Author Archives: Chaplainmike

iMonk Classic: Learning from the Psalms

Classic iMonk Post by Michael Spencer Undated Note from CM: This is an excerpt from one of Michael Spencer’s essays called, “Learning from the Psalms,” in which he attempts to show how Scripture can guide us in worship and in our use of music. * * * So I would like to present the possibilityContinue reading “iMonk Classic: Learning from the Psalms”

Saturday Ramblings 10.13.12

Greetings, iMonks, and welcome to the black-arm-band, I’m-in-mourning edition of Saturday Ramblings. After taking two games in San Francisco, the Cincinnati Reds returned home and promptly lost three straight to the godless Giants, thus ending what had been such a promising season. Is it better to have won the division and lost in the playoffsContinue reading “Saturday Ramblings 10.13.12”

The Incomparable Ken Medema

In 1974, my youth pastor invited an amazingly gifted pianist and singer to visit our youth group and perform at our church. His name was Ken Medema. Despite blindness, he had remarkable talent as an instrumentalist, vocalist, and creative songwriter. His enthusiasm was infectious, his humor hilarious, the depth of feeling by which he communicatedContinue reading “The Incomparable Ken Medema”

A Brief Lutheran Statement on the Arts

Here is another statement on the use of music (and other arts) in worship, this from the Evangelical Lutheran Church. We present this as yet another example of how churches and Christian traditions are thinking about these matters. This brief summary is taken from the ELCA publication, The Use of the Means of Grace. YouContinue reading “A Brief Lutheran Statement on the Arts”

The State Of Christian Radio

I began working in radio the same year I became a follower of Jesus, 1973. I worked in educational radio, Christian radio, general market radio. I taught broadcast management for 15 years. I worked at the first FM commercial station to play all contemporary Christian music in the nation. We were the pioneers in manyContinue reading “The State Of Christian Radio”

Guest Post: Pulpit Freedom Sunday: Do We Really Think This Is a Good Idea?

Note from CM: Randy Thompson is one of our faithful readers and commenters. He and his wife Jill host and minister to pastors and church workers at Forest Haven, a retreat in Bradford, NH. At the FH blog, Randy writes regular words of encouragement to those dealing with the stresses of ministry, and we haveContinue reading “Guest Post: Pulpit Freedom Sunday: Do We Really Think This Is a Good Idea?”

C.S. Lewis — The Conservative Worshiper

One of the clearest statements of what might be termed the “conservative” position on the practice of worship was made by C.S. Lewis in Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer. I wonder how you respond to it. “It looks as if they [innovative clergy] believed people can be lured to go to church by incessantContinue reading “C.S. Lewis — The Conservative Worshiper”

Ralph Martin on an Early Christian Hymn

One of the fundamental texts on worship for college and seminary students when I was in school was Ralph P. Martin’s Worship in the Early Church. I thought I’d go back to it and pull out an excerpt for our Church Music Month. So here, from his chapter on “Hymns and Spiritual Songs” is aContinue reading “Ralph Martin on an Early Christian Hymn”