Articles for tag: Music

October 3, 2014

Christian Standard

What Have We Done and Where Are We Going?

By Joe Boyd I am asked often to speak or write about church and culture. So much now that those two words seem to go together in a very natural way when I say them. I wonder what we really mean, though, when we talk about the church relating to culture.  Many of us who have worked to figure this out over the last two or three decades have moved beyond those early discussions about worship style and seeker sensitivity. I am blessed to be able to speak at a variety of churches in America and there is, without a

July 1, 2014

Christian Standard

3 Ingredients to Get Men Engaged in the Church

David Morrow, author of Why Men Hate Going to Church, shares 10 ways to “man up” the church. Here are his top three suggestions: 1. A Manly Senior Minister: Not macho or power-hungry, but someone who projects a healthy masculinity. Men gravitate toward leaders they respect. 2. Excellence: Men will stay away from anything bad, hokey, or half-baked. The church doesn”t need to be perfect, of course, but men do seek out churches that strive for excellence in preaching, music, facilities, and programs. If you can”t do it well, it may be best not to do it at all. 3.

September 1, 2013

Christian Standard

Taking Christ to Patrons of Local Clubs and Bars

By Jennifer Johnson It took a trip to Bosnia for Daron Earlewine to launch a new ministry in America. “The coffee shops become pubs in the evening,” he says. “At midnight they close and all the adults go to dance clubs. It dawned on me the same thing happens in every town in America””adults are gathering at bars and clubs. And if we could find a way to “˜own” those rooms, we could impact thousands of people.” Earlewine, then on staff at East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis, also played drums in a rock band. He suggested they try

June 21, 2013

Christian Standard

A Book of Treasures

By Daniel Schantz My heart is racing and I can”t sleep, so at midnight I rise and go to my study. I sit at my desk and reach for an old, brown volume titled, Favorite Hymns. Slowly I leaf through the pages, reading the titles and lyrics of hymns like, “Be Still, My Soul,” and “God Will Take Care of You,” and “It Is Well with My Soul.” My breathing slows, and soon I trudge back to bed, where I drift into deep slumber. Tranquility is just one of the many virtues buried in the old hymnbooks. Much of what

April 25, 2013

Christian Standard

Stewards of Audio Volume

By Eric Radecki In the field of church music today, dealing with audio volume comes with the territory. It”s not a simple topic, and it”s worthy of a serious and honest discussion. Daniel Schantz”s article “The Half-Inch Solution” broached the subject but failed to go beyond generalizations and opinions. In this article I hope to offer practical help in dealing with the audio volume levels in your church by providing a responsible interpretation of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines within a theological context.   “Loud” is in the Bible Scriptures seem to indicate that much of the music

April 5, 2013

Christian Standard

2|42 Brightens Region by Offering Arts, Sports, and Children”s Programming

By Jennifer Johnson On February 17, 2|42 Community Church (Brighton, MI) opened its new community building, a renovated athletic club which includes space for children”s programming, new soccer fields and basketball courts, a café, and more. On February 18, the church launched its School for the Arts. “We added one large studio and three smaller spaces for music, drama, and art classes,” says Rachel Dummitt, director of the school. “We started with private guitar, piano, drum, flute, cello, violin, and voice lessons, drama classes for kids, and visual art classes in portrait drawing and pastels.” Dummitt says about half of the

August 27, 2012

Christian Standard

Do We Believe What We Sing?

By Tom Lawson Calvinism, largely through the influence of the Church of Scotland between 1600 and 1900, has become the dominant position of the majority of English-speaking Evangelical Protestants. The Stone-Campbell Movement, along with groups such as the Cumberland Presbyterians and Freewill Baptists, represent non-Calvinistic groups that have emerged within this broader majority. Since the hymns and songs used in Christian worship are widely shared across denominational lines, it is not surprising that many popular Christian songs come from dedicated Calvinists. In many cases the doctrinal distinctives of Calvinism do not emerge in the lyrics of a song, even if the

August 25, 2012

Christian Standard

The Half-Inch Solution

By Daniel Schantz One of my Bible college students came flying out of chapel, shielding her eyes with her hand. “Are you OK?” I asked. She shook her head. “It”s the music””it”s so loud it gives me headaches.” I can”t tell you how many times I have heard church members say, “Sometimes I just hate going to church because the music is so loud.” It”s not the type of music they are objecting to so much as the volume. Solve the volume problem and I strongly suspect the worship wars would soon die down. Music ministers seem to think that

August 2, 2012

Christian Standard

What Do You Say about Church Music?

By Randy Gariss Within the American church, few topics have brought out more absurdity, immaturity, and blind passion than the discussion of “what shall the music in our worship services be like?” Of course, there are exceptions, but if one listens to the discussion in blogs, small groups, church hallways, and around Christian family dinner tables, let”s just say our finest behavior is seldom on display when we are discussing worship music. Why has the style of music in a worship service been such a lightning rod for disagreement? What has caused this issue to tower over the landscape of

April 23, 2012

Christian Standard

Church Hosts Special Services for “˜Transitionals”

By Jennifer Taylor   Because of its warm winters, Florida has a large population “in transition”””people without steady jobs or permanent housing. Since last summer, First Christian Church in Kissimmee has worked to connect with this group in new ways. Each Sunday afternoon, FCC holds a worship service designed especially for the transitional individuals in their community. Around 80 people attend this Community Outreach Service, which includes music led by a praise team and a sermon by preacher Jim Book or another member of the staff. The church provides coffee and refreshments for 30 minutes before each service and treats

October 5, 2011

Christian Standard

Rethinking Our Delivery

By Mark A. Taylor It is nearly impossible to go anywhere or do anything these days unaccompanied by a soundtrack. Sometimes I wish they”d just turn off the music. I mean, I don”t really need to hear the latest hit blaring out of a two-inch speaker at the pump where I get gas. More often than not, I”d rather just talk to my meal mates than try to shout over the rhythm and bass blaring from the restaurant sound system. And I suspect the upbeat tempos I hear in most grocery and department stores have been scientifically proven to prompt

February 8, 2011

Christian Standard

Free for All

By Jennifer Taylor Each year, thousands of people in the Peoria, Arizona, area experience the death of a family member””but only 13 percent attend any kind of church. Christ”s Church of the Valley extends the love of Christ by providing funerals for these unchurched people””at no cost to grieving families. CCV senior pastor Don Wilson began the program and lead neighborhood pastor Bob Fesmire leads it. “For many people, a death is their first experience with church, and it can involve a lot of expenses,” Fesmire says. “We have space dedicated to the services and provide the pastor, the music,

January 1, 2011

Christian Standard

Playing It Forward for Families, Churches

By Jennifer Taylor The team from Cartwheels & Coffee has been asked to open new locations in Colorado, Kentucky, and even Portugal. “The best ideas come from creative solutions to problems,” says Chris Barras, lead pastor at Area 10 Faith Community (Richmond, Virginia). The idea was doubling the use of a rented space to both minimize costs and maximize community engagement. When Barras and his team planted Area 10 in 2008, they were fortunate to score the famous Byrd Theatre as a meeting place. But the location had no room for a children”s ministry. “We wanted to have low overhead

August 11, 2010

Christian Standard

Remember Your Baptism, Teach About Baptism

By Mark A. Taylor More than a year ago, Bruce Shields encouraged readers, “Remember Your Baptism” (March 1, 2009). His wonderful essay sheds light on our discussion of children and baptism published last week and finished in this issue. A few lines from the conclusion of his piece:   When life seems to be too hard for you to remain true to what you know is right, remember your baptism. When friends urge you to loosen up and go the way of the world, remember your baptism. When memories of guilt assail you in the night, remember your baptism. When the

January 20, 2010

Christian Standard

Don”t Let Us Forget

By Mark A. Taylor When I was a young parent, I cared a great deal about the children”s ministry at my church. Every week I asked my kids what they”d learned in their classes. I fretted over the issue of child care vs. Bible teaching for young children. I questioned whether lessons were appropriate for their ages. When I was a Christian education staff member at my church, I gave a great deal of attention to children”s ministry. I struggled to find enough workers, and the right workers. I labored over choices of curriculum. I tried to figure out how

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