In this episode, we won’t focus on one of his hymns just yet. We’ll focus on the man himself—his life, his losses, his gifts, his failures, and the strange, steady way God used him. And then in the following episode, we can turn to the hymn and hear his words with new understanding.
Author: Irene Bennett
A few weeks ago, the Philippine government announced a state of national energy emergency as global conflict in the Middle East continued to create energy uncertainty and rising fuel costs. I don’t know how this has affected you where you are, but here in the Philippines, we’ve been feeling it in very ordinary ways. In…
In the previous episode, we learned more about Annie Smith, a young woman who used her literary talents for God. She is one of the pioneers rarely mentioned, but she made a tremendous impact by being the copy editor of the Advent Review. This journal played a key role in nurturing believers in their newfound faith,…
LISTEN ON SPOTIFY LISTEN ON AMAZON MUSIC LISTEN ON APPLE PODCAST James White, as the head editor of the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, led a team of talented youngsters in Rochester, New York. At the age of 32, James, alongside his wife Ellen, aged 26, oversaw a young group of printers, writers, and copywriters,…
In the previous article, we considered why singing is the most accessible musical act for the whole congregation. But accessibility alone does not explain why God so often joins words to melody in worship. A deeper reason is this: Singing communicates truth with a clarity that music alone cannot. This matters for every Christian community—but it matters in a…
LISTEN ON SPOTIFY LISTEN ON AMAZON MUSIC LISTEN ON APPLE PODCAST Resources Mentioned 1. The Morning Trumpet for the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra – TTBB (Mack Wilberg) 2. The Morning Trumpet – SATB (Mark Hayes) 3. The Morning Trumpet -SATB (Lloyd Larson) 4. The Morning Trumpet – SSA (Ken Berg) 5. O When Shall I See Jesus; Morning Trumpet (Irene Bennett) 6. Millenial Musings (JV Himes &…
Sabbath School is often packed: mission stories, features, offerings, and of course the lesson study (which usually takes the biggest slice of time). But tucked right at the beginning is a small piece that’s easy to overlook—and even easier to miss if we walk in late: the song service. And that’s unfortunate, because Sabbath School…
If Scripture commands the gathered church to sing (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16), then an immediate question follows: How can God command something of the whole congregation unless it is broadly possible for the whole congregation? This is one of the simplest—and most overlooked—reasons singing sits at the center of corporate worship: the human voice is the…
When we say “worship,” most of us picture the front of the church. The platform. The instruments. The people who look confident holding a mic. But the longer I’ve studied hymns—and the longer I’ve watched churches sing—the more I’m convinced the most important voice in the room is the one we tend to overlook: the…