Kyle Beshears visits a church for atheists in London and discovers they miss music and fellowship:

Last month I stumbled upon an article about an atheistic “church service” in London. I didn’t even read the whole thing before I decided I had to go.

The Sunday Assembly, as the group is called, meets once a month at The Nave in North London for “anybody searching for a sense of community, to meet and ‘turn good intentions into action.’”

It is, all things considered, an atheistic church.

Yes. A church for atheists. Continue reading.

Russell D. Moore, Dean of the School of Theology and Senior Vice President for Academic Administration at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, talks about the Pope’s resignation:

With Pope Benedict XVI’s shocking resignation this morning, evangelical Christians might be tempted to see this the way a college football fan might view the departure of his rival team’s head coach. But the global stakes are much, much higher. As Pope Benedict steps down, I think it’s important for us to recognize the legacy of the last two bishops of Rome that we ought to honor and conserve: an emphasis on human dignity.

As a Baptist Christian, I disagree with Rome on many things, of course, and some of those things relate to the nature of the Petrine ministry, the relationship of the Bishop of Rome to the rest of the church, the merging of civil and ecclesial power, and so on. It might surprise previous generations of Protestants, though, that one of the primary emphases of the Vatican in the last generation has been on the dignity and liberty of the human person. Continue reading.

Here are seven tips for background vocalists that I’ve learned through years of singing in worship teams and bands. Although my advice is specific to church worship ministries, most of it applies to anyone who sings background vocals (BGV).

1) Allow the lead vocalist to sing the first verse alone…

…so that the congregation can clearly hear the melody. This is for the benefit of any member of your congregation who might be unfamiliar with the song. If the song is entirely new to the congregation, also allow the lead vocalist to sing the first chorus alone. But if the song is familiar to your congregation, it’s not as critical to let the main vocalist sing the chorus solo. The congregation will likely be singing more robustly on a familiar chorus, which will aid any visitors who might not be familiar with the song.

2) Make sure your harmonic singing is in sync with the lead vocalist.

During rehearsal, pay attention to the specific way they are singing the lyrical phrases and do your best to match the timing. Let them lead the song.

Continue reading.