Common English Bible now online at BibleGateway.com

A quick update on the new Common English Bible translation I posted about last week. The CEB translation of the New Testament is now available on the Bible Gateway site.  

If you don’t already use Bible Gateway, I’d encourage you to check it out. It’s my go-to site for access to a wide range of Scripture translations online.

Bible Gateway was first started in 1993 by a student, Nick Hengeveld, who was attending Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI at the time.  It offers access to 25 different English translations, as well as various translations of Scripture in 52 other languages.

Searching the Bible is easy:  you can search by keyword, phrase, or scripture reference. There are also two different topical indexes.

A variety of other resources are also available:  commentaries, dictionaries, study tools, reading plans and links to audio versions of the Bible. They even offer a Mobile BibleGateway for use on your iPhone or Blackberry.

My one disappointment with BibleGateway.com is that it doesn’t include the New Revised Standard Version.  For that I usually use the Oremus Bible Browser.  

Playing together as a worship band

Here’s a video from CCLI TV that every worship band and worship leader should watch:  Playing Less/Listening. (Click on the "Instruct" tab, then type "Playing Less/Listening" into the search box at the top right.)

In the video, worship pastor/song writer Paul Baloche addresses one of the biggest mistakes many worship bands make: everyone playing full out all the time.

Baloche demonstrates how instrumentalists can ‘share the space’ with one another when leading worship.  The end result is a much cleaner, clearer sound.

The video doesn’t take long to watch (it’s just eight minutes long), but if these are new ideas to your band, I guarantee it’ll revolutionize your rehearsals and your overall sound.  I highly recommend it.

New "Common English Bible"



If you haven’t seen it yet, the new Common English Bible translation (due to be completed this summer) is worth a look.

According to the CEB website, more than 500 people from 22 different faith traditions are participating in the development of this new translation: 118 translators, 10 editors, and 77 reading group leaders. 

One of the primary concerns of the translators (beside accurate translation, of course) is that the texts be accessible to a broad range of people and age-groups.  More than 400 people in 77 different reading groups were assigned a book of the Bible.  The readers—young people, pastors, lay leaders, teachers, retirees and others—were asked to read the text aloud to one another and comment on unclear or awkward phrasing.

Here’s an example from the CEB, compared with the same text in both the NRSV and NIV translations:

Luke 17:3-4  Common English Bible (CEB)  “Watch yourselves! If your brother or sister sins, warn them to stop. If they change their hearts and lives, forgive them. Even if someone sins against you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times and says, 'I am changing my ways,' you must forgive that person.”

Luke 17:3-4  New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) “Be on your guard! If another disciple sins, you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive. And if the same person sins against you seven times a day, and turns back to you seven times and says, 'I repent,' you must forgive."

Luke 17:3-4  New International Version (NIV)  “So watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him.”

The CEB New Testament is already available; the rest of the Bible will be completed this summer. If you’re interested in reading more, free PDF downloads of Genesis, Psalms, Matthew and Luke are available online at the CEB website.  The site also includes a "passage look-up" box so that you can explore other passages.

Free Contemporary Hymns

Worshiptogether.com has just made available--free of charge--three contemporary hymns by Keith and Kristyn Getty.  You may need to register on their site to access the free lead sheets and mp3s, but registration is free. 

Keith and Kristyn’s songs works really well in multi-generational congregations who are trying to balance a variety of different musical styles in worship.

The free songs include:

Behold The Lamb (Communion Hymn)
A quiet song for communion written in four verses: preparation, bread, wine and response.

The Power Of The Cross
The hymn takes us from Gethsemene to Calvary, reminding us of what it meant for Christ to suffer.
An up-tempo call to worship which would work well at Easter. 

If playing off of a lead sheet (that is, just the vocal line and chords) doesn't work very well for your worship team or pianist, you can purchase the full accompaniments at GettyMusic.com.  Just go to their website, click on “Store,” and choose your country of origin.  Then click on “Sheet Music” and select “Piano/Vocal” from their list of categories.  (If your congregation likes to sing in harmony, notice that you can also choose a “Hymnal/4-part harmony” version of many of their songs.)  After that, simply click on the song title you’re looking for, and add it to your cart.  You’ll be able to download it right after you pay.

Most Piano/Vocal scores on the Getty website cost just under £2 (that’s about $3 Canadian right now).

An advantage to ordering off the Getty website is that you can transpose the song into any key that works for your worship team or congregation.

You can also purchase a full Piano/Vocal score of these songs right from the WorshipTogether website (see the musicnotes.com link at the right), but it’ll cost you US $5.95.  The music there is also transposable.

WorshipTogether’s free songs are usually only available for about a week, so if you’re interested in any of these songs, you’ll want to move quickly.  


Praying for Japan

God is our refuge and our strength,
a very present help in trouble. 
Therefore we will not fear,
though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Psalm 46:1-3

Many congregations will again be offering prayer for Japan when they gather together this weekend. If you’re looking for resources, here are a few suggestions:

The Mennonite Central Committee offers this “Prayer for the People of Japan” on its website:

God of healing and mercy,
we come before you with our hearts filled with grief
as we see the devastation in Japan.

We pray that your presence would be felt
by those who are grieving,
who are injured,
who have lost their homes and livelihoods.

We pray for wisdom and safety
for those who are responding to the people in need.
We pray for wisdom and safety
for those who continue to deal with the many challenges
left by the earthquake and tsunami,
particularly those struggling to contain damaged nuclear reactors.

We pray for the church in Japan,
that it can be a light in the darkness,
a witness to your compassion and care for all who suffer.

God, you are our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in times of trouble.
For this we give you thanks
and ask that you hear our prayers for the people of Japan.
Amen

On the same page is a responsive prayer of intercession ("Responsive Reading") which also includes many of the other difficult situations in our world at present. 

If you're looking for other resources for intercessory prayer this weekend, perhaps something here is helpful: 

You can access a number of “Prayers for Japan Earthquakes and Pacific Tsunami” on the website of the The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  Click on the PDF link on the right hand side of the page. 

The Text this Week has compiled a wide variety of “Worship and Prayer Resources following a natural disaster.”

“Prayer following earthquake off Japan,” is available from the Church of England.

EngageWorship.org is offering a “Prayer for those in Japan and Pacific earthquake and tsunami


Teresa Berger has written a “Litany for Japan” at Pray Tell blog.

Prayer for Japan earthquake and tsunami victims is available at Turn Back to God (scroll down to the entry from March 12).

United Methodist Worship is offering a “New Prayer Hymn in face of Japan/Pacific Earthquake and Tsunami” written by Safiyah Fosua.


Holy Humor / Laughter Sunday

Ever heard of Laughter Sunday?  I hadn’t until just yesterday.

The idea of setting aside one Sunday each year to celebrate God’s gift of laughter and joy may be new to me, but it’s got a long and rich history in many congregations around the world.

Laughter Sunday (also known as Holy Humour Sunday, Hilarity Sunday, God’s Laughter Sunday, Bright Sunday or Holy Fools Sunday) has its roots in a number of different Christian traditions.

Churches in 15th century Bavaria used to celebrate the Sunday after Easter as Risus Paschalis (‘God’s Joke,’ or ‘the Easter laugh’).  Priests would deliberately include amusing stories and jokes in their sermons in an attempt to make the faithful laugh.  After the service, people would gather together to play practical jokes on one another and tell funny stories.  It was their way of celebrating the resurrection of Christ – the supreme joke God played on Satan by raising Jesus from the dead.

The observance of Risus Paschalis was officially outlawed by Pope Clement X in the 17th century.  Perhaps people were having too much fun. 

In the Orthodox tradition, people would gather on Easter Monday to tell jokes and funny stories, and to dance and eat together.  

Other traditions celebrate Laetare Sunday (also known as ‘Mothering Sunday’) on the fourth Sunday in Lent.  “Laetare” simply means ‘rejoice,’ and comes from the opening collect for that day: ‘Rejoice with joy, you that have been in sorrow.'  On this Sunday, the usual Lenten purple vestments and altar cloths are replaced by rose-coloured ones instead.  Flowers (not normally present during Lent) are also brought into the sanctuary.

In 1988, the Fellowship of Merry Christians began encouraging churches to resurrect some of these Christian traditions—to celebrate the grace and mercy of God through the gift of laughter and joy.

If this is something you might want to explore with your congregation, here are a few resources which might be helpful:

You’ll find lots of articles and ideas for how other churches have celebrated “Holy Humour Sunday” in the Joyful NoiseLetter.

The Kir-shalom website has information on the history of Laetare Sunday, along with worship resources and sample sermons. 

Paul Thigpen has written a wonderful article called “God has Given Me Cause to Laugh: Toward a Theology of Humour.”

Thom Shuman has posted a sample liturgy for Holy Humour Sunday on his blog.

There are lots of other ideas out there—have fun!

G.K. Chesterton once wrote:
“Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly.
Never forget that the devil fell by force of gravity.
He who has the faith has the fun.”

10 Free Songs for Easter

Here are some songs you might want to consider for Easter.  Kingsway (based in the United Kingdom) has just made available the vocal/keyboard scores and mp3s of ten contemporary songs for Easter.  

If you’re not already a member at Kingsway, you’ll need to register in order to access the songs.  (Registration is free.)

The free songs will be available until March 21, 2011.

Included are:
The Message of the Cross (Martin Smith, Delirious?)
Because He Lives (Noel and Tricia Richards)
Gethsemane Hymn (Stuart Townend, Keith Getty)
Saviour of the world (Ben Cantelon)
Lost in wonder (Martyn Layzell)
The cross speaks (Suzanne Hanna)
Led like a lamb (You're alive) (Graham Kendrick)
I thank You for the cross (Ken Riley – yfriday)
Happy day (Tim Hughes, Ben Cantelon)
Arise and sing (Brenton Brown,  Jason Ingram & Marty Sampson)

Who is Kingsway?  Here’s a bit from their website:

“Kingsway forms part of the David C Cook (Colorado, USA) family, a not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to publishing and distributing leadership and discipleship resources that help Christians. The money we earn from the first world subsidizes materials that we make available in the developing world, and covers the cost of materials we give away in the underdeveloped world, building faith and creating legacy for future generations. In our desire to see lives transformed, we partner together with indigenous organizations in India, China, Cuba, Vietnam and many other nations to equip pastors, lay leaders, and Sunday School teachers with disciple shaping materials.”

Video suggestions for Lent

If your congregation uses video in worship, here are a few you might want to consider using during Lent.

The Work of the People (TWOTP) offers a wide selection of short videos, loops and stills.  Check out Lent and Dying to Yourself, a short conversation with author and historian Diana Butler Bass on what it means to ‘die to oneself.’

Tempted by the Devil, is a video presentation based on Scripture (Isaiah 40, Matthew 4, Matthew 6, Mark 1, Luke 4, Luke 11) set to a Gregorian chant melody.

Individual videos at The Work of the People cost $15 to download, or you can purchase a package of 10 videos for $50.  If you use video extensively in worship, you might want to consider becoming a member (1-year unlimited downloads for $250). 

The entire 2011 Lent Film Volume is also available ($20).  It includes:
Ash Wednesday: Psalm 51 & Window Reflection Loop
First Sunday In Lent: Tempted By The Devil & Tempted Loop
Second Sunday In Lent: Psalm 121 & Psalm 121 Loop
Third Sunday In Lent, March 7: A Spring Within
Fourth Sunday In Lent: Psalm 23 & Man Walking In City Loop
Fifth Sunday In Lent, March 21: Palm 130 & Man Walking Through City 2 Loop
Liturgy Of The Palms: Palms To The Cross & Palms To The Cross Loop

If you’re exploring the temptations of Christ this season, I’d also highly recommend a YouTube video I came across.  It’s a set of 40 cartoons by UK cartoonist Simon Smith.  A  number of people have set the cartoons to music and posted them on YouTube.  They’re a great way to re-imagine the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness, and the temptations he endured there.

Here are two versions you might consider:

A Prayer for Ash Wednesday

Marked by ashes

Ruler of the Night, Guarantor of the day . . .
This day - a gift from you.
This day - like none other you have ever given, or we have ever received.
This Wednesday dazzles us with gift and newness and possibility.
This Wednesday burdens us with the tasks of the day,
for we are already halfway home
halfway back to committees and memos,
halfway back to calls and appointments,
halfway on to next Sunday,
halfway back, half frazzled, half expectant,
half turned toward you, half rather not.

This Wednesday is a long way from Ash Wednesday,
but all our Wednesdays are marked by ashes -
we begin this day with that taste of ash in our mouth:
of failed hope and broken promises,
of forgotten children and frightened women,
we ourselves are ashes to ashes, dust to dust;
we can taste our mortality as we roll the ash around on our tongues.
We are able to ponder our ashness with some confidence,
only because our every Wednesday of ashes
anticipates your Easter victory over that dry, flaky taste of death.

On this Wednesday, we submit our ashen way to you -
you Easter parade of newness.
Before the sun sets, take our Wednesday and Easter us,
Easter us to joy and energy and courage and freedom;
Easter us that we may be fearless for your truth.
Come here and Easter our Wednesday with
mercy and justice and peace and generosity.
We pray as we wait for the Risen One who comes soon.

-- Walter Brueggemann

Posted on MinEmergent's Daily Communique, March 9, 2011


Reflections on Ash Wednesday

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the traditional start to the season of Lent, and the beginning of our journey with Jesus toward the cross.  Many of us experience it as a call to repentance—a call to make a conscious, deliberate turn toward God; to re-examine our lives in the light of who God is, and who God called has called us to be.

There’s a third emphasis, too—one that doesn’t sit as easily with our contemporary culture.

The roots of Ash Wednesday go all the way back to the story of Adam and Eve, and God’s response to their disobedience in the Garden of Eden.  Before banishing them from the garden, God tells them what the consequences of their sin are:

“Because of your disobedience, you will work your whole life to produce food from the earth.  And when your life is over, you will return to the ground from which you came.  For you were made of dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19).

Those are the traditional words spoken to us on Ash Wednesday as we receive the mark of ash on our bodies:  “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

Over the centuries, this day has stood as a deliberate reminder of our mortality: a reminder that we are not God, and that—despite our best plans and efforts—all that we have and are will finally come to dust.

God knows how we were made; God remembers that we are but dust.
Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die.
The wind blows, and we are gone—as though we had never been here. (Psalm 103:14-16)

Ash Wednesday reminds us that cannot place our confidence in the world around us.  Our world is one of decay and death.

But that’s not all we remember.  I read once that one branch of Hasidic Jews carry two slips of paper in their pockets.  On one is written:  “I am only ashes and dust.”  The other reads: “For you, the universe was created.”

Ash Wednesday walks the knife-edge between these two truths:  the inevitability of death, and the overwhelming love of God.

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name is all the earth!
When I look at the night sky and see the work of Your fingers—
the moon and the stars which You have set in place—
what are mortals that You should think of us;
mere mortals, that You should care for us.
Yet You have made us only a little lower than God,
and You crown us with glory and honour. (Psalm 8:1, 3-5)

Ash Wednesday is about ashes.  But it’s not only about ashes.  It's about ashes in the form of a cross. 

The ashes remind us that death is inevitable.  But the cross reminds us that, by the grace of God, death is not the end.  By the grace of God, we are not left alone or abandoned.  Just like a name written in the front cover of a book identifies the owner of a book, so too the sign of the cross in ash on our bodies reminds us that we do not ultimately belong to this world, but to our gracious and loving God.

Song suggestion: "Kindness"

There’s a song on Steve Bell’s excellent new CD, Kin-dness, which would serve as a wonderful ‘sending’ song in worship. The song was written a number of years ago by Brian McLaren.  I first heard it used at the Institute for Worship Studies a number of years ago, and I’m really delighted that Steve is bringing it to a wider audience.

Christ has no body here but ours
No hands, no feet here on earth but ours
Ours are the eyes through which He looks
On this world with kindness

Ours are the hands through which He works
Ours are the feet on which He moves
Our are the voices through which He speaks
To this world with kindness

Through our touch, our smile, our listening ear
Embodied in us, Jesus is living here
Let us go now, inspirited (originally, "filled with the Spirit")
Into this world with kindness.

CCLI Song No. 5094013  Brian McLaren © 2007 Revolution of Hope Music Group (admin. by Brian McLaren) For use solely with the SongSelect Terms of Use.  All rights Reserved. www.ccli.com

The song first appeared on the album, Songs for a Revolution of Hope, released in October, 2007 by Brian McLaren and the Restoration Project.  If you go to that site, you can hear that song—and fourteen others—done in their original versions, and view the lyrics and the guitar chords.

You can also find lyrics for the song on the CCLI website (look for "With Kindness").  No chord charts or lead sheets are available there yet, but you can access a pdf of the song (without guitar chords) at the Institute for Worship Studies website.  http://alumni.iws.edu/pdf/McLarenBenediction.pdf

Here are some related passages of scripture that might be useful in leading this song: Romans 12; 2 Corinthians 6:3-6; Galatians 2:20; Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 4:1-6; Ephesians 5:1-2; Colossians 3:14-16.

Steve Bell’s Kin-dness CD is available on iTunes and on his website. I highly recommend it!


Resources for Ash Wednesday worship

Ash Wednesday—the official start of the season of Lent—is just around the corner (March 9, 2011).  If your congregation typically holds a service that day, you’re probably well underway with your worship planning.

In the event you’re not as far along as you hoped to be, here’s a suggestion. I just came across some wonderful new resources for Ash Wednesday worship. They are part of a larger package of resources for the season of Lent (Year A) called Dancing with the Light.  The author is John van de Laar, a Methodist minister and worship leader from South Africa. 

The Ash Wednesday resources are free.  If you’re interested in the entire Lenten series, it's downloadable for about $13.00 on van de Laar’s website, Sacredise.com.