Singing in Church When You Think You Can’t
The qualification in Psalm 150 is breath. Why making a sound matters anyway, what actually helps, and what to do on the…
The Journal
Category: Worship and Music
How worship music actually works — what Scripture asks of a song, how a set gets chosen, and the craft behind writing one. Written by Ty Blacke, an independent worship artist.
What Does a Worship Leader Actually Do?
The singing is the smallest part. Choosing as teaching, keys people can reach, signposting, and the weeks you lead with nothing left.
Why Do Worship Songs Repeat So Much?
Psalm 136 repeats one line 26 times. What repetition actually does, when the complaint is fair, and the flat-voice test that settles…
Worship When You’re Anxious
Philippians 4:6 is a redirect, not a prohibition, and Peter’s verb means to hurl. What to do when you cannot feel a…
Choosing Songs for a Funeral
Pick what people already know, watch the promises, and leave room for grief. A shape that works, from a songwriter’s side of…
What Is a Benediction?
A prayer is addressed to God about people. A benediction is addressed to people about God. Numbers 6:24-26, and why the last…
What Is a Doxology?
A word of glory: to God, be glory, forever, amen. Where the New Testament breaks into one, and why the form is…
Writing Lyrics First, and Why
Most songs are written music-first. Mine are not, and the reason is not aesthetic: a congregation will sing these lines a hundred…
Worshipping at Home When You Can’t Get to Church
Jesus removed the venue question at a well in Samaria. What worship actually requires, shapes that work, and the days you cannot…
How to Choose Songs for a Worship Set
Read the set as a paragraph before you read it as a key change. Moods, promises, ranges, pronouns — and the one…