankful that my parents raised me in this church. I was inspired by my late Grandfather to become a…
Read MoreAre Christians commanded to only sing the psalms?
Question: I recently was made aware of an old acquaintance who is now part of a house church. In a message he sent to me giving a short explanation, he said, “…after a lot of study, I have come to the understanding that we are only authorized to sing inspired songs from the book of…
Read MoreIs it wrong to listen to rap or hip-hop music if it doesn’t contain anything about killing, drugs, or sex?
Question: I know Christians shouldn’t listen to secular rap or hip hop music, in which I stopped recently, but what if the song doesn’t contain anything about killing, drugs, and sex? Is it okay to listen to it? Answer: There is no prohibition on any particular musical style. The problem is that certain styles of…
Read MoreA Singing Church
by Brock Hartwigsen The church was prophesied in the Old Testament as a singing church. In II Samuel 22:50 and repeated in Psalms 18:49, David stated: “Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.” Years later the apostle Paul by inspiration applied this passage to…
Read MoreWhat do you mean by “new age melodies?”
Question: I read your Review of Sacred Songs of the Church. I noticed this sentence: “The “praise song” crowd will probably not like this book because it is not filled with one-stanza numbers having a set of seven, often touchy-feely, words sung eleven times to a new age melody.” I was wondering if you would mind…
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