Worship Resources Intl.

The May issue focuses on the theme of "Giving Our Best," and includes:

* Theme articles: "The ‘Waste’ of Worship (Mark 14:3-9)" and "Music for Worship: A Means rather than an End"
* Quotations on "Excellence in Worship"
* Sing to the Lord (Reflections on Congregational Song): guest article by Bob Kauflin, "Is Repetition a Help or a Hindrance?"
* Notes on Global Worship
* Book review: The Message in the Music: Studying Contemporary Praise and Worship
* Info on important upcoming worship events
* Info on new online resources and important upcoming worship events

You can also click HERE to open PDF (left-click) or to download (right-click, "Save link as…")

Jesus, Joyful Thought (a new tune to the text of "Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts" with a verse of "Jesus the Very Thought of Thee" added; the publisher enhanced the arrangement by adding optional strings). This one is out of print at the publishers, but can still be found (including the string parts) from other online distributors.

O Most High (with optional congregational verse) 

To Praise Thy Name (text by Isaac Watts) 

Mp3 demos and publisher info for all three may be found on the Resources page

The April focuses on the why, what and how of Thematic Worship, and includes:

•  Theme article: "Thematic Worship: A Rich Feast for the People of God"
•  Listing of possible worship themes and corresponding titles
•  New feature: Global Worship, this month dealing with "What (or Where) in the World is ETHNODOXOLOGY?"
•  Sing to the Lord (Reflections on Congregational Song): "Singing as Jesus Sang (and Sings)" — wise words from Sinclair Ferguson
•  Book notice: Proclamation and Praise: Hebrews 2:12 and the Christology of Worship by Ron Man
•  Info on important upcoming worship events
•  Click HERE to open PDF (left-click) or to download (right-click, "Save link as…")

The March issue focuses on the theme of God calling us to worship and includes:

• Theme article on "Giving God the First Word"
  
• Guest article on "The Call to Worship" by Bryan Chapell, President of Covenant Seminary
  
• Quotations and resources on God’s call to worship
• Info on important upcoming worship events
• Click HERE to open PDF (left-click) or to download (right-click, "Save link as…")

ETHNODOXOLOGY is simply the study of global worship, and Ethnodoxologists are those involved in the study and facilitation of the development of indigenous expressions of worship among the peoples of the world. A number of the members of the International Council of Ethnodoxologists (including yours truly) are developing an interactive course which will give a fascinating overview for some of what is happening around the world as the Church of Jesus Christ in many lands gives voice to its praise.

The course will be given for the first time at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky from May 31-June 6, 2008. The course may be taken for graduate credit or as an audit. Please go HERE for more information.

This is certainly not always the case, but in the coming seven months there are quite a number of meaty, substantial worship conferences being offered across the U.S. See the February issue of Worship Notes HERE (left-click to open, right-click to download) for more details and links.
 

Cold, wintry Grand Rapids was the location for the annual event sponsored by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. 

I was honored to be a presenter (one of dozens) at this marvelous annual conference which draws about 1500 participants from around the world. The subjects of my three workshops (Blended Worship, Thematic Worship, and Biblical Principles of Worship), which I gave twice each, seemed to spark a lot of interest–I was thrilled to see the interest in both practical topics and in biblical foundations.

Highlights for me were: teaching eager learners; catching up with some friends and making new ones; meeting some of the internationals (they came from 45 countries); finally getting to meet and hear Kenneth Bailey (whose books on the Middle Eastern cultural background of the gospels have intrigued me for 30 years), and getting to hear Dallas Willard speak a couple of times on the Christian life.

Audio of some of the presentations are now available HERE, with more to come.

Sorry this is a little late getting posted–just returned home from the Calvin Symposium for Worship (see above) and other responsibilities.

This month’s issue focuses on thirsting/hungering/longing for God, and includes:

• Theme article "Better than Life" (on Psalm 63)
• Hymn and song texts based on Psalm 63
• Scripture texts on the theme of Spiritual Thirst
• Quotes dealing with thirsting for God
• Info on a great lineup of upcoming worship conferences and other events
• Click HERE to open PDF (left-click) or to download (right-click, "Save link as…")

Pastor Randy Smith of Grace Tabernacle in Lake Como, New Jersey, has provided a wonderful resource in this huge, categorized database of quotations from across a wide spectrum of Christian and other literature. Click HERE.

I myself have an extensive database of quotes specifically on worship, which I use in compiling the "Quotables" section for each issue of Worship Notes, but alas, it’s not yet in such an organized and accessible form. In the meantime, remember that the website for Chip Stam’s email list "Worship Quote of the Week" has an indexed compilation of all past weekly quotes.
 

LSU Tigers, move over. Proclamation and Praise: Hebrews 2:12 and the Christology of Worship, released by Wipf & Stock in October, has rocketed to the number one position in that publisher’s "Best Sellers" list, astonishingly beating out such riveting titles as Introduction to the Desert Fathers and The Founding of the Roman Catholic Church in Melanesia and Micronesia, 1850-1875.

Thanks to all those purchasers who helped make this possible! Surely the special December sale on the volume had a lot to do with this success. Still, I plan on keeping my day job . . .

FULL DISCLOSURE: The book ranks #998,415 in sales on amazon.com.