Holy Wars
Living Worship in the Cultural Storm
by
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For eternity we will praise Him. Forever we will sing while bowing before His throne. We don’t know a lot about heaven, but what we do know is that worship and praise through song will last for eternity. Worship of God is what we were created to do and believers will be doing it forever.
Many of our churches today are filled with congregational leaders and pastors who remain pretty squeamish about involving themselves in true worship. They would rather fill themselves with their church consultant’s snake oil and keep church at the entertainment level where everything seems safe and secure. They don’t want music to get down to the heart level where praise in song can gloriously usher out of their flock’s being in life changing ways. They would rather it simply impress those they seek to attract in order to fulfill their desires for more. In so doing they feign from the power of God to depend upon their own feeble efforts. They shun the council of God to inhale the schemes of advisors from the outside.
Yet the Bible assures us that music is all about praising God. “Is any of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.” (Jas
In the years that I ministered in praise with Dr. John I used to play a song I wrote that was based on the text: “Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy Name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.” (Ps 103:1-2 MKJV) In order to bring this scripture home to his flock, every time we would sing that song, the wise pastor would encourage the congregation to lift up their hands as a blessing to God.
And now as we sing our praises to Him even as we worship God in our daily lives we are joining the voice of the multitude that bow before His Royal throne in eternal glory. And our prayers soar up to the throne of God as all heaven basks in the sweet aroma that rises even as we glorify His name. “Let my prayer be set before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.” (Ps 141:2 MKJV) “And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand.” (Rev 8:4 MKJV)
So let us put aside that which weighs us down and lift up our hands in worship to our great God. Let us bless his holy Name. Let us turn from our love of things to worship our Creator. May we be released from the shackles of ambition and self-worship to remember all that God has done for us while acknowledging Him with all our mind, heart, soul and strength. May we witness the victory that only can be realized by those who have learned to lay it all at His feet. May we discover the contentment that can only be found in a thankful heart that has learned to praise Him in all circumstances. And as we confess our trust in God and God alone, let us join in with God’s creation to worship Him and magnify His name. Come, now is the time to worship. Come before God and with one voice worship Him forever and ever.
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour out speech; night after night they display knowledge. . .Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” (Ps 19:1-2, 4 NIV)
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About the Book
Holy Wars “is the most memorable book on the subject of church music I've ever read. . . Your work is exquisite! ” Frank Pooler Professor/
Holy Wars is a comprehensive worship study written for every believer who seeks to live a life of true biblical worship within the cultural storm that we find ourselves today. It is an intimate book written for the benefit of promoting a personal relationship with Jesus Christ according to the guidance of God’s Word.
When we think of “Holy Wars” one might picture terrorism. But there is a Holy War raging within the church itself that is proving to be of far more consequence than Islamic dread. Because this war is engaged within the worship life of the people of God, the outcome could seriously undermine Christian orthodoxy and the Christian way of life for generations to come.
As the result of the efforts of Church Growth advocates, congregations throughout
We can find answers within this ongoing battle once we have come to a full understanding of the nature of biblical worship. Many times manipulative entertainment schemes, attempts to conform to the world, watered-down theology, church politics, mediocre music and unbiblical worship forms drag the people of God away from their true calling. Holy Wars delves into each of these areas of church life to discern what is going wrong while offering specific biblical remedies.
About the Author
Don Wigton is a graduate of the prestigious music department at CSULB where he studied under Frank Pooler, lyricist of Merry Christmas Darling, and sang in Pooler’s world renown University Choir alongside Karen and Richard Carpenter. During this time Don was also the lead composer of the band, Clovis Putney, that won the celebrated Hollywood Battle of the Bands.
After giving his life to God, Don began attending Calvary Chapel,
Eventually Don served as a pastor at Calvary Chapel Bakersfield to witness thousands of salvations through that ministry. As the music/concert director, Don worked for seven years with most major Christian artist of that time while producing evangelical concerts attended by thousands of young people seeking after God. Don’s Calvary Chapel Praise Choir released the album Let All Who Hath Breath Praise the Lord on the Maranatha! label.
The next years of Don’s life were spent as the praise leader of
Today Don is the leading force behind Wigtune Company. This web-based project located at praisesong.net has provided several million downloads of Don’s music and hymn arrangements to tens of thousands of Christian organizations throughout the world.
The book Holy Wars represents Don’s most recent effort to bless the church with biblical instruction and direction in praise and worship. This heartfelt volume is an offering not only to God’s people, but also to God Himself.