Worship problems

Recently there have been a few issues for discussion at our church about worship (through music). Some of the discussions have not been easy. I decided to begin reading through Worship by the Book. I bought this book a few years ago and never started reading it until now. This morning I read chapter 4 - "Reformed Worship in the Global City" by Timothy Keller. It was extremely helpful in many areas and I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has thought through the purpose of worship (through music). Keller moves through historical traditions of worship as well as contemporary practices. He provides a few outlines of the services at Redeemer Presbyterian Church and gives rationale for each element in the service.

Although this has not really been part of the discussion at Trinity Church I found Keller's section on contemporary and historic worship insightful. In this section he lists the problems in strictly promoting one or the other.

Problems in promoting strictly contemporary worship:
First, some popular music does have severe limitations for corporate worship.
Second, when we ignore historic tradition, we break our solidarity with Christians of the past. Part of the richness of our identity as Christians is that we are saved into a historic people.
Finally, any corporate worship that is strictly contemporary will become dated very quickly. When [someone] says we should "plug in" to contemporary culture, which contemporary culture does he mean? White, black, Latino, urban, suburban, "Boomer," or "Gen X" contemporary culture?

Problems in promoting strictly traditional, historical worship:
First, historical worship advocates cannot really dodge the charge of cultural elitism. Much of high culture music takes a great deal of instruction to appreciate, so that, especially in the United States, a strong emphasis on such music and art will probably only appeal to college-educated elites.
Second, any proponent of "historic" corporate worship will have to answer the questions, "Whose history?" Much of what is called "traditional" worship is very rooted in northern European culture.

What say ye? What are your thoughts? Would you add any "problems" to his list?

Wide Load

Last Friday I received a brand new wide margin ESV bible. I have been using the ESV for a number of years and have had issue with the lack of margin on the pages for notes. Well it is finally here so I am reading my bible again. I decided to get the hardback edition so that I don't have to worry about killing a cow...and cardboard is half the cost of cow skin. Truth be known - I take my bible in my man-purse everywhere I go and it seems that a hardback would be more durable. I will let you know how it all works out.

So far I have read parts of 1 Kings, Song of Solomon and Hebrews and I have to be honest - it's much better reading now.

The ESV offers "more than 100 highly creative" editions. You can spend a billion dollars on a bible if you so choose. Scroll through the endless options here.

Reason # 284

This is reason 284 why Kirsten is scared to have boys. The list grows as I think of more fun things for our boys to do this summer. When the shorts are wet one can really pick up some speed. No legs were broken and fun was had by all...except Kirsten who watched from the bedroom window.

Nooma on Oil

Utterly Incompatible

As I wrote about last week I am re-reading "God is the Gospel." This morning I read about the "diverse excellencies (lion and lamb) that unite in [Jesus]." The foundation for these "diverse excellencies" is a Jonathan Edwards sermon from Revelation 5:5-6.

• we admire him for his glory, but even more because his glory is mingled with humility;
• we admire him for his transcendence, but even more because his transcendence is accompanied by condescension;
• we admire him for his uncompromising justice, but even more because it is tempered with mercy;
• we admire him for his majesty, but even more because it is a majesty in meekness;
• we admire him because of his equality with God, but even more because as God’s equal he nevertheless has a deep reverence for God;
• we admire him because of how worthy he was of all good, but even more because this was accompanied by an amazing patience to suffer evil;
• we admire him because of his sovereign dominion over the world, but even more because this dominion was clothed with a spirit of obedience and submission;
• we love the way he stumped the proud scribes with his wisdom, and we love it even more because he could be simple enough to like children and spend time with them;
• and we admire him because he could still the storm, but even more because he refused to use that power to strike the Samaritans with lightning (Luke 9:54-55) and he refused to use it to get himself down from the cross.

Um...I don't know what to say

Some people have too much time on their hands. This guy is not supposed to have any musical talent. I don't know. Which is more of a waste of time - this video or the fact that I have watched it several times and took the time to post it on my blog?

Let the naming begin

We are holding the 3rd biannual "Name the Black Boy" contest. Names up for consideration are

1. Jet

2. Coal

3. Ba Ba

4. Randall Earl

5. Susan

6.

*As in previous contests please submit your name suggestion before the birth of the next Black baby and it will not be considered.

*Must be 18 to enter. No purchase required. Please only 3 entries per household. Shipping and handling included in the 48 contiguous states. Prices and promotions may vary. See ad for details. The winning name will also be applied to the Erickson family if they have another male child.

Evangelism strategies

I am re-reading God is the Gospel by John Piper. The main point of the book can be summed up in this quote,

The gospel is not a way to get people to heaven; it is a way to get people to God.

How should this change our description of the gospel to an unbeliever?

Discuss....

Superior Hiking Trail

Last weekend Bryan and I hiked several miles of the Superior Hiking Trail. Below are some pictures of our trip showing our enjoyment and God's glory.

Two Falls

High Falls

On the shore of the Baptism River and Lake Superior

Regenerate ...or not?

A friend of mine talked to me a few days ago about an image or a logo for a ministry called Regenerate. The ministry is for young adults in a suburban area in the midwest. I began working on the design and quickly found that it was difficult to represent the idea of "regenerate" in an image. Below I have posted two quick images that came to mind. Let me know what you think. I would be interested in any thoughts you have about how to represent "regenerate" in a simple image.

re·gen·er·ate
1. To reform spiritually or morally
2. To form, construct, or create anew, especially in an improved state
3. To give new life or energy to; revitalize.

"a worship gathering for young adults regenerating lives by rediscovering what has always been true."

I love my wife

I have been keeping an ongoing list of reasons why I love my wife. The list continues. She is an amazing woman and I love her more and more every single day!
27. her smile when I come home from a night meeting
28. her organization when it comes to planning a vacation
29. her thriftiness in finding good vacation spots
30. her selflessness in allowing me to go on long rides on my bike
31. bringing me the lunch I accidentally left at home
32. slipping a rice crispy treat into the lunch I accidentally left at home

did I mention...

1. her green eyes

2. her bright smile

Crucial lessons in life

I have the "How to of the day" setting on my iGoogle account. Usually the "how to" suggestions are useless but today is a different story. This is something that we will all need at some point.

How to Win at Rock, Paper, Scissors

1. Watch your opponent play others.
2. Know rookie tendencies.
3. Play scissors or paper against an experienced player.
4. Look for a double run.
5. Beat your last move.
6. Use probability to your advantage.
7. Keep your eyes on your opponent's hand just as the gesture is being thrown.

Warnings:

*An experienced pro may use all of these strategies against you. They might fake you out by, say, using scissors predominantly as their first gesture and then all of a sudden using paper when you least expect it.

*"Cloaking" is when a player delays their gesture as long as possible, so that you will not have a chance to predict their gesture.

*Beware of "shadowing" where the opposing player may pretend they are going to make a certain gesture and then rapidly change it at the last possible moment.

Which is easier?

I am reading through The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification: Growing in Holiness by Living in Union with Christ by Walter Marshall. The book was first published in 1692 and has been updated since. In the beginning pages Marshall says -

The only way you can possibly learn how to live a godly life is by reading the Holy Scriptures. The Scriptures tell you two things about living a godly life: first, they tell you what God wants you to do (the law): second, they tell you how you can actually do it (the gospel). Which of these two is easier to learn?

Marshall answers the question and gives reason in the paragraphs that follow. What would you say? Which of these two is easier to learn and why?

True Religion

James 1:27 says "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."

Anthony Bradley discusses the staggering number of orphaned children in America asking the question "Why does America have orphans if it has Christian churches?"

He goes on to say

America has nearly 115,000 orphaned kids in foster care waiting to be adopted. Some wonder how this is possible in a country with Christian families. Surely, there are 115,000 missional families in America, right? Missional families, for example, embrace the redemptive mission of God and practice "true religion" in their local communities (James 1:27). Missional Christians in America could eliminate the foster care system tomorrow if we would stop "shootin' up" with the American Dream (heroine) in order to get high on a lame life lived for the sake of comfort and ease.

What do you think? Is this a fair assessment?

Mountain Trip Pictoral Review

(view from our cabin)

(Ezra in front of our cabin acting like a model)


(God's promise over our cabin)

(3-4 inches of snow)

(Ezra enjoyed the snow of the mountains)

(Asher using me as a chair during some inside time)

(Bison at Yellowstone National Park - and us)

(Ezra waiting for Old Faithful)

(Asher, mommy, Old Faithful and a granola bar)

(In all her faithfulness)

(Elk on our way back home from YNP)