At today’s church service there was something I wish I had caught on camera. I’m not really quick, even though I have a reasonably good camera in my cell phone. Our pastor, Geoffrey Lentz, was preaching the final sermon of his Summer in the Psalms series, this time from Psalm 150. He talked about exuberant…
John Meunier asks if he can be replaced by a video screen. It’s a good question, considering the number of megachurches that are broadcasting a sermon to multiple locations. I have several objections to the idea of a broadcast sermon: I think our worship services are already too far from the idea of active participation….
I started teaching a new Sunday School class today, or I should say it’s new to me. In our discussion one of the class members discussed who he understood God to be, and then commented that he couldn’t understand such a God requiring worship. His concept of God was rich and deep, so by this…
The description of the ICON service at my home church, First United Methodist Church in Pensacola, FL, states that the service is: Cutting Edge Tradition Rich Art Embracing Christ Centered This worship service just celebrated its second anniversary, and I was happy today to see that the sanctuary was largely filled. It has been both…
Some time ago I read a post by Arthur Sido on The Voice of One Crying Out in Suburbia titled What is Worship? and I’ve been intending to respond ever since. The problem is that the topic brings up so many different issues that it threatens to become an incredibly long blog post. Those of…
Some friends of ours sent a link to this video. They have worked in the area and know many of the places. Hallelujah Chorus -Quinhagak, Alaska
… during the closing song at church today, Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee. Perhaps this explains it! Or perhaps not.
From C. Michael Patton: What I have been coming to realize over the years is that there is simply no one way to do church. … You need to read the whole post at Parchment and Pen to get the real drift of what he’s saying, complete with evangelical discomfort with a seeker sensitive service,…
I find this an interesting question. But before I comment, let me summarize and quote Scot McKnight’s article. He first notes that from the early liturgies to the Westminster Confession there is a certain common pattern in worship, one which is dropped by what he calls “low church evangelicalism.” Amongst the elements he includes the…
There are a number of lectionary selections that skip part of a passage. Sometimes this is for time. Sometimes it relates to topic, but sometimes it is simply used to remove material that might offend. I like lectionary preaching and teaching. I think it forces pastors to get out of their comfort zones and expound…
