Beautiful New Tune to "A Sweet and Pleasant Providence" by @bourquejeff at @ThousandTongues

You can now listen to a new tune by Jeff Bourque (Congregational Songs) to "A Sweet and Pleasant Providence," my hymn text based on the book of Ruth.

As always, lead sheets, chord charts, and PowerPoint charts are available for free download.

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"Do Not Fear," New Album from @ThousandTongues Now Available

"Do Not Fear," the latest album from Thousand Tongues, is now available for purchase at Bandcamp (Digital Download - name your own price // CD - $13). A text I wrote, "When Sorrow Comes," is featured on the album. The album can be streamed in full here:


Here's the album's description:

Matthew 14:22-27 records the story of Jesus walking on the water. His disciples were in a boat, fighting a fierce storm in the dark of night, when Jesus appeared. When the disciples saw Him they were terrified, for they thought that He was a ghost. Jesus reassured them, saying, "Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid." Telling them who He was should have been enough to calm their anxious fears, but the disciples were scared not only of a ghost, but also by the storm. When Jesus invited Peter to come out to Him, walking on the water, Peter stumbled in fear because of the wind.

So it is with the Christian life. In times of trial, believers are reassured by these same words of Jesus to remember who He is and the power He wields. But when He calls us from cowering in the boat to face the storms of life head-on we quickly doubt and despair. Our great assurance as we walk out onto the stormy sea is that what holds us up is not the strength of our grip on Jesus' hand, but His grip on ours. While we may doubt, He never ceases to be faithful and powerful, rescuing His children from danger and reminding them of His constant and mysterious love.

This collection of worship songs features the recurring imagery of waves – waves of doubt and grief yet also grace. As you listen and hopefully sing these with your congregation, our prayer is that you would come to trust and love Jesus more deeply, with more and more of your life, including the most guarded and wounded pieces of your story. You will find the Lord to be a powerful guardian, gentle physician, and Father who loves you so much that He can barely contain Himself. And if you haven't met Him for the first time, we hope that your heart will be captured by the grace of God presented in these songs.

And track descriptions:

1. You Are My Righteousness - An acoustic pop arrangement full of the joy of basking in the righteousness of Jesus.

2. My Precious Savior Gave His All - This 12-string guitar driven arrangement with some sparse pedal steel accents serves the lyrics well.

3. Do Not Fear - An electric guitar driven rock arrangement that could easily be the most powerful track on the album.

4. He Alone Is God - This up-tempo song is served up with an acoustic guitar and mandolin duet.

5. I Have a Dad - A solo piano/vocal presentation of this beautiful hymn.

6. Rain - A toe-tapping Americana setting of this song about the Holy Spirit that is sure to engage the body as well as the heart.

7. I'll Never Forsake You - An acoustic rock arrangement of our popular song

8. Come Down - In stark contrast to Ralph Vaugn Williams' traditional choral setting, this song puts a blues twist on the historic text "Come Down, O Love Divine"

9. Uncondemned - A strong acoustic guitar driven presentation of this conversion story song.

10. Wave Upon Wave - Another acoustic guitar and mandolin duet from David and Jake.

11. When Sorrow Comes - A haunting ballad about the sovereignty of God and suffering.

12. Where Is Room - This celtic melody is presented by two acoustic guitars and piano.

13. Complete in Thee - A stand-out track for its' laid back feel (almost like you caught a back-porch session) which attempts to capture the freedom of the lyrics in a bluegrassy setting.

14. For the Sake of His Name - This song is served up with just acoustic guitar and a couple of vocals, but manages to communicate the passion and grandeur of the lyrics despite its' sparse line-up.

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"Not in Me" on The Gospel Coalition's "Songs for the Book of Luke" Album

I was honored and humbled to have a song that David and I co-wrote selected for inclusion in The Gospel Coalition's "Songs for the Book of Luke Album." I'll blog on the origin and meaning of the song in days to come.

Free sheet music and learner recordings for the entire album are available here, along with an introduction to the project.

The entire album can be streamed for free or purchased here:

"Hymnody needs to be popular."

‎"Hymnody needs to be popular. It is more closely related to folk song than to art song.... It is because hymnody is, in its very essence, a kind of folk song that we must never close the door to new hymns written in the idiom of our day.... Time has a way of selecting the classics. We do not have to worry about that. What is important is that we give each generation its turn at expressing its devotion in the idiom of its day. Christian hymnody is like a great art museum. It has treasures from a great variety of ages and cultures, but it always seems to have room to show the best of contemporary works as well"

~ Hughes Old, Leading In Prayer

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Free Download of "He is Risen!"

Joshua Otte is offering his recording of my hymn "He is Risen" off his Already But Not Yet project as a free download through NoiseTrade.

Get the download here. Pass along the word to your friends.

A Hymn and a Prayer for the People of Japan

My friend, Mark Wolter, lives 450 miles from the epicenter of the 8.9 magnitude earthquake and resultant tsunami that hit Japan today, but felt some of the effects. The death toll is already in the hundreds.

These events bring to mind this hymn: The Fury of the Wind, the Raging of the Sea.

Let’s see and hear and be humbled. Let’s sing with faith. And, let’s pray for the people of Japan, that by such a display of God’s glory, they would be stripped of pride, and cast themselves on God’s grace in Christ.

 

(HT: Doug Wolter / image source)

Vote for "There Is No Sin" in the Sweet 16

Thanks to everyone who voted for "There is No Sin that I Have Done" in LifeWay Worship's "March Madness" event. Thanks to your votes, the Reformed Praise song is seeded #2 in their brackets!

Please consider voting for it in their Sweet 16 line-up this week, and help spread the word about Reformed Praise.

And please consider passing the word on to others.

March Madness & a Free Download

LifeWay Worship is offering one free download when you enter your favorite worship song in their March Madness event. The winning song will be offered as a free download for a day.

LifeWay Worship recently began distributing two Reformed Praise titles from the Merciful to Me project, "O Jesus" (Ward/Whitfield) and "There is No Sin That I Have Done" (Schumacher/Ward).

Please help us get the word out about Reformed Praise by visiting LifeWay Worship and nominating these songs.

(And feel free to pass this along on your blog and Facebook.)

The Attributes of God Hymn Project

About a year ago, David Ward and I began writing a series of hymns on the attributes of God. The idea for this series was born out of a sense of need. While there are many good hymns that touch on various character traits of God, their purpose is not to explore one particular attribute in detail, or to probe that attribute’s connection to the gospel or the Christian life.

We selected 15 attributes of God (see below). We then wrote one, three-stanza hymn for each attribute, each with a similar structure. First, an explanation of the attribute (doctrine). These stanzas begin with the phrase “the Lord is.” Second, the attribute’s relevance to the gospel. These begin with the phrase “the Lord has.” Third, personal application, or the attribute’s relevance to our lives. These stanzas begin with the phrase “the Lord will.”

They each are written in the same meter and structure, fitting Martin Luther's tune to "A Mighty Fortress is Our God." This way they can be used for teaching, either in public worship or in family devotions, without necessitating the learning of a new tune for each hymn. (In the spirit of hymn texts, however, we have composed two additional tunes and encourage anyone to write tunes for particular hymns for their particular congregations or musical sub-cultures. You can find sheet music and recordings for all three tunes at the top and side of this page, or on the tune resource post.)

An explanation of the project, links to each hymn, and recordings of the tunes can be found on the main project page.

The text to each hymn, along with recordings and sheet music, can be found through the links below:

•   The Lord Is One
•   The Lord Is Holy
•   The Lord Is Constant
•   The Lord Is Not in Need
•   The Lord Is Sovereign
•   The Lord Is Present Everywhere
•   The Lord Is Wise
•   The Lord Is Righteous
•   The Lord Is Jealous
•   The Lord Is Angry
•   The Lord Is Patient
•   The Lord Is Merciful
•   The Lord Is Gracious
•   The Lord Is Loving
•   The Lord Is Faithful

Those interested in learning more about the attributes of God would benefit from the following works (either on or containing sections about the attributes of God):

• Knowing God, J.I. Packer
• The Attributes of God, A.W. Pink
• The Existence and Attributes of God, Stephen Charnock
• The Knowledge of the Holy: The Attributes of God: Their Meaning in the Christian Life, A.W. Tozer
• Systematic Theology, Wayne Grudem
• Christian Theology, Millard Erickson
• Systematic Theology, Louis Berkhof
• Systematic Theology, Charles Hodge
• Foundations of the Christian Faith, James M. Boice
• Abstract of Systematic Theology, James P. Boyce

I also preached a sermon series on the attributes of God, as part of a wider series on systematic theology.

New (Updated) Christmas Hymn: How Beautiful the Mystery

David Ward, Jeff Bourque, and I have collaborated to update a hymn I wrote for Christmas in 2000, "How Beautiful the Mystery." We've added a verse and chorus. Jeff and David composed a new tune.

A learner recording and lead sheet are available for download at Reformed Praise.

Day of Judgment, Day of Wonders

There are not a lot of great songs about judgment day. But here is one.

David Ward has slightly updated and clarified John Newton's hymn text, "Day of Judgment, Day of Wonders," and set it to "WO IST JESUS," the tune to "Stricken, Smitten and Afflicted."

Check out Congregational Songs

If you're looking for fresh songs for corporate worship and rich insight into the same, be sure to frequent Congregational Songs, the blog of Jeff Bourque.

Jeff is the Director of Worship and Prayer Ministries at Grace Community Church in Brentwood, TN. He collaborates at Reformed Praise and contributed to their latest album, Merciful to Me.

Roots & Wings: Indelible Grace Documentary

Readers: You should support this:

"The Lord Is:" A Transforming Hymn Project for Church & Family

Over the next 15 weeks, David and I will be posting our 15 hymns on the attributes of God from our "The Lord Is" project.

Each hymn follows the same three-stanza structure: (1) what the attribute is, (2) how it relates to the Gospel and (3) how it applies to the Christian life. They all can be sung to the tune of "A Mighty Fortress," or one of two newly composed tunes.

I'd encourage churches and parents to consider follow these posts. Consider singing one of these hymns each Sunday morning (and then singing and discussing it as a family after supper each night) for the next 15 weeks. Imagine how it might shape (and reshape) our view of who our great Lord is! 

See details of the project here. The first hymn of the series, "The Lord is One," is up here.

The Gospel of Grace

Download free sheet music, lead sheet and learner recording here.

The gospel of grace: from before time began
God chose to redeem me and fashioned a plan
That holy and blameless and unto His praise
I might be adopted to show forth His grace.
The gospel of grace: in the fullness of time
God sent a redeemer who, doing no crime,
Would die for my sin and then conquer the grave
To purchase the ones He was given to save.

The gospel of grace came when dead in my sin,
It told me of Jesus and pointed to Him.
When faith and repentance invaded my heart
Forgiveness, full pardon, my God did impart.
The gospel of grace now reminds me each day
In sin and in failure His favor will stay
For not through self-loathing or deeds that I’ve done
But only in Jesus acceptance is won.

The gospel of grace when I take my last breath
Will be my one comfort to bear me through death;
And should I die peaceful or suffer great pain,
This gospel assures me that death will be gain.
The gospel of grace, for eternity long,
Will be my delight and the theme of my song;
With saints from all nations I’ll join to proclaim:
All glory to Jesus, the Lamb who was slain!

The gospel of grace, O how precious indeed,
Past, present, and future meets all of my needs;
So until the day when I look on Your face–
Lord, keep me believing the gospel of grace.

Songwriters: Eric Schumacher & David L. Ward

© 2008 ReformedPraise.org

CCLI Song #5252044

There is No Sin That I Have Done

There is no sin that I have done
That has such height and breadth
It can’t be washed in Jesus’ blood
Or covered by His death.

There is no spot that still remains,
No cause to hide my face,
For He has stooped to wash me clean
And covered me with grace.

There is no wrath that I will know,
No wormwood and no gall;
For though such wounds and grief I earned
My Savior bore them all.

There is no work that I must add
To stand before His throne.
I only plead His life and death
Sufficient on their own.

There is no love that I desire
But Jesus’ warm embrace.
While now I know His love by faith
I long to see His face.

There is no song that I will sing,
No melody but this,
That my Beloved, He is mine,
For He has made me His.

Hear it and download music here.

by Eric Schumacher & David L. Ward

© 2008 ReformedPraise.org

CCLI Song #5524916

"Merciful to Me" Release Concert - Special Guest, Jake Armerding

If you're near Minneapolis, be sure to check out the official release concert for Reformed Praise's new album Merciful to Me. On Saturday, October 23rd, 2010 many of the artists who appeared on the new album will join together for a night of worship through song. Come enjoy 13 old and new hymns set to a variety of music and performed by some outstanding musicians. Tickets available here.

Our special guest is Jake Armerding. The Boston Globe calls singer-violinist Jake Armerding “the most gifted and promising songwriter to emerge from the Boston folk scene in years.” Check out Jake's website.

Merciful to Me - $8.99 @ Amazon.com

Download Merciful to Me from Amazon.com.

Book Recommendation: Paul Clark -- Tune My Heart to Sing Thy Grace

Paul Clark, Jr., Director of Worship and Music Ministries for the Tennessee Baptist Convention, has authored a new book on congregational singing, Tune My Heart to Sing Thy Grace: Worship Renewal through Congregational Singing.

I met Paul a few years ago, when he invited me to lead four sessions at the TBC's bi-annual worship conference. I was very encouraged by his views on the centrality of corporate worship and its place in the church and life of Christians. I expect this book to be well-worth reading.

David Dockery writes the foreword, which you can read through the preview option on Amazon's page. Dockery confirmed my expectations about the value of Paul's work and increased my excitement about the book.

Keith Getty offers this endorsement:

"Paul Clark is a church musician who is equally committed to the glory of God, the building up of his church, and using the best of creativity of the past and present to look towards the future. I cannot recommend him highly enough."

David Platt, pastor of The Church at Brook Hills and author of Radical, writes:

"Paul Clark reveals biblical, theological foundations for radically God-centered worship, and then he gives us clear, practical guidance for how God's people respond congregationally to God's greatness. I wholeheartedly recommend this book for pastors, worship music leaders, and Christians who long to see God-honoring, Christ-exalting, Spirit-led worship in the church."

Here is the publisher's description:

Music has a way of speaking into our lives, giving unique expression to the highest moments of celebration, the lowest depressions of the human spirit, and the common experiences that define an average day. We all know that music is an integral part of the worship experience, but Paul Clark takes it a step further, urging readers to seek actual worship renewal through congregational singing. What does it mean to "sing in tune with God's grace"? How does singing by oneself, in private worship, differ from singing with a small group of fellow worshippers, with congregations, or during festival worship? What criteria should be used when selecting music for each kind of experience? Distinguishing between worship that is people-centered-that is, that meets our needs and is pleasing to us-and worship that is God-centered, Clark offers pastors, lay leaders, and music ministers biblically sound guidelines and inspiration for their thinking as they plan and lead worship. Along the way, he sheds new light on the dynamics of what is happening when a congregation finds its voice and sings. Tune My Heart to Sing thy Grace goes beyond simply dealing with issues of music style. Through biblical reflection and practical considerations, it encourages the reader to plumb the depths of one of the most cherished activities of spiritual endeavor: singing worship. With greater understanding comes bolder, more enthusiastic participation and the potential for continuous renewal of the worship experience.

God's Timing for a Weary Saint Cast Down

Last Wednesday morning, my wife and I received from her doctor the hard news that the baby in her womb had died. She was almost three months pregnant. We were joyfully anticipating a new little one running around our home. It was certainly a sorrowful day.