Over the past year, I've been working a project that is very special to me. It's a short new book and new CD that help capture and explain the journey that I've been on over the past several years. It's a journey of discovery, a journey of deepening my understanding of faith and worship and how the two things go together.
For decades, church leaders have told us that how we worship--what we do when we gather-- is just an expression of our faith, so adjust it according to the people you want to "reach." But for centuries, the Church Fathers have told us that how we worship actually shapes our faith, so choose wisely. This project is about the difference between those two approaches and the consequences they have on our faith, not only as individuals but as the community of believers worldwide.
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THE BOOK: "Discover the Mystery of Faith"
Back cover copy:
For centuries the Church has believed that the way we worship and pray becomes the way we believe. But if this is true, it’s time to take a closer look at what we say and sing and do each week.
Drawing from his own discovery of ancient worship practices, Glenn Packiam helps us understand why the church made creedal proclamations and psalm-praying a regular part of their worship. He challenges us to discover why the Lord's Table is the climactic point of our corporate “retelling of the salvation story.”
When our worship becomes a rich feast, our faith is nourished and no longer anemic. The more our worship speaks of Christ, the more we enter into the mystery of faith.
Buy on Amazon HERE.
Buy it on iBooks HERE.
Table of Contents:
Foreword by Ian Cron (Author of "Chasing Francis")
Chapter 1: A Pauper’s Meal
Chapter 2: Learning a New Language
Chapter 3: Tethered to the Narrative
Chapter 4: Retelling the Story
Chapter 5: Entering the Mystery
Chapter 6: Listening to the Spirit
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THE CD: "The Mystery of Faith:
I am so grateful to have collaborated with some amazing songwriters on this project, and am honored to have had some wonderful friends and worship leaders lend their vocal talents to these tracks. Honestly, this project means so much to me because of the Story it endeavors to tell, and the historic liturgies it attempts to give fresh treatments to.
Track List:
1. Victorious God (Ian Eskelin and Glenn Packiam)
2. For the Life of the World (Jon Egan and Glenn Packiam; featuring Jon Egan)
3. The Nicene Creed
4. Grace Flows Freely Down (Jack Mooring and Glenn Packiam)
5. Prayer of Confession
6. We Confess (Ian Cron and Glenn Packiam; featuring Tim Hughes)
7. The Lord Be With You (Ian Cron and Glenn Packiam; featuring Tim Hughes)
8. The Mystery of Faith (Glenn Packiam and Jennie Lee Riddle; featuring Abby Merkel)
9. BONUS TRACK: Forgiven Forever (from "The Kingdom Comes" EP)
10: BONUS TRACK: Our Messiah Reigns (from "The Kingdom Comes" EP)
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BONUS CONTENT:
Two-minute Teaching Videos:
To help unpack these concepts, we (Integrity Music, me and the great Cory Reynolds) made six 2-minute teaching videos, each corresponding with the six key moments in "The Mystery of Faith" CD. These will be part of the iTunes LP purchase but will also be available online in weeks to come.
Here are the topics:
1. Celebration: Why We Rejoice (Watch this HERE.)
2. Proclamation: Tethered to Our Story
3. Invocation: The Personal Presence of God
4. Confession: Finding the God of Mercy
5. Invitation: Turning to One Another
6. Eucharist: Embracing the Mystery of Faith
"Live" Experience
Because there's nothing like "seeing it", we made a 12-minute video featuring "We Confess"-- a confession an absolutioin song, sung antiphonally to each other-- the blessing of the bread and the cup, and "The Mystery of Faith" as people come up to receive the elements.
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For a FREE iBooks exclusive with 3 FREE songs from the new CD, 3 excerpts from the book and 3 teaching videos, click HERE.
And now...a 3-minute video explaining the project:
This is so good Glenn. I have been talking to some people here at Bethel lately about how the words we sing shapes our view of God just as much if not more than our study of Him. I'm excited to hear this when it comes out!
Posted by: Chris Gordon | February 19, 2013 at 07:48 PM
Rather related, there's also such as this: Kierkegaard, CS Lewis, Third Day, K-LOVE, Chris Tomlin, and Mumford and Sons. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/badcatholic/2013/02/killchristianmusi.html
Posted by: Gary | February 24, 2013 at 11:37 PM
my experience is that the words we sing are a confirmation of what we believe.
Posted by: Margaret Steel | March 11, 2013 at 03:55 PM