Worship/Idolatory

St Augustine: Idolatry is worshipping anything that ought to be used, or using anything that ought to be worshipped. As worship ministers, this is something which we are especially prone to – worshipping the music and the musicianship rather than using the music to worship God. It’s a fine line which is easily crossed if […]

Christ’s Sacrifice, God’s Masterpieces

I read this recently which really spoke to me about how we, as a Christian community, ought to treat our fellow believers. It’s by John Burke (pastor of Gateway Church) in an essay entitled “God is For You” in Craig Groeschel (ed) What is God Really Like (pp 68ff): Jesus gave his life so that […]

Above All/Lord I Lift Your Name on High

As we prepare for Good Friday, I thought I’d share one of my favourite songs “Above All” written by Paul Baloche and Lenny LeBlanc. I remember being so moved when I watched Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ. There was the scene when Jesus walked the Via Dolorosa with the heavy cross on His back, […]

Heavenly Commission

David Livingstone said: If a commission by an earthly king is considered an honour, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice? That’s a profound thought, isn’t it? Sometimes, we serve God as if our sacrifice can somehow be held to the same light as His. Juanita Bynum once said something […]

Blessings Reel – March 2012

Psalm 23:5-6 says: You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. The Message versions says His “beauty and love chase after me every day of my life!” What […]

Defining Worship

I expect that this will not be the only post I write on this subject because “worship” is one of those words which we all understand in some way or another, but find extremely difficult to pin down. Depending on the context, its meaning expands and contracts. Also, a lot our understanding will also be […]

Nations Worship

Converge 2012 is going to culminate in an evening of “Nations Worship”. I was just thinking about what that night might look like. Could it look like this? Except of course, it would be representative of the church of Perth with worship leaders and singers from the Indigenous church, Korean church, African church, Indonesian church […]

Worship and the Marketplace Part 2

When I wrote yesterday’s post, I was led to Ezekiel’s vision of the river flowing from the temple in Ezekiel 47. As I read that passage, I had more thoughts about the connection between worship in the temple and transformation in the marketplace. To fully appreciate the connection, we have to get an understanding of […]

Worship and the Marketplace

I just got back from lunch and coffee with some of the people from my new cell group, all of whom are successful and influential in their workplace and it got me thinking. Today at church was the first time I had heard Pastor Peet Palm preach. I understand that he works with Ed Silvoso […]

Converge 2012: Knit Together

It’s been amazing how God has led me here. About 7 years ago, I met Pastor Yoy Alberastine in a cafe to talk about worship and the city. We must have sat there for about 4 hours just dreaming about what it would be like if worship leaders across the city connected together. The spiritual […]