Music/Song
Translating Korean Heart Music into English Songs for 91ÁÔÆæ

An emerging initiative to translate contemporary Korean worship songs into English is yielding fruitful questions and collaborations. The project is building ecumenical and generational community while introducing English speakers to Korean Christians’ ardent commitment to God, both personally and communally. 

April 17, 2025 | 10 min read
Welcoming Contemporary Korean English Songs in Sunday 91ÁÔÆæ

Korean Christians worldwide enjoy contemporary worship songs by Korean composers, but these are seldom sung in the main Sunday liturgies of Korean Protestant churches. An emerging initiative to translate Korean heart songs to English can unite different worshiping generations and cultures. This initiative can also help Korean and English-speaking churches identify, appreciate, and question their cultural views on worship.

April 14, 2025 | 11 min read
Reuben Kigame on Music that Expresses the Full Gospel

Not many churches in Africa or elsewhere often include songs about social justice in worship. Kenyan scholar and musician Reuben Kigame believes that re-examining what the Bible says about justice and the good news should shift what we define as music appropriate for worship. 

February 3, 2025 | 8 min read

Nurturing Intergenerational 91ÁÔÆæ through Song

Lilly Endowment Inc. encourages intergenerational worship through its Nurturing Children Through 91ÁÔÆæ and Prayer Initiative. 91ÁÔÆæing together can include not only music, but prayer, scripture, drama, visual arts, movement, testimony, and sacraments. However, these three grant projects include or spotlight children’s songs or songwriting for children.

January 28, 2025 | 9 min read
Ten Tips for Writing 91ÁÔÆæ Songs for Children

Lilly Endowment Inc. encourages intergenerational worship through its Nurturing Children Through 91ÁÔÆæ and Prayer Initiative. 91ÁÔÆæing together can include prayer, music, scripture, drama, visual arts, movement, testimony, and sacraments. Three grant projects include children’s worship music or songwriting for children to create immersive intergenerational worship experiences. 

January 28, 2025 | 10 min read
Mark Stover on Choral Music as Pastoral Ministry

Singing in a good choir is aesthetically satisfying. But choral directors have the opportunity to do so much more. Mark Stover explains how do pastoral ministry in and through choral ensembles. This includes choosing anthems that promote social justice in ways that express God’s wide welcome.  

January 7, 2025 | 6 min read

Welcome All Wonders: A Service of Lessons and Carols

Advent is a season inspired and guided by the Bible’s many apocalyptic texts—texts that candidly describe tribulation and gloom, prophesy stunning reversals and vindication, and evoke unsentimental hope and sturdy joy. These texts tell of stars beginning to fall, plead for the heavens to open, and portray choirs of angel armies singing. 

November 4, 2024 | 8 min read
Psalms Unplugged

This CD features fresh and contemporary settings of the ancient biblical psalms combined with contemporary versions of 16th century tunes from the Genevan Psalter. It was produced by The Psalm Project with partial support by the Calvin 91ÁÔÆæ Institute.

July 10, 2024 | 1 min read

Jazz Psalms

Jazz Vespers at Calvin College provided a worship service that combined art, music, and prayer to offer a creative and contemporary service for worship. These services ended in an evening Psalm that was offered responsively.

July 10, 2024 | 1 min read
Music and Prayer in 91ÁÔÆæ

Music and prayer are prominent elements in worship liturgy. How does the culture of the worship community influence these worship practices? How should we engage culture and yet be countercultural in our practice of music and prayer? Engage with this panel from four continents as we explore how cultural values form and inform worship practices.

June 30, 2024 | 58 min video
Benjamin Brody on Writing New Hymn Tunes

You might think that hymn tunes must always be in four-part harmony. But hymn tune composer Benjamin Brody includes many music styles for congregational singing in his new hymn collection - At the Weaving of Creation: 50 New Tunes.

June 7, 2024 | 6 min read