“True worship, as described in the Scriptures, is a response to Jesus being revealed to us by God the Father. It is not contingent on musical skill, technological prowess, or atmospheric effects. When we look at the worship of God … Continue reading
“These people believe they are worshiping God but this song isn’t even about God. Let’s just be real, this song wasn’t designed to cause one to worship the one true God revealed in Scripture. This song was designed to sell.” … Continue reading
According to Joshua Jenkins, the pastor’s role is to be an overseer. One of the areas he’s responsible to oversee is the worship music of the church, says Jenkins. Why? Because the songs we sing during worship “are of utmost theological … Continue reading
“It boils down to two concepts diametrically opposed to each other. One is the concept of Christ, a blood-bought salvation, living in eternal relationship with a loving, caring God. That concept is in opposition to another called merchandising.” (Barry Bowen … Continue reading
“Here’s the problem. When we do know the source and we know the source is theologically problematic, it becomes pretty difficult to sing that song without thinking of the theological associations. So…I would say don’t use it in worship.” (The … Continue reading
New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) false prophet Bill Johnson is the senior pastor of Bethel Church in Redding, CA. Jesus Culture (JC) bills itself as not “just a band, but…a ministry of Bethel Church.” JC has had a huge impact on Christian youth … Continue reading
“More often than not, these people don’t meet the biblical criteria for leadership but are given a platform—and immense influence—due to their musical prowess and stage presence.” (The Dissenter) Welcome to a discussion that dives deep behind the fog machines, … Continue reading
“The atmosphere at these events is emotionally charged—highly orchestrated music, impassioned speakers, and provocative visuals often lead participants to believe they are experiencing the Holy Spirit.” (The Dissenter) We’ve witnessed in recent years a surge of hyper-emotional events masquerading as … Continue reading
“…worship” typically refers solely to the musical or concert portion of the service, while the preaching is often viewed as a separate, even lesser, component. This is a serious error as the preaching of the Word of God is not … Continue reading
(The Dissenter) If you want to know just how low we’ve gone not only as a nation, but just how irrelevant we’ve collectively become as the Church, look no further than what passes as “Christian” music in the worship music … Continue reading
(The Dissenter) I’m typically not drawn to contemporary Christian music for the very reasons that I’ve written about a dozen times. I simply do not view the industry as God-honoring, rather it is a self-promoting, man-pleasing industry designed to launch … Continue reading
“Each of these three represent a break from historic Christian worship, which emphasized both beauty and simplicity, maintained a Gospel-shaped worship service, and sought a carefully planned, corporate, and Appollonian expression of worship.” (David de Bruyn – Religious Affections) It’s … Continue reading
“Be discerning with your music. Every song you sing, every hymn you utter on the Lord’s Day, every single lyric that you use at any time – either in congregational worship or in personal worship – test it all against … Continue reading
“The use of music to manufacture “feelings of spirituality” is exactly why Hillsong and the whole contemporary worship music movement are so popular—take away the music, and you eliminate the “feelings of spirituality.”…The use of music to manufacture “revival” is what … Continue reading
“If the work of the Trinity in salvation isn’t enough to bring the dry bones of a dead church back to life, then neither will your music, your ecstatic experiences, and your emotional experiences.” (The Dissenter) Have you ever witnessed … Continue reading
(The Dissenter) As many times as we’ve written about this circus in South Florida that calls itself a church for its lavish displays of secular paganism, nothing should surprise us anymore. But the fact that this entertainment venue continues to … Continue reading
“Soon, the tune catches the ear of the worship pastor or leader (who is no doubt aware that the hipster church down the street is using it) and he follows suit – using the same tune to raise the hands, … Continue reading
“If your church is still using Hillsong music, you need to urge them to stop. You should point out that this isn’t actual worship of God, it is in many ways a form of idolatry.” If you’ve paid any attention … Continue reading
(Rick Becker) Music is a powerful medium, a catalyst for our emotions. Way back in 1713 Johann Mattheson, a German music theorist, made the connection between major and minor keys, and the moods they induce. Two examples – D# minor- … Continue reading
1 The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; Let the many islands be glad. 2 Clouds and thick darkness surround Him; Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. 3 Fire goes before Him And burns up His adversaries … Continue reading
“I’m sure Mr. Ortlund means well with this statement, but he obviously didn’t think this through. Nobody–literally nobody–actually rejects Hillsong because of this reason.” (Reformation Charlotte) Hillsong music has been soundly rejected by many top theologians including John MacArthur, Justin … Continue reading
(Reformation Charlotte) If you’ve followed Reformation Charlotte at all, you know we’ve covered the contemporary Christian music movement and have written about several of its mainstream figures, including Kari Jobe and Hillsong. It’s no secret we believe that the relentless promotion of … Continue reading
“Is the intensity of Pentecostal worship a rational response of the heart, or is it a sensation? Is it evoked by consideration of truth, or charmed by a combination of chord progressions? Is the goal to rightly value and admire … Continue reading
“The Biblical truths that we’ve held for so long–truths such as human depravity, the exclusivity of Christ, and God’s hatred of sin–are whitewashed with affirming antics and nuanced language that effectively stains the image of God from his perfect glory.” … Continue reading
“Mainstream contemporary Christian music. It feeds the flesh and weakens our mission (Galatians 5:16). Bethel music, in its insatiable lust for more followers, is seeking to devour anyone who has itching ears (2 Tim 4:3).” (Jeff Maples – Reformation Charlotte) If … Continue reading