Enriched Affections

"All Hail the Pow'r of Jesus' Name" by Oliver Holden (1793), new arrangement released by The Gettys on Live at The Gospel Coalition  (2013) Why I recommend this song for worship- This is a classic hymn, one which I hope many of you are familiar with. It echoes the phrase we will be exclaiming throughout eternity, "All Hail the Power of Jesus Name!" I love this hymn because it encompasses not only our individual praise, but the fact that people from all ages, all tribes, and all cultures will also praise the name of Jesus. The next time you sing this in church, remember that this is just a taste of what we'll be able to do and who we'll be able to worship with in heaven. Let it also remind you that just because a song might be a few hundred years old, it doesn't mean we can't still use it to worship God. I'm thankful for this, and other old hymns, which focus our hearts and minds on the realities of the coming age. Suggestions f...

"All Creatures of Our God and King" with new verses and arrangement by Jonathan and Ryan Baird, released on All That Thrills My Soul  by West Coast Revival , from Sovereign Grace Music (2013) All That Thrills My Soul by West Coast Revival This has been one of my favorite hymns since I first heard it as a child, continuing into college chapel services, and now as an adult hearing it in different churches. Most recently I heard this at the WorshipGod conference arranged with two new verses and parts for a modern choir. Why I recommend this song for worship-  This song is one of the oldest hymns around. The first two verses of this arrangement were written by St. Francis of Assisi who ministered during the early part of the 13th century. His life is exemplified with humility before God, and you can see that written into this poem which later became the hymn we know today. His verses center our thoughts around our place as creatures; created beings wholly dependent on ...

"Nothing In All the Earth" by Joel Sczebel, released on Grace Has Come by Sovereign Grace Music (2013) Why I Recommend this song for worship- I've been waiting to post this song ever since I first heard it at the Worship God conference back in August. It is one of those songs that matches tune and text in an excellent way. One of the most encouraging passages in Romans is the end of chapter 8 , which this song is based on. It expresses that great truth of our unbreakable bond to Christ through his death and resurrection. This is the kind of truth our hurting hearts need to hear and sing and shout out in worship. It also flows from the admonishment from Colossians 3:16 to teach one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. What better way to do this than to sing actual scripture to each other? Be encouraged as you listen to this song, and remember that nothing can tear us from the everlasting arms of our gracious and saving God! Suggestions for...

I'm back from the WorshipGod Conference in Louisville. Let me tell you, it was amazing. I feel like I have a dozen things I need to do NOW, but realistically I hope to get to them over the next year or so. Anyway, I'll be posting a lot about what I learned from there, as well as sharing some incredible songs, starting with this one for today: "Not In Me" by Eric Schumacher & David Ward, released on Songs for the Book of Luke  from The Gospel Coalition (2013) This song is one of many that were written by artists around the country for this past years' Gospel Coalition conference. All the songs are based on passages from the book of Luke. This particular one is a song of confession, picturing what a repentant Pharisee might have prayed had he the heart to come to the Lord. Why I recommend this song for worship- In our church we take a time each Sunday for confession. Traditionally this is in the form of a prayer. I believe another effective way to co...

The whole group on our final day, visiting the Zoo Last week I had the opportunity to go on a missions trip to Living Hope Church on the south side of Chicago. This trip was very special for many reasons. It was my last big event with my current church, I had the chance to serve in some unique ways in a vital ministry in Chicago, and I got to serve alongside my brother who is their Minister of Worship and Youth. In preparation for the trip our team read part of the book Toxic Charity , which I highly recommend. We really wanted to go into this time with the correct mindset, understanding that we weren't going to fix things or show anyone how to properly do ministry. Rather, our job was to partner with an already working ministry and help, not hinder, their efforts. In the process I learned a lot about myself and how I see others. Here are a few of my observations: 1. My way isn't the best way Throughout our week there were many chances for me to give input on how things...

"In the Valley" by Bob Kauflin, released by Sovereign Grace Music on Valley of Vision  (2006) This song is based on the opening prayer from The Valley of Vision - a collection of puritan prayers. You can follow this link to read the prayer (it's at the bottom of the page). Why I recommend this song for worship- I love this song because it is full of the paradoxes of the Christian life. In dying we live, through slavery we are made free, through suffering we find joy... the list goes on and on. Singing these biblical paradoxes back to God reminds us of our reliance upon Him and how we need to trust His sovereign hand, especially when things don't make sense. This song is a wonderful encouragement to those that are going through "the valley", a reference to the valley of the shadow of death from Psalm 23:4 . It could be a quiet meditation during a time of confession or a song of commitment. However it is used, corporately or privately, it should ...

"Psalm 23" by Joshua Huff , released on Enriched Affections (2010) Psalm 23 has always been one of my favorites. As I began putting this Psalm to music I wanted to write a soothing melody that brought scenes of the comfort of a shepherd to mind. I was in my major seven chord faze at the time, and it ended up fitting the words really well. The second verse came about through more study and wanting to point us to Christ as our ultimate Shepherd. Why I recommend this song for worship- Colossians 3:16 tells us to "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs..." One of the things I love to do when I write music it to base the text on the text of scripture, particularly the Psalms. As we worship together, or individually, it is good to let scripture guide us in that worship. The Psalms have historically been the church's music book, and it is very appropriate to...

Hixson Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Hixson, Tennessee We serve an amazing God, a God who can do anything. Over the years this has been confirmed in our family's life again and again. We've lived in six different homes since getting married nine years ago, and soon it will be seven. Each time God has done incredible things with our church, job and home, things that can only be explained by pointing to the God who works all things together for good, for those who love Him and are called to His purposes. I could write on and on about these examples, but I'll keep this post about the most recent. After all, I am on vacation. First, a little background. Over a year ago my wife and I began to study the doctrine of baptism, particularly infant baptism. Long story short, we have changed our view and now hold to the infant baptist tradition, long held by several denominations, including the the one we will soon be joining, the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). As we moved ...

"Holy" by Matt Redman , released on 10,000 Reasons (2011) Why I recommend this song for worship- This has become one of my favorite songs from the past year. It takes the very biblical theme of declaring God's holiness and expands on why we sing of this attribute. Have you ever spoken of God's holiness and wondered what that means? It means He is other, not like us, above us, a completely different kind of being. And yet, He sent Christ to become one of us and to save us. These amazing truths and more are taught with a melody that is very singable and a final focus on Christ's triumphal return. This song speaks to those hurting spiritually, those longing for hope, those needing truth, and those that just want to praise the Lord. We have come to love singing this song in our church and I hope it is an encouragement to you as well. Changes I've Made- The key we sing this song in is C. On the recording I believe it is in Eb which is a bit high for th...

"Arise, My Soul Arise" written by Charles Wesley, music by Kevin Twitt, released by Indelible Grace   (2000) Why I recommend this song for worship- Guilt and fear rob us of so many opportunities to really worship our Lord in the freedom of grace and forgiveness. This song opens with the reminder that we can approach the throne of grace with confidence, knowing that the Son has enabled us to shake off guilt and fear. The upbeat tempo and singable melody encourage us to do what the words say: "Arise!" No longer do we need to cower in shame for our sin. Christ has taken care of that on the cross. Now all we need do is come and worship the Lord. Not only does this song accurately teach the truths of the gospel, but it encourages the biblical response of worship. All of these elements make this a wonderful song with which to worship our God. Changes I've Made-  The only change I've made is in adding some harmony lines. Below is the standard lead sheet...

What do you do when discouragement comes? Do you seek distraction? Do you withdraw from those around you? Do you just want to be left alone? I tend to react in all of these ways. Trials and discouragement leave me depressed and mentally unable to think clearly about life. This tends to make seemingly normal tasks difficult and burdensome. We all deal with these feelings in different ways, some healthier than others. I don't claim to be a certified counselor, but I have noticed a trend in our churches that has disturbed me and I want to write about what I think is a Biblical solution. What is this trend? I call it community withdrawal. Over the years I've spent in church I've observed two stages people go through when discouragement enters their life. Perhaps you've seen these as well. The first stage is a withdrawal from service. People need time away from serving at church or participating in things like the music ministry or children's Sunday school to sort ...

"Nothing But The Blood"  by Matt Redman , released on Facedown  (2004) Why I recommend this song for worship- Matt Redman is one of my favorite worship artists. I really enjoy a lot of his music. Songs like Blessed Be Your Name , Let Everything That Has Breath , Holy , and The Heart of Worship  are just a few of his songs we consistently sing in my ministry. He has a way of combining deep theology with affectionate melodies, and this song is no exception. The chorus shares a lot of lyrics with the traditional hymn Nothing But the Blood of Jesus . However, the verses answer the question of why all we need is the blood of Christ. The imagery of Christ's righteousness speaking for us, testifying of grace, and enabling our bold approach to the Father's throne is just one example. The melody matches the depth of the words and enables us to sing with reverence and awe regarding Christ's sacrifice. Changes I've Made- The thing you need to be caref...

Maybe you've heard the phrase, "If we don't learn from history, we're doomed to repeat it." I agree that it's important to learn from the mistakes of our past. However, I think there is an even greater reason for learning history, particular the history of the church, that can be an encouragement to Christians: History strengthens our faith. Here in the 21st century it is easy to feel disconnected from our distant past. It's even hard to feel connected to our recent past. How long until Maroon 5's song Payphone requires an explanation to those that have never lived in a world with payphones? Remember VCRs, walkmans, and Borders bookstores? I may have already lost some of you. My point is it's easy to see the world we live in and think this is the way things have always been and not remember our heritage. In the Church this happens all the time. People request the old hymns like Great is Thy Faithfulness  or Blessed Assurance , both of which ...

"More Than Amazing" by Lincoln Brewster , released on Real Life (2010) Why I recommend this song for worship- During the worship service there should be opportunities for instruction and response. After learning about our great God, sometimes all we can say or sing is "Hallelujah!" or "You are amazing!" Once the mind has been engaged with truths from God's Word, it is very appropriate for our affections to kick in with a joyful heart. This is what I would call a more affectionate worship song. It has some great truths in the verses about the life and work of Christ which lead into a wonderful chorus. It is very satisfying to sing this after a message filled with truth. The tune is easy to pick up for a congregation and there is even choir music available to make it into a larger offering if you have the means. Changes I've Made-  When we've sung this with our choir, as we did this morning in worship, we sang it as written. The oth...

I love my house. My wife has done some amazing things with decorations and paint to really make it feel like a home. Hopefully we all have a place like this, where we can relax and just rest from the troubles of the day. We put a lot of time and effort into these places, manicuring our lawns, buying furniture, hanging pictures, and getting just the right amount of technology to make our lives simple and easy. Recently God confronted my view of our home in a little book called Haggai . Yes, Haggai is an actual book of the Bible. Maybe it still has that new-Bible smell in your copy. If you turn the pages too fast you'll miss it. It's only two chapters long; less than forty verses. This book is the recorded prophecies of a man (Haggai) who was sent to encourage Israel to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem around 500 years before Christ. In it I read these challenging words: " Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?... ...

"Show Us Christ" by Doug Plank and Bob Kauflin, released by Sovereign Grace Music on The Gathering  (2011) Last week I featured a song which is a great aid to reading and hearing God's Word. Today I feature another one that focuses on the preaching of God's Word and the many ways God blesses His people through this means. Why I recommend this song for worship- I believe the centerpiece of the worship service is the preaching of the Word. This is where God speaks to His people. This song does a wonderful job of emphasizing the grace that comes through hearing God's Word. Each line features another way in which God works through preaching. The chorus is a great response to these verses as we pray, "Show us Christ..." Even the bridge, with its reference to John 6 , points us to the fact that only in Christ are found the words of eternal life. This song is a good one to sing right before the message and has the wonderful quality of being able to ...

"Do You Tremble" by Wes King, released on Common Creed This is an oldie, well, an oldie where I come from, but your kids are gonna love it. I first heard this in junior high back in the '90s when CCM was in its hayday and Sonic Flood's worship album was the first of its kind. We still use it in our worship services and here's why: Why I recommend this song for worship: God's Word should be the centerpiece of our time together on Sunday morning. This is how God speaks to us and how He continues to reveal Himself. In our service or worship, God's Word comes to us through scripture reading, biblical texts in the songs we sing, and through preaching. As we prepare our hearts to hear God's Word it is helpful to be able to pray scripture or sing scripture to help in that preparation. Songs like Show Us Christ , and Speak, O Lord  are good choices for this (both of which will be featured soon). I would add this one to the mix of great songs that cal...

"And Can It Be?"  written by Charles Wesley, music and arrangement by Scott Roley & Indelible Grace Why I recommend this song for worship- This song served as our call to to worship this morning. It combines the classic words of Charles Wesley with a fresh new tune. Part of my passion in music ministry is introducing classic hymns to a new generation as well as making older hymns sound fresh and new. Indelible Grace is a ministry that shares this passion. In order to rework hymns, sometimes just a new arrangement with the same melody is needed. Sometimes it means a whole new melody. With this hymn either one will work. I still love the original majestic tune found in most hymnals. However, the new upbeat music from Indelible Grace fits the joy that the words speak of very well. The repetitive melody is easy to pick up and allows the singer to really focus on the words without having to think too hard about what note to sing next. This will be one we use in o...

Rather than feature just one song this Easter, I'll be featuring my top ten favorite songs about the resurrection of Christ (at least my top ten at the moment... this list seems to change every year). The list this year includes one song from me, three classic hymns of the faith, two newer ones from Sovereign Grace Music , and four from the Gettys . So, starting with number ten, here they are: 10. Hail the Day (from Sovereign Grace Music) --> Click here to watch on YouTube --> Click here to download a .pdf of the chords 9. O Church Arise  (by Keith and Kristyn Getty) --> Click here to watch on YouTube --> Click here to download a .pdf of the chords 8. Jesus Paid It All --> Click here to watch on YouTube --> Click here to download a .pdf of the chords 7. Crown Him With Many Crowns --> Click here to watch on YouTube --> Click here to download a .pdf of the chords 6. Come, People of the Risen King  (by Keith and Kristyn Getty) -->...

Good Friday is here; a day to remember the cross and the act of atonement ordained by God and achieved by Christ. Perhaps you will be celebrating this event with a service at your church. Perhaps you have family traditions to help you think deeply about this momentous event. At our service this evening we will be having a rotation of quotes and verses from scripture and various hymns to set the mood before the service begins. I hope you find them encouraging as we remember the death of our Lord.