[embed]https://youtu.be/8S5QSFcLAlg[/embed]   There is a growing revival of modern hymn-writing and congregational singing taking place in the church today. Bob Kauflin and Sovereign Grace Music have contributed to this revival with biblically-rich, gospel-saturated, Christ-exalting music. I met Bob Kauflin a few years ago, through his son and my friend, Devon Kauflin. From our first conversations, we discussed our concern that doctrinally sound music should not be handcuffed to a particular cultural style. I remember Bob sharing his desire to do a cross-cultural project of Sovereign Grace Music. Neither of us knew the Lord would make us partners in this endeavor. In...

On Thursday, February 28, 2019, the Shiloh Church Choir will record a live worship CD with Bob Kauflin and Sovereign Grace Music. I was introduced to Sovereign Grace Music years ago, while I still served in Los Angeles. I met Bob Kauflin some years ago, as we served in a conference together. Our introduction and budding friendship involved many fruitful discussions about the gospel, corporate worship, and music. In the providence of God, those conversations led to an opportunity for our respective ministries to do something together to serve the larger church. I am grateful and excited that the Shiloh...

A Guest Post by Joe Pace Colossians 3:16 teaches us that there is an undeniable relationship between the preaching/teaching ministry and music ministry in our worship.  “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Now to be clear, you can sing without the Word; you can play an instrument well without the Word; you can talk without the Word; BUT you simply cannot worship without the Word!  It is only with the truth of God’s word that...

The following is a guest post by Joe Pace who is the Pastor of Worship & Arts at the Shiloh Church, where I serve as Pastor-Teacher. WHAT’S THE WORD ON WORSHIP? Colossians 3:16 tells us that there is an inextricable link between the preaching/teaching ministry and music ministry in our worship. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” To be even more clear: YOU JUST CAN’T WORSHIP WITHOUT THE WORD!! [Tweet "YOU JUST CAN’T WORSHIP WITHOUT THE WORD!!"]...

As a boy, I looked forward to the annual 24-hour preaching marathon, hosted by Pastor Rocellia Johnson and the Bethany Baptist Church of West Los Angeles. Yep. You read it right. A 24-hour preaching marathon. There would be preaching on the hour. My friends and I tried to hear every sermon. Bethany’s church facilities were severely damaged by the Northridge earthquake in 1994, ending the annual marathon. But I will never forget the great sermons I heard there over the years. The late Timothy M. Chambers, Jr. preached one memorable sermon at the event. The son of a well-respected preacher,...

Welcome to the 2nd installment of our new feature called Word & Worship. While I truly believe that “The heart of Christian worship is the authentic preaching of the Word of God.”—Dr. Al Mohler, Colossians 3:16 tells us that there is an undeniable link between the preaching/teaching ministry and music ministry in our worship.  Our goal through these specific posts is to offer biblical guidance and practical help in dealing with the relationship between music and preaching in corporate worship. In this installment, Pastor Joe Pace and I discuss the challenges with what have, in some cases, become behavioral norms...

We are beginning a new feature here called, WORD & WORSHIP. It will consist of articles, reviews, and videos by me and my ministerial colleague, Joe Pace, who serves as the Pastor of Worship & Arts at the Shiloh Church. Our goal is to offer biblical guidance and practical help in the dealing with the relationship between music and preaching in corporate worship. We believe music in worship should extend and support the teaching ministry of the church (Colossians 3:16). And we hope to help teaching pastors and music ministers to strike the proper balance for the edification of the saints and...

“I’m taking back everything the Devil stole from me!”  Have you ever heard this statement? Have you ever made this statement? Have you ever thought about what this statement means? Spiritual catchphrases. Theological sound bites. Pulpit ear tickling. Harmful error set to beautiful music. Nonsense. These things are the order of the day. Consequently, many of our lives and churches are preoccupied with superficial things, rather than the God-centered, Christ-exalting, Spirit-empowered, life-transforming, and culture-engaging mission and message of the gospel. For instance, there is a popular "Gospel" song that declares God to be faithful and holy. But the response to...

When I bought, Marva J. Dawn's book on worship, Reaching Out without Dumbing down, I jumped to chapter 9 to read it first, because of its provocative title: "Worship Ought to Kill Us: The Word." When I finished that chapter, it took me some time to get back to the book. I needed to pull myself together. As startling as this statement sounds, it really is an understatement. (By the way, we live in a day when we need truth stated in startling ways to get us to pay attention to divine realities that we have become too familiar with.)...

Over the past several weeks, I have been listening to this snippet of Blanche McAllister-Dykes singing "I Love You, Lord" when I need to refocus. She is a former member of the Tri-City Singers. And she led "These Nails" on the finale album. Beyond that, this sister can just flat out sing. And the good and sovereign God she is singing to is truly worthy of our love, praise, and devotion! "I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as...

As the Apostle Paul spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, there was a group of religious zealots (scholars call them "Judaizers") who followed him around "correcting" his teachings. These Judaizers contended that true salvation required both faith in Jesus Christ and adherence to the Mosaic Law of the Old Testament, particularly circumcision. Over and over again, Paul had to proclaim and defend the fact that God saves sinners by grace through faith in Christ, plus or minus nothing. I sometimes wonder if these men were sincere guys who just had some of the facts wrong. But one thing is for...