IHOP Atlanta

When the song came out in 2015, I was in the midst of graduating and truly coming to terms with the person I am. Going through this period of self-realization, the lyrics “You can't rush your healing/Darkness has its teachings/Love is never leaving/You can't rush your healing” (II. 19-22) really went to show me that the hard times I was going through were placed in my way as learning experiences. Listening to the mellow tunes of this song had such powerful repercussion on my mood as well. Not only the content of the words, reassuring me that everything will pass, but the actual vibrations of sound forced me into a meditative/healing state of

The pieces were quite odd for me at the first time, first hearing, but I got used to it at the end of the each piece. “The Gospel Train” and “Little David, Play On Your Harp” were African-American Spiritual songs, which I kind of enjoyed, because I was also, very spiritually active. The last song, “Precious Lord Take My Hand” was very calming songs. I liked the lyrics of the song. The lyrics were very touchy that it made me ponder after the applause.

But for the music this is different, there is nothing wrong with upbeat music or making it sound like popular music provided it is still correctly teaching what they believe. A study by D. Parker (2012) shows this, in his paper ‘Music as a Bridge- An alternative for existing historical churches in reaching young adults’ Parker suggests that the use of contemporary music can be a way of bridging the historical, traditionally perceived church with younger generations, or in reality any person or more current times. As this alone can often break down the barrier of the assumption churches are outdated and that hymns are sung and organs are used, while having a proper band and playing songs that resemble more recent years’ music developments can give a new perspective of the church (D. Parker, 2012, p. 38- 42). Although this being said, in the paper it is also clear of the division that arises with the idea of using more contemporary music within the church. This is very much a reflection of the change in culture over the decades, with some older people in churches seeing the development of rock and roll as evil and therefore having no place in the church worship, yet not seeing the benefit it can have on the potential growth of the

From the beginning of times, music has played an important role in everyone’s life. At first, it started with drum-based and percussion instruments made out of what was available as rocks and sticks. Our ancestors proved that human beings have an innate need of music. Nowadays, no one teaches a baby to follow the beat of a song, he just naturally lets his body get involved with the rhythm. Since the prehistoric era to Christian times, several forms of music have developed leaving a trail to new genres of music. For Christianity, hymns and plainchants were the first forms of music considered as a worship to God. As time passed by, Christian music has evolved giving way to new and fresh sounds.

The big question or concern that is initially raised is simply the correct concern that “many

My soul was filled with its hypnotic percussive reverberations modulated with delay effect, and decisive guitar slides and harmonics. Connotations with world music and progressive jazz are easily identifiable and can be heard again in the shorter “Binding Time”.

Worship music what is it really for and is there such of thing as good or bad Worship music. Donald Williams In his Touchstone magazine article, “Durable Hymns,” Williams notes that there have been wars over music almost as long as there’s been a church. Williams says we should study the music of the past to “learn the criteria by which to discern what is worthy in the present.” I agree that we need to look in the past but we need to be careful with that too just like today music written log ago had music that was of poor quality too. One hymn I that stuck with me through my teens is “you are my all in all” by Dennis Jernigan. This song is rooted in biblical truth (You are my strength when I am weak…When I fall down you pick me up), theological

I believe Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) (2016) describes Intercessory prayer the best as “Intercession is prayer that pleads with God for your needs and the needs of others. But it is also much more than that. Intercession involves taking hold of God's will and refusing to let go until His will comes to pass” (para. 3). As a Christian, this day and time providing intercessory of prayer for your needs or needs of others can be a battle. It is truly a spiritual battle that takes place in our own lives and the lives of others. So many time I personally, get caught up in the events of the day or the worries of the day and I fail to truly apply myself and pray with my whole heart and soul. My prayers all too often seem to be routine daily

People seemed overcome with emotion. There were several songs sung during the concert and each song had the audience just as vocal and physical as the one before it. People would shout and raise their hands in the air, shaking them or waving them around. In a way, it reminded me of the Tarab music of the Middle East that seem to feel its audience with ecstasy and enchant them. The gospel music evoked strong emotions in the audience and people sang along with the artist as they clapped their hands in time with each other.

Some people found a new source of identity, turning to religion. Some songs have a religious tone to them like “Let the Redemption come”. Pieces started to have double meanings. The piece that struck a chord with me was “My boy, where are you going? Sweetheart, it’s all over”. In one sense it could be saying something about a bad breakup or that two people have been forcefully separated after one is transported away. By grouping so many people from so many backgrounds, cultures, and languages, music was even more so a unifying thing as people united under a local or national song to affirm themselves to their home.

Prayer done weekly after responsive reading and sometime quarterly with the entire congregation is considered corporate because it initiates a spirit of agreement. In addition, it takes place on Sunday mornings and before Bible Study currently on Tuesday nights. Prayer is a two-way conversation, which requires listening as well as talking to God. The author, Cherry Stance writes, “Corporate prayer in worship holds the capacity to move in two direction: upward and outward. The most common view of prayer is upward, for prayer is often depicted as raising our praises and petitions to God who is above and beyond us. This sometimes referred to as the vertical dimension of prayer—prayers ascending from people to God (and God speaking back to people).”

Church and chapel services both fall into this category, but worship is not just confined to these two settings. Worship comes in many forms and can take place anywhere. I believe that Nights of Worship and “The Well” at camp are two extraordinary examples of unconventional worship. I believe that music is one of the most important aspects of worship. For some members of the Christian community, worshipping through music is not an important aspect of a typical worship service. God made people to be unique, which means everyone has a different way of glorifying him. This is why I define worship as “anything a believer does with the intent of glorifying God.” Worship can be done in a community in a contemporary or traditional style, and individual time in prayer and

Praise, Worship, Singing to God... Christian music is a way to talk to our God. It can be rap, pop, country Or just about any genre. Christian music can get you in your feels or get you pumped up. Like I believe that Christian music is the best music because it is clean, it is real, and because it brings us closer to God.

Worship comes in different forms depending on how the church wants the service to proceed. For the Amazing Grace Church, the service began with the congregation singing a number of worship songs to the Lord that lasted for about an hour. Christian praise and worship by music, and in fact, music is a great tool for helping them feel closer to God. Music is an emotional language because it effectively affects their emotions and the lyrics can swell their hearts. There is nothing bigger and greater than the grace of God that is delivered to them from condemnation through the sacrifice of his own Son. Thus, Christian chooses to praise and worship Him by singing. While singing, the congregation stands on their feet and they seem to be affected by the songs in some way as they raise their hands as a sign of accepting the Lord into their hearts. The emotion that was thrown from the congregation was very distinctive to us as we could see that the songs are an important tool of expression. According to the pastor of the Amazing Grace Church, singing let the people focus on the worship, helps them respond to God’s grace and also guide them to reflect on God’s glory. In his opinion, singing mean nothing if people do not respond to what they have sang and related it to God and reflect it to make them better believers.

Reflecting upon the readings of Torrance’s Worship, Community, and the Triune God of Grace and White’s Introduction to Christian Worship will deeply shape how I look at worship in the churches I now order worship for the congregations. I used one of the churches in which I serve to do the Order of Worship assignment. It is a blue collar, small membership church located in a rural, retirement/ vacation area of North Carolina, Lake Gaston. It is also predominately Caucasian. Torrance’s focus is on trinitarian worship, participating in Christ’s communion with God, the Father and Christ’s life, death, and resurrection through the power of the Holy Spirit. And White’s focus is to look at how the forms used in worship give worship its meaning. These forms include but are not exclusive of, time, space, music and art. There are implications for both focuses in the order of worship for the congregation used for my order of worship.