Worship

Singing sorrow

In congregational worship, praise is more easily expressed than grief. But how do we hold both when we gather before God? Scripture often tells us to be strong, not to be afraid (Deuteronomy 3:22, Joshua 1:9, Isaiah 41:10, Matthew 14:27, John 14:27).

What church songwriters need to know

At a recent workshop, “Writing for the Church: Called for Mission”, church songwriters and musicians gathered to listen from expert songwriters from CityAlight, a music ministry group from St Paul’s Church in Sydney, Australia, who are behind popular contemporary worship songs like “Yet Not I But Through Christ in Me” and “Only a Holy God”.

To keep on rising from the dead

Change. A word we hear in all areas of life. At home, we are challenged by the changing needs of each generation. In school, the curriculum evolves to meet the demands of society. In the workplace, we are constantly playing catch-up with rapid technological advancements.

Worship’s un-influence

As I waited for the train, an advertisement at the platform caught my attention—particularly the phrase “Be Uninfluenced”. It spoke deeply to me. It is a challenge increasingly present in today’s culture.

Going past society’s labels in worship

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ~ Galatians 3:28 (NIV)

Is true worship also learning to sit at a table together as a family?

The world is messy. We see conflict, division and broken relationships everywhere. A small irritant can cause one person to snap—and what begins as a petty argument can lead to silence, estrangement or even the breaking of a lifelong relationship. So we ask: How do we fix it? Where does healing begin? Is it with the family? With worship? With the Church?

Worship as self-care

The Bible tells us that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), entrusted to our care. Caring for ourselves is not just about physical health—it is about nurturing our connection with God. Worship helps restore our whole selves and draws us closer to him.

Saying sorry to God

“What do you want to say sorry for?”
I asked the children this question during a session on “Saying Sorry to God” at the Children in Worship programme run by Methodist School of Music last year.

How can hymns speak more directly to the realities of life?

The prophet Amos was a man of uncompromising integrity, deeply concerned with justice and righteousness. His message was clear: worship that is full of praise but devoid of justice does not please the Lord. Amos declared, “Away with the noise of your songs, but let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never- failing stream” (Amos 5:23-24 NIV).

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