Essays and reflections on spiritual formation, the church, music, and daily faithfulness — 645 pieces, gathered in one home.
I saw a post on The Website of Unknowing from a reader troubled by the idea of Christian spiritual formation practices, seeing them as "new age movement" that had trickled into the
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
Some ask why I struggle with the way we talk about numbers in God’s church. It's not because numbers don’t represent people (they do, and I have a passion for reaching people!). I
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
Blogging is a new experience for me, though I have known for a while that writing is a form of creative expression and spiritual discipline I feel drawn to. I have been nudged by t
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
This week was Vacation Bible School and I enjoyed it. I leaned over to a friend while joining most of our 120 VBS kids in singing to reflect on what I love most about VBS. It's spi
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
A friend took this picture of Sandy and me at General Conference with his mobile phone. We were attending a banquet with Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, the president of Liberia. The Africa
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
On June 1, 2008, we had a special day at the church I serve. We broke ground on a new Family Life Center. My friend and former pastor Fred Webster joined us and our District Superi
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
Yesterday I came home from Annual Conference, but conference strangely feels like coming home. Yes, I struggle with how to go about gatherings and creatively approach issues. I wis
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
Tonight at the Ordination Service at the North Alabama Annual Conference, Bishop Willimon will lead us in communion using a sung version of the Great Thanksgiving that I arranged.
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
"We are curious about God. We make inquiries about God. We read books about God. We get into late night bull sessions about God. We drop into church from time to time to see what i
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
Lord, I feel your blessings abound in my life. Yet what I think of as blessings are not what your Word calls blessings in the Sermon on the Mount. My blessing comes from the many s
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
I read this quote today in morning prayer and it resonates in my soul: "Perseverance, translated literally, means: remaining underneath, not throwing off the load, but bearing it.
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
Steve West's first CD Project, “Living Stones,” was created in memory of his mother, Betty Hamby West, and to raise support for building the new church he founded. It is a creative
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
Well, I did my first Commencement Address recently. Don't be too impressed ... all three graduates at the homeschool academy appreciated it. Seriously, it was a great honor. I thou
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
I'm pondering this quote and am longing for a deep sense of integration, for me and for God's church, between social holiness and personal holiness. Mysticism and revolution are tw
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
This is my article published in the "Faith & Values" section of The Huntsville Times on May 30, 2008 - Steve West General Conference, the international policy-making assembly of th
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
This is my article which was published in the May/June 2006 Issue of “Alive Now” Magazine - Steve West In recent days, I have made it a practice to pray the psalms regularly during
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
This is my article published in the September/October 2004 Issue of “Alive Now” Magazine - Steve West It has been nine months since my mother died, and I am still hurting. Walking
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
This is a version of my column published on January 25, 2008 in the "Faith & Values" section of The Huntville Times - Steve West I remember meeting Jeff, who leads the praise band
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
One of the children Sunday said something hilarious. “I’m glad we didn’t have children’s church today, because it’s even worse.” Humored, I engaged him, “even worse, huh?” “Yes, be
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
This is my column which was published in the "Faith & Values" Section of The Huntsville Times on May 9, 2008 - Steve West When I was a child, my father served as pastor of a church
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
I served as an alternate delegate from the North Alabama Conference to General Conference. A Dangerous Prayer Some prayers are dangerous indeed. They are prayers because they expre
Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher
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