Sing to the Trinity

Christian worship should be explicitly trinitarian. Through the Son we have access to the Father by the Spirit. Note the way Paul includes all three persons of the Trinity as he blesses God in Ephesians 1:3-14. When choosing hymns for worship on the Lord's Day, I always try and select at least one hymn that makes reference to all three persons of the godhead; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The 2004 edition of Christian Hymns has 18 hymns (no's 40-58) in the section entitled 'Triune God', but many hymns outside of that section are trinitarian in character, for example: 130, 138, 150, 370, 394 and 483.

We also use the much maligned Praise! hymnbook. I have to admit that the editors were rather clumsy in the way they modernised some of the older hymns, but there are some lovely trinitarian hymns in the book, both old and new. Numbers 151-165 are gathered under the heading, 'The eternal Trinity', but several hymns beyond that section are also wonderfully trinitarian, for instance: 169, 176, 177, 273, 538, 543, 629, 624 and 795.

Singing trinitarian hymns will help our people see that the doctrine of the Trinity is not an abstract theological conundrum. That we have been brought into communion with the triune God should be the heartbeat of experiential Christianity. Our God has revealed himself to be Father, Son and Holy Spirit, so sing to the Trinity!

Some new tunes for Vernon Higham's hymns

Vernon Higham

A friend of mine, Paul Rossiter has compsed some new tunes for some of Vernon Higham's hymns. You can listen online here.

The Servant King?

This is our God, the Servant King
He calls us now to follow Him,
to bring our lives as a daily offering,
of worship to the servant King.

Some people object to Graham Kendrick's hymn The Servant King because they say that Jesus is no longer a servant. He is now the exalted Lord of all. Such thinking betrays some questionable theology. It is as if the servant form that Jesus took at the incarnation was not a true expression of who Jesus really is as the form of God. But humble servanthood is part of the divine identity. When God became man in Jesus Christ, he did not become other than himself. The incarnation was an act of self-expression not self-abnegation. The humiliation of the Son was not an artifice for the sake of the economy of redemption. The Son as man discloses the God, who by his very nature stoops to wash feet and bear the sins of his enemies. As Robert Letham reflects,

"The point is that when we have to do with Jesus Christ we have to do with God. His presence in the world is identical with the existence of the humiliated, obedient, and lowly man, Jesus of Nazareth. Thus, the humiliation, lowliness, and obedience of Christ are essential in our conception of God." (The Holy Trinity, In Scripture, History, Theology, and Worship, P&R, 2004, p. 397).

If this is the case, then Jesus remains the humble servant even in his present exalted state. It is part of his very identity. We worship no other Jesus than the Servant King. Besides, we have explicit biblical warrant for Jesus' continued servanthood, "Now I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers." (Romans 15:8). According to Leon Morris, the verb 'become' is "in the perfect tense, indicating a permanent state: Christ continues in his capacity 'as servant of circumcision'." (The Epistle to the Romans Eerdmans/IVP, 1988 p. 503). William Hendriksen confirms this. "Christ became and continues to be 'a servant.' Cf. Isa. 42:1." (New Testament Commentary, Banner of Truth Trust, 1982, p. 475). This is our God, the Servant King. Are you following him?

"Old hymns good, new hymns bad"

Some believers operate on the Orwellian principle, "Old hymns good, new hymns bad." Maybe that's because only the best of the older compositions are still in use today. The worst are best left in the depths of hymnological oblivion. See this little gem from Cotton Mather (1663-1728),

Ye monsters of the bubbling deep,
Your Maker's praises spout;
Up from the sands ye codlings peep,
And wag your tails about.

As Alister McGrath comments, "It certainly rhymes. But it's not exactly inspirational." (Christianity's Dangerous Idea: The Protestant Revolution from the sixteenth century to the twenty-first, SPKC, 2007, p. 302).

Let us worship God

Part of a minster's task is to lead the public worship of God on the Lord's Day and preach the Word in that context. Here are some thoughts on leading worship. I include a suggested order of service with some comments along the way.

1. Call to Worship

Do not begin a service by saying "Good morning everybody!" In the call to worship you are summoning the church to worship and glorify their God. You are a minister of the gospel, not a primary school teacher greeting class 1B. Some preachers quote a few well chosen Scripture verses at this point, which can be helpful. I simply say, "Let us worship God, let's all pray..."

2. Opening Prayer

In this brief prayer offer worship to God and ask for his blessing upon the meeting. Do not ask him to be present. The Lord is always present among his people, as the church by definition is the "dwelling place of God in the Spirit" (Ephesians 2:22). The church only meets because God has taken the initiative to gather his people together to worship him. Pray for his presence to be made known and evident. But be careful what you are asking for. The free God of majestic love and awesome holiness may reveal himself in unexpected ways. Include a petition for forgiveness and cleansing from sin as you address the holy Father in the name of the Son.

3. First Hymn

Singing is an important aspect of publish worship, but it should not dominate the whole service. We would do well to remember that the New Testament epistles only mention singing twice (Ephesians 5:18-20 & Colossians 3:16). What is sung first should be a hymn or psalm that sets forth the grandeur and glory of God rather than a subjective type of hymn. This will remind the congregation that the meeting is all about him. I always try to sing at least one Psalm per service on a Sunday as I think that it is important to use the Bible's own book of praise. Many believers think that the doctrine Trinity is a rather abstract theological proposition. But God's self-revelation as Father, Son and Holy Spirit should be fundamental to distinctly Christian worship. Singing explicitly trinitarian hymns will help to embed the doctrine of the Trinity in the minds and hearts of the worshippers. But more than that, should we not offer praise to our glorious Triune God?

4. Announcements and Offering

These can include a few words of welcome as well as the church activities for the week. I think that is best to take an offering during the service rather than have a retiring offering. The former makes the offering very much part of the worship rather than something done on the way out of the building. A short "offertory prayer" commending the gifts to God should follow the offering.

5. Scripture Reading

Make this a reasonably lengthy passage, not just the few verses or paragraph that will be the subject of preaching. If you are preaching a "one off" sermon, then read the whole chapter in which your verses are set (unless the chapter is very long!). If you are preaching a series of sermons on a chapter, read an associated passage of Scripture that will tie in with your message. When Paul said to Timothy "give yourself to reading" (1 Timothy 4:13) - he meant to reading the Bible in public worship, not the act of private study. Announce the chapter and verses that you will be reading, and say, "Let us hear the Word of God", before reading the passage meaningfully. You should say "Let us" not "Shall we", because you are leading the people to do what God has commanded, not making a suggestion.

6. Second Hymn

This hymn may be more subjective or experimental, expressing the worshipper's experience of God in response to the reading of his Word. God has spoken to us, we respond by singing to him of what we have heard and felt. This makes worship a living dialogue between God and his people. Choosing hymns or psalms that fit in with the reading and message will help to give the service coherence and meaning. As well as some older hymns, I usually try to pick at least a contemporary number or two. The hymns of Watts, Wesley and others remind us that the church of today is not a creature of the moment, but part of the historic people of God. Singing centuries old hymns is a historical expression of the communion of the saints. Selecting contemporary hymns helps to save the church from being locked in a cultural backwater and acknowledges that the Spirit is still at work among the people of God today.

7. Main Prayer

This should not be too short, or two long. Around 5-10 minutes of praise, petition and confession will be sufficient. Never pray using "I". You are leading the people in prayer, so always say, "we". Meditating on the Psalms, 1 Kings 8 and Paul's prayers will help to bring Scriptural content and variety into your public prayers.

8. Third Hymn

This will be sung in the anticipation of the preaching of the Word. Choose a hymn or psalm that will lead into the message. Some preachers give a little introduction to each hymn. I don't do this. Most hymns are self-explanatory, so why bother? Just give the number and read the first line or two. "Let us sing hymn number 12, In heavenly love abiding". Cut the waffle and sing!

9. The Preaching of the Word

I'm not going to say much about the act of preaching here. (See the "Preaching" label below for more thoughts on this). Suffice to say that it is good to announce your text clearly right at the start of the message. Doing this shows that you are preaching the Word. If you don't do so, the people will wonder what you are going on about until you mention the passage that you are preaching from. The preaching of the Word of God to the people of God in the presence of God should be the high point of worship. Don't allow other aspects of the service to drag on so that there is little time left for preaching. "Preach the word!" (2 Timothy 4:1-5).

10. Fourth Hymn

This should enable the worshippers to respond appropriately to the ministry of the Word of God in song.

11. Benediction

Briefly close in prayer, Calvin's prayers at the end of his sermons are a good model. Finally, pronounce the benediction. This is not a pious wish, but an affirmation of faith. The triune God will be with his people as they depart. Look carefully at the benediction in 2 Corinthians 13:14. It is addressed to "you" not "us". It is a declaration, not a prayer. And it does not end, "for evermore Amen", just "Amen". The "forevermore" bit is a Cranmerism. Cut it out.

Sing to the Lord a new song

Stuart Townend

One of the regrettable features of the evangelical reformed scene in the UK is the outbreak of "hymn book wars". Some friends have real problems in singing certain contemporary hymns. This is not because they are against new compositions altogether. Not many would object to singing a hymn by Vernon Higham or Timothy Dudley-Smith! The issue is, should we sing hymns that have been written by "charismatics" like Graham Kendrick or Stuart Townend? I don't suppose that this post will bring hostilities to an end, but here are my reflections on why Reformed believers should not balk at singing hymns by charismatic authors.

C. H. Spurgeon laid down a good principle in the Preface to Our Own Hymnbook,

"Whatever may be thought of our taste we have used it without prejudice; and a good hymn has not been rejected because of the character of its author, or the heresies of the church in whose hymnal it first occurred; so long as the language and the spirit commended the hymn to our heart we included it, and believe that we have enriched our collection thereby."

On that basis, evangelical Calvinists have happily sung Wesley's hymns despite his Arminian theology. Nonconformists have sung hymns composed by Anglicans whose liturgical approach to worship has been very different to their own. Isaac Watts, the "father of modern English hymnody" had decidedly unusual views of the trinity and the Person of Christ, but as his speculations do not find their way into his hymns, we sing them gladly. The same goes for Richard Baxter's hymns, although his teaching on justification and the atonement deviated from the teaching of Reformed faith. If we can sing the hymns of these older writers despite their sometimes serious theological abberations, what's the problem with singing hymns by "charismatics" like Kendrick and Townend?

Some say that as Watts, Wesley and Baxter are dead, their unhelpful teaching can have little impact on contemporary worshippers. But are we no longer troubled by Arminianism? Richard Baxter's "neonomianism" bears more than a passing resemblance to Norman Shepherd's controversial views on justification. Baxter may no longer be with us, but his teachings are still very much a live issue. I once spoke to a man who held to the view that it is alright to sing hymns by an author who was dodgy but dead. I asked if he would sing a Townend hymn the day after the hymn writer passed into eternity. He said "no", because his influence would still remain for some time after his death. When I asked how long he would have to be dead before his hymns became acceptable, the friend replied that he did not know. So much for the death of a hymn writer atoning for his errors!

We Calvinists often complain that the "Charismatic Movement" is light on doctrine. But many of Kendrick and Townend's hymns are rich in biblical theology. They focus clearly on the Person of Christ, his propitiatory death and bodily resurrection. I was gratified to see Stuart Townend's name among the ranks of solidly evangelical luminaries who commend Pierced for Our Transgressions, (Jeffry. Ovey & Sach, IVP, 2007). He wrote, "there is a need for the vital doctrine of penal substitution to be clearly, comprehensively and compellingly explained." Many of Kendrick and Townend's compositions are gospel hymns. Take a look at In Christ alone (647, Christian Hymns 2004 edition. See here). It strikes me a little churlish to write off the "Charismatic Movement" as theologically vacuous and then refuse to sing their hymns even when they are filled with deep, orthodox Christology. Should we not be encouraging them for moving in this direction? Of course, people are free to say that they do not like the style of some of these new hymns and that they prefer the older compositions. But if that is the case, let them admit that this is an argument over taste and not principle.

Lest anyone misunderstand what I am saying, I do not go in for charismatic style "worship bands", or "happy clappy" services. I am a firm believer in using hymn books rather than OHP's because when hands are clasping hymn books, arms are less likely to be held aloft and waved around by "ecstatic" worshippers. But I like the statement of Paul to the Corinthians, "all things are yours: whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come - all are yours. And you are Christ's and Christ is God's." (1 Corinthians 3:22 & 32). I am not happy with much of what goes on under the "charismatic" umbrella. But I recognise that there are genuine godly believers in that movement, men and women who love the gospel. Some are even Calvinistic in their theology. If that is the case, the Spirit is at work in their hearts and lives. He has given these friends the gifts and graces that have produced some wonderful new hymns. If "all things are mine" as a member of the body of Christ, then these hymns are mine to sing just as much as those of Isaac Watts and Vernon Higham.

Stephen Clark responds to critique of new Christian Hymns

Published by the Evangelical Movement of Wales, 2007, 32pp, price 50p (here)

One of the sad features of the Reformed scene in the UK is the outbreak of 'hymn book wars'. A new, revised edition of Christian Hymns (NCH) was published in 2004 by the Evangelical Movement of Wales. It was given a hostile review by John Thackway, editor of the Bible League Quarterly. Thackway's critique is now available online as a pdf document - here. In this booklet, Stephen Clark, pastor of Freeschool Court Evangelical Church, Bridgend attempts to respond to some aspects of Thackway's review. He pleads for greater consistency, honesty and charity in the debate over the inclusion of some contemporary hymns in NCH. I commend this well-argued booklet.

My ten favourite hymns

1. Here is love, vast as the ocean, William Rees (1802-83) 242
2. Immortal honours rest on Jesus' head, William Gadsby (1773-1844) 154
3. Speak I pray thee, gentle Jesus, William Williams (1717-91) 626
4. Lamb of God you now are seated, James George Deck (1802-84) 312
5. Love divine all loves excelling, Charles Wesley (1707-88) 653
6. Jesus shall reign where'er the son, Isaac Watts (1674-1748) 310
7. In Christ alone my hope is found, Stuart Townend (b. 1963) 647
8. Name of all majesty, Timothy Dudley-Smith (b. 1926) 313
9. Object of my first desire, A. M. Toplady (1740-78) 660
10. Eternal Light! Eternal Light!, Thomas Binney (1798-1874) 8

Hymn numbers in bold from, Christian Hymns, 2004 edition, published by the Evangelical Movement of Wales.

Ten things to do while singing hymns and Psalms

1. Sing to God, for his glory.
2. Don't sing so loudly that you dominate the congregation.
3. Don't sing so quietly that you can't even hear yourself. Sing, not whisper!
4. Sing the words thoughtfully.
5. Sing triumphant hymns boldly.
6. Sing meditative hymns appropriately, don't sing gleefully about the cross.
7. Be willing to learn new hymns "Sing to the Lord a new song"!
8. Try not be too put off by any modernisations or archaisms in the words.
9. Don't get so carried away with the tune that the words become meaningless.
10. Allow the hymn to stir your mind and fire your heart in worship.