worship

What is worship?

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I write a quarterly column for Preach magazine, in which I explore a significant word, phrase, or idea in the Bible, or a theme or section of Scripture, and the ideas that it expresses. At the end of this piece I list the previous articles I have written for them. Here I explore what Scripture … Continue Reading

Who am I as a worship leader?

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John Leach, a long-time Grove author, has just written a new title in the Worship series with his son Paul. It explores the often-neglected question of who am I as a worship leader—what persona do I project, have I reflected on that, and is it helpful? I interviewed John about it, and the interview is embedded … Continue Reading

Can liturgy be missional?

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One of the current debates happening in the Church of England is about the relation between liturgical forms of worship and the task of mission. Put simply, some would claim that a highly structured and ‘liturgical’ service—in the sense of being shaped by formal liturgy—creates barriers to outsiders and is therefore an obstacle to mission … Continue Reading

Jesus—with Peter—walking on the water in Matthew 14

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The Sunday lectionary reading for Trinity 10 in Year A is Matt 14.22–33, Matthew’s distinctive account of Jesus walking across the water and Peter’s response to it. I am finding this recent, sustained immersion in Matthew’s narrative very interesting. We have often noted how Matthew’s accounts are more compressed than the other gospels, particularly Mark, … Continue Reading

‘On the cross, when Jesus died’ was the ‘wrath of God satisfied’?

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‘In Christ Alone’ by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty is one of the most popular ‘modern hymns’, and will no doubt be sung aplenty in this Easter season. I have been especially enjoying their continued output over the last couple of years; the musical interest combined with substantial, theological lyrics are just what many churches … Continue Reading