July, 2009

The Church Assembles ForWorship, Part 2Ryan Martin

ast issue I offered an initial argument that believersgather for worship. In part 1 (January, 2009), Idiscussed the significance of the phrase, “house of

God” as applied to the church in the New Testament,that it points to assembled believers as the place of God’sspecial presence, the “new temple/tabernacle” for those inChrist Jesus. I argued that this phrase, “house of God,”used of the church in passages such as 1 Timothy 3:15and Hebrews 10:19-24, should be taken to mean that thechurch is the new temple/tabernacle in this particular

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economy of God’s work in human history. In this installment, I will argue along similar lines. As

I said, the application of the phrase “house of God” to thechurch means that the church is the “new temple,” theplace for public worship. I believe this becomes even moreexplicit in the clear New Testament teaching thatgathered believers are together a “new temple” in this eraof God’s work.

This is most clearly taught in 1 Corinthians 3:16-17.Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’sSpirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, Godwill destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are thattemple.

The teaching that the assembled church is the templeof God should not be confused with the teaching in 1 Cor6:19 that our individual bodies are the temple of the HolySpirit. This is an important separate teaching with theimplication that we should live holy lives lest we make theHoly Spirit a partaker of sin. The teaching that thechurch also is the “new temple” has the implications thatthe church must be holy and that God dwells in the midstof assembled believers. Because the Spirit of God dwells inthe midst of assembled believers, that group of assembledbelievers is holy. The church is owned by God, completelydevoted to him and his worship. Flowing from the fact

that God dwells in the new temple–the church–comes thestarting application: God’s church is holy, and those whohurt God’s church, God will hurt. The very principle ofholiness speaks of the church being devoted to theworship of God. The church is owned by God and is aholy place devoted to him. If God dwells in us, we areGod’s. And what God desires, more than anything else, isour worship. Above all this is the clear teaching here thatwe are God’s temple. The assembly of believers is the newplace for public worship in the church era. We are atemple and should be devoted to the public worship of theTriune God when we gather together.

The church as new temple is not taught only in 1Corinthians 3. In 2 Corinthians 6:16b, Paul says,

“For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, ‘Iwill make my dwelling among them and walk among them,and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.’”

The context in 2 Corinthians 6 is again one ofholiness. Believers should not be unequally yokedtogether with unbelievers because God’s temple is holy,and such communion with the unrighteous would defileGod’s temple. Christ has no concord with Belial. Thereason we should not be connected with unbelievers isthat the church is God’s temple, the holy place of hisspecial presence. Therefore we should be separate from

In This IssueFeature Article: “The Church Assembles ForWorship, Part 2”.....................................................1

TuneUp: “Finding Good Church Music”.................2

CD Recommendation............................................3

NewTunes..............................................................2

ToolBox..................................................................3

Music Ministry Retreat...........................................4

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those who deny God. We are wholly sanctified to God,and dedicated to him and him alone. He is our father; weare his children. The church is the place of public worshipbecause it is God’s temple–wholly God’s and holy to God.

The final passage I want to point to that teaches thatthe church is God’s temple is one I looked at last time,Eph 2:19-22.

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you arefellow citizens with the saints and members of thehousehold of God, built on the foundation of the apostlesand prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,in whom the whole structure, being joined together, growsinto a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are beingbuilt together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

I love this passage because it combines the ideas ofchurch as household of God, not only as Graeco-Romanhousehold, but as temple. We who were “strangers andaliens” are now in God’s house, but we the church arealso the “house of God,” the temple. Paul mixes in themetaphor of the church as a physical building (conjuredby the references to “household” and “temple”) there too.But here it is reiterated that we collectively are the placeof God’s dwelling by the Spirit. We are the new temple,the place for public worship in the Christian era. No moreis there any need to go to the old temple. Christ’s church–the assembly of believers–is the place appointed for allhumankind’s public worship of the Holy One of Israel, theTriune God.

Ryan Martin is a post-graduate student at Central Baptist Seminaryin Plymouth, MN.

TuneUpTips For Music Directors: Finding GoodChurch Music

Sifting through piles of music to find those things thatwill work for your groups can be a daunting task, butsometimes that's the only way to find good music! Hereare some suggestions of ways that you can more easily findmusic that you can use:

1. Visit music distribution web sites. There are severalgood music distributors that carry lots of good music.Probably the most popular company is J. W. Pepper(www.jwpepper.com). You can search for good music veryeasily on such a site.

2. Join choral clubs. Most music publishers have choral

clubs that you can join. Once you pay a small fee, thepublisher will send you new music as it is released. This isa good way to narrow the list of what you might choose.Visit the websites or call music publishers whose musicyou regularly use to see if they have such a club.

3. Join ChurchMusicFiles.com. ChurchMusicFiles.comindexes hundreds of church music selections (choral,instrumental, vocal, keyboard, and more) so that youhave an even more narrowed list of what might work foryour church. The site is decidedly conservative and has arobust search feature so that you can find exactly whatyou need. It is a membership site, but you can choosewhat your fee will be (even $0). This site provides ahelpful tool for taking much of the work out of choosinggood music for your search.

4. Subscribe to InTune!

CD RecommendationWith Grateful Praise

In this string quartet recordingfeaturing Ryan and Bevan Elliott, JoannaLebo, and Sharon Gerber, you will enjoybeautiful arrangements of both meditativeand spirited pieces to fill your heart withpraise to the Lord. Songs include, Come,

Thou Fount; Be Thou My Vision; My Shepherd Will SupplyMy Need; For the Beauty of the Earth; What Wondrous LoveIs This?; Come, Christians, Join to Sing; Rejoice, the Lord isKing; and more!

NewTunesChurch Music Recommendations

For more church music recommendations, visitwww.churchmusicfiles.com.

Vocal SoloFavorite HymnsVocal solo collection | Hal Leonard

ChoralAll Hail the Power of Jesus' Name | H. HopsonSATB | Hope

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All Praise to You, Our God and King | M. LarkinSAB | Morningstar

Amazing Grace | J. AlthouseSATB, SAB, SSAA, or TTBB | Alfred

Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light | Bach/arr. ParkerSATB | Schirmer

Come, We That Love the Lord | D. GustafsonSATB | SoundForth (download via SacredAudio.com)

God of Grace and God of Glory | M. CostelloChildren's choir or 2-part mixed | MorningStar

Holy God, We Praise Thy Name | K. ScottSATB | Concordia

Jesus, Priceless Treasure | T. BeckSATB | MorningStar

The King of Love My Shepherd Is | D. ForrestSATB | Beckenhorst

Lift High the Cross | H. HopsonSATB | Hope

Lo! He Comes With Clouds Dsscending | J. RutterSATB, congregation Hinshaw

Love Divine, All Loves Excelling | Mark HayesSATB | Beckenhorst

Make a Joyful Noise | D. LedgerwoodSATB | download via SacredAudio.com

My Eternal King | J. MarshallSATB, TTBB | Carl Fischer

Now, Lord, You Let Your Servant | P. WeberSATB divisi, a capella | MorningStar

O For a Thousand Tongues | P. DavisSATB |download via SacredAudio.com

O Lord, How Shall I Meet You | M. CostelloSATB, congregation | MorningStar

O, the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus | P. YoungSATB | Lorenz

Open Thou Mine Eyes | J. RutterSATB a capella | Hinshaw

ToolBoxHelpful Resources For Church Musicians

ChurchMusicFiles.com is your personal assistantfor finding and selecting conservative church music!

Don’t have the time or patience to sift through all ofthe choral and instrumental music that is published foryour church? No worries. ChurchMusicFiles.com canhelp!

ChurchMusicFiles.com takes most of the work out ofsifting through piles of music to find those that fit aconservative church. We index hundreds of musicselections and make them available for you to browse.

ChurchMusicFiles.com is a membership website, butyou get to choose your membership fee (even $0)!

ChurchMusicFiles.com is decidedly conservative inmusic philosophy, so you will find only the best,conservative music indexed there. Visit today!

Support ReligiousAffections Ministries

Religious Affections Ministries depends upon thefinancial support of like-minded individuals and churchesto exist. All donors receive quarterly financial reports,and all funds are overseen by the board of directors.

If you benefit from these resources, please considersupporting our ministry. We welcome one-time gifts orregular support. Religious Affections Ministries is a 501(c) (3) charity, so all donations are tax-deductible. Pleasesend checks to: Religious Affections Ministries, 3 BirkdaleDr., Simpsonville, SC 29681, or visit our website todonate online.

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This year, we are offering two registration options:OPTION 1: Specifically designed to meet the needs

of pastors and music directors. Thursday evening -Saturday afternoon.

OPTION 2: Specifically designed to meet the needsof lay musicians, choir members, church accompanists,and students. Friday evening - Saturday afternoon.

*Bring 5 or more people from your church and receive$10 off each person!

Simply choose which option best fits your needs andyour schedule!

Thursday evening through Friday afternoon will befocused primarily on music philosophy, serviceorganization and leading, choral conducting, and pastoralissues.

Friday evening through Saturday afternoon will befocused primarily on practical ministry issues, choralworkshops, accompanist workshops, and more.

SPEAKERS: Wehave an exciting line-up of speakers thisyear: Chuck Phelps,Dean Kurtz, DavidRasbach, ScottAniol, and SteveAllen.

Deadlines: Wemust have a goodnumber registered forthis retreat bySeptember 1, 2009!Please register early,

and promote this retreat to your choir and other churchmusicians.

Remember, all churches bringing 10 or more peoplereceive $10 off each registration!

Visit http://campjoy.org/musicConference.php formore details or to register!

Get help with musicministry issues at the CampJoy Music Ministry RetreatJanuary 21-23, 2010

Whether you’re a pastor, full-timemusic director, or lay church musician,the 3rd Annual Camp Joy MusicMinistry Retreat will be well-worth yourtime! The Music Ministry Retreat isdesigned to be a time of refreshment, encouragement, andequipping for pastors, church music directors, and laymeninvolved in the church music ministry.

Sessions for: Church Music Director, Accompanists,Lay Church Musicians, Pastors, and Students

● Beginning/AdvancedChoralConducting

● How To Be AGood ChoirMember

● Church MusicAdministration

● CongregationalSong Leading

● Beginning/AdvancedAccompani-ment

● Teaching Music to Children● The Layperson’s Guide to a Worship Service● How to Find Good Music to Play in Church● Christian Music Philosophy● There will be something for everyone!

This is a perfect retreat for a church choir to attendtogether!

Children are Welcome! You are welcome to bringyour children to this retreat. We will be providing specialservices, activities, and music classes.

www.religiousaffections.org

Visit our website for more, valuable resources for your churchmusic ministry including articles, reviews, service planning help,

hymns, choral and instrumental music, and much more.

Please contact us if we can be of any service to you includingscheduling a meeting, choir clinic, conference, or seminar.

Religious Affections MinistriesScott Aniol, Executive Director

Visit www.religiousaffections.org for a freesubscription to this newsletter.