FOR SUCH A TIME
AS THIS...
John Charles Ryle was a nineteenth century “Evangelical Anglican clergyman and first Bishop of Liverpool”, known for his commanding preaching style and extensive writing. In his book entitled “Worship: It’s Priority, Principles and Practices”, Ryle puts forth this rather challenging examination worthy of our consideration:
“If we want to know whether our own public worship is doing us good, let us try it by these tests: Does it quicken our conscience? Does it send us to Christ? Does it add to our knowledge? Does it sanctify our life? If it does, we may depend on it, it is worship of which we have no cause to be ashamed.”
J C Ryle further contends:
“True worship will stand the test of Christ's great principle, “By their fruits you shall know them”. It sanctifies the Christian's life, and makes them walk with God, lifting them above fear and love of the world… Such worship comes from heaven, and has the mark of God upon it.”
Such is the wonderful enduring fruit of true authentic worship. The sad reality is that, for the most part, modern-day contemporary worship would struggle to even meet just one of the biblical criteria put forth by J C Ryle! Unfortunately, this appalling condition is now so endemic within Christendom, that one is often accused of being “critical” or “condemnatory” for airing such concerns or even echoing such sentiments. However, in Hebron, we find a group of psalmists who indeed bear the hallmark of good fruit. Their debut CD, “For such a time as this” is a delightful, yet profound, love offering - a doxology, if you will, of worship unto The Lord. Hebron features Simon Elman, Chrissy Rodgers and Helen Shapiro who, after many years of praying and waiting, sensed the Lord’s calling upon them to form the group.