Quick Summaries: Bibles and Reference

 

Quick Summaries are pithy paragraph-long reviews of releases that cross our QBR desk.    These are reviews for when you don't have all day    to decide whether a resource is worth your time, money, storage space, or trouble. Thompson, John J., Annotator. NIV Worship Together Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2013. 1267 Pages. Cloth. $34.99. www.biblica.com www.zondervan.com (P) Chapell, Bryan, General Editor. Dane Ortlund, General Editor. Gospel Transformation Bible. Wheaton: Crossway, 2013. 1904 Pages. Cloth. $39.99. http://www.crossway.org/bibles/esv-gospel-application-bible-hccase/ (LHP) Page, Nick.  Simply The Bible. Oxford, England: Lion Hudson, 2013. 128 Pages. Paper. $14.95. www.lionhudson.com (LHP) The Hebrew-English Interlinear ESV Old Testament (Bibilia Hebraica Stuttgartensia). Wheaton: Crossway, 2014. 2012 Pages. Cloth. $89.99. www.crossway.org (P) The following four Bibles and Bible references crossed our desk recently. Here's what we thought of them: - What is this resource? Basically, it is a NIV 2011 pew Bible with notes by John J. Thompson including lyrics to the "top fifty worship songs."  The additional 250+ pages comprise "Thy Word," "Soon and Very Soon," "How Great Thou Art," and "In Christ Alone," just to name a few, with devotional notes and song guitar chord charts in the very back. I do not believe that the added content compared to a new NIV pew Bible is worth the additional $20 cost. I understand copyright use can be expensive. As a Lutheran, I very much prefer a more literal translation and my hymnal, Lutheran Service Book. Interesting, but will seem dated soon. Overpriced for what you get. + I have an appreciation for the approach of this Bible edition, not a full Study Bible, but not just an ESV text Bible: Christ in all of Scripture. Grace for all of Life. I very much like that Christ is in the forefront of understanding every verse from Genesis to Revelation. I am concerned about what I see as a Law approach: "Focusing on heart transformation rather than mere behavior modification, their points of application emphasize the Hows and Whys of practical application to daily living—in short, how the gospel transforms us from the inside out." Used by a Lutheran, I can see how one could "let the Gospel predominate." Calvinists, Arminians, and American Evangelicals may have more of a challenge based on their theological and practical biases to "see that the message of the Bible is a unified one—'to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.' " That is a different and better message than "the sovereignty of God," decision theology, and entertainment & experience, and much closer to the Lutheran approach, that the church stands or falls on justification. The Gospel Transformation Bible is Recommended. This is my favorite of the Crossway ESV editions with added notes published thus far. I have made use of the online edition already.   / Nick Page's Simply the Bible arrived unsolicited. We were intrigued by the concise size and unique approach, especially in the art department. Each book of the Bible gets a two page spread with a picture and various summaries of each book. I found the introductions to be clear enough, but I disagree with the author's assessments about the creatures in Job (41), the author of Ecclesiastes (47), the choice of Godzilla art to accompany the book of Jeremiah (52), and his revolutionary, red flag, "workers" assessment of James (114). There is a fine line between humor and irreverence. It is a book I will use because I have it, but not one I could encourage my congregation members to take the trouble to go out and purchase.  ++ Awesome. Simply Awesome. The Hebrew-English Interlinear ESV Old Testament pairs Crossways' essentially literal English Standard Version with the 5th edition of Biblica Hebraica Stuttgartensia in a traditional interlinear that is the newest addition to my essential Bible reference shelf at the desk in my pastoral study. Turn to page vii for the Introduction and to page ix for the basics on understanding this edition's code. The English text is broken up according to each Hebrew word. If you read it aloud, the translation sounds like the Yoda Standard Version. The full ESV is presented in the outside columns of each page. Yes, Aramaic is presented in this edition right where BHS has it (e.g., Daniel, 1869). Expect to find the basic meaning and morphology of each Hebrew word and the BHS critical apparatus. This book is worth the price tag. Highly Recommended!   Back in QBR Volume 1, Issue 3, (Apostles' Tide, 2007) we reviewed Crossway's English-Greek Reverse Interlinear New Testament. We liked it then, while still desiring a traditional Greek-English traditional Interlinear. I have since grown to love it and we therefore reproduce that review below, including our (now fulfilled) request for an ESV Old Testament Interlinear.       LHP Book Review   Schwandt, John and C John Collins, editors. The English-Greek Reverse Interlinear New Testament: English Standard Version, Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece 27thRevised Edition. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2006. 1341 pages. Cloth with CD-Rom. $49.99. 630 682 4300 www.crossway.com (P)   "This state-of-the-art reverse interlinear New Testament, created in partnership with The German Bible Society and Logos Bible Software, breaks with the convention of traditional interlinear texts by keeping the English as the top-line entry and placing the Greek text underneath it. This approach allows you to see firsthand the accuracy with which the translators of the English Standard Version of the Bible (ESV) rendered the Greek text" (Crossway website).   Like any resource, it takes time to learn how to use it. Here is an example of what the first three words in the book Galatians (approximately) look like: 1.      Paul,                     an           apostle— 2.      PauloV1              à           apostoloV2 3.      Paulos                                 apostolos 4.      NNSM                                 NNSM 5.      3972                                    652   The first line has the ESV English text, rather than the original Greek, making this a reverse interlinear.   The source Greek word is shown in the second line under the English translation. A Subscript number is provided at the lower right of each Greek word to show the original Greek word order. The arrow under "an" points to the source of an English word..   An English transliteration is provided on line three. This is a helpful aid to pronunciation, but could become a crutch   Parsing is provided on line four. Both "Paul" and "apostle" are: Noun, Nominative, Singular, Masculine. Abbreviation reminders are provided on the bottom of each pair of pages.   The fifth line provides a Strong's Number to look up in a Strong's Dictionary. Visit this book's website for a free downloadable small Strong's Dictionary: http://www.gnpcb.org/assets/pdfs/158134628X.dictionary.pdf. Perhaps this could be included as an appendix in the next print edition of this volume.   In addition to the numerical subscript giving word number order in the original, I would like to see the regular Greek text printed in the margin of a future edition, much like some regular interlinears give the full English in the outside margin.   The Preface addresses the "dabbling with Greek" objection. See page xvi, available for you to read at: http://www.gnpcb.org/assets/products/excerpts/158134628X.1.pdf.   As many in the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod already know, due to the English Standard Version being the "primary" translation used in Lutheran Service Book and its companion resources, "The ESV is an "essentially literal" translation of the Bible, emphasizing word-for-word accuracy and precision along with literary beauty and readability. The publishers of the ESV have partnered with Logos Bible Software, the premier Bible research software developer, to publish this helpful resource. It will benefit anyone who desires to study the English text of the New Testament alongside the original" (Crossway website).   Other features include: +       Transliterations of all Greek words for easy pronunciation +       Strong's numbers for effective cross-referencing to other study tools +       Morphology of each word +       Free electronic version of the ESV on CD-ROM, with additional study tools   This would be a valuable resource for a pastor or layman who has not learned Greek. It could also encourage an LCMS pastor who has not regularly used his Greek in some time, providing encouragement to get back into the language.      "John Schwandt is a Fellow of Classical Languages at New St. Andrews College, where he teaches Greek and has previously taught Latin and Hebrew. He earned an M.A. from Westminster Theological Seminary and has since developed and is currently Director of the National Biblical Greek Exam (NBGE), an online exam that seeks to promote the study of biblical Greek" (Crossway website).   While this is a unique and helpful resource, I would also like to see a traditional Greek-English ESV Interlinear from Crossway. In addition, we eagerly await The English-Hebrew Reverse Interlinear Old Testament: English Standard Version. PJC     More information about each of these titles may be found on each respective publisher's website.  The Rev. Paul J Cain is Pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming, Headmaster of Martin Luther Grammar School, Yellowstone Circuit Visitor (LCMS Wyoming District), a permanent member of the Board of Directors of The Consortium for Classical and Lutheran Education, Wyoming District Worship Chairman, and Editor of QBR.

View article...

Received for Review

 

Stoneguard, Harry. The Chaplain's Cat: A Small CATechism. Amazon CreateSpace, 2013. Paper. $6.99. (Kindle version available for $0.99).  http://smile.amazon.com/Chaplains-Cat-Small-CATechism/dp/1493700898 (Q)

View article...

Quick Summaries: Creation and Evolution

 

Quick Summaries are pithy paragraph-long reviews of releases that cross our QBR desk.    These are reviews for when you don't have all day    to decide whether a resource is worth your time, money, storage space, or trouble.   Evolution Vs. God: Shaking the Foundations of Faith. Living Waters Publications, 2013. (Review copy provided by New Leaf Publishing Group, www.nlpg.com.) DVD movie. $9.95. (For low-cost bulk copies, call 800-437-1893.) EvolutionVsGod.com  www.livingwaters.com  (LHP) Ham, Ken, General Editor. The New Answers Book 4: Over 30 Questions on Creation/Evolution and the Bible. Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2013. 410 Pages. Paper. $14.99. www.masterbooks.net (LHP)   Ham, Ken, and Bodie Hodge. The Answers Book for Kids 5: 20 Questions from Kids on Space and Astronomy. Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2013. 48 Pages. Cloth. $7.99. www.masterbooks.net (LHP)   Ham, Ken, and Bodie Hodge. The Answers Book for Kids 6: 22 Questions from Kids on Babel and the Ice Age. Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2013. 48 Pages. Cloth. $7.99. www.masterbooks.net (LHP)   Ham, Ken. Six Days: The Age of the Earth and the Decline of the Church. Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2013. 256 Pages. Paper. $13.99. www.masterbooks.net (LHP)   Purdom, Georgia, General Editor. Galapagos Islands: A Different View. Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2013.  104 Pages. Cloth. $18.99. www.masterbooks.net (LHP)     Our congregation is currently doing a Sunday Morning Bible Class series on apologetics, defending the faith. The resources featured in this Quick Summaries review have been helpful to me in answering questions about creation and evolution, as well as responding to secular humanism, especially with the new Cosmos miniseries on TV.   Watch Evolution Vs. God here:    + Our Sunday Bible Class will watch this video soon. I commend it for your use, too, especially with pastoral supervision. Apologetics is not evangelism. Evangelism is presenting the Gospel so that the Holy Spirit can create faith where and when He wills. Apologetics, in my view, is designed to create doubt in one's non-Christian worldview, to "shake the foundations" of a way of viewing and living life outside of Biblical Christianity. Recommended!     + Helpful for a Pastor's shelf, home use, or a Christian school library, The New Answers Book 4 discusses dragons, eviscerates evolutionary humanism, answers concerns about climate change, and tackles the tactics of the new humanists. Thick yet approachable, detailed yet focused, Ken Ham's latest volume as general editor is a successful attempt to help Christians, especially Missouri Synod Lutherans, defend the faith and gain knowledge consistent with and compatible with Holy Scripture as God's Word. We would love to see volumes 1, 2, and 3, as well as future additions to this series. Recommended.     + The Answers Book for Kids, Volumes 5 and 6 adapt the approach of larger Answers Book format for age-appropriate "kid" use. Affordable, fact-filled, colorful, and pithy, I would love to have each volume published to date in my Classical Lutheran school library. Volume 5 tackles the old saw that Christians thought the world was flat in addition to other questions about space and astronomy young people ask. Volume 6 has a focus on Babel, the post-Flood world, and the Ice Age. Recommended.    Today, most Bible colleges, seminaries, K-12 Christian schools, and now even parts of the homeschool movement do not accept the first eleven chapters of Genesis as literal history. They try to fit the supposed billions of years into Genesis, and some teach evolution as fact. Our churches are largely following suit. Ken Ham, international speaker and author on biblical authority, examines how compromise starting in Genesis, particularly in regard to the six days of creation and the earth's age, have filtered down from the Bible colleges and seminaries to pastors—and finally to parents and their children. (Publisher's website). + Six Days: The Age of the Earth and the Decline of the Church is recommended as a great follow-up to reading The Lie, Already Gone, and Already Compromised.     + Georgia Purdom, general editor, and her dozens of contributors take "a different view" of the Island creatures of the place that inspired Charles Darwin. I loved the photos, scientific evidence, and Biblical revelation of creation side-by-side.  Where Darwin once visited and later used evidence from to support his faulty case for evolution, discover the wonder of God in this full-color book filled with vibrant images of these glorious islands in the Pacific, as well as powerful insights that give Him the glory due His name. Your faith will be strengthened as you learn the importance of a biblical worldview from some of the best apologetics speakers in the country. It's an overall emphasis on Galápagos as testament to God's majesty and mercy rather than the empty legacy of one man! (Publisher's Website) More information about each of these titles may be found on each respective publisher's website.  The Rev. Paul J Cain is Pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming, Headmaster of Martin Luther Grammar School, Yellowstone Circuit Visitor (LCMS Wyoming District), a permanent member of the Board of Directors of The Consortium for Classical and Lutheran Education, Wyoming District Worship Chairman, and Editor of QBR.

View article...

More Gettymusic

 

Getty, Keith and Kristyn Getty. Live at the Gospel Coalition: Modern and Traditional Hymns. Nashville: GettyMusic, 2013. Audio CD. $13.99. (also available in a deluxe edition with 3 additional songs or in a combo with the songbook) http://www.gettymusic.com/ (LH) Getty, Keith and Kristyn Getty. Live at the Gospel Coalition: Modern and Traditional Hymns (Songbook). Nashville: GettyMusic, 2013. 44 Pages. Paper. $14.99. (downloadable version available for $11.99) http://www.gettymusic.com/ (LH) In the spring of 2013, the National Conference of The Gospel Coalition was held in Orlando, Florida, and was attended by some 5,000 people from more than 40 countries and 49 of the United States. Through sermons, presentations, and discussions, the group contemplated anew the peace man has with God because of and through Christ and considered application of the gospel in missions and in daily work. The corporate response in music was led by Keith and Kristyn Getty and recorded for this album. Traditional and modern hymns provided the repertoire, including several selections from the Getty's well-known catalog. From upbeat hymns of praise and adoration, to moments of contemplation and anthems of dedication, this compilation is not only a reflection of the conference but a tool for believers and churches everywhere. (Getty website) Readers of our blog know we've reviewed each Getty album thus far. We use and commend for your use most of their hymns. Many have completed the LCMS Doctrinal Review process. I loved hearing historic hymns (4, 16) alongside the modern hymnody of Keith and Kristyn Getty. In some ways, this live album is a "best of" collection, as can be seen from the track listing: 1. Christ He is Risen, He Is Risen Indeed 2. Come People of the Risen King 3. By Faith 4. All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name 5. Speak O Lord 6. Oh How Good It Is 7. Lift High the Name of Jesus 8. The Power of the Cross (with When I Survey) 9. In Christ Alone 10. Across the Lands 11. Compassion Hymn 12. Kyrie Eleison 13. O Church Arise 14. Hear the Call of the Kingdom 15. Holy Spirit, Living Breath of God (with Gabriel's Oboe) 16. Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty                                                                             The songbook and deluxe CD also include 17. "Communion Hymn," 18. "See What a Morning," and 19. "There Is a Higher Throne."    Track 7, "Lift High the Name of Jesus," is the sole new hymn on this album.  Our congregation or others in the Wyoming District have sung tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 13, 16, 18, and 19.  I could see "Oh, How Good It Is" used at a District conference as a hymn version of Psalm 133. "Lift High" is growing on me, but I remain uncertain as to whether "Kyrie Eleison" is a version I would use at Divine Service. "Holy Spirit" raises concerns with regard to properly distinguishing justification and sanctification with its first phrase, "Holy Spirit, living Breath of God, breathe new life into my willing soul," that could be made more like Psalm 51 by changing "willing" to "sinful."  Notably, "Communion Hymn," aka, "Behold the Lamb," has survived Pr. Wolfmueller's Praise Song Cruncher (http://www.tabletalkradio.org/documents/praise%20song%20list.pdf  http://tabletalkradio.org/content/sites/default/files/audio/ttr155_0.mp3) Since this album was released, an article by Keith 'Five Ways to Improve Congregational Singing' appeared on the Gospel Coalition Blog: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgcworship/2014/02/18/five-ways-to-improve-congregational-singing/ Here's a quick headline summary of the article: 1. Begin with the pastor 2. Sing great songs. 3. Cultivate a congregation centered priority in those who lead. 4. Serve the congregation through musical excellence 5. Mange the congregation's repertoire intentionally. Want to hear more? Listen to "Good Shepherd of My Soul" at: http://youtu.be/TyLOnOYOvCA We thank our friends at Gettymusic for keeping us abreast of new releases. We pray for more hymns based on Psalms (like 141, 51, 22, 4), hymns to fit texts of the historic and three-year lectionary systems, and additional hymns Christians may sing and pray according to their vocations. The Rev. Paul J Cain is Pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming, Headmaster of Martin Luther Grammar School, Yellowstone Circuit Visitor (LCMS Wyoming District), a permanent member of the Board of Directors of The Consortium for Classical and Lutheran Education, Wyoming District Worship Chairman, Editor of QBR, and author of 5 Things You Can Do to Make Your Congregation a Caring Church.

View article...

Institute 2014

 

The 2014 LCMS Institute on Liturgy, Preaching and Church Music: http://www.lcms.org/events/worshipinstitute.   Registration is NOW OPEN!

View article...

FW: Beware of nice old men who talk about new kinds of worship. . .

 

Peters…   Feed: Pastoral Meanderings Posted on: Monday, March 10, 2014 5:00 AM Author: noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Peters) Subject: Beware of nice old men who talk about new kinds of worship. . .   The image of the liturgiologist has often been one of curious but benign oddity.  Indeed, among the Lutherans those interested in worship were generally seen as odd fellows at best.  Most of the time, however, they were also seen as people who posed little real threat to the church.  They were the nice old men whose interest lie in the peculiar arena of things indifferent (the Lutheran obsession with adiaphora).  So if they wanted to wear a surplice over their black gown (not realizing it was not a Geneva gown but really a cassock), they were snickered at by the true Lutherans but no one got all that excited.  It would never really catch on.  Then stoles and then albs and finally full eucharistic vestments.  The problem by then is that nearly everyone had exchanged Geneva's academic gown but a cassock, surplice, and stole.  The odd had become the normal.  Wait a few years and the same thing happened again -- alb and stole replacing the old fashioned cassock and surplice.  Interesting that the only people I know who still wear the white over the black ARE liturgical folk who know the difference between a choir office, daily office, and the Divine Service and dress accordingly. In the same way also there were those who once thought the idea of a more frequent Eucharist to be an odd idea, promoted by the affected, but, nevertheless, one that would never catch on.  But it did.  My own home parish which had only quarterly the Order of Morning Worship with Communion went to monthly, twice monthly, and now even more frequently.  If it happens on the prairies of Nebraska, it happens everywhere.  It there a Lutheran congregation that retains a quarterly Communion?  I seriously doubt it.  What was once an odd idea promoted by nice old men who had an affectation for things ceremonial has become the norm or near norm in our church body. I could go on but I will simply pick it up with my own story.  When I was in college, only liberal Bible doubting Lutherans were interested in worship.  So I felt it was my only choice to head to the newly formed Seminex and meet the folks who had opened a radical new door of liturgy and eucharistic piety to me.  Then I encountered some folks at Concordia Theological Seminary who had somehow mysteriously combined a high view of Scripture with a high view of the liturgy and ended up there.  We were then by no means a majority of the campus -- Springfield having only recently and under duress exchanged their address from a bastion of black gowns to the more alb adorned area of Northern Indiana.  But the nice old men with their curious and odd interest in things liturgical have ended up reshaping the face of the Church. Rome had its nice old men who ended up undoing its own liturgical identity and, in a few years, turning the face of the church gathered for the Mass completely upside down. Who would have thought it from Paul VI and his crew?  Unlike the liturgiologists of Vatican II, those within Missouri combined a high view of Scripture with a high view of liturgy -- so high, in fact, that they refused, for the most part, the efforts of Rome to unhook the past from the present.  So, in Missouri at least, the Common Service remains a significant and potent force on Seminary campus and in parish alike.  The changes of the modern liturgical movement have not swept aside our liturgical connection to the past -- at least not in the wholesale manner that the Roman example did. What no one could have foreseen in the 1960s and 1970s is that there would be a rise of those within decidedly liturgical traditions who have completely abandoned liturgical worship.  This is not merely a question of contemporary sounding music but of a radical redefinition of what happens on a Sunday morning.  Lutherans never saw it coming and if they did worry a bit, they did not expect the numbers to be so high.  Guess who the culprits were?  Nice old men who insisted that evangelism take place in worship, that those outside the church be as comfortable and at home on Sunday morning as those raised in the faith, and that modern music was merely a style change and not one of substance.  The radicals who promoted liturgical worship in my early years are now considered the raging conservatives.  Wow. My point is this.  Be wary of nice old men talking about what's new in worship.  They may seem curious and benign, odd in their interest but hardly threatening, yet their interest in things worship has not been without significant effect in the churches.  From Rome to Wittenberg, we thought them nothing to worry about and we are still attempting to recover from their work.  Some began a disconnect with all that had come before in a vain attempt to remake the gathering of the baptized into something new, different, relevant, culture friendly.  For Lutherans these nice old men almost led us down the path of a ceremonial liturgy sung by ministers who believed almost none of the content (Anglicanism's end).  We won the battle for the Bible, so to speak, but lost it again when those fighting for inerrancy allied themselves with fundamentalists and evangelicals who they thought were headed in the same direction.  Now the nice old men strumming their guitars and singing yesterday's folk music have left us with a great divide between those who look like the Lutherans they claim to be on Sunday morning and those who look like Geneva or Saddleback or Lakewood or Willow Creek.  Now we find ourselves in the place of attempting to recover a liturgical identity which we thought was impenetrable but which disappeared in little more than a generation or two. It happened without a vote in convention but quietly and quickly until some of us Lutherans feel strangers to our own liturgical identity. But the restoration will not happen quietly or quickly.  And probably not by the hands of nice old men either.  The new graduates are fighting the battles in parishes throughout the Missouri Synod to recapture what drifted away from us -- a uniform and common liturgical life shaped by the Divine Service.  That, my friends, is a good thing. View article...

View article...

Closing Issue 8.1 and Opening Issue 8.2

 

Ash Wednesday: Closing Issue 8.1 and Opening Issue 8.2 This post will mark the last entry in QBR 8.1, Christmastide, and the opening entry in Eastertide, QBR 8.2.

View article...

Received for Review

 

Page CXVI. Lent to Maundy Thursday. Boulder: SoundCloud/Page CXVI, 2014. mp3 audio download. Available March 4. http://pagecxvi.com/   http://pagecxvi.com/preorder  (H) A video with behind the scenes footage in the studio to "This Blessed Day" from the album: http://youtu.be/nFBsNps9e84

View article...

Received for Review

 

Luther, Martin. Translated by Holger Sonntag. Edited and arranged by Paul Strawn. What is Marriage, Really? From Two Marriage Sermons On Hebrews 13:4 and Ephesians 5:22-33. Minneapolis: Lutheran Press, 2013. 116 Pages. Paper. $.6.00. www.lutheranpress.com (LHP) Overdorf, Daniel. One Year to Better Preaching: 52 Exercises to Hone Your Skills. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2013. 319 Pages. Paper. $17.99. www.kregel.com (P) Hellerman, Joseph H. Embracing Shared Ministry: Power and Status in the Early Church and Why It Matters Today. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2013. 313 Pages. Paper. $17.99.  www.kregel.com (LHP) Bansemer, Richard F. Prayers of the People: Petitionary Prayers Guided by the Texts for the Day. Delhi, NY: American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, 2014. 197 Pages. Paper. $11.00. http://alpb.org/prayers.html (L)

View article...

FW: I'm Giving Away My Albums for Two Weeks!

 

Reviews of these albums are coming soon…   Feed: Zac Hicks Blog Posted on: Tuesday, February 11, 2014 1:56 PM Author: Zac Hicks Subject: I'm Giving Away My Albums for Two Weeks!     My humble contribution to the worship song world, thus far, has been two LP's and a bunch of singles, pretty much all of which have been retuned hymns. I'm giving them away for free on NoiseTrade for two weeks. I'd encourage you to share the love and spread the news far and wide. The reason for this is to pre-celebrate the release of my newest project, an EP of 6 songs that have all been a part of my amazing first-year journey at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church (this month marks exactly one year!). The album is called His Be the Victor's Name. I think it's my strongest work yet. But in the meantime, enjoy the two full-length albums that have my blood and tear stains all over them.  The Glad Sound (2009) was my first attempt at a hymns record. It was a studio recording done in a mainstream pop-rock style. I learned how to make a record through the process. I love the songs on this record, and I learned a ton about recording, songwriting, and production in the process. This album contains the first hymn I ever re-tuned and one that is probably my most sung in the world (according to CCLI)—a communion hymn called "Bread of the World in Mercy Broken." Without Our Aid (2011) was my attempt to meld the live "arena worship" sound that was (and still is) popular (think of Hillsong and Passion) with great theology, drenched in the gospel and hymnody. It was my experiment in seeing how old hymns could interface with new waves of worship music. Without Our Aid has a big rock sound, with hints of ambient indie rock and disco. I wouldn't describe it as "artsy," but I stand behind its artistry.  I know what went into it, and I know what its influences are. So, GO GET THEM.  And go tell everyone, please! View article...

View article...

FW: Can't we all just worship like Lutherans?

 

Barry…   Feed: Luther, Baptists, and Evangelicals Posted on: Monday, February 10, 2014 8:59 AM Author: noreply@blogger.com (Gary) Subject: Can't we all just worship like Lutherans?   Copied from Pastor Matt Richard's blog, PM Notes: Uniformity In Worship Practices Is A Blessing     By: A.L. Barry As we look ahead toward the year 2000 and beyond, there is one more important question we need to ask ourselves. It is this: "What is the value of uniformity in worship practices across our Synod?" In a way, this is perhaps one of the most burning issues our church faces. There are two extremes to be avoided in answering that question. The one extreme would be the view that every congregation should simply do whatever it wishes, however it wishes, without any regard for the other congregations of our fellowship. The opposite extreme would be the view that everyone in the Synod must do precisely  the same thing every Sunday, with the same words,  the same songs, the same liturgy, on the same page, from the same order of service, without any deviation, variety or change. I believe that neither of these extremes is acceptable.   There are  those in our Synod who propose that every congregation  in the Synod should simply do its own thing. They  base this argument on the principle of "adiaphora."  In our Lutheran Church, the notion of "adiaphora" came up during a time when the Catholic rulers of  portions of Germany attempted to force Lutherans to do certain things in their worship services, claiming that these things were part of the very Gospel itself.  For instance, the Lutherans were told, "You must wear a certain kind of liturgical vestment or else you do not have a true worship service." The Lutherans responded, "If you tell us we must do this, then we cannot do it, for the Gospel does not depend on it." Adiaphora refers to things neither commanded nor forbidden  by God.   I would like to suggest to you that we have gone a bit wrong with the principle of adiaphora recently in our Synod. The principle of adiaphora has become more than a  rejection of what is being legalistically imposed on us in place of the pure Gospel. Instead, it has been turned into a license to do whatever pleases  anyone, anywhere and anytime, without due regard for the benefit of the church and the edification of the people of our Synod. It is quite clear that none of our Lutheran fathers anticipated a day when liturgical  anarchy and near chaos would be viewed as helpful  for the church. The concern has always been, and must  always be, on what best serves the need for good order in our church, so that the Gospel can have "free course and be preached to the joy and edifying of Christ's holy people."   Martin Chemnitz, one of the most important early theologians of our Lutheran Church, had this to say about why uniformity in worship practices is important: ...it  brings all sorts of benefits that in ceremonies, as much as possible, a uniformity be maintained, and that such ceremonies serve to maintain unity in doctrine, and the common, simple, weak consciences be all the less troubled, rather strengthened, it is therefore viewed as good, that as much as possible a uniformity  in ceremonies with neighboring reformation churches be effected and maintained. (Preus, The Second Martin  [1994], p. 21-22).   Our Synod has always been concerned that uniformity in liturgical practices be maintained, for the good of the church. For without uniformity in practice, as I have mentioned earlier, how long will it be before we find ourselves no longer united in doctrine?   Keep in mind that our first synodical founders knew all too well how dangerous a thing it was to impose ceremonies legalistically on the church. They fled Germany to come to the United States in part because the government tried to force a non-Lutheran liturgy on them. There is no way anyone can accuse our founding fathers of being liturgical legalists. They knew all too well what happens in that sort of situation. With that in mind, listen to our Synod's first president, Dr. C.F.W. Walther, as he describes the strength of our Lutheran worship practices, and the benefit of being united in these practices:   We refuse to be guided by those who are offended by our church customs. We adhere to them all the more firmly when someone wants to cause us to have a guilty conscience on account of them. . . . It is truly distressing that many of our fellow Christians find the difference between Lutheranism and Roman Catholicism in outward things. It is a pity and dreadful cowardice when a person sacrifices the good ancient church customs to please the deluded American denominations just so they won't accuse us of being Roman Catholic! Indeed! Am I to be afraid of a Methodist, who perverts the saving Word, or be ashamed in the matter of my good cause, and not rather rejoice that they can tell by our ceremonies that I do not belong to them? We are not insisting that there be uniformity in perception or feeling or taste among all believing Christians-neither dare anyone demand that all be minded as he.   Nevertheless, it remains true that the Lutheran liturgy distinguishes Lutheran worship from the worship of other churches to such an extent that the houses of worship of the latter look like lecture halls in which the hearers are merely addressed or instructed, while our churches are in truth houses of prayer in which Christians serve the great God publicly before the world. . . . Someone may ask, "What would be the use of uniformity of ceremonies? We answer, "What is the use of a flag on the battlefield? Even though a soldier cannot defeat the enemy with it, he nevertheless sees by the flag where he belongs. We ought not to refuse to walk in the footsteps of our fathers." (Walther, Essays for the Church [1992], I:194).   Dr. Walther would want us to realize that in this country, precisely because we are surrounded by so many other churches, it is more important than ever that our Lutheran congregations strive for the greatest uniformity in practice as possible.   This is  an important truth for us to keep in mind as our congregations  consider changes in their worship services. Further, we would not be wise to suggest that one can never use another format for singing a portion of the liturgy  or that one must never deviate one bit from, for instance, p. 15 of The Lutheran Hymnal. But the point remains, that uniformity in worship practices is a great blessing for the Lutheran church and certainly for our Synod. We need to consider how great a blessing uniformity in practice is as we evaluate the wisdom of every parish simply "doing its own thing" in its worship services.     _________ A Presentation to the Real Life Worship Conference Sponsored by the LCMS Commission on Worship Denver, Colorado February 1998   Lutheran Worship: 2000 and Beyond Seven Theses on Worship  View article...

View article...

Received for Review

 

Wayne, Israel. Questions God Asks: Unlocking the Wisdom of Eternity. Green Forest, AR: New Leaf Press, 2014. 144 Pages. $11.99. www.newleafpress.net (LHP)

View article...

FW: Confessions of a One Year Lectionary Convert

 

We've made the switch for 2014, too…   Feed: Cyberbrethren Lutheran Blog Feed Posted on: Friday, January 31, 2014 1:08 PM Author: Paul T. McCain Subject: Confessions of a One Year Lectionary Convert   Rev. Mark Surgburg has an excellent blog post explaining why he switched from using the three year lectionary to using the the one year lectionary. It's the best thing I've ever read on this subject and avoids some of the romanticized reasons for using the one year lectionary. My use of the one year lectionary when I was a parish pastor was purely selfish and pragmatic. I enjoyed being able quickly to check out how the Early Church Fathers and Martin Luther and other faithful, orthodox Lutherans preached on the texts I would have to preach on. Mark Surburg provides even better reasons in his post. Oh, and of course, you can add one more excellent reason to use the one year lectionary, Concordia Publishing House now offers a full line of full color bulletins to support the One Year Lectionary, using traditional art.  We also offer a complete set of downloadable bulletin inserts that support the one year lectionary. I'd like to hear from pastors who have decided to use the one year lectionary as to why they are using it, and I'd like to hear from pastors who have decided to use it. Let's have your confessions! Here's a little taste: If you had told me ten years ago that I would be using the one year lectionary today, I would have said that you were crazy.  I had experienced the one year lectionary as a boy.  However, in 1982 my home congregation purchased Lutheran Worship and began using the three year lectionary that came out with the new hymnal.  I was twelve years old, and from that moment all the way through my training at the seminary I was in congregations that used the three year lectionary.  From the age when I was old enough to know anything about the existence of a lectionary, the three year lectionary was the only one I experienced.  Read the rest here. View article...

View article...

The Concordia Organist CD Set is on Sale for $299 with Free Shipping!

 

http://www.cph.org/p-23683-concordia-organist-service-music-edition.aspx?REName=Occasions&plk=1431&Lk=0&rlk=0

View article...