Songs of Mercy & Justice in the Wake of Tragedy

This week our nation has experienced more tragedies. Both Philando Castile and Alton Sterling were shot by police, and both incidences were caught on camera, allowing for everyone to witness what happened. These men were victims. The black community is outraged. Much of the nation is outraged. The church should be outraged at the systemic racism and injustice that still pervades our society, These systemic problems are, at least in part, to blame for such incidences occurring far too frequently.  

Others have written far more eloquently than I can about this. I would direct your attention to Russell Moore's article here. Dr. Moore helpfully points out that sin is the root cause of these tragedies. Sin has a systemic side and a personal side, and the church needs to call out sin for what it is, whether it is systemic or personal, or both. Micah 6:8 says, *"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." 

In humility, those who love Christ, should stand up for justice and mercy. Anytime something awful happens, such as the death of an Alton Sterling or a Philando Castile, I am driven to prayer. One of the ways my prayers are shaped is through music. I just want to share a few songs that might aid others in praying for justice and mercy in the wake of horrific tragedies.

1. "Does Your Heart Break" by The Brilliance

This is a truly gut-wrenching song. The verses are taken from two stories of tragedy. The first verse is about the children who went hungry and died because of the fall of Jerusalem. The second verse is about Eric Garner, the black New Yorker who was choked to death by a police officer in December of 2014. The chorus is perhaps the most gut-wrenching part of the song, though, as it asks of God, "Does your heart break?" This is either a rhetorical question or one of the most intensely serious questions anyone can ask of God... and even if you have a firm belief in God's love and think it is a rhetorical question, tragedy can really make you ponder the severity and yearning in the query.

In the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, people ask all the time, "God, where are you?" "How long will you be far off from us?" "How long will you sit and do nothing?" "Are we not your people? Do you love us?" I often skip past those questions, because I am focused on the New Testament perspective of the promises being fulfilled and God's love being poured out through Christ.... yet those questions have their place. As I was reading Isaiah 64:12 this morning, I realized that God can take it when we pray things like: "God, I know you are loving. But are you seeing this???? Please do something..."

If you want to hear more thoughts about this, I did preach a sermon on Matthew 11 recently, and would be happy to send you a link to the recording. Part of the lyrics for the chorus of this song are taken from Matthew 11.

2. "Kyrie Eleison" by Keith & Kristyn Getty

This song is much more upbeat, but the lyrics are still profound. It is written for corporate worship by some of the greatest hymn-writers living today (if not the greatest), which makes it especially useful for the church. We need to be singing songs like this that call us to prayer and action.

The refrain of the song uses an ancient church text: "Kyrie Eleison, Christe Eleison," meaning "Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy." Growing up as a Baptist, I used to think singing "kyrie eleison," was only for Catholics or some other group of non-fervent-New-Testament-believing Christians. I don't think so anymore. Although, for some, repeating "Christ have mercy," over and over again has turned into meaningless ritual for personal confession, the prayer itself is very meaningful. Its use is not limited to personal confession of sin. We can also pray it corporately or on behalf of someone else. In fact, sometimes in the wake of tragedy we have no words. No words come to mind that can really fit the situation. In such situations, I find that "Christ, have mercy," (or "Even so, come Lord Jesus," which I will talk about next) is the best thing to pray.

There are other great settings of this text. Here is one by The Brilliance: "Prayers of the People." 

3. "Even So Come" by Chris Tomlin, Jess Cates, and Jason Ingram (as made famous by Kristian Stanfill and Passion)

I was so excited when I discovered such a profoundly biblical song written and recorded by a mainstream CCM/worship artist. This song comes from the early church's cry of, "Maranatha!" ("Even so, Come, Lord Jesus!"-Revelation 22:20). Creation is groaning for Christ to come again. Our hearts groan for his return and our redemption. Our hearts groan all the more in the wake of tragedy, because we know he is going to fix this mess and take away all sin, tears, mourning, and death. I am currently planning on teaching this song to our congregation this fall.

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It seems like there are more and more tragedies occurring each and every day (just think: Ferguson, Charleston, Paris, Orlando). We the church have the responsibility, the opportunity, and the privilege to be the ones offering hope. We can pray for justice and we can walk humbly and we can love mercy and seek all these things in Jesus' name.

*There is a great song based on Micah 6:8 called "You Have Shown Us."

Worship Song Highlight: "Christ is Risen"

On Sunday, the choir and I introduced “Christ is Risen” to the congregation at First Baptist Church of Farmersville. “Christ is Risen” was written in 2009 by Matt Maher and Mia Fieldes, and released on Maher’s 2009 album “Alive Again.” “Christ is Risen” has been one of my favorite worship songs since I introduced it to the congregation at First Baptist Church Marlin, Texas, in 2011. You can listen to the song on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IExdrZGQVeI

Matt Maher was born in the same province as my wife: Newfoundland, Canada. He later moved to Arizona with his family and studied jazz piano at Arizona State University. Rich Mullins helped disciple Maher early on in his Christian walk and connected him with some other Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) artists. Today, Maher is one of the leading songwriters in CCM, and has co-written with basically everyone, including Chris Tomlin, David Crower, Matt Redman, Jason Ingram, Kari Jobe, and Michael W. Smith. Some of his other well-known songs include "Your Grace is Enough," "Lord I Need You," and "All the People Said Amen." For "Christ is Risen," Maher teamed up with Mia Fieldes, who was on the Hillsong worship team for ten years before moving to Nashville, Tennessee.

There are several reasons why I think this is a great congregational worship song. The opening piano riff always captures my attention. I love playing and singing the song. I also find the pairing of the words and the way the music epically builds in the bridge to be one of the most satisfying combinations of text and music in contemporary worship music. Yet I think the greatest strength of this song is its central theme: “Christ is risen from the dead.”

The resurrection is the key tenet of the Christian faith. We should sing about it, not just on Easter, but all year long. “Christ is Risen” is a great song for any week of the year, because it highlights several effects of the resurrection that we should celebrate.

1.     Because of the resurrection, we can have freedom from sin, new life, and release from guilt and shame.

These words from the first verse are reminiscent of Hebrew 12:1-2:

“Let no one caught in sin remain

Inside the lie of inward shame

But fix our eyes upon the cross and

Run to Him who showed great love.”

Ephesians 5:14 says, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." The chorus paraphrases this scripture by saying,            

"Christ is risen from the dead, trampling over death by death

Come awake, come awake, come and rise up from the grave.”

2.     Because of the resurrection, death has been defeated.

Both the chorus and bridge dwell on this idea. The chorus says, “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling over death by death.” The bridge quotes Hosea 13:14 and 1 Corinthians 15:55 with the lines, “O death, where is your sting? O hell, where is your victory?” Truly, “Death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Cor. 15:54) because of the work of Christ.

3.     Jesus proved that He is ruler of the universe by His resurrection.

The second verse in particular talks about Jesus’ power, how He overcame all obstacles to fulfill the Father’s plan, and how He is now reigning:

“Beneath the weight of all our sin,

You bowed to none but heaven’s will.

No scheme of hell, no scoffer’s crown,

No burden great can hold You down.

In strength You reign.

Forever let Your church proclaim.”

4.   Because of the resurrection, we can be one with God again. We can fellowship with Him, which is His greatest desire, and our greatest joy.                 

The second half of the chorus states, "Christ is risen from the dead, We are one with Him again." Jesus prayed for all believers to be one with each other, one with Him, and one with the Father in His high priestly prayer. In John 17:21, Jesus prayed, "that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me." Furthermore, reconciliation or restoration is one of the key themes of the atonement. In 2 Corinthians 5:18, Paul talks about the ministry of reconciliation: "All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation."

One mark of a great worship song is that it contains concise, memorable statements about theology. With a few carefully chosen words, “Christ is Risen” reminds us of many significant scriptures. In other words, it is "portable theology." If you don't already know and love this song, I hope that you will come to do so.

Worship Song Highlight: "Speak, O Lord"

Like the last worship song highlight I wrote (which discussed Rend Collective’s Build Your Kingdom Here), this blog post features a song with roots in Northern Ireland. The modern hymn “Speak, O Lord,” was cowritten by Keith Getty, who hails from Northern Ireland, and Stuart Townend, who is from West Yorkshire, UK. Keith and Kristyn Getty recorded this song on their album “In Christ Alone” in 2006. Notably, the title track from that album was the first song that Getty and Townend cowrote and is the most widely sung hymn written in this century.

Getty and Townend wrote “Speak, O Lord” to open a service, precede the sermon, or follow the sermon. I have used it most often in worship as the song immediately before the sermon. Getty said that he envisioned the hymn as a “prayer of illumination,” similar to what was spoken in numerous liturgies of old. Townend wanted the song to stir believers to heed the word just spoken when departing from worship. Aspects of the text make it very suitable to sing both in preparation for the sermon and as a response after the sermon.

As I sing this song, I am reminded of the story of young Samuel in the temple. After hearing God call several times, Samuel responded, “Speak, for your servant is listening” (1 Sam. 3:10). In other places throughout the Bible, the writers pray for help to perceive the Lord’s voice through his Word and be taught from it. For example, Psalm 119:18 says, “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.”

When singing this hymn, the entire congregation can pray together for God to speak and for our ears and eyes to be open to learn from Him. We also have the opportunity to sing about the power of God’s Word to transform, strengthen, convict, and build up the church. Some of my favorite lines come from the third verse, which states, “Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds,” echoing Romans 12:2. Later it says, “And by grace we’ll stand on Your promises, and by faith we’ll walk as You walk with us,” echoing 2 Corinthians 5:7.

The fact is that every time the church is gathered, the Bible is opened, and the Word is preached, God is speaking to His people. His goal is to reveal His will to us so that we may live for His glory. The question is: what is our goal when we hear the Word? “Speak, O Lord,” is a prayer for those who earnestly desire to be hearers and doers of the Word, and who seek to be transformed through the power of Christ to live for His glory.

Here is a YouTube link to the Getty recording of “Speak, O Lord”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubRlJj8xkds

Here is an interview about the song from the Worship Together.com New Song Café: http://www.gettymusic.com/hymns-speakolord.aspx

Worship Song Highlight: "Build Your Kingdom Here"

For some time now, Rend Collective (formerly Rend Collective Experiment) has been one of my favorite modern worship bands. Hailing from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland, this folk/indie group came together in a truly organic fashion as a spiritual and musical community. Rend Collective had already written several excellent worship songs before they released their hit album "Campfire" in 2013. Perhaps their most well-known and frequently sung worship song is "Build Your Kingdom Here," which was originally recorded on "Homemade Worship by Handmade People" (2012) before being re-recorded in complete folk fashion on the "Campfire" album.

I am so excited to introduce "Build Your Kingdom Here" to the congregation of First Baptist Church of Farmersville this Sunday, July 5th, 2015. "Build Your Kingdom Here" is a corporate prayer set to an infectious melody with an energetic, driving folk beat. It would be worth listening to in your car and playing on your guitar at home purely for the musical enjoyment. Yet most importantly, the music is paired with incredibly profound, meaningful, and timely lyrics, making it valuable for use in the church's worship.

The song is filled with expressions from Jesus' teaching and parables about the kingdom of God. The chorus itself is derived from the Lord's Prayer, in which Jesus taught the disciples to pray, "Let your kingdom come, let your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven" (Matt. 6:10, ESV). Verse two takes Jesus' command in Matthew 6:33 ("Seek first the kingdom of God") and turns it into a declaration of faith ("we seek your kingdom first"). Verse two also says, "To see the captive hearts released; the hurt, the sick, the poor at peace," alluding to Luke 4:18-19, in which Jesus publicly announces his ministry by reading from Isaiah 61. There is also mention of the "kingdom seed," which refers to the parable of the mustard seed (Matt. 13:31-32).

By using these scriptures as the basis for a prayer song, the overarching theme of the song is the advancement of God's reign in Christ through the church. It is clear in the Bible that God's ongoing and ever-increasing reign is fundamentally important. Scripture teaches that God's reign is "already" and "not yet," which creates a tension that is difficult for us to balance and comprehend. Sometimes Christian hymnody has stressed the "not yet" part of God's kingdom through songs about the "sweet by and by" and "going home to Jordan." However, there is a real need to sing about God's present reign, and "Build Your Kingdom Here" is perhaps the best song I can think of addressing that need for the modern church.

One final note about this song is that it has encouraged me to engage in both domestic and international missions. A line in the chorus says, "Win this nation back." Tomorrow we are singing this in church, and I can't imagine a better thought for us on July 4th weekend than that we want to see Christ win our nation for him. Yet I've also heard a church alter the lyrics and sing, "Win the nations back." When I was visiting the Church at Brook Hills on David Platt's penultimate Sunday as pastor, the congregation sang that altered version, and it really struck me as a prayer that is just as important. We want to see Christ win our nation back, and ultimately, we want to see all nations come to him.

Jesus gave the church the mission of expanding his reign on earth until he returns. Christ hasn't returned yet, so the mission is still ongoing. We are to keep asking him to build his kingdom here, and we are to keep reminding each other that we are the hope for the earth because of Christ in us. I hope this song captures our attention and encourages us to pray all the more, "Come set your rule and reign in our hearts again . . . build your kingdom here."

Here is a music video of the song, complete with the band members playing various folk instruments, including the 'jingling johnny': "Build Your Kingdom Here" music video.

Worship Song Highlight: "Behold Our God"

The past two weeks at FBC Farmersville, we have introduced a congregational song called "Behold Our God" by Sovereign Grace Music. Many in our congregation have responded well to this song and have asked me who wrote it and if they could purchase it on iTunes. The song is available on two albums. The original track was recorded on the album "Risen" and is available here. The song was also recorded on a compilation album of covers of Sovereign Grace songs and is available here.

"Behold Our God" is by Jonathan Baird, Meghan Baird, Ryan Baird, and Stephen Altrogge of Sovereign Grace Music, a group of musicians dedicated to "encouraging biblically informed, heartfelt, Spirit-empowered singing in the church." Much of the song lyrics are paraphrased from Isaiah 40:

"Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him..." (Is. 40:10, ESV)

"Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span... Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel? Who 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?" (vv. 12-14)

"To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him?" (v. 18)

Not only do the lyrics paraphrase Isaiah 40, but in Isaac Watts fashion, they also present Jesus, the Messiah, as the LORD God of whom the prophet Isaiah speaks. The combination of Old Testament and New Testament in this worship song create a powerful declaration of our faith in the Trinitarian God. When the gathered church sings this song, we declare that we adore our God, who is "Jesus, Savior, risen now to reign." 

Sovereign Grace Music is affiliated with the Sovereign Grace network of churches and is directed by Bob Kauflin, author of Worship Matters.

Sing About the Gospel

            This month, I have enjoyed some extra time to think and reflect on many things. I just graduated from Southwestern Baptist Seminary with a degree in church music and am in transition between music ministry positions, so I have naturally spent many hours pondering worship music, my calling, my preferences, and my philosophy. Really, I reflect on these things all the time.

            Although I relish studying and discussing the nuances of theology and worship, I desire to explain some of my most fundamental beliefs about church music in this blog. In doing so, my hope is that those who know me from places like Grace Baptist Church in Fort Worth will find these words in agreement with my practices as a worship leader and in everyday life. I also hope that my new church family at First Baptist Church in Farmersville, TX, will be encouraged and come to know a little bit more about what I believe.

            Most of those who know me know that I don't have a worship music style preference. I don't take a side in any contemporary vs. traditional debates because I actually prefer using both. Furthermore, I believe Christians shouldn't be known by the style of music they sing, but by what they sing about. Christians should sing about the gospel. I'll talk more about this later, but whether a church sings more songs by Isaac Watts or Chris Tomlin doesn't matter, as long as they're singing the best songs which most clearly proclaim and celebrate the gospel. Our selection of worship songs should take into serious consideration the principles that worship is a response to the gospel, is a reminder of the gospel, and is a proclamation of the gospel.

            First of all, worship is a response to the gospel. In Romans 12:1, Paul says, "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship" (ESV). He is teaching that our sacrifice of worship is a response to God's mercy. We worship and we live for Christ because of his mercy and through his mercy. We do not initiate this sacrifice. Christ initiated our worship by his sacrifice, and when we sing, we respond out of an overwhelming sense of gratitude.

            Secondly, worship should be a reminder of the gospel. The author of Hebrews exhorts us not to "neglect meeting together" (Heb 10:25, ESV), but to encourage one another to love and good deeds. Therefore, everything about corporate worship, from the structure and flow of the service, to the songs selected, to the preaching, should inspire us to live according to the gospel. As for song selection, Paul says in Colossians 3:16 to "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God" (NASB). The most highly recommended worship songs according to the Bible are those which are filled with Scripture, and consequently, brimming with the gospel.

            By the way, the gospel isn't just for non-believers. Believers need to be reminded of the gospel daily. Many believers don't remind themselves of the gospel as much as they should, and as a result, worship on Sunday morning may be one of the few times during the week they are reminded of the glorious grace of the gospel. Two of my favorite writers, Bob Kauflin (author of Worship Matters) and Bryan Chapell (author of Christ-Centered Worship) both assert that we should sing about the gospel to remind ourselves and each other of its significance.

            Finally, worship should be a proclamation of the gospel. Hebrews 13:15 says, "Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess to His name" (NASB). Different translations use different words for the action of our lips, including "confess," "profess," "acknowledge," and "give thanks." The point, however, is the same. When we worship Christ, we are proclaiming to each other and to the world that Christ is our Lord and Savior.

            These types of principles are what guide my selection of worship songs more than anything else. I greatly prefer songs which declare the attributes and acts of God, tell the gospel story, confess our need for Christ, and praise God in response to his marvelous grace and forgiveness. There are other criteria for selecting songs as well, but I think the text is the most important. So that is why I can love a hymn such as "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross," (Isaac Watts) as much as I love the worship song, "Christ is Risen" (Matt Maher). There are a thousand lesser things to sing about in this world, but I want my church to sing about the gospel.

Worship Songs: Select the Best

There are so many worship songs out there! How do you pick which ones to sing? What criteria should be considered when picking worship songs?

I'm presenting a breakout session this Friday, April 10th, at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary for the Student Praise Band attendees at the Youth Lab conference about this very topic. Please read my thoughts, and if you have a few minutes, rate some worship songs using my 24 point system and share your ratings and opinions!

It is very easy to simply select songs with which you are familiar or you like a lot! However, just because you "know" a song or you really "like" it, doesn't mean it is the best song for you to sing in public worship with your Bible study group, youth group, or at your Sunday morning church service. I am going to describe six criteria which you should consider when choosing songs.

Text Criteria-

1. Theology 

Key question: "Is this text a faithful expression of biblical truth?"

                a. Is it true to Scripture b. Is it theologically precise? c. Is it gospel-centered?

2. Craftsmanship

                a. Does the text make sense? b. Positively: are the lyrics creative, fresh, timeless? Do they rhyme well? Exhibit poetic strength? c. Negatively: are the lyrics distracting, controversial, or hokey?

3. Appropriateness (mainly a textual criteria, although also a musical criteria)

                a. Does the song express your church's theology? #1 example: Many contemporary Christian songs express Charismatic/Pentecostal theology. This is fine if that fits your church, but be careful if it does not. b. Is the text written for corporate worship? Is it reverent? (even celebratory, upbeat songs should have a certain amount of reverence) 

Musical Criteria-

1. Singability

                a. Range -Is it too high for normal people to be able to sing? -If so, consider changing to a lower key. b. Melody -Does it have awkward skips, or nice and easy steps and skips? c. Rhythm -Is it too syncopated or irregular to be easily grasped?  d. Is it congregational or soloistic?

2. Accessibility

                a. Would your youth group or congregation want to sing it? b. There is a difference between immediacy and accessibility, because sometimes you have to learn to enjoy good things, ie. vegetables, hymns.

3. Craftsmanship

                a. Melody b. Harmony c. Interest d. Fit (Does the music fit the text in mood and syllabic stress?) "The primary purpose of music in the worship context is to express right affections to the Lord as we hear and respond to truth." (Dr. Scott Aniol, SWBTS)

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Using a four-point rating system for each of the six criterion, you can rate songs on a 24-point scale. 

4- Excellent      3- Good      2- Fair      1- Poor

Obviously, your ratings of songs will still be somewhat subjective. Yet I think this system, or at least an awareness of these criteria, could be helpful for students or adults who must select worship songs. 

Now, I'm interested in hearing your opinions about a few songs. Let's say you were choosing between three fairly well-known contemporary songs focused on salvation/the work of Christ/salvation to introduce to your youth group or congregation. How would you rate these songs? Which would you choose to introduce? Please tell me your ratings on the 24 point scale for one or all of the following songs:

"At the Cross" (Love Ran Red) -Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash, Jonas Myrin, Matt Armstrong, Matt Redman

"Man of Sorrows" -Brooke Ligertwood and Matt Crocker of Hillsong

"Mercy" -Matt Redman and Jonas Myrin

Lecrae's "Outsiders" and Jay-Z's "Holy Grail": An Accidental Comparison

Warning: Jay-Z's music is very explicit. I do not endorse his music. This "accidental comparison" is a humbly offered cultural analysis comparing two songs with similar music but completely opposite worldviews.

I know I am two months behind the times, but last week I started listening to Christian rapper Lecrae's newest album Anomaly. As I listened to the first track, "Outsiders," I couldn't help but recognize the similarities between it and Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake's song, "Holy Grail."

The similarities include:

• Both songs are the first tracks on their respective albums, which both debuted at No. 1 overall on the Billboard 200 chart
• Both songs are in d minor and feature a prominent piano introduction
• The intro for "Outsiders" is 1'05" which is just slightly shorter than the 1'19" intro for "Holy Grail"
• After the opening singing section, the rapper enters
• Both songs are essentially a declaration of identity in spite of criticism or hardship

The fact that the songs sound similar (listen to both if you want to see for yourself), AND have a similar theme is incredibly interesting. Jay-Z is rapping about his love/hate relationship with his fans, but how he is going to keep rapping despite all the negative things he has to face. I think he finds his identity grounded in his rap and his money. In Lecrae's rap, he talks about how living out his Christian faith, especially in the midst of the hip-hop industry, has caused him to become an "outsider." He would definitely assert that his identity is grounded in Christ.

I don't know how intentional the similarities were on Lecrae's part (because his song came second). However, I do know that he is very deliberate and thoughtful about his art. If you want to read more about his goal as a rapper, check out this insightful blog he wrote in 2012: http://reachrecords.com/blog/post/Church-Clothes-Purpose-Passion-Progression

I welcome any thoughts or discussion regarding this comparison. I may be completely off in claiming there are any similarities in the music and theme of the lyrics. However, I think that both men, like every human, deal with the struggle for identity. They fleshed out their individual struggles in these respective songs in similar, yet completely different ways.

Background on Augustine's Conversion (October 17 premier)

           Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) was one of the most influential theologians in all of history. He helped articulate the doctrine of original sin, and his influential writings, including City of God and Confessions, are still read widely today. An order of monks was named after him, a type of grass prevalent in South Texas is called "St. Augustine grass," and several different philosophies and theologies are described as being "Augustinian."

            St. Augustine's testimony is a powerfully encouraging story. I suggest reading his auto-biography, Confessions, in which he not only shares his testimony, but also articulately describes spiritual realities we all experience. Augustine's Confessions has a way of speaking to people because it so raw. He tells the story of how God called him out of a life of unrepentant sin and into a life of beautiful holiness. The account of his garden conversion is particularly gripping. As far as I know, this story has never been set to music in a major work.

            I used texts straight from Henry Chadwick's English translation of Confessions in my work, Augustine's Conversion. The six movements follow the narrative and seek to musically express the life change process which Augustine underwent. The following is a chart describing each movement:

          The message of Augustine's Conversion is a relevant message for all times, but it seems particularly important to emphasize in our day and age. The message is that sin is real, it keeps people in darkness, but there is light and salvation available in Jesus Christ. We all struggle with sin and need a Savior. This message is also echoed in the other pieces in my recital program, including metrical psalm settings of Psalm 30 and Psalm 32, my arrangement of "Alas and Did My Savior Bleed," a new piece entitled, "Heir of Endless Love," which is adapted from a prayer entitled, "The Precious Blood," from the Valley of Vision puritan prayers book, and my original worship song, "You Sought Me."

            I am so excited to premier Augustine's Conversion! All are invited to the recital on Friday, October 17th, at 7:30 pm at Reynolds Recital Hall in the Cowden Music Building on the campus of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

New Writing Project: Metrical Psalms

Inspired by studying early American church music, a new semester of composition lessons, and the challenge of a friend to write a choral piece utilizing a metrical psalm setting, I set out to write my first metrical psalm setting.

For those who don't know, a metrical psalm setting is when a Psalm is paraphrased and set into poetry which follows a rhyme and syllable scheme in such a way that it can be sung. 

The most famous metrical psalm tune is the OLD 100TH, which is the tune we commonly use for singing the doxology.  Metrical Psalms are similar to hymns, and utilize the same meters. Thus if you find a metrical psalm text, you could potentially sing it to a tune you know, such as NEW BRITAIN ("Amazing Grace") or NETTLETON ("Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.")

It is also interesting to note that some modern worship song writers have used hymnic structure and syllabic structure when writing songs you may never have equated with hymnody or psalmody. My favorite example is "Love Shines" by Aaron Ivey of the Austin Stone Church. The verses in the song are in common meter.

I decided to write my first metrical psalm text from Psalm 32. I used Common Meter, with the syllable structure of 8.6.8.6. Thus this text could be sung to many tunes, including AZMON ("O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing"), the tune for "Amazing Grace," the melody of the verses of "Love Shines," or the new tune I composed for this text which is not yet named. The text is as follows:

1 Blessed is the one whose deadly wrongs are completely forgiv'n,

the one for whom the blood of Christ was shed to cover sin.

2 Blessed is the one whom God no more looks down upon in wrath,

the one who through the Holy Spir't now walks the truthful path.

3 When I kept silent all day long,  my bones wasted away,

though I was quiet outwardly, I groaned inward all day.

4 For day and night I felt heavy  your hand upon my back,

it was as if the summer's heat all of my strength had sapped.

5 Then I confessed my sin to you  and my iniquity,

and as I exposed all my guilt, you heard and forgave me.

6 Thus let all godly ones pray to you while you may be found,

then when the mighty waters rise you'll keep them safe and sound.

7 You are my shelt'ring, hiding place when troubles do abound,

You sing to me deliverance songs, and guard me all around.

8 I will instruct and counsel you,  and teach you the right way,

Only do not be like the mule, who is slow to obey.

9 So many are the woes of those wicked and evil men,

but God shows his unfailing love to them who trust in him.

10 Rejoice with glad and upright hearts, the name of Jesus praise!

Sing gratefully, you righteous ones, our loudest anthem raise!  

Romans 12:2

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is- his good, pleasing, and perfect will." Romans 12:2

This verse follows my personal favorite verse in all of scripture, where Paul urges us to offer our bodies as "living sacrifices" as our true and proper act of worship.

Today I am contemplating this passage because it is the start of a new semester for me at seminary. Although school is difficult, I find a certain exhilaration when classes begin and my professors delve into the various topics we'll be covering in the course. This morning I already went to my first class and am excited to "renew my mind" in this particular class as I learn more about the history of American church music, and study how the debates going on today about worship have been going on for centuries.

Academic pursuits are just one way of "renewing the mind," but they are certainly incredibly fruitful. So I began contemplating the importance of Romans 12:2, and the various ways we are called to renew our minds. Here are three important ways to renew the mind that I have found spiritually beneficial:

1) Read and study

"To know wisdom and instruction,
    to understand words of insight" Proverbs 1:2

There is an entire book of the Bible which was written so people could read it and gain wisdom. Certainly the Bible is the most important book for us to read (point number 3 below), but there are so many other books which are fruitful reads too. I am not a big-time reader, but every time I do read a book to gain instruction in my Christian walk, daily living, musical knowledge, or other topics, I am incredibly blessed. Some of my favorite books are ones I have read for my own benefit, without anyone prompting me, but which deal with important topics I love- such as music and worship. These have even come in handy later when writer papers or discussing controversial issues!

2) Seek wise counsel 

"Without counsel plans fail,
    but with many advisers they succeed."  Proverbs 15:22

My father has shared this verse with me frequently, and I have taken it to heart. It is applicable in the context of education, because we should listen to teachers who are knowledgeable in their fields. It is applicable to those in the church, because we have the opportunity each week to listen to our pastors expound on the Word of God. It also applicable any time we need direction and advice. Multiple people can pray for us, and offer multiple opinions, which give a clearer picture. Every time I have needed to make a major decision in life, I have sought out the advice of peers, family, and older Christians whom I respect. In this manner, I have often gained a deeper and more well-rounded perspective on the situation. Sometimes the same advice keeps popping up from multiple voices, and I also have learned to pay attention when that occurs.

3) Seek the mind of Christ

"Have the same mind in you that is in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5

"I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
    in the night also my heart instructs me." Psalm 16:7 

"The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
    he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
The counsel of the Lord stands forever,
    the plans of his heart to all generations." Psalm 33:10-11 

Finally, it is of utmost importance to seek the Lord to renew our mind. We do this every day through Bible study and prayer, and we should do it every time we desire guidance and wisdom. Nothing can replace the habit of reading the Bible daily and submitting to God's authority.

These methods of renewing my mind are very important to the Christian walk. May we continue to seek the Lord, and use all of our faculties, including our mind, for His glory.