Search Results for: blog whats most important with church music

Listen to the Music

What purpose does music and singing serve in church? To some people it may seem a pointless exercise. I mean how many other places do people gather together and sing? At a football game when passions are aroused or possibly at a karaoke night if that is your thing. So it’s not common for people to get together and sing these days, so why do it at church? Some people think it’s to set the mood. But music does more than that. When it is done properly music can set the whole tone of the service, it can reinforce the … Continue reading →

The Influence of Music

Have you ever noticed the power of music to influence your moods, attitudes and actions? It’s no wonder experts have discovered music therapy. Last week at church we sang two songs. One was, ‘To live is Christ.’ That song has encouraged me and challenged me throughout this week to look at how I respond to what is happening in my life. Am I responding as Jesus would? Am I showing Christ to the world in the way I speak, the things I say and do? ‘No matter what price I pay, I choose to give this life away.’ Notice it’s … Continue reading →

The Way Couples Relate

I watch people. Now maybe it’s because I’m a writer or maybe it’s just that I’m interested in people but I watch how couples relate to each other especially in marriage. Some couples never seem to touch each other. They never hold hands or stand with their arms around each other. I think it’s sad. I could never imagine being with a man who didn’t want to, or was incapable of showing affection. I hear of other couples where men never express their love, of men and women who have been married for years and the husband has never said … Continue reading →

What a Difference!

Sometimes the words of the old hymns touch us so deeply. Last night as we practiced for church one we sang was, ‘May the Mind of Christ My Saviour,’ except we sang it with a more modern tune. Check out these words. It started me thinking what difference would it make to my life if I thought the way Jesus did in every situation? What difference would it make to your life to have the mind of Christ? Yet that is exactly what Jesus promised us in a way. He promised his helpers that the He would send another just … Continue reading →

Expressions of Love

The more I think about it, the more I’m convinced it’s the little things in life and in marriage that make all the difference. What sort of things? Here are a few examples from our week. Enjoying an Experience Together The other day Mick and I rose early, got in the car and drove to the nearby beach. There we watched the sun come up and walked along the beach. What a beautiful start to the morning. Of course we snapped photos too to help imprint the time even further in our memory banks. Encouragement and Support On Monday night … Continue reading →

God Wants Workers not Shirkers

‘God wants workers not shirkers,’ that’s what a visiting minister told us one day in his sermon. Sadly, the case in too many churches is that too much is left to too few workers. This was never the way it was intended to work. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:4 that there are varieties of gifts and God expects us to use them. There are varieties of ministries, 1 Corinthians 12:5. Some people have a real knack for one to one relationships and welcoming people, but ask them to play the piano or do some up front job and … Continue reading →

What is Life to You?

What does life mean to you? Life for Paul meant living for Jesus, taking the opportunities presented to Him to tell others the gospel message. That’s what he meant be fruitful labor, seeing others brought into the kingdom. He is well aware of the need around him. Our world is in great need. Men and women need to hear the truth of the gospel. How are you and I going about fulfilling that need? Paul urges believers to ‘conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ,’ verse 27. We need to look at the manner in which … Continue reading →

Without a Song

In the forum we’ve been talking about favorite hymns and church songs. Valorie commented she liked the old hymns because the theology is so rich. I agree. There are important bibles truths come out in some of those old hymns and so beautifully expressed. How could I have forgotten ‘Be Thou My Vision,’ – an absolute gem, though I like the version with the words, ‘Be thou my dignity, thou my delight,’ rather than some of the other versions that omit these words. When I was doing the music in my previous church I always specified we use these words. … Continue reading →

What a Joy!

Church this morning was great, even if I did manage to muck up the bible reading by starting to read the wrong passage. I started in 1 Thessalonians instead of 2 Thessalonians. I kept thinking,‘Gee this sounds different to what I read earlier in my New American Standard Version at home’ Good reason for that! Anyway, I was gently corrected and started on take 2. I was thrilled with the songs we sang this morning. We started with By the Cross which has long been a favorite of mine. I love the jazz feel of the tune, not to mention … Continue reading →