Sojourn Music – Over the Grave Review, part 1
Travis recently asked me to post some thoughts on the new Sojourn Album, Over the Grave: the hymns of Isaac Watts, volume 1.
This album is the first of a two-album Isaac Watts project by Sojourn Community Church in Louisville, Kentucky. (Though a Baptist church, Sojourn is also affiliated with the Acts 29 Network, a group seeking to plant gospel-saturated churches worldwide.) This album has been described by the musicians at Sojourn as “Hi-Wattage”, meaning an indie-rock feel, while the next album will be more folk/acoustic influenced, hence, “Lo-Wattage”.
Let’s get the genre out of the way. There’s no way I would describe this as an indie-rock album. But that’s not a bad thing. It’s just an inaccurate genre designation to place on an album with such a variety of sounds. For one thing, producers Mike Cosper and Neil Robins have outdone themselves in making this album different from their other albums. While I enjoyed Advent Songs (especially the new tune for “Joy to the World”), this album is on a completely different level of creativity of lyric writing, composition, and arranging.
This is not a project like Red Mountain Church or Indelible Grace or even my own music. These are not hymn texts with new tunes. They are new compositions inspired by the hymn texts. This becomes clear by comparing one of the pieces. On the left is Isaac Watts’ Hymn 15 and on the right is Sojourn’s “May Your Power Rest on Me”, inspired by that hymn.
Hymn 15Our own weakness, and Christ our strength. Let me but hear my Savior say, I glory in infirmity, I can do all things, or can bear But if the Lord be once withdrawn, [So Samson, when his hair was lost, |
May Your Power Rest on MeWritten by Joel Gerdis and Neil Robins Let me hear my Savior say, Chorus: Let me know my Savior’s face; Chorus Once from the Lord withdrawn Chorus Though the trial still goes on, |
I’ll have more thoughts tomorrow. If you’ve heard this album, what are your thoughts?
PCA General Assembly Worship Services – Closing Thoughts
Over the past few weeks, I’ve posted several reviews of the worship services at General Assembly. I appreciate the comments and discussion that those posts have inspired. A few closing thoughts today:
- As I’ve stated in a couple of venues, I think the variety that the Central Florida Presbytery brought to the worship services was a great thing. A denomination that embraces many different styles of praise to the Lord is a good thing.
- Sound engineering was an issue, especially Wednesday evening. The guest artist was turned up so loud that it obscured the congregation’s singing. That’s never okay.
- With the variety of music being written and produced in PCA circles today (Red Mountain Church, Indelible Grace, Park Slope – Brooklyn), it was a shame that the only real exposure we had to any PCA music was from Laura Story. Please don’t hear this as a criticism of her, she did a fine job, but she’s easily the most accessible, CCM artist that could have been featured, when we need to find a way to feature more of our own artists whose music might not be as readily accessible in mainstream evangelicalism.
- Likewise, aside from songs by Laura Story and one by Josh Bales, there were no songs written by PCA members. We had several Sovereign Grace songs, several hymns, several Tomlin songs, but nothing RUF, nothing Red Mountain, etc. I’d love to see more churches working those songs in and General Assembly working those songs in as well.
- Of course, it’s entirely possible that none of those songs fit the themes for the evenings. The services were well-designed around the themes related to a New Creation.
- All in all, my first trip to General Assembly was a very positive one. I’m looking forward to future assemblies.
- Finally, the next time it comes time for someone to yell out a hymn for us to sing during a break during Assembly sessions, please, please don’t yell out “How Great Thou Art” with its misleading 4th verse. Yell out “263!” (For All the Saints) or something good like it instead.
PCA General Assembly Worship Services – Worship Service 3
The third and final worship service, held on Thursday, June 18, was called “A Renewed World”. Attendance at this service was spotty, due to the Assembly ending early and the service being moved up to 4:30pm from 5:30pm. (This also meant that the cellist for the evening was on his way to the Assembly during most of the music set. It’s a shame that the musicians weren’t warned further in advance that they would be needed earlier so that they would have time to prepare.)
Music was led by Josh Bales and musicians from City Church, Orlando (where my sister-in-law is involved).
The hymns and songs chosen were:
- Come Away from Rush and Hurry
- Words: Marva Dawn, Music: NETTLETON
- This Is My Father’s World
- Words: Maltbie D. Babcock, Music: TERRA BEATA
- Holy, Holy, Holy
- Words: Reginald Heber, Music: NICAEA
- Our Great God
- Words and Music: Fernando Orgeta, Mac Powell
- ‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus
- Words: Louisa M. R. Stead, Music: TRUST IN JESUS
- A Hymn for All the World
- Words and Music: Josh Bales
Ray Cannata, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New Orleans, gave a testimony of the rebuilding work going on in the people and the city of New Orleans 4 years after Hurricane Katrina.
Martin Ban, pastor of Christ Church, Santa Fe, New Mexico, spoke on “Mission, Risk and Redemptive Feasting” from Luke 14:1-35 and 22:14-27. He had a wonderful communication style, unlike any other preacher I’ve heard, but one that fit him well. (And shouldn’t that be the goal in preaching!) He delivered long, well-constructed sentences and allowed time for them to sink in. It was a great exposition of the text but also a great challenge for the future of our denomination.
Musically, this service was probably the most unified of all the services. A smaller ensemble with no special guests helped to bring everything together. This was the most like a typical church-plant music style – acoustic guitar led, piano, bass, drums, a color instrument (cello, in this case). It was very well played, with a mind to supporting the congregation.
PCA General Assembly Worship Services – Worship Service 2
The second worship service, held on Wednesday, June 17, was called “A Renewed Church”. Music was led by musicians from Christ Kingdom Church, University Presbyterian, Willow Creek Presbyterian and Laura Story Elvington, a guest artist from Perimeter Church in suburban Atlanta.
We sang the following hymns/songs:
- Awesome is the Lord Most High
- Words and Music: Cary Pierce, Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, Jon Abel
- Your Grace Is Enough
- Words and Music: Matt Maher
- Indescribable
- Words and Music: Laura Story
- I Will Lift My Eyes
- Words and Music: Bebo Norman, Jason Ingram
- Grace
- Words and Music: Laura Story
- Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)
- Words: John Newton, Music: AMAZING GRACE, Chorus: Chris Tomlin, et al
- Mighty to Save
- Words and Music: Ben Fielding, Reuben Morgan
Matt Brown gave a testimony about the church planting work in Brooklyn. (He also “proved” why Brooklyn is God’s favorite borough of NYC and why the Bronx is his least favorite.)
Greg Thompson delivered an excellent, convicting sermon called “To Become Ourselves” based upon the Jerusalem Council meeting in Acts 15.1-35. The sermon is worth listening to; it’s been posted on the podcast of Trinity Presbyterian – Charlottesville, Virginia. A large portion of the sermon was an honest discussion on how hard it is for Christians to talk to one another. Most helpful quote: “Sometimes, ‘vision‘ is nothing more than a euphemism for ambition, unhinged from the inconveniences of love.”
The Investment Banker and his Mentor, a parable
Daniel was an investment banker who worked for a national bank in their downtown Houston office. One afternoon while waiting for the bus, he ran into Dr. Clark, his finance professor and mentor from college. Having a few extra minutes, they walked down to the Flying Saucer and caught up over a drink. They talked about their families, their hobbies, and their careers. After a while, Daniel said, “You know Dr. Clark, I’m really glad that I ran into you because the guys at work have told me about this great new opportunity and I just can’t keep quiet about it! You see there’s this guy in New York who has made a ton of money off of this investment plan where people send him money and then he waits and sends the money from the next group of investors to the first group of investors. You just keep that pattern up indefinitely and you can’t lose! My kids are going to be able to go to any college they want!”
Dr. Clark was silent. He had a look of shock tinged with horror on his face. After an uncomfortable 20 seconds, he said, “Danny, what’s wrong with you? I talked about this in the first semester you took one of my courses. It’s called a Ponzi scheme. That guy in New York that you heard about? He was sentenced to 150 years in prison! How could you think this was a good idea? You need to stick to what I taught you: sound investment principles. Don’t get fooled by those guys; if they keep up like this, they’ll end up in prison as well.”
PCA General Assembly Worship Services – Service 1
Tuesday evening’s worship service was entitled “A Renewed Church Leadership”, going along with the theme for the week, “All Things New”. Music was led by the combined musicians of Orangewood Presbyterian in Maitland, Florida and Seven Rivers Presbyterian in Lecanto, Florida (as well as assembly organist Larry Roff leading us on a couple of the hymns).
This was the most varied night in regards to music. We had everything from solo organ to a heavily sequenced rock-style arrangement. The chosen songs were:
- Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven
- Words: Henry Lyte, Music: LAUDA ANIMA
- Before the Throne of God Above
- Words: Charitie L. Bancroft, Music: Vicki Cook
- O the Wonderful Cross (When I Survey the Wondrous Cross)
- Words: Isaac Watts, (Chorus: Chris Tomlin and JD Walt), Music: HAMBURG, (Chorus: Chris Tomlin and Jesse Reeves)
- Satisfied
- Words: Clara T. Williams, Music: Karl Digerness
- Jesus, Thank You
- Words and Music: Pat Sczebel
- Jesus, What a Friend for Sinners
- Words: J. Wilbur Chapman, Music: HYFRYDOL
Skip Ryan gave a testimony of his tumbling spiral of addiction and need for approval as well as the Lord’s faithfulness in delivering him. It was a powerful moment to hear how a man who had been in such a place of power and prestige within the denomination had found freedom precisely in losing those things that had given him power and prestige.
Dr. Paul Kooistra’s sermon was a call for unity.
The most memorable moment of the service for me, however, was in the corporate prayer which was taken from the Valley of Vision. It is called “Continual Repentance”:
O God of Grace,
Thou hast imputed my sin to my substitute,
and hast imputed his righteousness to my soul,
clothing me with bridegroom’s robe,
decking me with jewels of holiness.But in my Christian walk I am still in rags;
my best prayers are stained with sin;
my penitential tears are so much impurity;
my confessions of wrong are so many aggravations of sin;
my receiving the Spirit is tinctured with selfishness.I need to repent of my repentance;
I need my tears to be washed;
I have no robe to bring to cover my sins,
no loom to weave my own righteousness;
I am always standing clothed in filthy garments,
and by grace am always receiving change of raiment,
for thou dost always justify the ungodly;
I am always going into the far country,
and always returning home as a prodigal,
always saying, Father, forgive me,
and thou art always bringing forth the best robe.Every morning let me wear it,
every evening return in it,
go out to the day’s work in it,
be married in it,
be wound in death in it,
stand before the great white throne in it,
enter heaven in it shining as the sun.Grant me never to lose sight of
the exceeding sinfulness of sin,
the exceeding righteousness of salvation,
the exceeding glory of Christ,
the exceeding beauty of holiness,
the exceeding wonder of grace.
“I need my tears to be washed.”
What a powerful image.
This was probably the service that inspired the criticisms of “schizophrenic” worship. It’s a shame that those charges were leveled. Having worshiped with both Orangewood and Seven Rivers, I know from personal experience that the styles used in the service, from very traditional to very “contemporary” (for lack of a better word), were reflections of the congregations that they serve. Is it possible to do multiple styles well? Yes, absolutely. Is it a healthy thing for churches to embrace both old and new? I believe so. Is “blended” music the only way to worship God faithfully? Of course not.