A Challenge

Recently I posted some recordings of my band doing other people's songs. A friend told me he thought that might be breaking the law. "What?" I thought. "Thousands of people have posted songs on YouTube, and I can't post a recording on my blog?" Anyway, I wrote the proper contacts about it, and found out that each song was owned partially by so and so, and partially by someone else; that I needed to pay one company $30 annually for posting it on the web, and another company another sum for the "mechanical rights" to record the song in the first place. One song company (Hillsong) outright denied me the right to place it on my blog because they said they can't be held responsible for what goes on my blog, and that having their song here would seem to suggest that they promote whatever material I post here. The letter implied that they've been burned in the past by this.

Anyway, I've put out a challenge to my bandmates to write a worship song that meets two criteria. The song has to be 1) congregational (i.e., singable, melodically accessible), and 2) the text must be a passage of Scripture.

Some have already stepped up to the challenge. We'll see the results in the New Year. The goal is to record the songs, place them on the church's web and here, and sing the songs regularly in worship.

We'll let you know how it goes!

The Golden Compass

A good review of the Pullman's trilogy, and some suggestions for response. Thankfully, Mohler (who has read the trilogy and seen the movie) doesn't say to protest or boycott. Instead, he says "I can assure Christians that we face a real challenge -- one that will require careful thinking and intellectual engagement."
Read the rest here: The Golden Compass -- A Briefing for Concerned Christians

Addressing One Another in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs

My friend Bob Kauflin has done it again. Read his thoughts on what are just about the only straight-forward instructions regarding worship in the New Testament.

Addressing One Another in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs | Worship Matters