Sometimes there are interesting/helpful pieces of content from my study that don’t quite make it into my sermons. Here are some quotes from various books that I find humorous and/or worth considering.
“I once heard of a Christian woman who spent time serving God in South Africa. While visiting a health clinic, she was deeply moved by the sound of the local Zulu women singing. Their harmonies were hauntingly beautiful. With tears in her eyes, she asked a friend if she knew the translation of the words. ’Sure,’ her friend replied. ‘If you boil the water, you won’t get dysentery.'”
Worship Matters by Bob Kauflin, 97
Now that’s just funny right there! 🙂
“It is fruitless to search for a single musical style, or even any blend of musical styles, that can assist all Christians with true worship. The followers of Jesus are a far too diverse group of people–which is exactly as it should be. We need, rather, to welcome any worship music that helps churches produce disciples of Jesus Christ. We need to welcome the experimental creativity that is always searching out new ways of singing the gospel, and banish the fear that grips us when familiar music passes away.”
Kauflin, 105
” . . . there are also temporary patterns of worship, like animal sacrifice, annual pilgrimages, Gregorian chants, pipe organs, choir robes . . . Not only is it true that these temporary things may change, I am arguing here that they must change! If a local church clings to a certain cultural pattern of worship and refuses to adapt and be flexible, it will eventually become extinct.”
Revitalize by Andrew Davis, 190
Notice his use of the phrase “cultural patterns of worship.” Adapt and be flexible, he says, regarding the “cultural patterns.” I’m pretty sure I agree with this in theory.
“Every era of genuine reformation and awakening has generated a new era in liturgical and musical development, as the gospel is rediscovered in its astonishing depth.”
A Better Way by D.A. Horton, 181
“One need only thumb through a hymnal that predates D.L. Moody and Ira Sankey to notice how many tunes were taken from folk culture. These melodies were sung in Irish pubs and by Moravian farmers as they labored.”
Horton, 185
This is fascinating!
“In the late sixteenth century, both Rome and the Reformed churches considered prohibiting the organ’s use in church, but it was gradually incorporated upon the condition . . . that it not be allowed to dominate.”
Horton, 181
Related to this, I’m learning about how the Puritans used to destroy organs in churches. I can’t imagine someone destroying an electric guitar today that was stored in our main building!
What stands out to you?
Pastor Jacob’s Blog 