Apparently Mark Driscoll’s blog now has a home in this neighborhood. Yes, that Mark Driscoll. Don’t recall? Let me refresh your memory. This is the Mark Driscoll who built a Seattle megachurch in his own image. “I am the brand,” he was reported to say. This is the guy who claimed men hated the church because it made Jesus into a “Richard Simmons, hippie queer Christ.” “I cannot worship a guy I can beat up,” he said. It’s the one… Read more

The practices that much of Christianity dismisses as artificial ‘traditions of men’ have a Biblical and historical foundation. Read more

I get the most interesting responses when I tell people what I do for a living. “You must play guitar!” No. “Do you have your own band?!?” No. “Have you heard the new Hillsong album? I just love it.” Let me stop you right there. Let’s start over with the introductions. I’m Jonathan. I’m a church music director. And these are all things I’d rather listen to than the new Hillsong album. 71. Elmo, Abby, and Rosita sing “If You’re… Read more

Dear friends, this has been a tough week to be from the Houston area. At my house, it rained over 40 inches in 4 days. Thankfully, my beautiful little family has stayed safe and dry, but so many others have not. We have family and friends who have escaped flooding homes. Others are facing weeks, perhaps longer, before they are even able to assess the damage. Lives have been lost, and the toll will likely not be known until the… Read more

I’ve been saying for years now that bad worship leads to a bloated, malnourished church. We’re seeing that happen now with the prominence of commercial entertainment worship. I understand that using “bad” in the context of worship discussion can elicit a surprising amount of reactivity, so let me be clear what I mean: I’m not in the habit of judging authenticity or intention when it comes to worship. In fact, I have no doubt that most of those who design,… Read more

No, the melodies of our beloved hymns weren’t borrowed from drinking songs, bar tunes, and tavern music. Read more

By reducing worship to an issue of preference, we’ve reduced its importance, made ourselves into a cultural laughingstock, and hindered the church’s mission. Read more