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Select a Category Advent bells ccm choir Christmas civil rights classical music country music Easter faith fourth of july Good Friday gospel music hip-hop Holy Week Jesus Lent Mary Maundy Thursday Messiah music Passion politics Popular Music psalms race rock secular music song Trinity Sunday Uncategorized Worship worship music

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May 2026

May 28, 2026

The Trinity in Sound and Motion

What does the Trinity SOUND like? How can a piece of music help us better...

April 2026

April 02, 2026

Jesus Christ Superstar’s Holy Week Testimony, Part 2

This article explores what we learn about Jesus's character from "Gethsemane", the extraordinary song from...

April 01, 2026

Jesus Christ Superstar’s Holy Week Testimony: Part 1

Who is Jesus? Why did he die? And why does it matter? The classic rock...

April 18, 2025

The Sound of Silence on Good Friday

How can we listen to silence? How can that be our prayer? And where can...

March 2025

March 06, 2025

Kendrick Lamar’s Lenten Cry

[Guest post by Rev. Anna Tew] America's hip-hop prophet has something to say to us...

October 2024

October 24, 2024

Elvis’s Five Most Spiritual Performances

Yes, Elvis recorded gospel music. But some of his secular songs reveal his faith, hope,...

August 2024

August 14, 2024

Found in Translation?

In June, I performed a unique sacred music concert in collaboration with the extraordinary Zimbabwean...

March 2024

March 28, 2024

How a 13th-Century Lament Resonates Today – Part 2

This is part 2 of an article exploring musical settings of the Stabat Mater. To...

March 22, 2024

How a 13th Century Lament Resonates Today – Part 1

By Josh Rodriguez, guest contributor The world watched in horror as yet another Black man...

January 2024

January 17, 2024

Lil Nas X: The Prophet We Need Today

He’s back! And trolling Christians once again. Since rocketing to fame with Old Town Road,...

July 2023

July 03, 2023

Be Careful When You Sing This Song on July 4th

God Bless America has become one of our country’s most beloved patriotic songs. But its...

March 2023

March 30, 2023

How Long, O Lord? Three Musical Settings of Psalm 13 for Lent

If you are like me, you can’t wait for Lent to end. Whether you gave...

March 12, 2023

Does Sacred Music Need Words?

“Preach the Gospel at all times; when necessary, use words." This famous phrase is attributed...

June 2022

June 02, 2022

Breath, Body, and Spirit: A Musical Dramatization of the Day of Pentecost

Ruach is a new composition that dramatizes the sudden, chaotic, and shocking moment when the...

April 2022

April 05, 2022

Pop Songs about Jesus: Lent Edition

Guest post by Rev. Jonathan Evens. For over 50 years, pop musicians in all...

December 2021

December 17, 2021

The Christmas Song That Makes Christians Squirm

There's a Christmas song that makes me really uncomfortable. It makes me think about things...

August 2021

August 10, 2021

The Missing Piece in a Gospel Music Classic

Sam Cooke's "Touch the Hem of His Garment" retells a famous Bible story – but...

March 2021

March 31, 2021

What do shadows sound like?

Sometimes words are not enough - especially when we contemplate the great mysteries of our...

March 09, 2021

Your Psalms Are Too Loud – And So is Your God

A full-voiced choir. Trumpets, cymbals, and drums. THIS is the kind of music best suited...

December 2020

December 18, 2020

The Carol of the Bells: A Theological Reading

Hark! These bells bring peace and joy - but something else as well. They call us...

December 10, 2020

A Magnificat We Might Not Want to Hear

Join me on a musical exploration of Mary’s great song of praise. It might just...

December 04, 2020

Handel’s Messiah and the Secret of Advent

Handel's masterwork isn't just great music. It can also help us grow in faith this...

November 2020

November 29, 2020

Darkness and Mystery: A New Advent Anthem

Doom. Darkness. Tyranny. Misery. Ransom. Exile. Gloomy clouds. Dark shadows. The grave. Hell. Satan. All...

November 25, 2020

A Response to a Recent Ponder Anew Post

As professional musician and scholar, I'd like to address some of the problems in a...

November 18, 2020

Psalm 150 Like You’ve Never Heard it Before

Sometimes our desire to praise is simply too great for words... I created this musical...

November 13, 2020

Rock of Ages: Jesus in Secular Pop Music, Part 1

From “Jesus Walks” to "Dropkick Me, Jesus," popular musicians in every genre have written songs...

October 2020

October 27, 2020

The 100-Year-Old Song that Gives Me Hope for Racial Harmony

If we listen carefully, Scott Joplin’s “Maple Leaf Rag” has much to teach us about...

August 2020

August 16, 2020

The Problem With “Ebony and Ivory”

Christians should look elsewhere for a more powerful and timely musical metaphor for racial harmony....

August 10, 2020

Why White Christians Need Hip-Hop

Avoiding hip-hop lets us white Christians ignore the people and the places that aren’t important...

August 08, 2020

The Hole in the Heart of Sacred Music, Pt. 2

This is the second part of an article about the value of listening to...

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