Balm in Gilead

58 – Gratitude vs. Song of the Risen Son Jan 6, 2025 1:14:33 Psalm 58 (ESV) To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David. 1 Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods?  Do you judge the children of man uprightly?  2 No, in your hearts you devise wrongs;  your hands deal out violence on earth.  3 The wicked are estranged from the womb;  they go astray from birth, speaking lies.  4

57 – Is Jesus Lower Still? Aug 30, 2023 1:37:23 Psalm Psalm 57 Welcome What have we been listening to… since February Bryan  (old hats) Poor Bishop Hooper Sarah Sparks Providence The Oh Hellos (really old hats) Switchfoot/Jon Foreman Relient K Colony House (new hats) The Gray Havens You Me & The Bread The Orchardist Nostalgia Shiplap On Repeat Spencer Psallos (P

56 – Innovation or Manipulation? The Ethics of Using Technology in Christian Worship Feb 28, 2023 1:07:32 Psalm 56 Psalm 56 Welcome “Hello and welcome back to the Balm in Gilead podcast, where we explore all things Christian music and worship. I’m your host, Bryan, and as always, I’m joined by my co-host, Grant. Today, we have a fascinating and thought-provoking topic to dive into – Artificial Intelligence and Christian worship music. What happens when AI writes Ch

55 – Deconstructing Reconstructing Deconstruction Feb 7, 2023 1:24:57 Psalm 55 Psalm 55 on Relight Welcome The Rev. Aaron De Boer (Associate Reformed Presbyterian, ARP) joins us this week. Follow him on Twitter at @DutchPresby and visit Friend of Sinners church that he pastors in Everson and Maple Falls, WA. For more info visit their website FriendofSinnersReformed.org What We’re Listening to Bryan I have been listening to the album When I Was Yo

54 – 2022 Spotify Wrapped Jan 26, 2023 1:37:04 Psalm 54 We love talking about music on the show and this week we talk about our top picks from 2022. Do you agree with us? Find something interesting? Let us know, follow us on Spotify or Last.fm and drop a comment below.

Presbycast Crossover – Music for the Church and the Christian Jan 10, 2023 1:37:51 Chortles Weakly and Wresby of the excellent Presbycast podcast join us to talk all things Christian music—from the business, to worship, to personal devotions and even for entertainment purposes. We had a lot of fun…maybe a little too much! Be sure to subscribe to their show: https://presbycast.libsyn.com/ Watch the show: https://youtu.be/s_aOPPt1gc4 We begin our discussion wit

Flying Duo: Advent Music with Renee Emerson Dec 13, 2022 34:23 Balm in Gilead host Bryan Emerson and his wife Renee Emerson discuss their Advent Playlist as well as their thoughts on Christmas/Seasonal Music. Worth noting, we added an Advent Birmingham album after the recording.

Bonus Episode: Flying Duo (For Real This Time) Nov 29, 2022 1:18:40 Bryan got to hang out with Grant and we decided to turn on the camera and see what happens. Credits due to O Creative One by Providence, Eustace Scrubb by Sarah Sparks, Saints by Poor Bishop Hooper, and Behold the Man by Spencer Parsons. We also sang Psalm 42D from The Book of Psalms for Worship and How Firm a Foundation. Watch this one on YouTube! Thanks for listening The Balm of Gilead

53 – Revisiting the Kensrule Nov 15, 2022 1:25:56 Psalm 53 Psalm 53 in the ESV – Hey, did you see that Relight now has the ESV and the KJV? Listen to the Episode We’re Back! This is our first episode back from our “summer” hiatus. Thanks for sticking with us. We start out by talking about what we’ve been up to and listening to. A big shoutout to Poor Bishop Hooper who has just completed their EveryPs

Balmcast Flying Solo 3 – Mistakes Were Made Jul 6, 2022 23:02 As we close out season 4 of the Balm in Gilead podcast, Bryan takes to the airwaves to discuss the phrase “Mistakes were made” and how it relates to the recent Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). We’re taking a break as we’re all pretty busy, but are already planning our next slate of episodes. In the meantime, join us on our brand new Discord channel, we’ll see y

Episode 52.1 – Bonus episode The Non Sequiter to End All Non Sequiters Jun 14, 2022 20:58 Whenever FNH is on the show, he brings a wealth of interesting tangents and rabbit trails and Grant is only too happy to follow with Bryan close behind. Bryan is aware he forgot to readjust his vocal levels after cutting all this nonsense from the last episode and pasted it into a new audacity project. Enjoy! Thanks for listening The Balm of Gilead podcast is a member of the Tech Ref

Episode 52 – Into the Lantern Waste Jun 2, 2022 2:19:55 Psalm Psalm 52 What We’re Listening To Bryan Psalms for Congregations vol. 2 Matt SearlsWestminster Shorter Catechism 1-10 with Brian Suave FNH The BibleUltimately RC SproulMake Believe HeroesRedemption Card GameSea Shanties for good Christian boys Grant Jenny Oaks BakerJeff LippencottCrown & CovenantSarah SparksThelonious Monk Follow Up We had a three week

Episode 51 – Song v Song: Review of “Rest on Us” by Maverick City and “O Creative One” by Providence May 11, 2022 1:31:24 Psalm Psalm 51 What We’re Listening To What are we listening to Spencer PsallosEDM ResearchSteven Curtis Chapman – The Great Adventure album Bryan Providence  Grant Jenny Oaks BakerCrown & CovenantSpencer ParsonsCharlie Grey and Joseph PeachGian Piero ReverberiBonus: Natalie GrantBonus2: European Jazz Trio Studio C – The Other Way to Rob a

Balmcast Flying Solo 2 – Jack Lewis, The Trinity, and Oceans Apr 26, 2022 23:58 Bryan is back with another Flying Solo. Check it out on YouTube too!

Episode 50 – Review of the album Jars of Clay with JB Floggington Apr 13, 2022 2:04:31 Psalm Psalm 50 Jars of Clay’s self titled album review Liquid Arms nailed down / Are you telling me something? Eyes turned out / Are you looking for someone? This is the one thing / The one thing / The one thing that I know Blood stained brow / Are you dying for nothing? Flesh and blood / Is it so elemental? This is the one thing / The one thing / The one thing that I know B

Episode 49 Part 2 – A Conversation with Jesse Roberts of Poor Bishop Hooper Mar 29, 2022 1:07:49 Bryan sits down with Jesse Roberts of Poor Bishop Hooper to finish the discussion on their first album, Foreign Made. Check out Poor Bishop Hooper’s website for more on their music.

Episode 49 Part 1 – Review of Poor Bishop Hooper’s Album Foreign Made Mar 16, 2022 1:47:14 Psalm Psalm 49 What We’re Listening To Bryan Poor Bishop Hooper, Foreign Made Grant PsallosPoor Bishop HooperCrown & CovenantHolly DuttonCharlie Gray and Joseph PeachSpencer Parsons, Psalm 2 Foreign Made Review Tree Oh Tree Mark 11:12-25 and Matthew 21:18-22 First song on their first album. This is how the world will meet you–a cursed tree and minor underto

48 – Review of Psallos’ Album Philippians with Special Guest Spencer Parsons Feb 25, 2022 2:26:18 Psalm Psalm 48 Welcome Spencer! Check him out on Spotify! Or other popular music services like Apple or YouTube Music. What We’re Listening To Spencer Listen to his music such as Psalm 1. Bryan Mars Hill Music Grant Crown & CovenantPoor Bishop HooperBBC Scottish Symphony OrchestraPsallos Main Topic: Philippians Listen to the album with the Bible pulle

Balmcast Flying Solo 1 CCM is a Broken System Feb 11, 2022 34:53 Bryan goes solo with both Grant and Justin out. This is our first video podcast too! Check it out on YouTube Thanks for listening The Balm of Gilead podcast is a member of the Tech Reformation family of podcasts. If you enjoy the show, please share it with others. We enjoy hearing from you, so join us on the Tech Reformation Slack and let us know what you’re thinking. If email i

47 Bonus ep 3: This one’s a little weird Jan 22, 2022 6:13 Episode 47 bonus episode 3. It was getting late and the guys hopped from the serious to the banal with amazing alacrity. Thanks for listening The Balm of Gilead podcast is a member of the Tech Reformation family of podcasts. If you enjoy the show, please share it with others. We enjoy hearing from you, so join us on our Discord and let us know what you’re thinking. If email is more yo

47 Bonus ep 2: Snow in the South Jan 21, 2022 4:38 Episode 47 bonus episode 2: Where we talk about the presence of snow in the south. Thanks for listening The Balm of Gilead podcast is a member of the Tech Reformation family of podcasts. If you enjoy the show, please share it with others. We enjoy hearing from you, so join us on our Discord and let us know what you’re thinking. If email is more your thing, write to us at thereis <

47 Bonus ep 1: On C.S. Lewis Jan 20, 2022 5:53 Episode 47 bonus episode where we get off on a rabbit trail about C.S. Lewis. Thanks for listening The Balm of Gilead podcast is a member of the Tech Reformation family of podcasts. If you enjoy the show, please share it with others. We enjoy hearing from you, so join us on our Discord and let us know what you’re thinking. If email is more your thing, write to us at thereis <at> ba

47 – Mars Hill Music: The Sing Team + Collaborations (with special guest FNH from the Not the Bee Social Podcast!) Jan 18, 2022 1:55:10 Psalm 47 Read Psalm 47 What we’re listening to Bryan:  Sarah Sparks – Into the Lantern Waste The Oh Hellos – The Four Winds Grant: PsallosCrown & CovenantThe BlendersThe Corner RoomDwell The Sing Team The Sing Team – Oh! Great is Our God! Oh! Great Is Our God! Verse 1 Oh! Great is our God! So we should worship greatly! / No s

46 – Mars Hill Music: The Modern Post Dec 7, 2021 2:08:13 Psalm Psalm 46 Spotify Wrapped Check out our Slack channel or our group on Not the Bee for our Wrapped and please share your own! Check out Bryan Emerson on YouTube. Songs we discussed Rejoice Dustin Kensrue and Stuart Townend Verse 1 Come and stand before your maker / Full of wonder full of fear Come behold his power and glory / Yet with confidence draw near For the one who

45 – Mars Hill Music: Ghost Ship Nov 16, 2021 1:38:53 Psalm Psalm 45 Songs: Creation to Salvation by Drakeford Ghost Ship: The Good King Mediator – CAM HUXFORD IV Verse 1 He takes our place and stands in front of God on high  He speaks on our behalf since we don’t have the right  He pleads before the God who judges hearts of men Our mediator served the sentence for our sin  Chorus 1 There is o

44 – The Mars Hill Bonus episode Oct 26, 2021 7:29 An interesting tangential discussion that we thought was worth sharing

44 – Mars Hill Music: Review of the album “Citizens” by Citizens and Saints Oct 19, 2021 1:21:30 Psalm 44 What We’re Listening To Bryan Citizens and Foreign Made. Anyone surprised? Justin New automated playlists Grant CitizensPeter GregsonChristi StillsBarrageCrown & Covenant Songs of Mars Hill: Citizens Sweetness of Freedom Zach Bolen and Brian Eichelberger Verse 1: Within my heart’s a Rebellious side / Conflicting with the Spirits’ desire To keep

43 – Mars Hill Music: Initial Thoughts and a Personal Update Oct 5, 2021 52:08 Psalm 43 Psalm 43 Follow Up How on earth could Bryan not like King’s Kaleidoscope?Grant: Newsboy’s Clean is pretty good. Their song STAND sounds like 90’s Phillips, Craig, and DeanFaithful listener to the show Spencer Parsons explains a bit more about the Proverbs tracks What We’re Listening To Justin Fernando Ortega – “Our Great God” from Storm AlbumMel

42 – Balmcast 2.0: Discussion of CCM News and What’s Next for the Balm in Gilead Sep 21, 2021 1:16:39 Psalm 42 What We’ve Been Listening To Grant New Newsboys song Clean. Top artist: Crown & CovenantOthers of note: Adam Young TitanicOla W Jansson album All The Things You AreLeeland’s Opposite Way albumMatthew David Montgomery Fingerstyle HymnsAnd also, there are a ton of good Psalm 42 songs out there. So I made a playlist. Bryan Ghost ShipCitizens and SaintsKing

41 – Not What My Hands Have Done: Understanding Excellence in the Craft of Lyrics and Music Aug 31, 2021 1:38:23 Psalm Psalm 41 Feedback We really enjoyed our Summer Interview Series with Kyle Thompson, Philip Moyer, Renee Emerson, Cody Curtis, and Henry Haffner. Unfortunately, Jesse Roberts could not make it onto this episode due to Covid, which oddly enough is why Justin couldn’t make it onto this episode either! So please keep the Rea and Roberts families in your prayers for a swift and fu

40 – God Moves in a Mysterious Way: Henry Haffner interview Aug 10, 2021 1:35:54 Psalm 40 Introduction Henry Haffner is a violist, violinist, music director, composer, and educator at Parish Presbyterian Church in Franklin, TN where he leads worship. He also is the principal violist for the Lexington Philharmonic and has performed and given masterclasses throughout the South and Midwest. He appears on recordings by Nathan Clark George, Jim Daneker, Paul Cardall, and Mic

39 – Nothing But the Blood of Jesus: Interview with Cody Curtis of Psallos Jul 27, 2021 1:17:05 Psalm 39 Introducing Cody Curtis of Psallos Cody Curtis is the writer and composer for the musical group Psallos and professor of music at Union University. He joins us to discuss his goal of putting the Epistles to music. So far, that includes Romans, Hebrews, Jude, and coming soon, Phillipians. Cody’s Music Recommendations Personal listeningClassic RockThe BeatlesPink FloydAbi

38 – All Things Bright and Beautiful: Interview with Poet Renee Emerson Jul 13, 2021 53:14 Psalm 38 Meet our Guest, Renee Emerson This week, we welcome Renee Emerson, poet and author to talk about poetry and beauty. We discuss how this connects into how a poet looks at the Psalms and what we can learn from them. Renee has several published works including Threshing Floor and Keeping Me Still, and the forthcoming poetry work, Church Ladies in the spring of 2022. She will soon e

37 – Lead On O King Eternal: Interview with Phillip Moyer of My Soul Among Lions Jun 29, 2021 1:29:58 Psalm 37 Interview with Philip Moyer of My Soul Among Lions The MSAL storyStarted making hymns https://Songbook.warhornmedia.comRealized that the Psalms were the missing componentBring back the songbook/prayerbook of God’s peopleSongs of Deliverance, Especially the Song of Moses“Dedicated to restoring the Book of Psalms to its place in Christian worship.”Who do you all lis

36 – Power in the Blood: Interview with Kyle Thompson of the Undaunted.Life Podcast Jun 16, 2021 38:25 This week, we talk with Kyle Thompson of the Undaunted.Life podcast. Recently on episode 176 of his show he discussed 8 problems with contemporary worship music. Naturally, we had to investigate his perspective.

35 – Rejoice the Lord is King: Understanding Objective Beauty, Accessibility, Memorability, and Appropriate Emotion Jun 1, 2021 1:40:15 Psalm 35 Sponsored by DAWdio Who are we listening to Bryan As Isaac, Exodus projectThief to King, Oh Great High PriestPBH, Foreign Madex Worship Is Our Weapon (Spontaneous), Sean Feuchtx Praise is a Weapon, Mark & Sarah Tillmanx Psalm 151, J Lind Grant More Henry Haffner (YouTube channel)Poor Bishop Hooper (Instrumentals)Nathan Drake (Reawaken Hymns)Marcus Warner Justin

34 – For the Beauty of the Earth: Understanding Beauty and Craft May 18, 2021 1:23:41 Psalm 34 What We’re Listening To Poor Bishop Hooper: Just finished Book 2 of the Psalms.JUDAH New AlbumSwitchfoot New Single “i need you (to be wrong)”Thief to KingEllie HolcombCaroline CobbCorner RoomPsallos Top Songs on CCLI Great Are You Lord by All Sons & DaughtersBattle Belongs by Phil WickhamReckless Love by Cory Asbury. Reckless Love: The Catechism Ra

33 – How Excellent in All the Earth: Introduction of the Excellence Element and a Biblical Argument for its Importance May 4, 2021 1:10:00 Psalm 33 Follow up Apologies for the delay in last episode. I had some major technical issues as my iPad stopped exporting audio (and I had to export the audio manually by playing the audio from my iPad into another computer which lowered the audio quality as well). We are not transitioning to a triweekly podcast, but there may be some delays as I am using borrowed equipment. I met a gen

(Bonus Content) Song vs. The Same Song Apr 27, 2021 8:18 Jon Foreman wrote a song based on Psalm 51 that is beautiful. The instrumentation is very somber, and while it has a lot of moving pieces, functions in a way that really points to the words being sung. The Modern Post covered this song and while it is very excellent musically, the focus is much more on the instrumentation and vocal style than the actual words. This may just be the hindsight ta

(Bonus Content) Community Deconstruction Apr 23, 2021 2:57 Quick, interesting discussion regarding similarities in deconstruction stories. And some podcast recommendations. Podcast Recos RestlessThe Alisa Childers PodcastCooper Stuff Thanks for listening The Balm of Gilead podcast is a member of the Tech Reformation family of podcasts. If you enjoy the show, please share it with others. We enjoy hearing from you, so join us on our Discord and

32 – Earth Has No Sorrow: Dustin Kensrue’s Deconstruction, Review of “The Grey” by Thrice, and Reviews of “Departures” and “Jesus, I Have My Doubts” by Jon Foreman Apr 20, 2021 1:20:14 Psalm Psalm 32 Listen to the Episode Ice Breaker Review of Jon Foreman’s Departures album I would classify this album as a Type 2.5 album. Many of the songs are solidly Type 3, but there are Type 2 and at least one song I would classify as a “personal” Type 1 (not meant for congregational worship) Lament: Jesus I Have My Doubts. Before we can fully dive into that song,

31 – Thy Works Not Mine O Christ: Interview with Justin Rea of Sound in Worship Mar 27, 2021 1:40:17 Psalm Psalm 32 Special Guest Justin Rea Check out what he’s been up to: If Songs Could Preach PodcastSound In Worship Music recommendations? Artists are all Spotify linksThe Corner RoomMatt Boswell & Matt PapaMy Soul Among LionsNorton Hall BandJoe DeeganAnother SonBrian SauveFavorite song(s) in church?Psalm 150 (Gettys and Boswell)A Mighty FortressQuestions about current

30 – As the Deer: Review of “Waterfall” by Chris Tomlin and “Satisfied in You” by The Sing Team Mar 2, 2021 1:13:28 Psalm Psalm 30 Welcome to the Show Your intrepid hosts start off by discussing our recent appearance on Presbycast and how much we loved it. We also get an update from Bryan’s church travels and find out what he makes of the OPC. Song v. Song: Waterfall v. Satisfied in You Waterfall By Chris Tomlin Verse 1 Oh God, my God I seek You I wanna move when You move You're

Let All With Heart and Voice and Occasional Unorthodox Theology: Part 2, Instruments of Instrumentation Feb 27, 2021 11:11 Another bonus segment from our discussion in episode 29. We start, but do not go to deep into instruments in worship. Allowed? Not? Things to think about. Thanks for listening The Balm of Gilead podcast is a member of the Tech Reformation family of podcasts. If you enjoy the show, please share it with others. We enjoy hearing from you, so join us on our Discord and let us know what you&#821

Let All With Heart and Voice and Occasional Unorthodox Theology: Part 1 What about Watts? Feb 26, 2021 10:22 Part 1 of some bonus content from our last show. Here, we go on a bit of a journey through discussing what we each think about how writers’ beliefs ought to affect the singing of their songs. Thanks for listening The Balm of Gilead podcast is a member of the Tech Reformation family of podcasts. If you enjoy the show, please share it with others. We enjoy hearing from you, so join us o

29 – Let All with Heart and Voice: A Biblical Argument for Music Ministry, Music Ministers, and Instruments in Christian Worship Feb 16, 2021 1:34:11 Psalm 29 Follow up Grant was talking with one of the guys over at Presbycast about our show and he said that he was wary about using the Psalms as a model. I have been thinking about what he said and I want to make a clarification. I talked about how the Psalms are Scripture, poetry, and lyrics; but we can only use the Psalms as a model as far as poetry and lyrics go. However, we cannot

28 – Rock of Ages Cleft for Me: Interview with Jesse and Leah of Poor Bishop Hooper Feb 2, 2021 1:13:39 Psalm 28 Special Guest Poor Bishop Hooper This week, we have Poor Bishop Hooper in the virtual studio to talk about their music and especially their latest project, EveryPsalm. Both hailing from small towns in central Kansas, we began writing, recording, and performing together after our marriage in 2013. What began as a duo, weaving together a patchwork of melodies atop an upright bass

27 – Every Kindred, Every Race: Understanding the Psalms as Scripture, as Poetry, and as Lyrics Jan 12, 2021 1:38:53 Psalm 27 Psalms as Scripture When translating the Psalms as Scripture, there are two major schools of thought: word for word translation or line by line translation. Generally speaking, word for word translation is a better tactic for ensuring what we have is what was intended. Line by line translations tend to misinterpret plays on words or double meanings. Where word for word can fail is

26 – Come and Worship: Understanding Petition and Supplication and Our Need for an Omnipotent God Dec 29, 2020 1:12:18 Psalm Psalm 26 Main Topic We wrap up our discussion of the Psalm model with three concepts: Petition, Supplication, and Call to Action. Petition To petition someone is to see that person as higher, superior to you, who you nonetheless ask for something from. We mention a couple Psalms that relate to this concept. Psalm 6Psalm 17:6Psalm 102:2Psalm 9:13 Supplication Supplic

25 – O Come Let Us Adore Him: Understanding Adoration, Blessing, and Thanksgiving as Parts of Genuine Praise Dec 15, 2020 1:32:15 Psalm Psalm 25 Follow Up The Lightest Form of Flogging had another episode further discussing discussions we have discussed on this very show. Check out The Podfather, ep. 119. You Say…. is no longer even in the top 50. Crazy. Icebreaker We open by sharing our year in listening to music. On Spotify at least. Let’s see if you can find any themes. Bryan’s Playlist

24 – Ponder Anew What the Almighty Can Do: Interview with Jim of The Lightest Form of Flogging Podcast Nov 30, 2020 1:41:27 Psalm Psalm 24 Hey Show This week we welcome the inimitable host of the popular Lightest Form of Flogging podcast to talk about how we have changed in our beliefs about worship over the years. Jim helps us understand what flogging in any form has to do with podcasting. That settled, we move on to more substantive topics like Jim’s top music recommendations and favorite songs to sin

23 – Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow: Understanding Genuine and Prescribed Praise in Christian Worship Nov 16, 2020 1:28:24 Psalm 23 Follow up In case you didn’t catch it, we have a new Bomb of Galahad satire article up.Lauren Daigle’s song You Say is still #1Quick update to the Psalm model for writing worship music: The Psalm Model—Does the song follow the model of acceptable worship found in the Psalms?Lament—Does the song address God as God, bring a legitimate grievance to God rooted in the con

22.2 – His Grace Much More Aboundeth: Review of “Lamentations” by Bifrost Arts, “Daughter Zion’s Woe” by Cardiphonia, and “Thy Will” by Hillary Scott (Part 2) Nov 2, 2020 42:51 Revelation 21:1-4 Just a heads up, this is a bonus episode meant to be heard after episode 22. In episode 22 we laid down a foundation on lament that we will refer back to as we review these songs. We are going to review 5 songs: a Psalm Model song and a Psalm Paraphrase song from “Lamentations” by Bifrost Arts, a Psalm Model song and a Psalm Paraphrase song from “Daughter Zion’s Woe” by Cardi

22.1 – The Voice of Lamentation: Understanding Lament and Its Importance in Christian Worship (Part 1) Oct 20, 2020 1:29:30 Psalm 22 Pattern of the Laments Address God as GodBring your legitimate grievance to GodRest in the promises of God Structure of the Laments In the book “How to Read the Psalms” by Tremper Longman III, he goes a bit more in depth into the lament structure. Not all of these are always together, but often are. InvocationPlea to God for helpComplaintsConfession of sin or an assertion

21 – I Will Sing of My Redeemer: Introduction of the Psalm Model and Using the Psalms as a Songwriting Guide Oct 5, 2020 1:22:37 Psalm 21 Updates here at the Balmcast.com. Check out the new Resources section. The Icebreaker Newsboys and Switchfoot. Which host will reign supreme and guess the lyrics of their favorite band? It’s Bryan. Obviously. What is the Psalm Model? We have talked about the Psalm Model as a way to shape writing worship music (Type 1). The Psalms contain: Ancient Near Eastern poet

20 – Mine Was the Transgression: Page CXVI, The Porter’s Gate, and Progressive Ideologies in the Church Sep 21, 2020 1:13:44 We’re back! Psalm of the Week Psalm 20 Main Topic: Songs, Politics, and Identity Page CXVI. Their album All and the song All Things New, and Great is Thy Faithfulness. The Porter’s Gate and their album Justice Songs, including the track We Will Make No Peace with Oppression. Also, the album Lament Songs with the track Wake Up, Jesus which references Mark 4. We also talk

19 – Hallelujah! What a Savior: Review of “Raise a Hallelujah” by Bethel Music and “Tremble” by Mosaic MSC Aug 4, 2020 1:26:17 Psalm 19 What We’re Listening To Bryan: Covers by Switchfoot  Grant: The Corner Room Psalms 120-134 playlist MLB Security Unable To Tackle Virtual Streaker (Babylon Bee) Main Topic – Song Comparison Raise a Hallelujah – Bethel Bethel cures racism with witchcraft? Raise a Hallelujah (Studio Version) by Bethel Music, Jonathan David Helser, Melissa H

18 – Glory and Honor, Praise, Adoration: Congregational Preference and the Significance of Style (Part 3) Jul 14, 2020 1:37:05 Psalm 18 Follow Up Grant had asked Bryan last episode why 150 songs was not enough. Bryan had actually said that 150 songs were enough. Either way, he never answered the question. Until now, and you won’t believe reason #5! Intro Some podcasts play games. But not us! We tackle an in-person feedback from one of our listeners on singability and understandability as important for w

17 – Jesus Shines Purer: Beauty and Excellence and the Significance of Style (Part 2) Jun 29, 2020 1:37:18 On this episode of the Balm in Gilead podcast… Psalm 17 Follow-up A quick apology to one of our favorite listeners and another listener writes in to speak about the difference between beauty and excellence resulting in some modifications to our system. Also, Bryan talks more about beauty and excellence while Grant adds some ironically inane comments. Main Topic A continuation

16 – Thou My Soul’s Glory, Joy, and Crown: Review of “You Say” by Lauren Daigle and the Significance of Style (Part 1) Jun 16, 2020 1:45:15 Psalm 16 Follow up A couple points of follow up. To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  – Romans 1:7 (not Romans 1:1) “Oh brother or sister, God calls us to worship, but in many instances we are an entertainment just running a poor second to the theaters. That is where we are,

15 – She Ever Shall Prevail: Hawk Nelson Lead Singer Leaves the Faith and Supreme Court Rules to Treat Church Gatherings Like Concerts Jun 2, 2020 1:39:58 We start out with a new segment before diving into discussing the news about the frontman for Hawk Nelson leaving his idea of Christianity and the Supreme Court’s recent decision to continue restricting churches from meeting because they see them as entertainment. Psalm 15 The Bomb of Galahad Cyberterrorists Hacked into Chick-fil-A’s Radio, Changing the CCM Muzak to Popular Secular

14 – Jesus Paid It All: The Argument Against Paying Royalties to Questionable Sources May 18, 2020 1:26:55 Psalm 14 But first Gilead Sciences – Open Letter from Chairman and CEO Daniel O’Day. The Meat of It A church pays money, called royalties, to a song’s writer(s) through their CCLI license. The “Royalties Argument” says that a song’s author matters, despite a song’s content, as long as the song is not in the public domain. By singing Bethel, Elev

13 – Jesus I Come to Thee: Jeremy Riddle Escaping Bethel Church and NAR Basics Apr 27, 2020 1:21:25 Recently, Christian worship music leader Jeremy Riddle posted: “I find myself increasingly troubled when I look at western Christian culture and see such a startling lack of representation or instruction on VITAL teachings in scripture; particularly the passages that warn and admonish.” Jeremy Riddle’s Facebook profile Bryan and Grant discuss why this is so significant and

12 – Hallelujah! Christ Arose! Review of “Resurrecting” by Elevation Worship and “Death was Arrested” by North Point InsideOut Apr 13, 2020 1:18:49 Psalm of the Week – Psalm 12 Intro Starting things off, we briefly discuss two fairly popular songs and ask some questions of the lyrics. Through Your Eyes You love me even when I fall apartI can’t explain itThat’s just who you areDon’t want perfectionYou just want my heartBritt Nicole 1 Peter 1:14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of

11.2 – Only Thou Art Holy: More Songs that Belittle the Work of Jesus, Make Light of Sin, or Misrepresent the Gospel (Part 2) Apr 1, 2020 1:37:52 1 Chronicles 29:10-13 Your hosts discuss the second half of Type 2 songs (those that are fun to listen to and have Christian themes) that are too often thought of as Type 1 songs (Songs suitable for worship). Songs Discussed Song links to Song.link Fear Is a LiarYou Got ThisNot TodayGood GraceHold MeWe also briefly mention So Will I, Stand in Your Love, Raise a Hallelujah, and Up Aga

11.1 – Though the Darkness Hide Thee: Songs that Belittle the Work of Jesus, Make Light of Sin, or Misrepresent the Gospel (Part 1) Mar 23, 2020 1:47:24 This is part 1 of a two part study of 12 Type 1 songs (that is usually sung in worship) that really ought to be more Type 2 (that is songs with Christian themes, but not suitable for worship). Psalm 11 On Fear Fear is legitimate. There are real things that are reasonable to fear. Ultimately, we need not fear anything because God is sovereign, but we are fallen and we do fear. I plan on d

10 – Jesus, Jesus, Precious Jesus: The Importance of Understanding the Weight of Our Own Sin Mar 11, 2020 1:38:28 Psalm 10 This week, your hosts open by talking about the top 10 streamed Christian songs that Spotify put out a little bit ago. Then we dive into our main topic—discussing how Jesus is Prophet, Priest, and King. To show this, we read a lot of Scripture. Top 10 Christian Songs Streamed on Spotify (source: Disrn) “You Say” – Lauren Daigle“Reckless Love” &#821

09 – My Sin, Not in Part, But the Whole: The Importance of Understanding the Person of Jesus Feb 24, 2020 1:26:45 Psalm 9 Songs, generally, should say the word “sin.” If it doesn’t it should at least talk about sin in Biblical terminology. If you don’t acknowledge sin, it leaves out the reason for the gospel. While more songs should talk about sin, not every one needs to. Without acknowledging sin, we cannot worship. Quote from C.J. Mahaney (who quotes John Stott), used by Sh

08 – I Sing the Mighty Power of God: The Act of Singing in Christian Worship Feb 11, 2020 1:29:41 Bryan and Grant start by reviewing two collaborations that pair artists that are a bit off with those who are ? Nobody by Casting Crowns ft Matthew WestEcho by Elevation Worship ft Tauren Wells Main topic Singing is holisticsinging takes mental effortsinging takes physical effortsinging takes creative effortsinging takes emotional effort Bible Passages Exodus 15 – song after

07 – Gratefully Sing His Wonderful Love: Worshipping God with All of Your Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength Jan 20, 2020 1:44:26 Intro KJV Song 5:4 and direct translation.Psalm 119:11Deuteronomy 6:5Mark 12:30 Worship is Holistic The Shema – Deuteronomy 6The Greatest Commandment – Mark 12The Woman at the Well – John 4Living Sacrifices – Romans 12 Four vehicles of worship We can worship God with our thoughts, with our deeds, with our attitudes, and with our devotion.  There is a co

06 – O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing: Liturgical Categories for Using Music in Church Jan 6, 2020 58:28 Liturgy—your church has one whether you know about it or not. This week we discuss liturgy and how the Psalms specifically set up what your intrepid hosts believe to be a good one. Song of preparation* Call to worship Song of adoration Confession of sin Assurance of pardon Confession of lament Assurance of comfort Profession of faith Offering of thanksgiving Song of

Snow Fall Gentle Dec 23, 2019 3:34 This week, Bryan shares the song he wrote Snow Fall Gentle after losing his daughter Kit to a congenital heart defect. Kathleen “Kit” Felicity EmersonMay 22, 2019 – November 9, 2019 The day we learned she had a congenital heart defect, it snowed.The day we buried her, it snowed.The day I wrote this song, it snowed. Verse 1I watch the snow fall gentle onThe empty street

05 – Lift up Your Voice and With Us Sing: The Five Types of Songs Written by Men Dec 9, 2019 1:25:51 Psalm Reading: Psalm 5 The kids ruined my 2019 playlist, but here it is anyway. Our main topic is working through 5 (actually 6) categories of songs from the point of what is appropriate for church worship. Without further ado, here is the official list. Type 0: The Psalms. Always appropriate for church use, no question.Type 1: Songs meant for congregational worshipType 2: Songs with exp

(Special Episode) In Memorium Dec 2, 2019 35:40 This week is a special episode not like our others. We take a moment to mourn the loss of Bryan’s daughter Kit. Links Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7ChOLzfRuZcKRqXxYL3d9H

04 – Love Lifted Even Me: Review of “Hard Love” by needtobreathe and “Alive” by Big Daddy Weave Nov 26, 2019 1:55:19 This is the Hard Love episode. We’re not fans, but we bring it up to show the difference between Christian music and Christian-sounding music. Send your Love/Hate mail to thereis at balmcast.com Links I Surrender Some | The Babylon Bee https://babylonbee.com/news/hymnals-updated-surrender-lyricGrace Gracefully Graces Me (have you watched this yet?) – https://www.youtube.com/watc

(Bonus Episode) Jesus is King, Beyoncé is Not Nov 18, 2019 48:03 In our never-ending quest to be relevant, we present to you another bonus episode. Join us on Slack! – http://slack.techreformation.com Grace Gracefully Graces Me – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cst1YYQZwsM

03 – All Other Ground is Sinking Sand: Six Categories for Discerning Christian Music Nov 11, 2019 1:35:38 This week on Balm in Gilead:Heart, Soul, Mind, Strength; Spirit and Truth; A Living Sacrifice. What makes up a good worship song? What characteristics might you look for? Bryan and Grant break down 6 categories of music that make it a good one for worship. The categories are: 1. Law and Gospel2. Scripture3. Beauty4. Excellence5. Truth6. Action We’ll come back to these categories often as

(Bonus Episode) What a Beautiful Fame: A Conversation on Publicly Walking Away from the Faith Nov 4, 2019 55:24 This is our off week, but we had so much to say, we cut a bonus episode all about some old news that was newer when we recorded. So here we are. Show Links Grace Gracefully Graces Me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cst1YYQZwsMChristmas Songs by Bad Religion: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6M2YAafNLwBs0DrlwkyCNVJohn Cooper’s open letter: https://www.facebook.com/2850181515207762/po

02 – How Firm a Foundation: An Introduction to the Regulative Principle of Worship Oct 28, 2019 1:31:29 Psalm 2 This week, Bryan and Grant discuss the foundational roots from which they assess worship songs. This includes a brief discussion of the Regulative Principle of Worship (RPW) cf. Westminster Confession ch. 21. Show Links Join us on Tech Reformation’s Slack: http://slack.techreformation.com/ Email us: thereis@balmcast.com Thanks for listening The Balm of Gilead podc

01 – This Is My Story, This Is My Song: This is the Balm in Gilead Podcast Oct 14, 2019 1:31:40 Introducing the Balm in Gilead podcast Hello, this is Bryan and Grant and together we make up the Balm in Gilead podcast. In our first episode, we introduce ourselves, tell why we’re making a podcast about Christian and worship music, and what’s led us to this point. Talk with us on Slack! Join us on TechReformation: http://slack.techreformation.com/ Thanks for listening

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