Why will unscriptural, man-centered, culturally conditioned, over-contextualized worship undermine confessional orthodoxy? Because worship by its very form (which ought to be according to spirit—uppercase and lowercase— and truth) communicates certain things about the nature of God and man, thus theology proper and . . . Continue reading →
Rule of Worship
The Antecedent To Worship
We all agree there should be truth in worship. But shouldn’t worship also be in truth? There’s a big difference between having truth in worship and worshipping in truth. Having truth in worship means you got some Bible in there. But worshiping . . . Continue reading →
Psalmody And The Sexual Revolution: Or Yet Another Reason Why We Should Only Sing God’s Word
It was only a matter of time. There is a story on CNN about the 2019 publication of a LGBTQ hymnal, Songs For The Holy Other: Hymns Affirming the LGBTQIA2S+ Community. This collection is published by the Hymn Society, which is a . . . Continue reading →
The Idea Of Reverent, Orderly Worship Did Not Begin In The Reformation
A reverent restraint in worship did not begin with the Reformation. Clement of Alexandria in the second century A.D. decried all sorts of revelry in the church, which he called “an inebriating pipe” serving only to arouse the sensuous passions. “For,” he . . . Continue reading →
Heidelcast 224: From Every Tribe, Tongue, And Nation (2)—Introduction To The Canons Of Dort (2)
In this episode Dr Clark continues the series on the Canons of Dort (1619). There is a popular narrative among Arminians (and perhaps others) that the Arminians were the victims of an unprovoked theological, ecclesiastical, and political attack by Calvinists. Nothing could . . . Continue reading →
D. G. Hart To Speak At NW Atlanta Reformed Conference May 21, 2022
D. G. Hart, Distinguished Associate Professor of History at Hillsdale College is the featured speaker at the second annual Northwest Atlanta Reformed Conference Saturday, May 21, 2022 (9:00–Noon) to be held at Christ Orthodox Presbyterian Church (495 Terrell Mill Rd., Marietta, GA). The . . . Continue reading →
Waters Contra Intinction: We Must Observe The Sacraments In The Way Christ Instituted Them
We must observe the sacraments in a way that submits to the teaching of Scripture. In the public worship of God, we may only do what God has authorized us to do. What he hasn’t expressly authorized in Scripture is thereby forbidden. . . . Continue reading →
Heidelcast 203: A Christmas Story (With A Santa Clause)
We’re interrupting our series on the Apostles’ Creed to talk about Christmas. Usually at this time of year I post or repost some of the essays on the Heidelblog about Christmas but this year I thought it might be useful to talk . . . Continue reading →
If We Sang Only God’s Word This Could Not Happen
If God’s Word is sufficient for anything, it is sufficient for public worship. If we sang only God’s Word then we would never sing a hymn about climate change. Continue reading →
Does Your Worship Need To Be “Elevated”?
I received a piece of spam mail late last week offering to “elevate” the worship service at my church.
Who Is The Legalist?
There is much antinomianism in the modern evangelical church. By antinomianism I mean the rejection of a fixed moral law and specifically to the rejection of God’s moral law as summarized in the Ten Commandments and applied in the New Testament to . . . Continue reading →
The Principles Of Reformed Worship
We want to be seeker-sensitive, but we must identify the true seeker in worship. Scripture teaches that “no man seeks God,” certainly not the unregenerate, rather it is God who seeks us (Romans 3:11). Our Lord taught us that the Father seeks those who will worship in spirit and truth (John 4:23). Therefore the primary focus in Reformed worship is our living, holy, righteous, awesome Triune God. Thus when we gather before his face (Hebrews 12:18-20) we are in a sacred assembly where he has promised to give us an audience. Continue reading →
Reconsidering The Offering As An Element Of Worship After Covid
Introduction: The Hypothesis Tested Way back in 2008 I asked the question whether the offering is an element or a circumstance of worship or neither? I argued that the offering is neither an element nor a circumstance and thus raised the question . . . Continue reading →
What If The Lord Does Not Accept Our Praise Music?
…We have been trained by the broader culture that how we feel when we come to worship is determined by the success of the instrumentation to create a good feeling. The assumption is that praise is created by the success of the . . . Continue reading →
The Dillenburger Synod Abolished Organs In Worship
Latin songs, as well as organs (first introduced into the churches by Pope Vitellianus about 665) are for the most part abolished in the churches of this land. Not that use of the Latin language or of music is rejected of itself . . . Continue reading →
Is Your Pastor Beginning To Dress Strangely At Work?
To this very end have the Papists brought in such a variety of mass vestments, surplices, and other special clothing for the priests, in order that thereby they would have so much the more splendor and magnificence, as in the Old Testament . . . Continue reading →
The Hungarian Reformed Church Contra Instruments In Worship
The musical instruments, however, adopted for the pantomime (saltatrici) Mass of Antichrist, together with images, we abhor. There is no use for them in the church, and indeed they are marks and occasions of idolatry. Hungarian Reformed Church, Articles (1567) art. 17 . . . Continue reading →
A Brief History Of The Corruption Of Worship
…Through these witnesses of the Holy Scriptures and a hundred more, which one may provide here, we say the pope’s Mass, which he claims to be an offering for the living and the dead, is false, and an impure sacrifice of bread . . . Continue reading →
For Evangelical And Reformed Folk Contemplating The Canterbury Trail
A number of Baptists some Presbyterian and Reformed folk have announced in the last year or so that they have become Anglican. Continue reading
Trueman: Why You Do Not Need Lent
The imposition of ashes is intended as a means of reminding us that we are dust and forms part of a liturgical moment when sins are ‘shriven’ or forgiven. In fact, a well-constructed worship service should do that anyway. Precisely the same . . . Continue reading →