The Separation of Children and Church

"You can't just read the Bible to them!" "The sermon isn't for them." "It'll go over their heads!" "We have to introduce at least one new song every week - so they won't get bored." I am astounded every time I hear one of these statements, or ones like them. Typically, they come up in …

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Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs

What sort of songs should we be singing in worship? This debate has been going on for some time. I have known people who think this or that type of music should be sung and another that or this type. I have known people who refused to go to services because they played contemporary music. …

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Hymns: “All Glory, Laud, and Honor”

"All Glory, Laud, and Honor" is a hymn traditionally sung on Palm Sunday. Though the words, of course, reference the passages of Scripture about the Triumphal Entry and were written for that day, the story goes that this hymn only became known because of an Emperor's change of heart. This hymn was written by a …

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Hymns: “Be Thou My Vision”

  "Be Thou My Vision" is a well-known and well-loved hymn. Though it was originally written over 1400 years ago, it was not translated from its Old Irish text until the early 1900's. The hymn is attributed to a monk nicknamed Dallán Forgaill; the first name meant "blind one," though he supposedly regained his sight. …

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