Monthly Archives: April 2009

Welcome to another weekly installment of “Why We Do What We Do,” the series where we talk about common elements in Christian worship services. Last week we discussed communion, otherwise known as the eucharist or the Lord’s Supper.  This time we talk about the offering as a part of gathered worship.  Perhaps because of the rise of televangelist scandals and other frauds, tithes and offerings are often seen as an undesirable subject.  It is, for many people — even pastors — the “distasteful” part of a worship service. My interview subject is Sojourn Worship Leader Lorie King, who has led worship in …« Read Entire Post

Welcome to another installment of The Keyboard In Modern Worship, by Sojourn worship leader Rebecca Elliott. Rebecca is a featured singer-songwriter on our Before The Throne and Advent Songs records. She was featured, along with Neko Case, Okkerville River, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, and other great artists on the recent compilation album Before The Goldrush. Rebecca is also an impressive pianist and experienced piano teacher. In this installment, she talks about what kind of things to look for when you’re in the market to buy a keyboard: Choosing a keyboard can be overwhelming, with all the options out there. The choices …« Read Entire Post

If you’re familiar with Sojourn recordings or worship services, you’ve no doubt heard the vocals of Rebecca Dennison.  Rebecca is an amazing singer, featured on Before The Throne (check out the “My Maker And My King” mp3 on our Before The Throne page), These Things I Remember (listen to “Faithful” and “Of Psalm 51” from that page) and our upcoming Over The Grave: The Hymns Of Isaac Watts, Volume One.  In this series for worship team vocalists and singers of all stripes, Rebecca focuses on principles and techniques for taking care of your voice.  This week: what makes for a …« Read Entire Post

You can find links to church worship music set lists from all over the world, including this one, from the Blog Carnival at fredmckinnon.com. Photos here provided by Dan Canales. 1. Beautiful Scandalous Night, by Steve Hindalong and Derri Daughert.  We’ve sang this one for years at Sojourn Gathered, and it’s always a good one: On the hillside you will be delivered At the foot of the cross justified And your spirit restored, by the river that pours From our blessed Savior’s side Then we heard the Call to Worship.  I’ll print this week’s out, to give you an idea of …« Read Entire Post

The following announcement is from Sojourn Worship & Arts Pastor Mike Cosper: Recently, Sojourn music was given an exciting opportunity. After finishing the studio work for the first of our Isaac Watts records, we were approached by a major label and offered a record contract. The offer was an invitation to partner our music ministry with their label and attempt to “break” into the Christian music world – Christian radio, internet media, and more. After much prayer and consultation – including legal counsel that specializes in entertainment law – we have decided to walk away from the offer at this …« Read Entire Post

Welcome to another weekly installment of Why We Do What We Do, the series where we talk about common elements in Christian worship services. Last week we discussed the Word of God in worship gatherings.  This time we talk about communion, the Lord’s Supper.  Christ Himself instituted the eucharistic meal on the night He was betrayed, and it has been one of the most discussed and debated parts of Christianity in the long history of the church. To this day, even within evangelical circles, we talk about whether to serve wine or grape juice, whether to take communion every week …« Read Entire Post

This is it, friends — the close of an outstanding series of discussions on music and worship in today’s church.  Dr. Harold Best (author of Unceasing Worship and Music Through The Eyes Of Faith), Professor Carl “Chip” Stam (Professor of Church Music and Worship at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) and Sojourn Worship & Arts Pastor Mike Cosper sat for a series of short video discussions in the Sojourn Music studio, where they engaged in a wide ranging discussion of worship theology and methodology: Watch episode eight in the video player above or download it for free from our podcast, Sojournmusic.com Radio, available through iTunes and other podcast directories. You …« Read Entire Post

To those of you who have been waiting (I know, for what seems like forever) on more physical CDs of Before The Throne, we will have a big shipment in by May 1.  Order whenever you like and we’ll ship them out to you as soon as they arrive. Of course, if you prefer digital downloads you can do that anytime through iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Napster and the other digital providers. And come back here this Thursday for a special announcement from Sojourn Worship & Arts Pastor Mike Cosper regarding the release of our brand new record, Over The Grave: …« Read Entire Post

You can find links to church worship music set lists from all over the world, including this one, from the Blog Carnival at fredmckinnon.com.  Photos here provided by Dan Canales.  Before we get into this, I want to say that our pastor of worship & arts, Mike Cosper, will have a special word about our upcoming CD on sojournmusic.com this Thursday.  Be sure to subscribe to our RSS feed to get the message … or just remember to come back Thursday.  And now: 1. Thorns, by Sojourn’s own Charlie Richardson.  Charlie is one of our most prolific writers of songs for …« Read Entire Post

Next week I’ll be at the 2009 Gospel Coalition conference in Chicago, along with fellow Sojourners Bryce Butler, Drew Layman and Jared Kennedy (who blogs regularly at our children’s ministry website, sojournkids.com).  We’ll be live blogging many of the sessions (led by folks like Mark Driscoll, John Piper, D.A. Carson and Tim Keller).  You can catch our reports as they happen (or of course, read the archives anytime afterwards) at TravelBlog, the online magazine of Sojourn Community Church. Bryce, Drew, Jared and I are also looking forward to the 2009 Band of Bloggers panel during the Gospel Coalition.  It will …« Read Entire Post

Welcome to another weekly installment of “Why We Do What We Do,” the series where we talk about common elements in Christian worship services.  A good worship gathering is grounded in biblical teaching and firm theological principles, with roots that extend back through the centuries to the early days of the church. Last week we discussed the Passing of The Peace.  This week we talk about prayers of illumination, the reading of the Word of God and the sermon. My interview subject is Sojourn Worship Leader Lorie King, who has led worship in a many contexts around the world.  She completed …« Read Entire Post

Dr. Harold Best (author of Unceasing Worship and Music Through The Eyes Of Faith) and professor Carl “Chip” Stam (Professor of Church Music and Worship at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) recently came to the Sojourn Music studio to sit for a series of eight short discussions with Sojourn Worship & Arts Pastor, Mike Cosper. Watch episode seven in the video player above or download it for free from our podcast, Sojournmusic.com Radio, available through iTunes and other podcast directories. Next Wednesday, I’ll publish the eighth and final video in this series on worship and music for the church, from Dr. Harold Best, Professor Chip Stam and Pastor Mike …« Read Entire Post

If you’re familiar with Sojourn recordings or worship services, you’ve no doubt heard the vocals of Rebecca Dennison.  Rebecca is an amazing singer, featured on Before The Throne (check out the “My Maker And My King” mp3 on our Before The Throne page), These Things I Remember (listen to “Faithful” and “Of Psalm 51” from that page) and our upcoming Over The Grave: The Hymns Of Isaac Watts, Volume One.  In this series for worship team vocalists and singers of all stripes, Rebecca focuses on principles and techniques for taking care of your voice.  This week: what to look for …« Read Entire Post

You can find links to church worship music set lists from all over the world, including this one, from the Blog Carnival at fredmckinnon.com.  Photos here provided by Dan Canales. 1. Song of Moses ( the Cantimus Domino), by Sojourn’s own Jamie Barnes.  We started our Easter service with this new adaptation of the song of Moses, which features Jamie’s melodic skill and text-painting: And where are they now? Our worthless golden cows? His swift and jealous arm has thrown them down. We followed this with a Call to Worship adapted from Isaiah 25:6-10 in The Message, and ending with …« Read Entire Post

Welcome to another weekly installment of “Why We Do What We Do,” the series where we talk about common elements in Christian worship services. Last week we discussed celebrations of assurance in the finished work of Christ, who has redeemed us by His blood, broken down every barrier between God and man, and won, for us, a lasting peace.  This week we talk about the Passing Of The Peace, which is sometimes referred to as “the giving of the peace” or “the extending of the peace.”  In many churches it is simply treated as the “meet and greet” the time …« Read Entire Post

Dr. Harold Best (author of Unceasing Worship and Music Through The Eyes Of Faith) and professor Carl “Chip” Stam (Professor of Church Music and Worship at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) recently came to the Sojourn Music studio to sit for a series of eight short discussions with Sojourn Worship & Arts Pastor, Mike Cosper. Watch episode six in the video player above or download it for free from our podcast, Sojournmusic.com Radio, available through iTunes and other podcast directories. Over the next two Wednesday’s, I’ll publish sessions seven and eight in this series on worship and music for the church, from Dr. Harold Best, Professor Chip …« Read Entire Post

I asked my Twitter and Facebook friends to name their favorite hymns and songs for Easter. Here are songs that people mentioned more than once — all good choices: He Arose, by Robert Lowry.  This is solid, late 19th century hymn with one of the most memorable lines in the history of western hymnody: “He arose, He arose — Hallelujah, Christ arose!” Christ The Lord Is Risen Today, by Charles Wesley.  Wesley built on the foundation of English hymn-text writing that Isaac Watts had lain down, and he gave the church many more hymn meters to work with.  This is …« Read Entire Post

Well, no.  It is finished, and there are no problems.  I was hoping to give you more details about the release date today, but I can’t just yet.  We’ve got some cool things in the works, which I will tell you all about as soon as I can. In the meantime, if any of you are going to Advance ’09, you’ll be able to hear the Sojourn band doing some songs from the new album.  Check out some details (and view an Advance 09 promo video) at the blog of Matt Steven, worship pastor at Vintage 21, a sister church …« Read Entire Post

Visit theopensourcebook.org for a series of readings designed for corporate worship or private meditation on Easter. theopensourcebook.org is a joint venture between the Calvin Institute For Christian Worship and Sojourn Worship & Arts Pastor Mike Cosper. Also, you can find plans for children’s ministry Easter lessons at sojournkids.com, including a song, a complete Easter service liturgy, an Easter art project and a Bible lesson.

This is one of many church worship music set lists that you can read through by browsing the links of the Blog Carnival at fredmckinnon.com.  Normally we’d have photos here by Dan Canales.  This week, however, he is gone.  But if you want to see tons of cool pics, just click on his link! 1. Fall on the Rock, written by Julie Miller.  Julie and her husband Buddy make up one of the best songwriting and performing duos you’ll find anywhere.  They also drench their gospel songs in scriptural allusions: There’s a time a coming soon and it’s a day coming …« Read Entire Post

Tim Challies, blogger for the monstrously popular, highly informative challies.com, is giving away some free Sojourn music and books today in the latest edition of his “Free Stuff Friday” column.  Check it out now and try to win. Five folks will each win all of these products: One Before The Throne CD One These Things I Remember CD One Advent Songs CD One Pastor Daddy childrens’ book (presents fathers as “like a pastor” of the home) One Before The Throne daily devotional (companion to the CD) We have been out of stock on the Before The Throne CDs for some …« Read Entire Post

Welcome to another weekly installment of “Why We Do What We Do,” the series where we talk about common liturgical elements in Christian worship services.  A good corporate worship gathering is not a haphazard affair.  There is a “method to the madness” that is rooted in biblical teaching and sound theological principles, with roots that extend back through the centuries to the early days of the church. Last week we discussed congregational confession and repentance.  This week we discuss the element that naturally follows: expressions of assurance in our great God, the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice for our sin and …« Read Entire Post

Dr. Harold Best (author of Unceasing Worship and Music Through The Eyes Of Faith) and professor Carl “Chip” Stam (Professor of Church Music and Worship at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) recently came to the Sojourn Music studio to sit for a series of eight short discussions with Sojourn Worship & Arts Pastor, Mike Cosper. Watch it in the video player above or download it for free from our podcast, Sojournmusic.com Radio, available through iTunes and other podcast directories. Over the next three Wednesday’s, I’ll publish sessions six through eight (averaging around ten minutes each) in this series on worship and music for the church, from Dr. …« Read Entire Post