Asher Cole
1. Is Bach’s music simply classical music?When we think of Johann Sebastian Bach today, we usually think of classical music at its highest level. We think of complex fugues, beautiful chorales, careful counterpoint, and musical structures that feel almost impossibly perfect.This is why Bach is often called the father of...
Asher Cole
1. When Did the Worship We Know Today Begin?If we think about the way we worship today, a certain image comes to mind. A band stands at the front, with guitars, drums, and keyboards blending together. The congregation sings along as they follow the lyrics, and the music gradually builds,...
Asher Cole
1. When One Instrument Quietly Changed EverythingThere was a time when the sound of worship was clearly defined. The organ filled the room, and the choir carried the melody. Worship followed a structured order, steady and familiar. For many, that was simply what worship was.Then, something unexpected began to appear.Not...
Asher Cole
1. The unexpected direction created by one songA pastor once said during his sermon that if he had the authority to get rid of all the beer in the world, he would pour it all into the river. Then he added that he would do the same with all the...
Asher Cole
1. Why Did We Love This Worship?When we think back to the first time we encountered the worship of Hillsong Church, many of us share a similar memory. The melodies felt unfamiliar at first, yet quickly became easy to follow. The lyrics were simple, but the more they were repeated,...
Asher Cole
1. At some point, we began to watch worshipToday, we step into worship and naturally follow along. We listen to the music, look at the screen, and move with the flow. High quality sound, thoughtful lighting, and well prepared musicians have become a familiar part of many churches. At times,...
His name was Daniel, and he had been singing that lyric for eleven years.He was a guitarist on our worship team — steady, faithful, the kind of player who shows up early and stays late without being asked. At some point during a rehearsal, I asked the team a question...
Asher Cole
A Nameless Song, Yet a Clear ConfessionToday, we sing naturally in worship. Familiar melodies flow from our lips, sometimes even without deep reflection. Among these is Were You There, a hymn that stands apart from many others. Unlike most hymns, its author and composer are unknown. It did not begin...
Asher Cole
1. A Time When We Could Not SingToday, we naturally sing together in worship. We close our eyes, sometimes raise our hands, and lift our voices to God. This has become so familiar that we rarely stop to question it. Yet this was not always the case. Before the Reformation,...
Asher Cole
1. Grace That Changed a LifeWe sing “Amazing Grace” so often that it can start to feel familiar, almost too familiar. But this hymn is far more than just a beautiful melody. It is the story of a life completely turned around, a testimony of grace experienced in a deeply...
I have led the same song probably three hundred times.I'm not exaggerating. There's a song we used at the church I served for almost a decade — a simple one, not particularly clever, nothing that would win a songwriting award. We sang it in the opening set. We sang it...
Worship That Makes Sense | Part 1 of 5Someone asked me once, after a Sunday service: "Was that worship?"She wasn't confused about the sermon. She wasn't questioning the pastor. What she was trying to name was something simpler — and harder to put into words. The singing had felt like...
Lisa Wesley As we celebrate Passover and the Resurrection of Jesus, let’s look at how these two are intimately linked; a portrait of what has already been fulfilled and a prophetic picture of what is yet to come.PESACH literally means to “pass over” and is a celebration of freedom and liberation from...
Lisa Wesley I am the Lord, the God of ALL mankind. Is there anything too hard for Me? Jer 32:27What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the FIRST of the signs through which He revealed HIS GLORY; and His disciples believed in Him. John 2:11Jesus replied "What is impossible with...
Carol McLeod
“The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom should I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom should I dread?” – Psalm 27:1Please Pray:Father, I thank You that You are a God I can trust. I know that You are working all things together for good...
A key difference between Jewish and Christian worship lies in fellowship. Orthodox Jews: • Meet to worship three times a day • Visit synagogues anytime to find people studying scriptures together • Begin each day with communal worship and scripture study at sunrise • Gather again for worship and community...
There are concert experiences and then there are CONCERT experiences.For decades, concert goers have been captivated by the thrill of live music due to its transcending musicianship, dazzling lighting, and thunderous backbeat. From the recent Taylor Swift Eras Tour to U2’s Rattle and Hum to Woodstock from long ago, filmmakers...
Worship leaders—are your worship services feeling a bit rote? Looking for a way to inject a little bit of creativity and life into your corporate worship experience? After decades of leading worshi…
By Elizabeth Prata God on His throne knows the thoughts and intentions of everyone- that is 8 BILLION People! And He knows this at every moment of every day. He is also sustaining the universe, man…
This is the final article in a series on Asahel Nettleton, a revival preacher during the Second Great Awakening. The first part of this series highlighted who Nettleton was and his place in history. The second article focused on Nettleton’s soteriological beliefs and how they countered the typical soteriological teachings during his lifetime. Lastly, this article will discuss the hymns that mention soteriology in Village Hymns and show the relationship to Nettleton’s soteriological beliefs. Whil