Read Bob's post here.
Highlights:
"...a meal isn’t the same thing as a diet. God doesn’t want us only to be concerned about this Sunday. He wants us to keep the big picture in view."
"Reviewing your songs can answer some important questions.
- Are any themes missing or lacking?
- Are we falling into a rut musically or thematically?
- Are God’s Word, worthiness, and works being proclaimed in our songs?
- Are we worshiping a triune God in song?
- Are we conscious of the Gospel each time we sing?
- Do we need more songs of celebration or reverence?
- Are we doing any songs too frequently or not often enough?
- Do we have a healthy blend of deep and simpler songs?
- Are there any songs we don’t do any more that we should start doing again?"
"A good measure of how we’re doing in this area is what I call the “twenty year rule.” If someone was born in our church and grew up singing these songs, how well would they know God? Would they see that he is holy, wise, omnipotent, and sovereign? Would they know him as Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer? Would these songs give them a comprehensive and broad view of God, or would they only be exposed to certain aspects of his nature and works?"
2 comments, questions, or snide remarks:
The idea of shepherding one's people with a "well-rounded" (or perhaps "balanced") view of God seems to tie in with one of the conversations we've been having on the Serve forums recently. :)
Dude, you got me on that one. I think it was Matt who in that discussion called us to consider the author's purpose in that specific book vs. his overall theology. Perhaps that could apply here as it relates to the idea of attending to the diet of corporate worship music vs. only planning individual meals (each Sunday's "worship set", as we unfortunately began calling them years ago). I do stand by my concern with the concept of "balance" having the potential to make you proclaim something tentatively or weakly for fear of appearing imbalanced. In this case, let's make sure our church's corporate worship diet communicates a biblical view of God in the most well-rounded, focused, robust, and, yes, balanced way possible.
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