Church music |
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Vain repetition? - 30 March 2011
Modern Christian ‘choruses’ are sometimes attacked for being repetitive.
There are, no doubt, many legitimate criticisms of modern Christian songs, but I’m not so sure about this one. If you read through the book of Psalms, you’ll pretty soon lose count of the number of times something is repeated.
For example, check out all that ‘Praise the LORD’ stuff in Psalms 146-150. OK, OK, we heard you the first time. And how many times do we need to be told that ‘his steadfast love endures forever’ (Psalm 136)? Lots, apparently. And why isn’t just ‘Amen’ enough (Psalms 41, 72, 89)? Dunno, but that’s just the way it is.
Not all repetition, it seems, is vain.
Cartoon sex for kids - 15 March 2010
A few days ago we saw another sign of our nation’s growing hostility to the gospel – further confirmation of the timeliness of the forthcoming Emmanuel Evangelical Church Family Conference, this coming Saturday, 20 March (at which, incidentally, spaces are still available).
According to Christian Voice, “The Daily Mail has reported that a class of seven and eight-year-olds were made to watch a cartoon showing a couple chasing each other around a bed and having sex.”
One mother commented, “The cartoon was very graphic. My daughter was frightened and children have unfortunately been copying what they have seen.” The video is available on YouTube, but you’ll need to have an account to view it as it has been flagged as containing material regarded as “inappropriate” for some users.
Further information from the Christian Voice website.
Those who live by the sword… - 15 May 2009
The MPs’ expenses scandal rumbles on, and prompts a couple of reflections.
First, the idea of secret things being exposed should not be terribly surprising. After all, Scripture teaches that on the Last Day everything will be exposed before the eyes of all. The Last Judgment is not a chance for God to figure out what to do, but rather for him to expose our deeds (and thoughts and words) publicly, so as to vindicate his righteousness by announcing and presenting evidence for the verdict he will by then have passed over each and every one of us (remember Jn 3:18 – God’s verdict entails condemnation or justification now). Blanchard: ‘The primary purpose of the Day of Judgement is to display to the entire universe the glory of God’s character’. Of the many biblical texts that could be cited, consider 1 Corinthians 3:13 for starters: ‘each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it’. (cf. 1 Cor 4:5; Heb 4:13; etc.)
So, the exposure of these particular acts of dishonesty (if, in fact, they were dishonest) is merely a foretaste of the eschatological revelation of all things. If some MPs are feeling a little uncomfortable now, how much more should every unbeliever be sweating as the days tick away toward the Lord’s return.
Note also that the the Lord has brought to light these misdeeds (again, assuming they were, in fact, misdeeds) through what (it has been claimed) are the sinful actions of other people. Apparently whoever leaked the figures (may have?) committed (or, at least, so it is alleged by some) an offence.
No surprise here either. The Lord makes a habit of bringing one ungodly bunch of crooks down to earth by raising up another crowd of no-goods against them. Think of Babylon and Persia. Or Proverbs 17:11: ‘An evil man seeks only rebellion, and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.’
The inadequacy of law - 23 April 2009
The every-insightful Jam Cary speaks a lot of sense about the inadequacy of law, and the corresponding necessity of the gospel, to restrain evil and promote the good.