Is worship just the music? Zack and Jason of The Berean Files join TopLobsta and David Lee Corbo "The Raven" on Nephilim Death Squad to dig into the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), worship and worship music, and who is really writing the songs your church sings.
Jason, a worship pastor who says he has led worship from the stage for about 30 years, defines worship as ascribing worth to something, and the guys argue that worship is every minute of your life, not just the songs on Sunday. They ask why churches guard the pulpit but not the music ministry, when the lyrics of a song stick with people long after the sermon is forgotten, and why people get more defensive when you question a worship song than when you push back on a sermon.
Then it's into the NAR: modern apostles and prophets, the Seven Mountain Mandate and the idea that religious music is one of the "mountains," Bill Johnson and Bethel, and the claim that a small number of groups are behind most of today's worship songs. The conversation also covers flags and "American Jesus" in worship, worship as a production (lights, stage and theater language), worship schools and the music business, being entertained versus worshiping, whether God can use a Bethel song to draw someone to Him, Bethel's strange practices and prophecy training, and biblical meditation versus emptying your mind.
To close, Zack and Jason break down the lyrics of popular worship songs like Reckless Love, Oceans and No Outsiders, explain why they teach around the lyrics when they introduce a new song, and recommend Brother Lawrence's The Practice of the Presence of God.
Should churches guard the worship set as carefully as the sermon? Tell us in the comments.
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Chapters (times include the opening trailer, as heard in the RSS feed):
00:00:00 Trailer
00:01:02 Intro, Patreon, Merch Sale & Dallas
00:04:09 The Berean Files Are Back
00:06:13 What Is Worship? Ascribing Worth
00:10:16 Leading Worship From the Stage for 30 Years
00:12:06 Who Gets the Mic? Guarding the Worship Team
00:15:43 Talent, Ego & Branding the Worship Band
00:17:08 We Guard the Pulpit, Not the Music
00:20:02 Critique a Sermon vs. Critique a Song
00:21:42 Worship Styles & Denominational Cultures
00:25:42 What Is the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR)?
00:29:06 Why Worship Music Hits Harder Than a Sermon
00:33:19 Bill Johnson, Bethel & Who Writes the Songs
00:35:12 The Seven Mountain Mandate & Christian Music
00:38:09 The Persecuted Church, Flags & American Jesus
00:40:44 The American Dream vs. Biblical Freedom
00:46:58 Everything in Your Life Is Worship
00:48:04 "Our Musical Act Takes Over"
00:50:08 Worship as Production: Lights, Stage & Theater
00:55:16 Worship Schools & the Music Business
00:57:12 A Worship Star's Country Crossover
00:58:13 Entertained or Worshiping?
00:59:31 Can God Use a Bethel Song?
01:06:13 Bethel's Strange Practices
01:09:20 Failed Prophecies & Prophecy School
01:11:00 Biblical Meditation vs. Emptying Your Mind
01:13:11 God Can Use All Things, But Not All Things Are Permitted
01:17:21 Attention, Love & Idols
01:18:07 Is Worship a Ministry?
01:22:55 Psalms of Ascent & the Levites
01:24:05 Art, Labor & Dancing as Worship
01:29:15 The Practice of the Presence of God
01:34:42 Reckless Love
01:37:51 Oceans
01:41:13 No Outsiders & Universalism
01:44:15 Teaching Around the Lyrics
01:46:35 Final Words & Where to Find The Berean Files
NOT YOUR AVERAGE BIBLE STUDY
Hosts: TopLobsta · David Lee Corbo "The Raven" (Co-founder & co-host)
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NOT YOUR AVERAGE BIBLE STUDY
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