Special guest post by author, song and hymn writer Keith Getty

As the holidays approach, I often remember my days as a student in
music class. My high school music teacher lived for Christmas carols.
I spoke with him recently as I was working on our new Christmas album,
"Joy--An Irish Christmas," and his enthusiasm is as strong as ever. He
even wants Christmas carols played at his funeral.

"Why?" I asked him.

"Because these songs tell the story of the faith like no other songs
can," he told me.

I wholeheartedly agree. Carols blend a story form of writing with
simple melodies, and they've resulted in a unique hybrid of English
folk music and church music traditions. In that sense, the carol has
impacted my own songwriting more than any other form.

Our new Christmas album gave me a chance to relish in my love for
carols by writing some of my very own. Yet we also decided to honor
some of our age-old favorites, so profound in the stories they tell,
by pairing them with new compositions. When it comes to celebrating
Christmas, I think people want fresh sounds--but they also want to
sing what they know.

I love the fact that some of the most beloved carols essentially
originated as rebel songs. In England during the 15th century,
Catholics were forbidden to sing in the English language, or to even
sing at all for the most part. Yet carols were the one exception.
Additionally, certain factions of Puritanism during the late 16th
century forbid any outward display of emotion. But again, carols
remained the one type of song that allowed people to celebrate with
their lips, instruments and even dancing. For those forbidden to even
smile or smirk during the remainder of the year, this was much cause
for rejoicing!

Today, carols continue to be one of the few remaining conduits that
allow us to proclaim our faith in the public square. Amazingly,
they're heralded on secular radio, used in advertisements and sung on
television throughout the holiday season. These songs allow us to
celebrate our faith authentically and share it with others.

We would do well as worship leaders to remember that non-churchgoers
are far more inclined to attend a church service during the Christmas
season where songs are easy and enjoyable to sing rather than a church
trying to put on the slickest possible show. The music of carols,
written by some of the finest hymn writers of all time (such as
Wesley, Watts and Rossetti) and arranged by equally outstanding
composers (Handel, Holst and Mendelssohn) speaks for itself. We have
wonderful songs to use! And Christmas gives us a wide open door to use
those songs to impact culture like no other time of the year.

May we set aside time this Christmas season to give of ourselves
joyfully and wholeheartedly to the music we choose and the services we
plan. And in doing so we'll join with the Christians of ages past
who've told the story of our faith through the carols they sing.

As a pastor, you're probably focused on using scripture in your sermon, right? Have you ever focused on using scripture in worship?

If a working definition of worship is our response to God's revelation, then how is God revealed? One central way that we know God chooses to reveal himself to us is through His Word. In it, He defines his own existence, sets his own terms, and rules over his own creation. The words of scripture heal, encourage, correct, inspire, tell us the story of Jesus, and give us words to pray.

When you're planning worship this week, take time to think about unique ways that you can incorporate scripture into your service. For each title at LifeWayWorship.com, you can click on the "i" link in your search results and see related scriptures. Or, to an extent, you can go the other direction. Try searching for "Psalm 150" and you'll see what I mean.

Worship pastor Michael Smith from ClearView Baptist Church has a great post over on his blog that you can use as a jumping off point in your planning process. Post your questions in the comments and we'll answer them in upcoming posts!

Pastor's Worship Questions is a series of blog posts designed to help the small church pastor, non-musician or anyone else who's been asked to lead worship in their congregation. If you've got a question for us, post it in the comments, and we'll answer it in an upcoming blog post!

@Maurilio Amorim shares his perspective on what, when and how you should plan an outreach-centered Christmas celebration at your church.

The first thing might be something you have only thought about from a "who can be there to help lead" perspective. LifeWayWorship.com can certainly help with the second thing... but has the third thing even crossed your mind?

Originally posted at MaurilioAmorim.com.

This Thursday, Mike Harland and Ed Stetzer will return to discuss Transformational Worship in a Transformational Church in a special edition of The Choir Room. Hundreds have already pre-registered, have you?

Ed Stetzer talks about what to expect.
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Mike Harland shares what he'll be sharing.
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Pre-register today and get two free downloads at LifeWayWorship.com!

Have you ever wondered how songwriters get their inspiration to write new Christian music? Keith Getty shares about the story behind the modern hymn "By Faith:"

Several years ago I turned to a wise and older friend for some much-needed advice. My friend humbly replied that while he didn't have all the answers, he'd gladly offer his shoulders for me to stand on, so to speak, in order for me to gain perspective. He provided thoughtful counsel, and still does so on a regular basis.

Since then, the image of standing on someone's shoulders often comes to mind, perhaps because of how rarely it seems to happen. Our culture is so fixed on chasing what's most current that we often miss seeing how God has worked in past generations. We can learn, for example, from the incredible passion, conviction, priorities and art seen in the lives of the first hymn writers (while also realizing that even our newest ideas often can be traced to earlier origins). Creativity can take on new forms of expression and human insight can produce fresh fruit with each age, but none of us begin with a blank sheet of paper! We are in the middle of the story.

As God's people, we need to lean on those who've gone before us.

Tonight we ate Mexican food with a pastor friend who shared how young members of his congregation are finding themselves in need of the older ones to demonstrate what it means to live and grow as men and women of God. As a young boy I observed my grandfather's practice of arriving at church an hour before the service began to spend quiet time with the Lord in preparation for worship. Both examples demonstrate the impact one generation can have on the next. Scripture also reveals this:

"One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving towards all he has made. My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever." Psalm 145:4, 13, 21

When I read this passage, I'm reminded that the praises and testimonies of one generation are to echo into the next. All ages serve and worship the same God, gather under the same gospel and add to the collective song that praises the faithfulness of God as each generation shares in his promises to us. We are part of something timeless, and the exercise of stretching our vision beyond ourselves leads us further down the road to an eternal perspective on all of life and our very reason for being.

In our own songwriting for the church, we often consider these questions:

• Is there a musical vocabulary that might link generations and not separate them?
• What thoughts were important to believers in the church from generations past?
• Are the lyrics we sing expressing these overarching themes or dispelling both the challenge and relief that comes when considering the well-trodden path of faith?

These questions influenced the lyrics in "By Faith," our song inspired by Hebrews chapter 11. We tried to tell the chapter's overarching story and show how believers today are traveling on the same journey of faith as those throughout the ages who've walked before us. Our prayer is that our songs-and lives-will give something whole and bright to the those coming after us who are ready to take hold of it!

You can find "By Faith" on the new release Awaken the Dawn, and you can download tracks and charts, (sorry, no bagpipe parts...) all using our SongMap tool at LifeWayWorship.com.

You may worship by doing nothing. Psalm 4 teaches us that. The psalmist laments because God seems to be doing nothing. With great religious indignation the poet demands an answer from God. He wants God to be consistent. In the past God "vindicated me" (literally "was my righteousness" or "righteous one"). God answered and delivered in the past. Why not now? God has defined Himself as showing favor and grace to His people (see Ex. 33:19; compare 2 Kings 13:23). He revealed that grace to me in previous situations. Why doesn't that same grace and favor appear in my present desperation? I join Daniel (9:18) in praying, "We are not presenting our petitions before You on the ground of our righteous acts, but based on Your abundant compassion." I need to do more than talk about Your grace. I need to see Your kindness and Your generosity in action.

The situation goes beyond the apparent broken relationship with God. Exalted men (literally, "sons of man") have disgraced my glory (or honor). Instead of caring for me, they love what is worthless or empty. They seek after what is false or a lie. I stand without any person or God to help. What can I do? I can remember the nature of God and His actions. God separates the chasid, the one who is faithful to God and practices grace and mercy among humanity. That ensures me that God will answer me. But when? Watch out! This crying for help is getting to me. I am becoming more and more emotional. I am trembling (rather than HCSB's being angry) and trembling, increasing by the moment. What can I do? I do not want to blaspheme God or lash out at other people. I do not want to sin in any way against God or fellow human beings. I have reason to be emotionally shaken in such a horrid situation. What can I do?

When I get up in the morning, I can go to more formal worship. I can go to the house of God and give my tithes and offerings. I can show God that I am being true and faithful to Him in every way I know. Most important, I will let God have the whole situation. I will trust God with my desperation. In my silence and inactivity, perhaps God will choose to do something to deliver me. My silent trust may allow God to speak and me to listen to His voice. I am not alone. Others join me in this despicable condition. They are seeing everything as black and evil. No light, no good. No hope. Just the absence of God and the presence of evil! Oh, what can we do? One last plea, God. Do not look away from us any longer. Lift up the light of Your face on us (literal Hebrew). Yes, the silent time with You on my bed has expanded my horizons. I no longer pray just for You to answer me. I want You to reveal Yourself to all of us in this situation. Not just answer me when I call, but let all of us who are walking in darkness see the light of Your face.

Thank You, Lord. I knew You would come through. My heart is experiencing more joy and gratitude than at any time in life, even more than when we harvest our grain and grapes. We party and celebrate then, but that pales in comparison to the celebration we need to do now. You have answered me. You have shown the light of Your face to the people. SO NOW IT IS BACK TO BED. No more sobbing. No more fretting. No more emotional trembles. I am safe and secure in my own bed. And it all started when I decided to be still and in the silence to know You and listen for Your voice and watch for Your face. Yes, my silent trust gave You more worship than most of the elaborate services we participate in at the house of God. O Lord, shut my mouth and teach me to worship.

If you're like me, you find it extremely hard to come before God when your life isn't in order. I feel so guilty sometimes approaching Him with all of my "stuff." There is a part of me that wants to fix the broken things in my life on my own before I bring them to God. I want to sort out all of the issues I'm dealing with so it's not so painful to face Him. Let's be honest - it is embarrassing to admit to God how far away from Him we have strayed.

But the beautiful thing about God's grace, and what we often forget, is that it is designed for the broken. Throughout the Bible, God spoke to many people at their time of greatest desperation. Since God never changes, we must assume that He deals with us the same way. It is in these times that we feel completely unworthy to even call out to God that He reminds us that He loves us and cares about us.

All of us have become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf,
and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

Yet, O LORD, you are our Father.
We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand. (Isaiah 64, vs. 6 & 8, NIV)

He is there. He is listening. All we have to do is talk to Him.

Find Before You on LifeWayWorship.com.

Jeremy Johnson bio
Jeremy was born and raised in Shreveport, Lousiana. He moved to Nashville in 1994 to attend Belmont University. He graduated from Belmont in 1998 with a degree in Music Business. Jeremy signed as an exclusive songwriter for LifeWay Worship in 2004. Since signing, his songs have been recorded by Michael W. Smith, Michael English, Steve Green, and Elliott Yamin (American Idol). Three of his songs were included in the new Baptist Hymnal and his songs have also been featured in over 150 choral and print projects. Jeremy and his wife Maribeth live in Nashville.

I am a product of a family steeped in Christian faith. My dad was a Tennessee Baptist pastor whose life and legacy speaks for itself. I have often testified to the richness of my heritage as a "P.K." (preacher's kid), who grew up in the church listening to Dad preach, and observing Mom play the organ for Sunday worship. The Clark household bore many evidences of the centrality of Christ. Many wall plaques included favorite scripture verses. Bookshelves were filled with Bible commentaries, Christian biographies, and devotional helps. The bulk of the music stacked on the piano was church music; hymn settings, Gospel solo accompaniments, and choir anthems. My sisters and brother and I caught the unmistakable influence of our parents. Coming to faith was something that had to take place within each of us individually, of course, but the pattern and spirit of honoring God in our home and church was a powerful means of receiving the commendation of God's works. The life lived as a "reasonable act of worship" (Rom 12:1) is something we have sought to pass on to our three children, and pray daily will be passed on to our grandchildren and beyond. An important part of that life has been participation together in worship.

It has often been said that "Sunday morning at 11:00am is the most segregated day of the week." The far too accurate statement is a reference, of course, to racial segregation evidenced in our churches. Of all times of the week, you would think Christians would find a way to come together in worship. Racial segregation is not the only way we are divided when it comes to worship. Many of our churches have participated in building an artificial wall that may best be described as ageism. Aspects of our acquiescence have come directly from cultural prejudice that values one age above another. Churches would do well to closely evaluate whether their programming, ministry, and "marketing" foster this prejudice and/or division. As evidenced by racial, theological, doctrinal, socio-economic, and educational level divisions, the church struggles with the hard task of wall demolition.

I am a strong proponent of intergenerational worship! I am convinced that our churches need to directly address the question, "How can we hold generations together in worship?" Some shutter at the thought of converging the music that speaks to teens with that which encourages senior saints. Very often I hear people speak of so-called "blended" worship as that which makes everyone angry, and satisfies no one. That sentiment conveys the real heart of the problem, which is that we still do not understand Who worship is either for or about. It is probably true that even the most noble among us cannot break down the walls of division, especially if we view worship's purpose to be reaching people, or satisfying our need for weekly inspiration and instruction. The controlling point of these motivations remain centered in us, sinful and fallen as we are. For the walls of ageism to be brought down we need nothing less than the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the work of Jesus Christ that tore the curtain and ended eternal separation between God and man. (2 Cor 3:14) Only He can smash the walls that divide us by preference or generational prejudice, and draw us into the one body intended for the community of faith. Jesus did not shrink from interacting with tax gatherers, prostitutes, lepers, and others marginalized by society. He welcomed women and children. He said, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them!" (Matt 19:14 NLT) The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, "Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young." (1 Tim 4:12 NLT) The writer of Proverbs offers the wisdom, "Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life." (Prov 16:31 NIV) The Bible gives no evidence of age discrimination, but rather indicates its application of grace to all who believe. Paul wrote of wall demolition when he noted, "There is neither Jew nor gentile, slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Gal 3:28 NKJV) He cautions us how we should treat one another of different ages in 1 Timothy 5.

Respect for those different than ourselves does not just happen. This is true of those who are of a different generation than we are. There is an intentionality about the spirit and attitude needed to see others as "better than yourselves" (Phil 2:3) and to foster the kind of love that Jesus prayed for when He asked the Father "that all of them may be one, even as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us that the world may believe that you have sent me." (John 17:21 NIV) It is the kind of attitude we would expect to see in corporate worship that yields self-control over to Spirit-control. Consider the bold witness of old and young joined by the Holy Spirit in unity that lifts up Christ and proclaims His salvation from one generation to another.

SUGGESTIONS FOR FOSTERING INTERGENERATIONAL WORSHIP

• Include various age groups in worship leadership by reading scripture, presenting music as ministry, or praying for specific needs


• Provide opportunities for different age groups to serve alongside one another - children and/or teens assist in taking the offering or passing out worship bulletins alongside adult ushers, mixed age music ensembles, music students turning pages for church instrumentalists


• Involve family groupings in providing special moments in worship - lighting candles at Advent, sharing music or readings, carrying banners, leading congregation in sentence prayers


• Plan a series of services celebrating the seasons of life


• Sing songs selected to reflect each age group


• Conduct a survey among all age groups as to what songs best help us to accomplish certain acts of worship - praising, confessing, listening, giving, responding. After receiving responses utilize selections during those actions in worship and encourage all to use the songs of the various age group selections as a means of serving one another as you worship together.


• Reinforce efforts to educate children to the meaning and value of worshiping with parents and grandparents


• Provide opportunities for different generations to serve one another in worship

QUESTION: How are you encouraging intergenerational worship?