Annie Smith: The Young Editor Who Helped Build Adventism
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,…
Singing Communicates Truth With Clarity
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…
The Morning Trumpet: How O When Shall I See Jesus Became an Adventist Hymn (Part 2)
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 Starts With Singing—So Why Are We Missing It?
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…
Singing is the Most Accessible Musical Act
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…
Why Singing in Church Matters
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…
Scripture Commands Corporate Singing
If singing began in heaven, the next question is unavoidable: does Scripture actually require God’s people to sing together when they worship? The answer is not implied—it is explicit. From the Old Testament to the New, singing appears not merely as a spontaneous response to God, but as a commanded act of corporate worship. The Bible…
The Morning Trumpet: How O When Shall I See Jesus Became an Adventist Hymn (Part 1)
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 &…
How Singing Began in Heaven
There are times when I find myself asking a simple but fundamental question: Why did God choose singing as one of the primary ways His people worship Him? As a musician, this question matters to me—not out of curiosity alone, but because it shapes how I understand the tool I work with every day. Worship…
4 Ways to Make Congregational Singing Louder (Without a Band)
Quiet congregational singing is often interpreted as a spiritual or cultural problem: “people don’t like hymns,” “they’re shy,” or “they’re not engaged.” In many churches, it’s more accurate to treat it as a systems problem. Congregational singing is a group coordination task. People sing more fully when the task is easy: they know when to…
When It's Time For a New Hymn
Introducing a new hymn can feel risky for a congregation. Some people love new music. Others prefer the hymns they know by heart. Some get excited. Some get anxious. Some feel exposed, hesitant, or confused. But new hymns are necessary. They keep worship fresh. They expand the theological vocabulary of the church. They allow younger…
A Guide to Midweek Hymns
Midweek worship is one of the most tender moments in the rhythm of church life. By Wednesday or Thursday, people arrive tired from work, drained by responsibilities, and carrying burdens that rarely surface on Sabbath. Midweek worship therefore has a unique calling: to refresh tired believers and anchor them again in the promises of God. Unlike…