When I turned 70 in January of last year, I was filled with fresh faith for what God wanted me to do in the coming decade. My thoughts involved writing books, leading music at conferences, working on songs, pastoring in my local church, investing in my kids and grandkids, discipleship, and raising up my replacements. “I want my 70s to be my most productive decade yet!” I told a few friends.

But in early December, I slipped on ice while on a mini-tour in Harrisburg, PA and ended up in the ER. I found out later I had partially torn my quadratic tendon above the left kneecap. After some physical therapy, I was walking somewhat normally, if carefully, by the end of January.

February arrived and I was walking down two steps into my garage. I decided to see if my left leg was strong enough to bear my weight. Evidently not. My knee gave way, completing the tear on my left tendon. As my right leg came around, it hit the stair and I heard a distinct “pop.” For the second time in two months I found myself writhing on the ground, screaming in pain.

My wife and friends eventually got me to an ER, where I was providentially admitted right away, thanks to a nurse friend who happened to be on duty. The next evening an MRI showed I had completely severed both of my quad tendons. After a 2 hour surgery on Thursday I spent 10 days in the hospital. I then moved to an acute rehab facility for 9 days before I finally went home.

I know many have experienced more serious and significant health trials. But until now I had never been in a hospital overnight, other than when I was with Julie. And I’ve learned lessons I don’t want to forget. Lessons God knew I wouldn’t learn any other way.

So I’m writing them down mostly so I’ll remember them. If they’re helpful to you, well, that would be a bonus. And who knows…you might find yourself in a hospital one day!

1. God defines what fruitfulness looks like.

I thought had a good handle on what God wanted me to do and what it looked like. Lots of productivity. Lots of action. Lots of going places. Lots of getting with people and getting things done. Lots of bearing fruit for the kingdom.

But there I was: legs locked in braces, pain of varying levels (thank God for meds), unable to do anything for myself. Was I just supposed to wait for the day I could walk again before I could be fruitful for the Lord?

During the early days after my surgery, Julie sent me a quote from a book she had been reading, He Will Be Enough, by Katie Faris. It was a defining moment, and I’ve quoted the bolded sentence below numerous times to others since then.

Your service might not be what you thought it would be or look the way you thought it would look. Along the way, you may have to redefine ‘good works;’ remember, our good works don’t have to be spectacular to be valued in God’s kingdom. Suffering with God’s name on our lips may be the very good work he has in mind for you to do! (emphasis mine)

After cancelling numerous trips and events I had been scheduled to lead or participate in, I had to “redefine good works.” And it was a great joy to realize that turning to Jesus as I lay helpless on a bed or in pain brought him glory. It was exactly the good work God had prepared for me to do (Eph. 2:10).

2. Jesus not only understands but takes our suffering.

During the days leading up to the surgery, and especially the days after, nights were hard. Apart from the fact that locked braces, compression boots, and ice packs weren’t my normal sleep practice, the pain was inescapable. But I found myself saying at different times, “Jesus, I can’t take this pain. You have to take this for me. I don’t have the resources. Please take it.” And he did.

I’m not sure how grace worked in that moment, but I found relief in knowing not only that Jesus had suffered more than I ever have or will through taking the punishment for my sins on the cross, but that he was with me in my pain and was bearing my burden, just like he promised. “Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation.” (Psalm 68:19)

I’m thankful that advances in medicine have enabled my pain, and the more significant pain of others, to be far less than it would be otherwise. But in the end, only Jesus can bear our greatest suffering. And he has. So he can manage the rest.

3. The Spirit isn’t limited by our weakness.

Being confined to a bed in a hospital room for three weeks isn’t exactly the ideal ministry platform. But as it turns out, my need opened doors.

As I got to know the people who were serving me every day, I found out some were far from God, others had a relationship with him, while others only thought they did. I was able to talk about my church, Sovereign Grace Music, the Bible, my conversion, and more. As one nurse’s aid was finishing up, she looked at the open Bible on my lap and asked, “Do you have any tips for reading the Bible?” I was happy to oblige. I gave away copies of my book, True Worshipers, and invited a number of nurses and therapists to visit my church.

I’m pretty sure I have shared the gospel more in the past three weeks than in the past three months.

4. Worship songs are a means of grace.

One would think that since my job involves producing music that seeks to point people to God’s goodness and glory in Christ, I would know this. I do know this. But now I know it better.

As a rule, I don’t listen to a lot of worship music. I often find myself evaluating songs when I hear them and generally prefer to sing with others, or when I’m alone, to focus on what I’m hearing.

Turns out in a hospital bed you have a lot of time to focus. And in the most difficult days after the surgery, God used biblical truth wrapped in melody and harmony to bolster my body and soul. I often began the day with Stillcreek’s song, The Lord is Good, to remind myself of realities like this:

In every trial You go before me
Guiding my steps with grace
You’ve marked my life with lovingkindness
Oh, I can’t help but say
The Lord is good, the Lord is good to me

“Guiding my steps with grace?” Yes, even the ones that led me to a hospital bed. I listened through our entire Knowing God album and found the faith-filled lyrics were sweet balm for a tired soul. Comfort for a weary heart. Strength for a weak body.

God’s kindness in letting me be on the receiving end of what we do was a mercy I don’t take for granted.

5. One of the best presents is presence.

I’ve been literally overwhelmed with gratefulness by the number of people who have expressed care through texts, emails, calls, and social media. But being on the “injured” side of injury has also made me aware of the unique impact of just showing up.

As soon as McKenzie, our only local child, heard what had happened, she rushed over to the emergency room and stayed for a few hours. When some of our out-of-town kids heard about my accident, they made plans to travel to Louisville at different times to be with us. Once they were here, we had conversations we never would have had. We laughed, we reminisced, we fellowshipped (and played a little Scrabble).

David Zimmer, my co-worker who is also one of my dear friends, was with me every day before and after the surgery, encouraging me as I started physical therapy. Some times he brought his wife, Julie, and kids.

Individuals, couples, and families from my church began to text or email asking if they could just stop by. Most of them asked, “Can I bring anything?” Some did without asking. Parents brought pictures and cards their kids had drawn with prayers for my healing and sometimes sage counsel (No Starse!). Seeing them taped up on my wall was a daily reminder of God’s care.

Again, I had conversations that most likely never would have taken place apart from them taking the time to come visit me in my hospital or rehab room. Every interaction was a gift.

And if that weren’t enough, Mckenzie, her husband, Zach, and their 3 kids moved in with us the day I got home and stayed for two weeks to make sure we would have a smooth transition.

One of the best presents is presence.

6. The local church is meant to suffer together.

As one of the pastors in my church, I’m aware that a lot of the suffering goes on. What I’m not always aware of is how much caring, serving, and ministry is happening in response. Scripture tells us, “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” (1 Corinthians 12:26) I know that in a fresh way through the way my church has cared for Julie and me in this season.

We’ve received texts, emails, meals, assurances of prayer, Scriptures, Goetze’s caramels, and dark chocolate (IYKYK). Church members have given us rides, built a new set of steps in my garage (ones that I can go up and down with locked leg braces), and offered to do various household tasks.

And I know that we’re not receiving special treatment. This is what our church does. This what the church is meant to do, by the grace of God.

7. Christianity isn’t like physical therapy.

For the first time in my life, not only do I actually have some understanding of what physical and occupational therapists do, I have the deepest respect and appreciation for them. When you’re lying in bed with no clue as to how you’ll be able to stand up, much less walk, and someone not only teaches you how you’re going to accomplish those things, but does it with joy, care, and thoughtfulness, it feels like they just performed a miracle.

I told a number of the therapists who worked with me, “I thank God for you. I would have no idea how to begin this process of moving toward rehabilitation, and through your patient instruction I’m starting to have hope it will actually happen some day.”

The day before I left rehab, I had the opportunity to thank the staff. First, I told them how grateful I was for what they were doing. I thanked them for choosing to go into a profession that gave people such hope. I then commended them for how cheerful, responsive, kind, and thoughtful they were. No one ever left my room without saying, “If you need anything, just let me know.” They treated me like royalty.

Then I went on to say, “You know, people often think Christianity is like physical therapy. God takes messed up people and then he works with us, and we get better. But it’s not like that. The Bible says that we’re dead. We don’t need therapy – we need a resurrection.” I went on to talk briefly about how even though we’re dead in our sins, Jesus, through his death for us and his resurrection, offers us forgiveness and eternal hope. Then of course, I invited them to check out my church.

I don’t know what seeds will bear fruit, but I do know that most people think God just wants to help us better ourselves or improve ourselves. But only Jesus can give us what we need – new life.

8. Busy-ness and movement isn’t always productive.

I already knew this. But now I’ve experienced it. Until I’m able to walk without braces (which may take 1-2 more months), I spend most days in my new recliner. It’s where I spend my time with the Lord in the morning. It’s where I eat my lunch. It’s where I read. It’s where I send emails from. It’s where I plan and make decisions. It’s where I lead meetings from. It’s where I’ve been watching March Madness from (although the recliner is optional for that).

Before my fall I often thought going somewhere equated to getting something done. Getting in my car might be doing the Lord’s will. It might also be avoiding doing the deep work I should be giving myself to.

I still pray my 70s will be productive. But I think I understand better what that means. I want these years to be productive in the way the Lord wants them to be productive. Not necessarily getting alot of things done, but the right things.

Lord willing, I’ll still be writing a few books and songs, leading at a few conferences, equipping the next generation of leaders, and serving in my local church. But I want God to define what my “good works” are.

9. I still don’t deserve my wife.

I’ve known for decades and repeatedly told others that when God chose Julie to marry me, he was displaying immeasurable kindness and mercy. My stay in the hospital reminded of that reality.

Before I entered this season, Julie’s cancer came back for a 3rd time, metastasizing to her bones. She’s been undergoing infusions every three weeks for the cancer and that seems to be going well. But since September she’s has been using a walker due to significant pain in her legs. I’ve loved serving her in whatever ways I could.

But when I had my legs knocked out from under me, so to speak, she became my caretaker (although she definitely had some help!). When I was in the hospital she came to see me every day but one, enduring intense pain. She arranged dinners for us to share. Encouraged me. Got the house ready for me to come home. She loved me.

People have commented on our strong faith during this season, but I’m pretty sure we just know we have a strong Savior. Just the other day, I read this in Letters on Living the Faith by C.S. Lewis:

Two men had to cross a dangerous bridge. The first convinced himself that it would bear them, and called this conviction Faith. The second said, “Whether it breaks or holds, whether I die here or somewhere else, I am equally in God’s good hands.” And the bridge did break and they were both killed: and the second man’s Faith was not disappointed and the first man’s was.

We have no doubt that our faith will not be disappointed. We are in God’s good hands.

The post Reflections From a Hospital Bed appeared first on Worship Matters.

I know there are plenty of conferences you can attend and might need a little more info to be persuaded. So before registration prices increase on July 1, I wanted you to know seven reasons I think you should seriously consider coming, along with others from your church, to Your Gathering and the Gospel.

1. The Topic

A typical Sunday morning of a church involves setting up, greeting, singing, prayer, teaching, fellowship, Scripture reading, and more. What ties those elements together? What should occupy the forefront of our minds? What do we want filling the hearts and vision of those who leave our Sunday meetings? The gospel. The good news that Jesus Christ has come to earth to redeem us from our sin for his Father’s glory (Titus 2:11-14). It’s the truth that provides the foundation, fuel, and purpose of our services. If we’re not constantly intentional, we often make 2nd and 3rd level issues primary in our meetings and end up missing what matters most. This conference is designed to tackle that problem head on.

2. The Teaching

We’ve invited a group of main session speakers who will not only inform your mind but ignite your heart with a passion for Jesus Christ. Each one is serious about the significance and effect of the gospel. Rick Gamache will be show us how the gospel grounds all we do in the reality of our union with Christ. Dane Ortlund, pastor and author of Gentle and Lowly, will remind us the gospel must affect our hearts before we think about how it affects our gatherings. Mike Bullmore will tell us how the gospel is the main story of every message and what we’re meant to hear in every sermon. I’ll have the joy of speaking on how the gospel impacts our singing. My friend Jon Payne will be preaching on how the gospel creates churches that exhibit joyful, humble serving. And my son Devon will remind us how the gospel inspires our Christ-exalting, Spirit-empowered witness.

3. The Music and Musicians

Sovereign Grace Music exists to produce Christ-exalting songs and training for the Church from our local churches. But we know we’re not alone. So while we’ll be singing a number of Sovereign Grace songs, new and old, at the conference, we’ll also feature theologically driven, gospel-centered, emotionally affecting, and singable songs written by friends like the Getty’s, Matt Papa, Matt Boswell, CityAlight, and others. And most of those leading us, while skilled, aren’t “professionals.” We’re members of local churches, wanting to make much of Jesus through our songs, and more importantly, our lives. And on Thursday night, we’ll be “singing through the gospel” using songs, Scriptures, and prayers that enable the word of Christ to dwell in us richly (Col. 3:16).

4. The Attendees

One of the best parts about any Sovereign Grace Music conference is the people who come. You’ll be surrounded by people who love the church. People who love God’s Word and want to hear it preached faithfully. People who want to grow in their craft and take every part of what we do together on Sundays seriously. People who pray in faith that God would move through his Spirit each week to build the members of their church into Christ and into each other (Eph. 4:15-16). People who are serving their churches faithfully and want to learn how to do it better. And we make it a point to find ways to make you more aware of the amazing stories God is writing in the lives of those at the conference.      

5. The Training

While the main messages are reason enough to come, we’ll also be offering pre-conference master classes for vocalists, guitarists, tech personnel, pianists (I’m teaching that one), and bassists and drummers (with Ryan Foglesong and David Zimmer). During the conference you can choose 4 of 16 breakouts to be practically equipped in areas like fighting weariness, how to be a good team member, arranging for a congregation (not an audience), shepherding your musicians, using technology on Sundays, meeting with Christ in Scripture, cultivating the gift of encouragement, marriage and ministry, and more. We’ll also be offering seminars on bi-lingual services, how we write Sovereign Grace songs, and “Who is Sovereign Grace Churches?” for those who didn’t know Sovereign Grace Music is part of a denomination!

6. The Location

Our last West Coast conference was in 2014. Since then, we’ve held most of our conferences in Louisville, KY. A lot of people have made the trip across the country to attend those and we thought it was time to do something more convenient for those who live west of the Mississippi. Ryan Foglesong, a pastor at Grace Baptist Church and frequent bass player on our albums, graciously offered us their building as a place to have the conference and we loved the idea. It’s a beautiful campus and hey – it’s in California!

7. The Model

It’s great to attend a conference where the production is amazing, cues are never missed, there are no dead spots, the musicians are over the top good, the lighting is awe-inspiring, and you feel pampered (we try to get that one right). But a conference isn’t your church. So at Your Gathering and the Gospel we’ll be toning down the production and polish and work at keeping it real. You can watch us rehearse. We keep the lights up when we sing. We use a lot of volunteers. Speakers and musicians are available for casual conversations. We want you to get to know us, and we want to get to know you. We definitely want the conference to be enjoyable and encouraging. But through it all we pray it’s the glory of Christ, not us, that shines through.

On top of the seven reasons I just listed, you’ll get a free lunch on Thursday and Friday, you’ll have the opportunity to hang out with your team on Friday night, we’ll be giving away books, gear, and resources, and we’d love to serve you in any way we can!

And one last thing. Senior pastors, church planters, students, and international guests can register at any time for only $99. It’s almost like we’re paying you to come! But for everyone else, the cost of registration goes up Tuesday, July 1!

So what are you waiting for? You can register here.

Hope to see you there!

The post Seven Reasons to Come to Your Gathering and the Gospel appeared first on Worship Matters.

From July 24-27, over 1300 people gathered in Louisville, KY, to participate in WorshipGod24. Our theme this year was One with Christ: How our Union with Christ Affects Everything.

Going into a WorshipGod conference I never know in what specific ways God is going to meet us. I just know that he always does. And WorshipGod24 was no exception.

We sang. We laughed and learned. We cried tears of joy and repentance. We ate. We fellowshipped. We marveled and reflected. We grew – in our relationship with God and each other.

Before the conference even started, around 250 people attended Master Classes on Wednesday afternoon for pianists, bass players and drummers, guitarists, vocalists, and a general class on Habits of Grace taught by David Mathis. The Master Classes give us the opportunity to focus on technical skills for musicians, who make up the majority of WorshipGod attendees.

During the actual conference we hone in on the theology and heart of corporate worship, which “worship” conferences can sometimes assume. But it’s only when we understand the why of what we’re doing and Who it is we’re seeking to worship, that we can work out the how of arranging, singing, lyric projection, speaking, leading, lighting, and everything else that contributes to our Sunday gatherings.

The Messages

The six main sessions focused on different aspects of our union with Christ. John Piper set the tone for the entire conference by showing us how the promises of God, all of which are YES in Christ Jesus, confirm and strengthen our union with Christ. He reminded us that,

Union with Christ connects the most ordinary things in life with the glorious things of the gospel of Christ.

HB Charles, Jr., senior pastor of Shiloh Church Metropolitan Baptist Church, used Galatians 2:20 to show how our union with Christ means we are saved by the death of Christ, changed by the life of Christ, and freed by the work of Christ. And all this took place because Jesus loves us. The takeaway quote for me was,

Jesus didn’t give us things. He gave Himself for us.

Josh Blount, a Sovereign Grace pastor from Franklin, WV, explored from Colossians 3:1-4 how our most foundational identity is Christ. That means we won’t find who we are by simply looking inside ourselves. He reminded us:

Our sins have an expiration date. Our life in Christ does not.

Devon, my son and senior pastor of a Sovereign Grace Church in Urbana, MD, spoke from Hebrews 8:1-6 on how our union with Christ should affect our gatherings on Sundays. All we do each week has purpose and meaning only as it’s connected to Christ, which takes the pressure off us to perform or put on a production. As Devon put it,

Jesus is the source, subject, means, place, and object of our worship.

Our good friend Mike Bullmore followed up Devon’s message by helping us understand from various verses in Psalm 119 how our union with Christ turns mere devotion into precious, personal communion with God. He encouraged us not to drive a wedge between our Bible and God, pointing out that

Romans 8 doesn’t say nothing can separate us from the ‘justifying work of God in Jesus Christ.’ It says nothing can separate from ‘his love.’

Finally, Jared Mellinger, senior pastor of a Sovereign Grace church near Philadelphia, helped us see the part the Holy Spirit plays in our union with Christ. Because of the Spirit’s work, we can truly experience the presence, power, and peace of Christ in our hearts and lives. What a reason to rejoice!

The whole anthem of the Christian life is, ‘Christ he lives!’

The Music

The singing at WorshipGod conferences is loud. Really loud. We experienced passion, joy, reverence, celebration, tears, and more as we lifted our voices. Even when we sang in another language as Jonathan & Sarah Jerez and Fabrizio Rodulfo led us in a bi-lingual session!

On Thursday night we sang through the 13 songs from our new Knowing God album. It was fantastic. But we ended with a nearly a cappella version of “Crown Him with Many Crowns.” A number of people referenced that as one of the conference highlights.

We featured some musical friends this year who shared their Songs and Stories with us. Caroline Cobb sang some of her songs from the Psalms. My son, Jordan, shared 3 songs he’s written with other writers from Getty Music. For the last one, “Come Unto Jesus,” he invited 4 of his 5 siblings to join him. Definitely one of my highlights. Skye Peterson and Ben Shive introduced us to a few songs they’ve written together. Colin Buchanan, co-writer of Jesus, Strong and Kind, brought his at times hilarious and always theologically sharp songs for kids. Adam Wright of The Corner Room was back again singing his finely crafted, beautifully performed Scripture memory songs. And our own David Zimmer and Nathan Stiff shared three songs that aren’t on an album yet, but a number of people thought they should be! We’ll be working on that.

The Miscellaneous

This year we included some short FOCUS talks on different aspects of Sundays. I spoke on lyric projection: why we use it, how to use it, and the dangers of using it. Bottom line,

We use lyric projection to enable people to see, understand, and sing truth-filled lyrics together in an undistracting, engaging, faith-filled way.

Colin Buchanan did a brilliant job sharing thoughts on “Big Truths for Little Hearts.” He emphasized the importance of distilling, rather than diluting, theological truths, and reminded us that,

Being humbled before big truths is foundational to teaching big truths.

We offered seven seminars aimed at leaders, musicians, and a more general audience. We went with fewer breakouts this year due to space limitations. But it also reminded us that while we each have unique parts to play on a Sunday morning, we can all benefit from the same big ideas.

We gave away a ton of stuff including a copy of Ask Pastor John to every household (you should read it!), almost 30 books to individuals, a Musicman bass guitar, a Taylor mini-acoustic guitar, a $750 Sweetwater gift certificate, a Roland RD-88, a drum bundle, 3 SE V7 mics and stands, guitar strings, pedals, in-ear monitors, headphones, and newly minted SG Music travel mugs, t-shirts, and hoodies. Not to mention a record player and some Christmas vinyls.

The Musings

After every WorshipGod conference we send out a survey to the attendees. People had some great ideas this year for what they appreciated and what we could do better. But two things stood out to me in the the 300+ surveys we received.

First, while people said the conference was great, they couldn’t wait to get back to their church. And to that I say a loud, “Amen!” As we were wrapping things up on Saturday morning, I pointed out that Jesus didn’t come to build conferences. He came to build his Church. And every WorshipGod event is meant to encourage and equip those who plan, lead, and participate in the gatherings of their local congregations.

That value is reflected in the way the conference comes together. WorshipGod is the result of the Sovereign Grace Music staff working tirelessly before, during, and afterwards to serve those who come. But it would be much less fruitful without the 50+ volunteers and part time staff from my home church. And I love that.

Second, I was struck by the number of attendees who left the conference more in awe of Christ. One person summed it up like this:

I came away thinking the biggest thing I need to work on as a Christian, as a worship leader, and as an artist, is forgetting about myself and recentering on Christ and His work. I was amazed at the leaders’ continual demonstration that it’s not about the music; it’s about Christ, even at a conference that is so much about music.

Nothing could be more encouraging. Or more important. Yes, we want to equip people in the skills of planning, leading, projecting, amplifying, and writing songs for congregational worship. But it all has a point. Everything we do only has value only as it moves people to greater affection for the mercy, love, and grace God has shown us in giving his Son, who is not only our Savior, but our life.

So if you came to the conference this year, I pray you returned home filled with fresh faith for how being united with Christ in his perfect life, atoning death, and victorious resurrection changes everything.

And if you weren’t able to make it, you can start planning for WorshipGod26, July 28-31. We’d love to see you there!

The post Reflections on WorshipGod24: One with Christ appeared first on Worship Matters.

Two years ago we hosted our last WorshipGod conference in Louisville, KY, Unchanging. We reflected on the goodness of the God “with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change (James 1:17, ESV).”

But we’re more than ready for our next WorshipGod conference, coming July 24-27 to Louisville, KY. This year’s theme is One with Christ: How Our Union with Christ Changes Everything.

Years ago, I came across this quote in Jerry Bridges’ classic, The Discipline of Grace:

The New Testament concept of the believer’s union with Christ is one of the most important truths of Scripture. (p. 65)

I was surprised at the strength of his statement. Union with Christ is one of the most important truths? It seemed like a heady topic for theologians rather than something that would be relevant to daily life.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Theologian Anthony Hoekema writes:

Christ came to earth not just to pay the price for our salvation, as one might pay an overdue bill, but also to bring us into and keep us always in living union with himself. Through union with Christ we receive every spiritual blessing. Christ not only died for us on Calvary’s cross many years ago; he also lives in our hearts, now and forever. (Saved by Grace, p. 67)

At WorshipGod24, we’ll be exploring what “every spiritual blessing” looks like. We’ll see that the Christian life isn’t simply seeking to become better versions of ourselves with the Holy Spirit’s help. Christ actually lives in us, our hope of glory (Col. 1:27). And we’ll leave the conference more aware how that changes everything we do.

I’m excited now just thinking about it! But if you’re still wondering if you should make the trek to Louisville in July, I’ve got 12 reasons for you.

1. Theology, Heart, Skill

Since 2004, WorshipGod conferences have focused on three things: why God wants us to gather (theology), who we are (heart), and how we can serve God’s people more effectively (skill). Some conferences offer great biblical teaching. Others zero in on cultivating a passion for the Lord. Still others equip you in practical areas like leadership, music, communication, and technology. At WorshipGod, we aim to give you all three.

2. Less Production, More Participation

It’s great to attend a conference where the production is amazing, cues are never missed, transitions are seamless, the musicians are over the top good, the lighting is spectacular, and you feel pampered (we try to get that one right). But a conference isn’t your church. So at WorshipGod we tone down the production and polish and work on keeping it real. You can watch us rehearse. We keep the lights up when we sing. We use a lot of volunteers. Speakers and musicians are available for casual conversations. We want you to get to know us, and we want to get to know you. We definitely want the conference to be an enjoyable and edifying experience. But through it all we pray it’s the glory of Christ, not us, that shines through.

3. Main Session Speakers

I can’t wait to share some of the speakers I love with those who’ll be coming to WorshipGod this year. You probably know some of them. You might not be familiar with others. But they’re all going to show us from God’s Word how our union with Christ affects everything we do. John Piper will be talking about God’s promises. HB Charles, Jr. will be helping us see how being “in Christ” relates to our being justified. Josh Blount will help us better understand how our union with Christ affects our identity. Devon Kauflin will be focusing on how that reality changes our gatherings. Mike Bullmore will be covering our devotional life, and Jared Mellinger will close us out by helping us see the integral part the Holy Spirit plays in our union with Christ. It’s going to be fantastic!

4. Guest Musicians

Along with the musicians who participate regularly on Sovereign Grace recordings or in our churches, we have a great lineup of musical friends joining us! Ben Shive, Skye Peterson, Jonathan and Sarah Jerez, Adam Wright (The Corner Room), Caroline Cobb, and Colin Buchanan (all the way from Australia!). Whether they’re sharing songs and stories, participating in the breakouts, or helping us lead the worship in song, I know you’ll benefit from their contributions.

5. Sovereign Grace Songwriters

People often ask where Sovereign Grace songs come from. So this year one breakout will feature a number of our seasoned songwriters (David Zimmer, Lacy Condy, Jon Althoff, Nate Stiff, & Marc Willerton) talking about the philosophy and process of writing songs for Sovereign Grace. You’ll hear about the successes as well as the failures, the importance of a songwriting culture, pursuing ways to stay humble, and more!

6. You CAN Get a Free Lunch!

Not only is your lunch free lunch on Thursday and Friday, but we’ll be giving away books, gear, and gift cards throughout the conference. Paul reminds us of “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9) As an expression of the riches we have in Christ, we want to regularly find ways to bless and encourage others. And it won’t be free, but I’m happy our friends from 10ofThose will be running an amazing bookstore again.

7. Master Classes

On Wednesday from 1:00-4:30pm, you can also register to attend a master class for drummers and bass players (David Zimmer and Ryan Foglesong), guitarists (Patrick Anderson), vocalists (Lacy Condy and McKenzie Fuller), and pianists (yours truly). And for non-instrumentalists, David Mathis will be sharing principles from his outstanding book Habits of Grace that will help you experience a greater joy and consistency in your spiritual disciplines.

8. Special Rates

We try to keep the registration cost for WorshipGod low. Although rates increase April 15 and June 15, so sign up early! But for senior pastors, students (who are taking classes at any age), church planters, and people coming from outside North America, the cost is always just $99, no matter when you sign up! And if for some reason cost is still an issue, contact us!

9. You

One of the best reasons to come to WorshipGod is because a lot of people like you will be there. People who take planning, leading, and participating in the gathering of their local church seriously and want to do it all joyfully. We’ve heard countless stories of people who have connected with others at the conference for encouragement, creative ideas, prayer, and friendship.

10. Knowing God Night

Our new album, Knowing God, will come out a few weeks before the conference. On Thursday night at WorshipGod, we’ll be singing through the whole album and would love to have you join us! We were deeply encouraged as we wrote these songs from J.I. Packer’s book of the same name, and trust you’ll be encouraged as you sing them!

11. A New Schedule

A few conferences ago we started ending Thursday and Friday earlier so teams/groups could enjoy a relaxed dinner together and talk about what you’re learning. It was a hit, and also gave people the option to go to bed early (you know who you are). We’re still ending each day early, but this year the main sessions will last 2 1/2 hours. That will give us more opportunities to briefly cover topics like lyric projection, communicating big thoughts to little minds, band/sound team dynamics, and more together. We also have fewer breakouts this year, but they’re longer and categorized as Leaders, Musicians, and General. In addition, we’ll be offering a seminar for songwriters and those who serve in a multilingual context.

12. Coffee

Finally, I’m not a coffee drinker, but a member of my church, Josh Hake, will be roasting beans for the conference and assembling a team to give you drip coffee and cold brews for free, and espresso drinks for cheap. Past attendees have raved about the coffee, and my good friend David Zimmer has confirmed their assessment. And being a tea drinker, I’ll see what I can do about getting us taken care of as well!

And that’s it. We only offer the WorshipGod conference every other year so you have enough time to apply what we learned two years ago and so the focus can remain where it’s supposed to be: your local church.

Thanks in advance for praying about coming. And even if you aren’t able to make it, I pray you experience God’s pleasure as you serve your congregation with your gifts for the glory of Jesus.

You can register and get all the info you need at the WorshipGod website.

Hope to see you there!

The post 12 Reasons to Come to WorshipGod24: One with Christ appeared first on Worship Matters.

2023 marked the 50th anniversary of J.I. Packer’s classic book, Knowing God. What originated as a series of magazine articles has become a tool that God has used to shape, deepen, and ignite the theology of five decades of Christians, including me.

Since I first read it in the late 70s, I’ve quoted and referred to it more times than I can count. Kevin DeYoung called it “easily one of the most influential books of the last half century.”

So when my son, Devon, suggested that Sovereign Grace Music write and record an album of songs based on Packer’s book, it was a no-brainer.

First, it would be an opportunity to highlight how God has used Knowing God to make theology not only accessible, but delightful. Second, we knew Packer’s book would be a rich resource for songs that connect the head and the heart. Third, we hoped it would cause those who have never read it to do so, and stir those who have already read it to read it again! Finally, good theology always leads to glad doxology. 

Knowing God isn’t simply a book to read. It’s songs waiting to be sung.

The Process

So in early 2022, we began writing them. It would be an overwhelming task to try to write a song for each of the twenty-two chapters, and would also make for an excessively long album. Instead, we based our songs on sentences, paragraphs, or chapters that inspired us. Sometimes the connection was obvious. Other times, Packer’s words served as a springboard for articulating related themes.

It was moving to see the reaction of people who had never read the book. “Where has this book been?…This is amazing!…Packer communicates such deep thoughts in such a clear and understandable way!” But those familiar with the book responded similarly. “I forgot how helpful this book was…His writing is so biblical and affecting…Why haven’t I read this every year?”

We ended up with over 100 songs, which isn’t unusual when we’re working on a recording. We recorded the whole album in our brand new studio and asked our friend, Lance Cashwell, to bring his crew in to film it.

Here are some of the songs that made the cut after a year and a half of writing.

Sing

Sing is a jubilant call to worship that reflects a single sentence in chapter thirteen, “The Grace of God.” Packer quotes the lyrics to an Isaac Watts hymn and then says,

“The people who can sincerely take Watts’ words on their lips will not soon tire of singing the praises of grace.” (J. I. Packer, Knowing God, 20th Anniversary ed. [Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 1993], 132)

So verse three of Sing proclaims:

On the final day when the Lord on high returns in majesty
We will bow in wonder before the Lamb
And evermore the saints will sing
Morning and evening, everything breathing must sing, oh sing
All of creation rise up and praise the King of kings, and sing!

The One who created, redeemed, and sustains us is worthy of unending songs of worship. 

Christ Our Wisdom

Christ Our Wisdom is an extended meditation on chapters nine and ten, in which Packer reminds us how God often hides his purposes so we learn to trust his wisdom and not our own. 

“The New Testament tells us that the fruit of wisdom is Christlikeness—peace, and humility, and love (Jas. 3:17)—and the root of it is faith in Christ (1 Cor. 3:18; 2 Tim. 3:15) as the manifested wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24, 30).” (p. 108)

As we look to Christ as our wisdom, we learn to trust God even when we can’t see the way ahead. 

Christ our wisdom, we are humbled when you hide your ways from us
You have purposes unnumbered, each one good and glorious 
Help us trust when we grow weary, free us from our anxious thoughts 
Give us grace to see more clearly You are God and we are not

We Are Yours Forever

We Are Yours Forever was our attempt to capture one of the most impacting chapters in Knowing God, “Sons of God.” Few have written so eloquently or powerfully on the privilege, reality, and effect of being adopted into God’s family. 

“Adoption is a family idea, conceived in terms of love, and viewing God as father. In adoption, God takes us into his family and fellowship—he establishes us as his children and heirs. Closeness, affection, and generosity are at the heart of the relationship. To be right with God the Judge is a great thing, but to be loved and cared for by God the Father is a greater.” (Knowing God, 207)

We tried to express the greatness of that family relationship in this chorus:

Oh, what a love you have lavished on us 
To call us Your children, daughters and sons
One with the Savior, bought by his blood 
We are yours forever

All Things

All Things is a simple song that reflects this section from chapter twelve, “The Love of God:” 

“As believers, we find in the cross of Christ assurance that we, as individuals, are beloved of God; ‘the Son of God . . . loved me and gave himself for me’ (Gal. 2:20). Knowing this, we are able to apply to ourselves the promise that all things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to his purpose (Rom. 8:28). Not just some things, note, but all things!” (p. 121)

The last verse of the song directs our eyes to the faithfulness of God in all things, even to the end:

Til the day you come in power or I reach my final hour
You will keep me
You’re the Author of my story, You are faithful, you are for me 
I will praise you, I will praise you

Additional Songs

The rest of the album includes some revised and modern hymns, a communion song, and songs that focus on living to pleasing the Lord, the Spirit’s work in helping us see Christ, and the final judgment (co-written with our good friend, Colin Buchanan). And as a bonus, we’ve included a new version of Before the Throne of God Above.

The album isn’t out yet, but we’ll be releasing a single a month starting in February 2024, and Lord willing, the rest of the album in July.

As you listen to and sing these songs from Knowing God we pray you’ll appreciate more than ever how our best theology will always lead to passionate praise.

And if you’d like to win a free copy of Crossway’s edition of Knowing God, signed by the SG Music team, leave a comment below describing what specific section of Knowing God affected you, or why you’d like to have your own copy! I’ll be giving away 5 copies in the next few weeks.

[This is an edited version of a post that originally appeared on Christ Over All.]

The post Coming Soon: The Knowing God Album appeared first on Worship Matters.

Behold Our God first appeared on the 2011 Sovereign Grace Music album, Risen. It was the next-to-last track and one of the last songs chosen for the project. We went on to include versions of the song on Together for the Gospel II, 30: Three Decades of Songs for the Church, and Behold Our God, recorded with the Shiloh Church Choir in 2019.

When the songwriters (Ryan, Jonathan, & Meghan Baird, and Stephen Altrogge) first played the song for the evaluation team at a songwriting retreat back in 2010, they received this feedback: “Seems too ordinary at this point. Work on fresh and creative ways of saying these things.” Apparently God didn’t think it was too ordinary, because twelve years later “Behold Our God” has been translated into over 15 languages and is one of the most well-known and widely sung songs Sovereign Grace Music has ever recorded.

Last year at the 2022 WorshipGod conference we recorded a fresh arrangement of Behold Our God that seeks to musically capture God’s transcendent sovereignty and his gracious mercy in Jesus Christ. To mark the occasion, we wanted to tell you how the song came to be. Thanks to Ryan Baird for providing many of these details. You can read his complete version here.

In The Beginning

Behold Our God started in the place that many Sovereign Grace songs start – at a songwriter’s retreat experiencing writer’s block.

After working on a song for a while with no progress, Stephen Altrogge mentioned he had been meditating on Isaiah 40, and wondered if they could develop something from the questions of vss. 12-14:

“Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance? Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?” (Isaiah 40:12–14, ESV)

That was enough of an inspiration to write two verses fairly quickly. But they needed a chorus. Everyone agreed it should start with, “Behold our God.” After a series of ideas that didn’t work, Jonathan sang out the chorus just as it ended up on the recording. They added the men/women response bridge and felt like they had a song.

Testing It Out

After the retreat, they wisely ignored the counsel of the evaluation team and introduced it to their church in California. The church loved it. But Lynn Baird, father to three of the writers, said it needed a reference to the gospel. “You’ve got to write about Jesus next!”

Over the next year, the writers worked on a third verse that connected the greatness of God to Christ. At the same time, Sovereign Grace Music was working on an album with a resurrection theme, and we asked if the last verse could reference Jesus rising from the dead. No small task for four short lines! Here’s a snapshot of the not quite finished verse.

Finally, through the encouragement of a friend who said they could do it, was well as the stick-to-it perseverance of the writers, the Holy Spirit inspired the last verse, which beautifully and succinctly communicates the gospel.

One Last Word

As the Bairds continued to lead the song in different contexts, they were amazed by the response. Congregations sang it so LOUD! But the song wasn’t finished just yet. That chorus of the first version of the song began like this:

Who has felt the nails upon his hands
Bearing all the shame of sinful man

After leading the song at a conference, Bruce Ware, one of the speakers, came up to thank them for writing it. He then suggested they change the word “shame” to “guilt.” He thought it would draw attention to the fact that our problem before God isn’t simply shame, which can minimize our sinfulness, but actual guilt. The songwriters agreed, and the song reached its final form.

People all over the world have sung and recorded Behold Our God, including this version in 19 languages. We think that’s due not only to the God-exalting, gospel-centered lyrics, but the “ordinary” melody that people can pick up and sing with passion almost immediately.

We pray this new version will encourage you, your family, and your church to worship the God who dwells “in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.” (Isaiah 57:15) There is no one like him.

You can also find it on Apple Music, Spotify, or wherever your stream your music.

And if you have a story of how God has used Behold Our God in your life or in your church, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

The post Behold Our God – A New Recording and the Story Behind the Song appeared first on Worship Matters.

In 2020, I shared the story behind the Sovereign Grace Music song, “O Come, All You Unfaithful.” This past month, we posted a reel of the song on Instagram which has now been shared almost 40,000 times and viewed over a million times. We’ve been surprised, encouraged, and grateful for the response, and at times, troubled.

Why troubled? Because when a song (or a portion of a song) reaches a wide audience quickly, the chances for misunderstanding and critique increase exponentially. And a few comments show that what some people are hearing isn’t what the song is saying.

Of course, as a co-writer, I think the meaning of the song in its entirety is pretty obvious. When we write songs for Sovereign Grace Music we work hard to reflect biblical integrity, faithfulness, and clarity. It’s God’s Word that matters, not ours.

But we sometimes find out later that a song or line can be understood in a way we hadn’t anticipated. So I wanted to take the opportunity to make three things a little clearer, for anyone who might be wondering.

1. “Unfaithful” is our experience, not our identity.

A few people have questioned calling Christians “unfaithful.” One commenter wrote:

The whole point of the original hymn is that we are the faithful who come and gather, joyous at the birth of our Christ. And then all of a sudden, instead of being one of the faithful, while I’m in church, while I’m listening to Christian music, surrounded by my Christian community, I’m unfaithful.

I get it. In Christ, we’re new creations (2 Cor. 5:17). Jesus doesn’t commend the unfaithful, but the faithful (Mt. 25:23). The New Testament calls Christians “saints” numerous times (Acts 9:13; Rom. 8:27; 1 Cor. 14:33; Eph. 2:19; Col. 1:2), never “sinners.”

But a wide gap often exists between who we are in Christ and the way we live or perceive ourselves, even as we’re singing with our church. We easily fall prey to the lie that we can come to Jesus because we’ve been obedient. Because we’ve been faithful to read our Bible. Keep our anger in check. Pray. Resist temptation. Evangelize. We feel out of place around others on Sunday mornings who seem so much more “fit” to be in God’s presence.

But outside of Christ, no one is ever “fit” to come to God, who justifies the ungodly, not the godly (Rom. 4:5). Jesus came to call sinners, not the righteous (Mt. 9:13). He invites those who “labor and are heavy laden” to come to him, not those who are breezing through life (Mt. 11:28).

Yes, Christians are called saints, but not by virtue of what we do (contra what I was taught growing up as a Roman Catholic ), but by virtue of what Jesus has done (Col. 1:12-14). So this song invites those who feel unworthy, unable, and unwilling to come to Jesus, to come anyway. Because that’s why he came.

Come, though you have nothing.
Come, He is the offering.
Come, see what Your God has done.

2. Coming to Jesus doesn’t rule out repentance, it proves it.

Others think the song encourages people to remain in their sin. They’re concerned someone could interpret the song to mean coming to Jesus doesn’t require change.

That’s not too surprising as people have twisted grace into licentiousness since the first century (Rom. 3:8, 6:1-2). But just as every Bible passage doesn’t say all there is to say about what coming to Jesus means (John 3:16; Mt. 11:28-30; Acts 16:31), so every song doesn’t communicate comprehensively what God says about coming to him. And if we dig a little, we find that Scripture connects “those who believe” with “those who repent” (Mk. 1:15; Acts 20:21; Acts 26:18; Heb. 6:1). Faith and repentance are two sides of the same coin. Faith describes what we turn to, while repentance describes what we turn from (1 Thess. 1:9). This song simply focuses on the misperception many Christians have that they are too bad or too hopeless to come to Christ.

But come to Christ we must. Because in the act of coming we’re repenting of looking to everything else for strength, comfort, of salvation. Those things might include our performance, achievements, or a change in our circumstances. Or they might be things we persist in doing even though that God says they will only lead to death (Prov. 14:12; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Col. 3:5-10). And as we come – broken, lost, confused, and sinful – God opens our eyes again and again to the all surpassing beauty, worth, and authority of Jesus. His kind invitation leads us to repentance (Rom. 2:4).

We can always come to Jesus as we are, but God, because he loves us, is committed to not leaving us like we are. He intends to make us like his Son (Rom. 8:29). He wants to turn us from our shallow, sinful desires and cause us to drink from the ever flowing stream of his mercies in Christ (Ps. 34:8; John 4:13-14). He wants us to have a fresh experience of his grace which not only assures us we’re forgiven, but trains us to “renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age” (Titus 2:12). And in the simple Spirit-enabled act of coming to Christ – believing in him, putting our trust in him, having faith in him – God changes us.

3. We still love the original carol.

Every time Sovereign Grace Music reworks a traditional hymn or Christmas carol someone accuses us of trashing tradition.

What’s the matter with the original?
Why don’t you leave good enough alone?
And who do you think you are, anyway?

First, being in my late 60s, I hope I’m beyond the “young and reckless” charge. Of course, I still do foolish things, but I definitely altered well-known melodies and lyrics too quickly and thoughtlessly in my earlier years, despite my good intentions.

Second, traditional carols and hymns are valuable insofar as they enable the word of Christ to dwell in people richly (Col. 3:16) and connect people with biblical truths. “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” as it’s typically sung in most churches today, does that. It accents the joy that surrounds the birth of Jesus, “God in flesh appearing.” We actually recorded a version of it on our Prepare Him Room album. So we plan to keep on singing it, and you should too!

But God sometimes uses overly-familiar lyrics to expose our hearts. That’s happened to Lisa Clow, who wrote the first version of this song, when she realized she wasn’t the “joyful and triumphant” Christian everyone expected her to be. But by God’s grace, she saw that the good news of Christmas isn’t directed to those who are happy, successful, fulfilled, beautiful, financially secure, able, talented, and put-together. It’s for everyone who recognizes, in and of themselves, they have no right or ability to approach God.

And that’s why Jesus was born. Being fully God and fully man (John 1:1; Titus 2:13; Heb. 1:3-4; Rev. 5:13), he experienced every temptation we would ever face, but never succumbed (Heb. 4:15). For that reason, he and he alone could take the punishment we deserved for turning away from God. He did that by dying on the cross as our substitute, bearing the righteous wrath of God against our sins and paying our debt in full (Rom. 3:23-26; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 2:24; Col. 2:13-15). And three days later, God raised him from the dead, securing both our forgiveness and the hope of eternal life (Acts 3:15; Rom. 10:9; 1 Thess. 1:10).

Those who believe in the finished work of Christ are not only forgiven of their sins, but reconciled to God, and clothed in his perfect righteousness (Phil. 3:8-9). He now intercedes in heaven for those he redeemed until he returns to end all wickedness and reign with his bride, the church, forever (Heb. 7:25; 2 Thess. 1:7-10; Rev. 20:6).

What heart-transforming, joy-producing, hope-filled news! And no one has a better reason to believe it than anyone else. Every one of us needs a Savior. And God, in his kindness and for his glory, has provided One.

He’s the Lamb who was given, slain for our pardon
His promise is peace for those who believe

So come.

The post What “O Come, All You Unfaithful” Doesn’t Mean appeared first on Worship Matters.

It’s been three long years since we hosted our last WorshipGod conference. The theme in 2019 was “The Glorious Christ,” and the night before the conference began we recorded a live album, also called The Glorious Christ. Both the conference and the recording explored the riches of the Savior who came to bear the weight of our sins and is now reigning in heaven until he returns for his bride. It was a fantastic time!

But that was then. And we’re more than ready for this year’s conference, Unchanging. So much has happened in the past three years to remind us of our frailty, the inconstancy of our surroundings, and our inability to control the direction of our lives. Lifelong patterns and practices have been uprooted, rearranged, or consigned to the scrap heap. It’s hard to say what “normal” looks and feels like anymore.

But in the midst of all the chaos and confusion, there is a God who remains ever constant and whose purposes remain unchanged:

“Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” (Psalm 90:1–2, ESV)

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8, ESV)

At WorshipGod22 this year we’ll be taking extended time to sing to, pray to, hear from, celebrate, fellowship around, and glory in the unchanging God who has graciously revealed himself to us in Jesus Christ. We’ll be spending time with like-minded musicians, leaders, church members, songwriters, tech personnel, and pastors to be equipped and encouraged and to encounter the living God together.

I think that’s reason enough to be there, but just in case you’re wavering, here are 12 reasons I think you should consider coming!

1. Theology, Heart, and Skill

Since it started in 2004, WorshipGod conferences have focused on three things related to our gatherings: why God wants us to gather (theology), who we’re meant to be (heart), and how we can serve God’s people more effectively (skill). Some conferences focus on rich doctrine. Others excel at inspiring devotion. Still others help us grow in areas like musicianship, leadership, and communication. At WorshipGod, you get all three.

2. We’re A Lot Like Your Church

I sometimes refer to WorshipGod as the “anti-conference conference.” Of course, conferences can be really helpful. Benefits include a wide variety of resources, an awareness that God is doing much more than what you see in your local church, exposure to people who are gifted in their field, and time away with your team or friends. But a conference isn’t your church. So at WorshipGod we tone down the performance, production, and polish and make it as real as possible. Rehearsals are open so you can see what normal life looks like. We use a lot of volunteers. We keep the lights up. Speakers and musicians are available for casual conversations. We’re not afraid to talk about our failures and weaknesses. And through it all, we pray the glory of Christ shines through.

3. Guest Speakers

I’m so happy Mike Bullmore is returning as a main session speaker and that Mark Jones is coming for the first time (speaking twice!). I first heard Mark at a conference and was struck by his faithful, insightful, and passionate handling of God’s Word. Then I started reading his books. Knowing Christ. God Is. The Prayers of Jesus. Knowing Sin. Oh man. Can’t wait for you to hear him. And Mike Bullmore is just going to preach Christ and him crucified in a way that will affect your mind, heart, and life.

4. Guest Musicians

Where do I start!? We’re devoting a whole main session to getting more acquainted with Rich Vasallo and some of the folks who make up CityAlight. Jonathan and Sarah Jerez will lead us in a bi-lingual session, opening our eyes to the beauty of God’s praises sung in languages other than English. Matt Merker and Jordan Kauflin will talk about and sing some of the songs they’ve written together and with others that God has used to encourage the church, including I Will Wait for You (Psalm 130) and Christ Our Hope in Life and Death. And Adam Wright of Corner Room Music is back to share some of his brilliant word-for-word musical settings of Scripture.

5. Ben Shive

I’ve admired Ben Shive’s work for years from afar. He’s produced Andrew Peterson, Sara Groves, Colony House, and the Getty’s, and co-written one of my all-time favorite songs, Is He Worthy. But when we had the opportunity to work with him on our most recent albums, Unchanging God: Songs from the Book of Psalms, Vol. 1 and 2, my respect for him increased exponentially. Ben is humble, kind, thoughtful, funny, and really good at what he does, which includes arranging, playing the keyboard, songwriting, and producing. Most of all he has a heart to serve the church which is rooted in his love for Jesus. He’ll be teaching a seminar on songwriting and one on arranging your band.

6. Josh Scott

As a keyboardist, I had no clue who Josh Scott was until a friend in my church introduced me to him a few years ago. Josh is the founder and head of JHS pedals, known throughout the world and used by a lot of well known musicians. But most importantly, he’s a man who loves the Savior, his family, and the church. And he’s back at WorshipGod to answer all your questions about guitars and gear!

7. Sovereign Grace Speakers and Musicians

One of my favorite parts of the conference is introducing people to the friends I’ve hung out for years with in Sovereign Grace. Main speakers this year include Jeff Purswell, dean of our pastors college and one of my best friends, Jared Mellinger, senior pastor of Covenant Fellowship and a faithful WorshipGod attendee and speaker, and Josh Blount, a Sovereign Grace pastor from West Virginia who happens to be an amazing preacher. Our singing will be led by various Sovereign Grace musicians, and Lacy Hudson (soon to be Condy) and Lisa Clow will be sharing some songs they’ve written and the stories behind them. In the songwriter breakout you’ll have the opportunity to hear from Lacy as well as Sovereign Grace writers Nate Stiff and David Zimmer.

8. Master Classes

If you want more hands-on instruction, you have the option of registering for one of 6 Pre-conference Intensives taking place on Wednesday from 1:00-5:30. You’ll be able to grow your skills in the areas of vocals, guitar, audio, bass, drums, and I’m teaching a class for piano players. Also during that time slot, Mike Bullmore will be teaching a class on “Cultivating Affection for the Unchanging God in Your Devotions.” Mike will not only inspire your passion but also give you practical steps for deepening your love for the Savior through prayer and God’s Word.

9. Free, Free, Free, Free

That means free lunches, free stuff, free coffee, and a free night. Lunches on Thursday and Friday will be provided onsite enabling us to make the most of our time together. At every session we’ll be giving away books, resources, and gear to remind us that because of the gospel we have been “enriched in every way to be generous in every way” (2 Corinthians 9:11). In response to countless requests, coffee will be there for the taking (unless you want to pay for a latte). And on Friday, we’ll end at 5:30 so you can spend the evening unpacking all you’re learned with those you came with or new friends! Or you can just go to bed early (there’s always one in the crowd). And even though it’s not free, 10ofThose will be with us again with an amazing bookstore.

10. Live Recording

The conference day ends at 5:30 on Thursday as well, but everyone is invited back at 8:30 to add your voice to a live recording. We’re reaching back in the Sovereign Grace Music catalog and recording live versions of “Before the Throne of God Above,” “Behold Our God,” and “All I Have is Christ.” We’ll also be recording “All of Our Tomorrows,” a new song written to express our confidence that all the details of our future are held in God’s wise, loving, and sovereign hands. We’d love to have your voice on the recording!

11. Special Rates

We try to keep the price of the conference on the low side, but if you’re a church planter, senior pastor, student (high school, college, of post grad), or coming from outside the United States, it’s even lower. Your registration is $99 regardless of when you sign up. Also, groups of 5 or more get $25 off normal registration.

12. You

One of the best parts about the WorshipGod conferences are the people who come. We encourage interaction, look for ways to include people who come on their own, and work at creating a family atmosphere. That means God could use you to encourage someone else at just the right moment. Not to mention the ways you’ll be equipped and encouraged to serve your church more effectively when you get back home.

Come Join Us!

There you go. Twelve reasons I think you’d benefit from being at the WorshipGod conference this year. If you can think of any more, feel free to add them in the comments!

Registration is open, and prices go up May 1.

Hope to see you there!

The post 12 Reasons You Should Come to WorshipGod22: Unchanging appeared first on Worship Matters.

This past Sunday at my church I had the privilege of leading the church in our pastoral prayer.

Before we planted Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville almost 9 years ago, I had never been a part of a church whose Sunday meeting included a pastoral prayer. It wasn’t long before we realized how much we had been missing.

In his Lectures to My Students, the renowned pastor/preacher Charles Spurgeon said:

It is my solemn conviction that the prayer is one of the most weighty, useful, and honourable parts of the service, and that it ought to be even more considered than the sermon…If I may have my choice, I will sooner yield up the sermon than the prayer.

Fortunately, Spurgeon never had to choose between the sermon and a pastoral prayer. We don’t have to either.

The Benefits of a Pastoral Prayer

Among other things, a weekly pastoral prayer is an opportunity to:

• apply Scriptural admonitions to pray (1 Thessalonians 5:28; Philippians 4:6; Psalm 62:8)
• care for the church
• model how prayers can be rooted in Scripture
• lead the church in expressions of gratefulness and intercession to God
• highlight the significance of prayer
• express our dependence on God’s Spirit
• connect our trials and temptations to God’s provision for us in Christ and the gospel
• see God work powerfully in and through us in response to our requests

So while we took time this past Sunday to honor and thank dads later on in the meeting, I spent a good part of the pastoral prayer on issues related to fatherhood. Sunday afternoon, a few people asked me for a copy of what I prayed, so I decided to share it here. Whatever “father” brings to mind for you, I pray it’s encouraging.

Praying for Fathers

Our Father in heaven, on this day when fathers are being remembered and honored throughout the world, we honor You, the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. 

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” (1 John 3:1, ESV)

How amazing. We acknowledge that apart from Jesus Christ, we could only fall back in fear at the thought of approaching a God so holy, righteous, and just. But your Word says we did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but we have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:15)

Because the sinless Savior died, our sinful souls are counted free. Our debt has been paid. We are no longer your enemies, but dearly loved children. Enable all those who have trusted in the atoning death and bodily resurrection of Jesus to live in the good of that reality.

Father, we thank you for the fathers among us: soon to be fathers, young fathers, middle age fathers, old fathers, and grandfathers. Thank you for their sacrifices and their desire to reflect your heart to their children. Make them aware of the privilege, gift, and responsibility of fatherhood. Cause them not to provoke their children to anger, but to lead them in your gracious discipline and instruction. Fill those who are weary with fresh strength for the task. May they know your Spirit’s power in their weakness. 

Heavenly Father, we thank you for our fathers, whom You specifically chose for us, whether by natural birth or adoption. For those who had good fathers, we thank you for their example, their care, their counsel, their presence in our lives. May we honor them appropriately through our words and deeds.

For those who don’t have good memories of their fathers we pray they would be strengthened with power through your Spirit in their inner being, so that Christ may dwell in their hearts through faith—that they would know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge. We pray for patience to understand, mercy to forgive, and courage to stand fast in the truth of the gospel.

For those fathers who are estranged from a child or children, or anyone who is unreconciled with their own father, would you bring to pass this promise in Malachi 4:6: ‘And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers.‘

For those who have never known their father, may they be more aware than ever that you are the ‘Father of the fatherless’ and that nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from your love in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Jesus, thank you that you assured us of our heavenly Father’s care when you said, “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?’” (Matthew 6:26)

I went on from there to pray for particular health and financial needs in the church, express gratefulness for recent events, and ask God’s blessing on the preaching of his Word.

A Means of Grace

For years now, God has used the pastoral prayer as a significant means of grace for our church, and something that both guests and members frequently say they appreciate.

If you’re a pastor or leader whose church doesn’t incorporate a pastoral prayer in your gathering, I pray you’d consider it, for the sake of your church, your own growth, and God’s glory and purposes.

“Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.” (Psalm 62:8, ESV)

The post A Father’s Day Pastoral Prayer appeared first on Worship Matters.

Back in 2019, I led my 20th WorshipGod conference, The Glorious Christ. It was a fantastic time reveling in the works and worthiness of Jesus.

We had originally planned the next WorshipGod conference for July of 2021, focused on our union with Christ. But COVID caused us to postpone that conference until July 27-30, 2022 (You can mark your calendar now!)

As things began to open back up, we decided to partner with a few Sovereign Grace churches to host regional conferences. These are specifically designed to serve our pastors, musicians, and members. We’re calling them Life Together: The Gathered Church. Events are currently planned for Cornerstone Church of Knoxville, July 29-31, and Covenant Fellowship, Sept. 2-4.

What Really Matters?

Our goal for these conferences is to strengthen our convictions about why we gather as local churches. Our choices about what we do when we meet are often driven by what we’ve always done, what we like, or what works. But Scripture has more to say than we often think.

God hasn’t given us a specific liturgy or order of service in Scripture. But he has given us priorities, values, and practices that should be evident when we gather. Life Together: The Gathered Church will focus on five of them.

• God initiated and exalting
• Scripture governed and fueled
• Gospel centered and driven
• Spirit enabled and empowered
• Church aware and prioritized

The speakers will be different Sovereign Grace pastors who are devoted to helping us see what matters to God when we meet. Panels throughout the conference will bring specific application to each message. One breakout session will offer seminars on personal worship, family worship, and life as worship. And musicians from various Sovereign Grace churches will lead our times of singing, prayer, and Scripture.

The Right Time

After more than a year of trying to figure out if we can meet as a church, how we meet as a church, and where we can meet as a church, we think it’s the perfect time to remember why we meet as a church.

And if you’re not a member of a Sovereign Grace church, we’d love for you to join us. We figure we’re not the only ones who are more grateful than ever for the privilege of gathering with God’s people each week.

And we pray this conference will help us do that with greater joy, faith, and fruitfulness.

The cost is only $15 for an individual, maximum of $35 for a family. You can register for either event here.

The post Life Together: The Gathered Church Conference appeared first on Worship Matters.

We’ve been really encouraged by the response to O Come, All You Unfaithful, the opening track on our new Christmas album, Heaven Has Come. A number of people have said the song has made them freshly aware of how good the gospel really is. Amen.

I had the joy of writing the song with Lisa Clow, although I really only helped her refine and finish a song she wrote a few Christmases ago. She brought what she had written to the Sovereign Grace songwriters retreat this past January. I’ll let Lisa tell you in her own words how it came about:

I was struggling. It had been a long year and a half. Finances were stressful, I miscarried twins, and on top of it I was battling a deep relational bitterness. My church was having their annual service where they kick off the Christmas season with carols and special songs and I, for once, was not singing. I told them that I wouldn’t be able to sing, but what they didn’t know is that I was too overcome with shame to stand on stage before my church.

That Sunday morning, I stood at my seat as they began to sing “O Come All Ye Faithful” and the first line of the song just clobbered me. It hit me like a giant wave of guilt. 

O come all you faithful, joyful and triumphant!

I remember hearing those words and thinking, “I have been so unfaithful. My joy has dwindled, and I am a triumphant…failure.” And I didn’t sing the rest of the service.

I drove home, my mind still churning, “Is that really who is invited to come to Jesus? The faithful? The joyful? The triumphant? If so, then I am hopeless.”

Thankfully, later that afternoon the Holy Spirit reminded me of Jesus’s invitation in Matthew 11:28,

“Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.”

Rest found in his life, his death, and his resurrection, not my own.

That evening, I had a strong conviction to write a song for myself and for the weary, the broken, and the ashamed.

(You can watch Lisa share this story live here.)

The Original

Here’s what she wrote that night:

O come all ye unfaithful, weary and heavy laden
Fly to the King of Angels, forgiveness is your haven
Christ was born, Christ was born, Christ was born for you

O come all ye destitute, broken and ruined by sin
Behold God in fierce pursuit, chasing and hemming you in
Christ was torn, Christ was torn, Christ was torn for you

We adore you, bow before you
Come and undo our hearts today

O come all ye triumphant, raise up your flags white with blood
Mercy flows in abundance, bought by the King of Love
Christ is Lord, Christ is Lord, Christ is Lord, it’s true

When I saw the title of her song and read the lyrics, I asked Lisa if I could work with her on it. Ever since my daughter, Brittany, wrote Glory in the Darkest Place a few years ago, I’ve been looking for Christmas songs that speak to those who find it difficult to enter in to the joy of the season due to feelings of unworthiness, need, shame, or suffering. And while I love “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” I thought the twist on that title would catch people’s attention and perhaps expose our futile attempts to come to God on the basis of what we have done rather than trusting in what Jesus has done for us.

The Process

I was moved by the thoughtfulness and beauty of Lisa’s lyrics. But I wondered if they could be more accessible. She had also written the song in 4/4, like the original carol, and it seemed to me 6/8 would fit the lyrics better and make it clear we weren’t simply trying to revise the traditional song.

So we worked on it, trying to capture in simple phrases the kind of person who might not realize that Christ was born for them. Unfaithful. Broken. Weary. Ashamed. We went back and forth on using the word, “vile,” but thought it might be distracting to people. So we ended up using “guilty.” Although before a perfectly holy God, every one of us fits into that vile category (Is. 64:6; Rom. 3:9-19). One phrase seemed to sum up the song, and I’m affected every time we sing it: “Come, though you have nothing, come, He is the offering.”

We thought the song needed a bridge and almost included a previously written chorus from one of the other writers at the retreat. But it was too wordy, so we didn’t use it. We ended up with a simple statement of the gospel, which is the reason Jesus being born is such good news.

He’s the Lamb who was given, slain for our pardon
His promise is peace for those who believe

The Video

As we played the song for more people we sensed God might use it to impact a wider audience. So we enlisted the help of Lance Cashwell, who now works with Farmore, to direct a music video for us. Providentially, I had met Lance when he attended a Worship Matters Intensive in 2019.

At first we thought we’d just record Lisa singing the song. But then Jon Althoff, one of our songwriters and a pastor of Redeeming Grace Church in Franklin, TN, had an idea. What if we invited people into the studio to listen to the song and captured their responses on video as they listened?

So that’s what we did. The video we recorded is made up almost exclusively of people from my church who are processing the song, most of them for the first time, as it relates to their own experiences. A stillborn child. A strained marriage. Feelings of shame. Legalism. Loss. Loneliness. Or simply having a heart that weeps with those who weep.

We think seeing their responses as Lisa sings communicates even more clearly that Jesus wasn’t born for people who have it all together. He was born for those who have nothing.

So wherever you find yourself at the end of this unusually trying and tumultuous year, remember that a Savior has been born, who is Christ the Lord (Lk. 2:11). And he was born to save us from our sins. All of them.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”” (Matthew 11:28–30, ESV)

“She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21, ESV)

So come.

You can find the chord chart, lead sheet, piano/vocal score, and other resources for O Come, All You Unfaithful at our website.

NOTE: We’re received a number of questions about the song which I answered in this post.

The post The Story Behind O Come, All You Unfaithful appeared first on Worship Matters.

Last week I wrote down my thoughts related to reading through the 6-volume ESV Reader’s Bible a couple years ago. In a word, I loved it.

I asked Justin Taylor, VP of Crossway, if they might be able to give away a set, and he generously made one available. So I asked people to post one of their favorite Scriptures in the comments and I would pick one at random.

As the Lord would have it, the winner is CJ Finch, who left the verse: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might” (Mt. 22:37). If you entered but didn’t win, I have good news! You still use the Bible you currently own, and since Christmas is still 10 days away, you have time to put one of the ESV Reader’s Bibles on your list, or buy one for someone else.

Taste and See

I was surprised how encouraging it was to read through the comments. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised, considering it was a collection of Scriptures that people have found edifying! Again and again, God speaks comfort, strength, mercy, promise, truth, and grace to us in his Word. We taste and see that he really is good. Here are a few verses people left on my last post, with comments from those who posted them:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He’ll direct your path. (Prov. 3:5) Like most, My life has been filled with ups and downs. From seizures as a teenager, to addictions as an adult. When I felt like I was walking alone and couldn’t see a step in front of me, this verse always encouraged me. It’s not about what I see ahead, so long as my eyes are fixed on the one who saved me. – Jared

“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” (Deuteronomy 29:29) I’ve spent way too much time the past few years driving myself crazy trying to figure out every nook and cranny of theology. But I’ve realized (in part thanks to this verse) that God can’t be locked into a system… we can’t comprehend the infinite with our finite minds. So I’ve learned to accept the tensions of Scripture and the mysteriousness of God and instead focus on obedience to the things he has chosen to reveal. – Adam

“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” (Is. 1:18) It’s my favorite verse because of how beautifully it depicts our wretched, despicable sins being washed away (undeservedly!) and how God has made us new through the sacrificial death of His Son. The gospel is a message that we as Christians should not overlook, and this verse is a powerful reminder of that. – Christine

“If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” (1 John 4:20) This was the verse on a poster I saw in the mid 1960s. I found my parents’ dusty, unused Bible to look it up. Found it, read the whole chapter, then the whole letter, then the whole Bible. I was nine years old, and have read the Bible cover to cover many times since, in various translations. These days, I read the Bible aloud to my wife (of 41 years) to start our day. Even today, I still feel some excitement whenever we start 1 John. – John

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” (Is. 26:34) My wife reminded me of this verse. We’ve had a child dealing with seizures and recently been in a children’s hospital while tests were ran and came back. Upon reflection this was on her heart. God is good and sovereign. We can trust him with the bad and the good. – Chris

Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2) This season, I have been continually reminded to keep my eyes on Jesus through all the trials, disappointments, and distractions of 2020, and to keep running with endurance. Nothing we go through will compare to what Jesus willingly went through on the cross – for the JOY set before Him. He is our hope and our joy! – Lynnda

Over the past year, Genesis 1:1 has moved from the dusty past of preschool memorization to the forefront of importance in my thinking – “In the beginning GOD created the heavens and the earth.” If we miss that, we miss everything, God is the everlasting creator. We live in His world, and must abide by His Word. – Becca

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins… and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved—” (Eph. 2:1, 3-5) These verses, again and again and again, through multiple decades, have beat the drum of the gospel ever louder in my life. They’ve reminded me how desperately in need I am when I’m puffed up and feeling full of myself, and how desperately in need I am when I’m broken and feeling beaten down. No matter the season, my need is always the same: the “rich mercy,” the “great love,” and the Christ that brings me back to life! “It is by grace you have been saved.” – Pierce

“I distinguish the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come, saying: ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure.” (Isaiah 46:10)! Simply a stunner of a verse. Reminds me at times who is ultimately in control, and who I need to put my trust into! – David

Perfect, Sure, Right, and Pure

God’s Word is always what God promises it to be:

“The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.” (Psalm 19:7–10, ESV)

Whatever plan you choose to read the Bible in the coming year, I pray God and his Word would increasingly become your study, your mediation, and your delight.

The post We Have a Winner and Some Encouraging Scriptures appeared first on Worship Matters.

Not too long ago I took one of my grandsons out for a bagel and asked him a question. “What’s the most important thing in the world?” I told him it had to be a person or an object.

After a long pause, he responded, “The Bible?” “That’s right,” I said.

I went on to say that apart from God’s Word, we would have no way of knowing God’s thoughts, commands, warnings, or promises. We’d be limited to general revelation, which gloriously declares aspects of God’s character and deeds, but is silent when it comes to our separation from God and his plan to reconcile us to himself through Christ.

The Bible is an unspeakably precious gift that men and women have given their lives to protect, proclaim, and publish. So it makes all the sense in the world to spend as much time getting to know God through his Word as we can.

A Plan for Reading

As 2020 comes to a close, a lot of us are thinking about a Bible reading plan for 2021. I’ve spent numerous years since 2001 reading through the Bible. It’s always a rich, rewarding practice, whether I’m reading through a study Bible, using the McCheyne Bible reading plan, or benefiting from the Prof. Grant Horner plan.

When I want to slow down and go more in-depth I’ll read Scripture along with a trusted commentary (Christopher Ash on Job and Greg Beale on Revelation were both fantastic).

But a couple years ago my church committed to reading through the Bible and I decided to use the 6 volume ESV Reader’s Bible.

Wow.

I discovered early on that I do better reading the Bible in a year when I seek to finish early, rather than always trying to catch up. So I aimed to read 25 pages each time I sat down. I didn’t always achieve that, but I succeeded often enough to enable me to finish by the end of September.

As I read, I wrote comments in the columns and then transferred those thoughts to a single note in Evernote. At the end I had a record of everything I learned last year. Later I reviewed all the Scriptures I had written notes next to and again saw things I hadn’t noticed before.

I’ve become a huge fan of the ESV Reader’s Bible. Here are three reasons why.

Entering the Story

Chapter and verse numbers weren’t common until the mid-1500s. They’re great for memorization and knowing exactly where a verse is. But most of us have never read our Bibles without them. It’s a different experience.

History feels like history, poems like poetry, and letters like letters. I found, especially in the longer history and prophetic books, I was more deeply engaged with the plot.

I didn’t always know what was coming next, which made familiar chapters like Exodus 32, Isaiah 53, and Jeremiah 31 fresh. The flow of thought was never interrupted. I had no idea how long or short chapters were, which enabled me to more fully enter in to what I was reading.

Overall, I was able to enter God’s story with more consistency, depth, and delight.

Kindness in Commands

One of the biggest takeaways in reading the Reader’s Version was realizing how God’s requiring our obedience is an expression of his kindness.

In the garden of Eden, God gave Adam and Eve everything they needed to be completely content and satisfied. “It was very good.” And what made their existence so idyllic was the fact that everything and everyone submitted to God’s gracious rule.

Once Adam and Eve rejected God’s authority and declared themselves “lord,” they experienced life apart from the blessing of God’s presence and God’s kingship. When I got to Exodus I started noticing how often God declares, “I am the Lord.” Seventeen times. In Leviticus, “I am the Lord” occurs 49 times. Rather merely stating who’s in charge, God was reminding his people that when he doesn’t reign as Lord life leads to confusion, chaos, and destruction. There is no goodness outside his reign.

Further on, I saw how the prophets’ cries to repent, the victories of Israel’s enemies, and the repeated listing of Israel’s sins were God wooing his people back to the protection of his rule.

To those who refuse to bow the knee, “I am the Lord” is a terrifying promise that God will ultimately have his way. But to those who respond in glad obedience, “I am the Lord” is a gracious call back to the peace, joy, and safety of the garden, and a foretaste of the new heavens and earth.

In all the times I’ve read through the Bible previously, I never saw so clearly what the Psalmist saw: “The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces” (Ps. 119:72).

Hearing God’s Heart

When I get an email or letter, no one ever numbers their sentences. At least not yet. That would make the communication feel more formal.

Reading Scripture with numbered verses and chapters can have a similar effect. It can come across as something other than Spirit-breathed words of a personal and present God.

That certainly doesn’t have to be the case. But reading the ESV Reader’s Version through the year gave me new eyes and ears. I was surprised how much easier it was for me to receive what I was reading as coming from the heart of God, intended for my good and growth.

Since reading the Reader’s Version, I’ve also read through the ESV Reader’s Bible that has the chapter and verse numbers. Even though the numbers were in a lighter print, it was still a different experience.

Having it Both Ways

Reading through the ESV Reader’s Bible has caused me to read numbered Bibles with a fresh perspective. I find myself paying less attention to the numbers and breaks. Still, I’m grateful that when I want to access a phrase, sentence, or verse, I can identify its address.

Whatever way you choose to read your Bible, whatever plan you use, however many times you’ve started to read through the Bible and failed, there is always grace to start again. And the rewards are incalculable.

“The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” (Psalm 19:7–11, ESV)

A Gift

You might be reading this post and thinking, “This six-volume set would be so great to have.” Or maybe you’re thinking, “I would love to give this to someone for Christmas this year.”

Well, after writing this post I contacted Justin Taylor at Crossway and asked if Crossway would be willing to donate a free set of the Six-volume ESV Reader’s Bible for someone to win. Not surprisingly he said yes.

Here’s how it will work. Leave a comment (only one per person please!) with a favorite Bible verse (written out, not just the reference). That’s all. If you want to say how God has spoken to you through that verse, that would be great. This coming Tuesday, I’ll pick one name at random and contact the winner by email. You have to live in the continental U.S. to win, but you can leave a Bible verse in the comments no matter where you reside!

If you don’t win, I’d encourage you to check out the multitude of Bibles you can buy for yourself or someone else for Christmas.

And always remember what Charles Spurgeon said:

“A Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t.”

The post My Year of Bible Reading with No Chapters or Verses appeared first on Worship Matters.

One of the unexpected benefits of the COVID-19 crisis has been the vast amount of music being produced. Previously untapped creativity is showing up in live streams from living rooms, video montages, and new songs. Who knows what songs might never have been written apart from being forced to isolate?

In mid-March, my good friend from the UK, Tim Chester, sent me some lyrics he had written, taken from Psalm 91. To be more specific, he subtitled it: “A song for the coronavirus outbreak based on Psalm 91.”

I’ve collaborated with Tim before (Come Praise and Glorify, Reformation Song), and love writing with him. He’s committed setting God’s word to verse but understands the fine tension between accuracy and singability. I began working on a melody for his lyrics, but couldn’t land on something I really liked. So I ran it by a few people and we made a number of lyric and melodic changes. We finally arrived at something I thought was worth sharing.

Christ Will Be My Hideaway is a congregational song for a pandemic or any time really. It’s based on Psalm 91, which is filled with encouraging, soul-strengthening promises from God that lift our eyes above our circumstances to see his providential, wise, powerful care.

Here are the lyrics:

I will dwell within the shelter
Of the God who reigns above.
I will rest beneath the shadow
Of the mighty King of love.
Though a sickness hides in darkness
Though a plague destroys by day
I will stand upon his promises
Christ will be my hideaway.

In You, my God, I trust, You are strong and here with us
In You, my hope remains, Christ will be my hideaway

Angels gather to protect me
When they hear my Savior call
Sovereign hands are ever ready
To uphold me should I fall
Safe beneath his wings of refuge
All my fears are kept at bay
I am shielded by his faithfulness,
Christ will be my hideaway

Though a thousand fall around me
Though death looks me in the eye
Evil shall not have the vict’ry
While the Lord is at my side
God in power raised my Savior
I no longer fear the grave
Through this fragile life and evermore
Christ will be my hideaway

Music & words by Tim Chester, Bob Kauflin, Nathan Stiff, David Zimmer, Lacy Hudson, McKenzie Fuller. © 2020 Sovereign Grace Worship/ASCAP, Sovereign Grace Praise/BMI

Feel free to download the CHORD CHART or the LEAD SHEET.

It’s my prayer that you’ll be encouraged not only by this song, but by the God who has said:

“When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.” (Psalm 91:15, ESV)

And we need never doubt that promise because we have a faithful Savior who endured God’s wrath against our sin on the cross and was raised to eternal glory for our salvation.

By the way, for those rightly concerned about social distancing during this season, the musicians with me in this video are all currently living in my house. (McKenzie Fuller and Lacy Hudson on vocals, and Zach Fuller on acoustic).

The post Christ Will Be My Hideaway appeared first on Worship Matters.

UPDATE Jan. 20, 2021: Please read this updated permissions statement from the Sovereign Grace Music blog.

When the COVID-19 crisis caused governments to mandate that churches not gather, Sovereign Grace Music wanted to make it easy for people to live stream our music online to encourage their members. While the current situation doesn’t allow for the saints gathering as we’re told to do in Scripture (Heb. 10:25), we’re grateful that Christ-exalting communication over the Internet can be a means of grace that makes us long to be able to meet together again (Ps. 122:1)!

Recently, Sovereign Grace Music posted on social media that we would allow churches to stream our songs, live or recorded, for their services, but many people didn’t see it. So I’m posting more details here.

Because many churches don’t typically live stream their services, we are giving churches permission to use any Sovereign Grace published song in a video stream, live or recorded, from now through the end of December. If the crisis continues, we’ll extend this deadline. This includes permission to sing our songs live, use an original audio or video recording, and/or display the song lyrics, without obtaining a streaming license. We only request that you include the copyright information either in your video, in the video notes, or on your website, including the phrase, “Used by permission,” after the phrase, “All rights reserved.”

For example, the copyright information for “O Lord, My Rock and My Redeemer” would look like this:

Music and words by Nathan Stiff © 2017 Sovereign Grace Worship (ASCAP) Sovereign Grace Music, a division of Sovereign Grace Churches. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Administrated worldwide at www.CapitolCMGPublishing.com, excluding the UK & Europe which is adm. by Integrity Music. www.SovereignGraceMusic.org 

You can find the copyright information for any of our songs on our website. Just search for the song and you’ll find it underneath the lyrics on the song’s page. 

This gratis permission extends to those outside of the US, but we can’t say for sure that your video won’t be flagged because of different copyright laws in other countries. We hope these guidelines will help you navigate through this. If you happen to live in the UK, you’ll find this post from my good friend, Matt Dennis, helpful.

Streaming Original Recordings

It’s important to note that using an artist’s original audio or video recording of a song isn’t covered under the CCLI Church Copyright License, but we’re giving you permission to do this with our music.

If you plan to play recorded music before/after your service (from other sources), you need to purchase a CCS Worshipcast Streaming License. We learned that the hard way in my home church, Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville, when our Sunday live stream was taken down the next day because YouTube blocked it due to possible copyright infringement. We were able to work it out but we decided not to play music before or after the service to avoid it from happening again.

If you use a copyrighted recording of a song during your live stream, it’s still possible the streaming platform you use will claim your video for monetization. Please do not dispute these claims unless they result in disabling your video (which is rare). This is especially true for YouTube and Facebook. If this happens, please let us know and send us the URL to your video so we can investigate. 

I’d suggest waiting to stream or post your video ‪until Sunday morning‬ to avoid the possibility of your video being disabled ‪before‬ your church has a chance to watch it!

A License Still Might be a Good Idea

Although you have our permission to use our songs without a license until the end of December, it’s still a good idea to obtain the CCLI Church Copyright License with the Streaming License add-on during this season to protect your church and cooperate with copyright laws, especially if you use music from other sources. In this season, CCLI is offering a 10% discount to new users, which equates to the first month free. 

I’m hoping to write a blog post this week on the difference between online streaming and an actual gathering, and why it’s important that we highlight those differences in this season. But in the meantime, we’re grateful that our music can serve churches throughout the world, gathered or scattered, whose heart is to “praise the name of God with a song.” (Psalm 69:30, ESV)

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