The Narrow Road Paradox, Part 1.
Jesus told us that salvation is traveling a narrow road leading to life. We have different ideas of the road being dangerous, tight, and unforgiving. When God tells us to incorporate two elements of life that seem contrary to each other, we need to learn how they work together to speed us on the narrow road.
One of those famous cartoons of the 1980’s, G.I. Joe was a paramilitary team of experts and super-geeks that fought the forces of Cobra who, like every villain, wanted to take over the world. But after all of the battles and rescues, just before moving on the next Saturday morning classic, the team had a lesson to teach the moldable minds glued to the television sets: “Knowing is half the battle.”
A boy played with a kite too close to the power lines. Girls were baking cookies and almost reached into the oven without any oven mitts on. Kids were running around in the dark near a busy freeway. One of the Joe’s would step in and help them out, and the children would respond with with, “Now we know.” But knowing isn’t everything.
Continue reading “When G.I. Joe Stands Before the Throne of God”
Well, it’s September. That means is a very important time of year. The children are back to school. There’s a hint of Fall in the wind. And an entire subculture of Western civilization sat on the edge of the seats for a big announcement.
We were waiting for it. Sometime back in April or May we started to think about it. Like kids getting ready for Christmas we started to countdown the days. Google searches led us to rumors and hopes. We couldn’t stand the wait. The anticipation almost killed us. Then yesterday it finally came. The big news we waited months for: the launch of Apple’s iPhone 6.
Unbeknownst to a lot of Apple junkies, there’s a much bigger announcement that continues to ring out around the world. It wasn’t delivered in a keynote speech at a prestigious conference of forward thinkers. There were no headlines when it came out. And just because it’s old doesn’t mean it is less powerful than the latest technology.
In a previous post I began writing a response to a popular article floating around the internet. In one of the weekly e-newsletters I received today, another article just posted as another chain in the dialogue this topic has created. Though many churches maintain a high caliber of musician and vocalist for the churches, there continues to be a percentage of our congregations that are not participating in this very biblical portion of our services.
The first post talked about some practical ways to create an environment that invites as many as are willing to join in worship. That is just one side of the coin when it comes to this concern. Quite often, this is the only side that is addressed in these internet articles. Change the key; stop singing “girly” love songs; make church “manly” again. Some of those ideas are great ideas. But addressing the practical issues of singing in our churches is only half the battle.
Worship is a spiritual act, after all. While it involves physical rules like musical scales, keys and chords, it is a spiritual offering from a spiritual individual to the only true God. Therefore we have to examine whether there are any spiritual reasons for the lack of participation in worship.
Continue reading “The Spiritual Side of Singing in the Church”
This week I was asked to comment on an article that has found its way around the internet again. The article itself is a few years old, but like all hot-button topics on the web, it comes and goes in cycles. Having seen it pop up again recently on Facebook, it was already on my radar. It is one of many that question some of the practices and mindsets regarding contemporary worship in our churches, and seeking to explain why many aren’t joining in congregational singing.
Normally I stay away from discussions like this. I don’t jump in and make a lot of noise where others are already having too much fun doing it. But I don’t see anyone making the same observations I am. As a pastor and worship leader my perspective is different from the pew.
Not that the writer of the article is out to harm anyone. On the contrary, I have seen and listened to him teach in person. He genuinely wants to help Christians, specifically men, find and assume their Scriptural place as part of the Body of Christ. Still, there is always more to any situation than just one of us can see. So I’d like to offer some “real” reasons people are not joining in when the music starts at church.
To help us out I’d like to break these reasons into two categories. We will look at one in this post, and the other in a follow-up.
Continue reading “The Practical Side of Singing in the Church”
Chris MacKinnon 