I loathe them, typically. With passion. The kind of loathing that doesn't even allow me to look up while one is playing, for fear that someone might see that I'm present for it.

But, something I realized - when there is something worth Happy-Clapping about, I can actually love them! When Scripture and Christ's Gospel is exalted, the change of pace is actually quite welcome for me in private worship (i.e., not that I'd want to sing such tunes in church).

Here's my current favorite. There is so much in here that I hope gradually seeps in for those who hear it and are not typically looking for a theological lesson.

I love that it focuses not only on our very real connection and identification by faith with saints of the distant past, but also on declaring the gospel. It is an offer, for sure, but unfortunately it stops there for most today. We don't just offer living water; we declare it! In some sense, we don't really ask people to make Christ their lord. We declare that Christ is Lord of everything! And He is coming, riding on the clouds at a great trumpet call. And you will bow your knee and lift your voice and drink his life-giving, sweet water, or your knees will be broken and you will acknowledge His Lordship anyway.

Our gospel preaching must be well-rounded, and this song is a small start at 'sneaking' it into people's minds. I have no idea who the original writers were, or if they're reformed - I'll praise God for them.


Sure, it gets a little (ok, a lot) repetitive at the end...but I can deal with that

__________________
Jeremy Gage
First Baptist Church
Durham, NC

"No heart can conceive that treasury of mercies which lies in this one privilege, in having liberty and ability to approach unto God at all times, according to his mind and will." - John Owen

__________________
Michael Tremmel
attending Christ Reformed Baptist Church
Hales Corners, WI.

Isaiah 46:5-11

I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Ps.16:8 ESV

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. 1 Cor.15:10a ESV

Praecepta docent, exempla movent (precepts teach, but examples move)

Psalm 119X is about as "happy-clappy" as I care to get.

__________________
Ben Franks

I attend: Ketoctin Covenant Presbyterian Church (OPC)
in Purcellville, Virginia
I'm a member of: Heartland Community Church (PCA)
in Wichita, Kansas
I blog here (along with my Dad): http://rrfranks.blogspot.com/
And I'm a student here: www.phc.edu

"Remember the speeches we have spoken so often over our mead, when we raised boast on the bench, heroes in the hall, about hard fighting. Now may the man who is bold prove that he is."-Aelfwine at the Battle of Maldon

Father Abraham! Had many sons, many sons had faaaather abraham, I am one of them and so are you, so lets all praise the Lord! on and on and on as long as you want! what could be better?

__________________
~ Charles Stephen Barribeau ~
Christ Presbyterian Church , OPC (They sing alot of Psalms!)
Original Westminster Standards (I need to study more...)
The Puritans were best! Also... I NEED TO READ MORE!!!
Philipians1:29(KJV) For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

Janesville, Wisconsin (In the fellowship of Bob Vigneault and Matt+Megan Meisberger)

Me, I worship Me. Pick one.

Sigh. After hearing them actually sung in Church, I can't listen to them. They miss the full range of emotions. When I'm happy, A Might Fortress really hits the spot.

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Timothy Johnson
First United Presbyterian of Moline
PCUSA (Yea, I know)
Theology/Philosophy Sunday School Teacher
Davenport, IA

We sing that song. I actually like it. I'm not into praise bands and 7-11 singing (7 words repeated 11 times), but I do occasionally like a good belter.

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Rangerus
Southern Baptist
Austin, TX
Teacher and Volunteer
1689 LBCF & BF&M 2000

I wonder what Calvin would think?

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Rev. Andy Eppard
Associate Minister
First Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Springfield, MO

I like "Blessed Be Your Name"


and I really like "You Are Holy" though I can barely stand to hear Mike Smith sing it. How a guy found such success singing through his nose I will never understand. I especially like the counter-point of the chorus.

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Bob Vigneault C.O.L, L.E., G.E, Dr.O.P., O.U.T.
The Heartbeat of Heaven (blog)
Deacon/Christ Presbyterian Church, Janesville, WI OPC www.christ-opc.org

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

He would think that flush toilets and the internet were supernatural manifestations of unseen powers.

Liberated Wailing Wailing wall have a very catchy number on their album "Behold Your G_d"

Liberated Wailing Wall Mp3s - http://www.jewsforjesus.org/programs/lww/albums/

No. 3 - it was only when I came to check the track title I realised it was Psalm 139!

It leaves me thinking how important the tune is (as a Baptist I am free to say that )

I encourage you all to listen to it

__________________
Eoghan
member,Thurso Baptist Church
Scotland

specialist subject: Creationist Genetics (Bottleneck effect of the Ark)
interests: holiness (practical theology)
member of Biblical Creation Society (available as a guest speaker in the far north of Scotland)

Gimme Oil in my Lamp & Gimme That Old Time Religion

Bill and I sing those a lot when we're on road trips and we make up extra verses to the songs.

__________________
Toni Cunningham, Wife of Bill (Theognome)
Parkwoods OPC, Overland Park KS

"Vice is a monster of so frightful mien, As, to be hated, needs but to be seen; Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face, We first endure, then pity, then embrace." ~ Alexander Pope

W_w! I didn't kn_w LWW was still ar_und. C__l!

Oh, and what verses!

let us pray like the old Egyptians,
We'll pray with such convictions
Fill our subways with inscriptions,
And that's good enough for me!

Let us pray like ol Rick Warren,
I say it won't be borin'
With a gospel that is foreign,
And that's good enough for me!

Let us pray like the ancient Druids,
While drinkin' nasty fluids
Runnin' naked through the woo(i)ds,
And that's good enough for me!

...And so on.

Theognome

__________________
Bill Cunningham
Covenant Reformed Church, URC
Kansas City
There are three kinds of people- those who can count, and those who can't.

Gimme that Old Time Religion Rocks!!!!

__________________
"A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God's truth is attacked and yet would remain silent." John Calvin

John from Scotland
Denomination: Attending Baptist church
Confessional Subscription:London Baptist Confession
Blog: [url]www.three-streams.co.uk[/url]

The first verse isn't ours, btw - it's from a movie called A Fool and His Money.
I don't remember if the Druids verse was from that movie or not - I think it might be. The Rick Warren verse is definitely ours.

They are all bad, if they are "happy-clappy"

__________________
Martin - Reformed
Husband to the most godly, honorable and loyal wife Line
Searching for a Church
Webpage www.5solas.dk
Free Online Reformed Seminary - http://www.tnars.net
Soli Deo Gloria

Keith Green - Scripture Song Medley

__________________
Ashley
Crossbridge Community Church
Texas
vincit qui patitur

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! Romans 11:33 NASB

Bob, that's one of my favorites, too.

My other favorite is "Shout to the Lord" (Darlene Zschech)

My Jesus, my Savoir, Lord there is none like You
All of my days, I long to praise the wonders of Your mighty love
My comfort, my shelter, tow'r of refuge and strength
Let every breath, all that I am never cease to worship You

Shout to the Lord all the earth, let us sing
Power and majesty praise to the King!
Mountains bow down and the seas will roar
At the sound of Your name
I sing for joy at the work of Your hand
Forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand
Nothing compares to the promise I have in You.

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J Baldwin
Keowee Presbyterian Church, PCA
Pickens, SC
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27

Check Out My Blog: http://reflectjoy.blogspot.com/

my daughter likes this one..


I like this one..though it is not really happy-clappy

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Bobbi Clark
Covenant Member
Pinewood Pres. (PCA) Middleburg

When I kept Silent, My bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. Psalm 32:3

LOL !!!!!! This is hilarious

__________________
~ Steven Bradford ~
Member Covenant Presbyterian, Chattanooga, TN

Nobobdy mentioned "Shine, Jesus, Shine"

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Dennis E. McFadden, Ex Mainline Baptist (in Remission)
Atherton Baptist Homes, CEO
First Baptist Church of Alhambra, Member, Transformation Ministries (CA)

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

Just try finding a happy-clappy song on utube that doesn't have Christ's image!!! Anyway, I like Jars of Clay or even Andy Griffith's version of "I'll Fly Away".

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sarah
WI
OPC
My Pastor's Sermons: Mark Jenkins...he's awesome!!!

I haven't sung the Days of Elijah since my pentecostal days! I loved the song at first, but then when it was sung at almost every worship service I grew tired of it. I love the songs "Blessed Be Your Name" and "Here I Am To Worship". I guess my favorite happy-clappy song would be "Blessed Be Your Name."

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Jennifer Flummerfelt
layman, P.C.A.
Wichita, KS

"Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever."

Happily Married to KS_Presby as of September 12, 2009

Interesting that many of the favorites here are ripping off the Psalms. Why not just sing the psalms!

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Traci
Lynnwood OPC
"I have taken all my good deeds, and all my bad deeds, and cast them through each other in a heap before the Lord, and fled from both, and betaken myself to the Lord Jesus Christ, and in him I have sweet peace."--David Dickson

And that is a powerful arrangement...

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Todd K. Pedlar
member, First Congregational Church, (CCCC) Cresco, IA
http://inprincipiodeus.solideogloria.com
http://puritanwisdom.blogspot.com

"As God did not at first choose you because you were high, He will not now forsake you because you are low."
John Flavel in Keeping the Heart



Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

I used to love to sing choruses like "Open the Eyes of My Heart", "King of kings & Lord of lords" in Spanish and German, but only because I knew them in those languages. Other than that, I never even liked worship choruses. Too sentimental for the most part. There are some exceptions, but give me Psalm 119X, "Be Thou My Vision" or "Now Unto Jehovah, Ye Sons of the Mighty" any day.

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Annalissa Sheposh
http://www.cc-opc.org

"Rend your heart--and not your garments." Joel 2:13

"Garment-rending & other external signs of religious emotion are easily manifested, & are frequently hypocritical. True repentance is far more difficult, & consequently far less common... "- C.H.Spurgeon

We used to sing this one at FCA in college, based on the song of the Israelites after Lord's victory over the Egyptians at the Red Sea. Forgive me if I mess up the words a bit; it has been 20 years since I've sung it!

__________________
Tim Phillips
Pastor, Midlane Park Presbyterian Church (ARP)
Louisville, KY
Husband of Scottish Lass
My Blog: Gairney Bridge
My Facebook/My Avatar

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

"Wherever the gospel is preached, it is as if God Himself came into the midst of us." ~ John Calvin

Our sermons are not just scripture read--they are precisely "ripping off" the text.
Even the Psalms in the psalter are "ripping off the Psalms."


My very favorite hymns to listen to/sing along with that have been recorded are done by the music group of the Reformed University Fellowship (RUF), called Indelible Grace. They take Newton and Watts, etc, and give them a new, folksy tune and they are amazing. Every song I hear I find quotes that I want to use for my facebook religious views.

Here's a snippet of my very favorite Indelible Grace hymn, I Asked the Lord, written by John Newton. I really wish that I could give each of you these CDs. I cannot recommend them enough! They are offering a free download in exchange for the email addresses of five friends. They only use the addresses to invite the friends to download it themselves.

__________________
Shalom,
jessi
PCA
Steelers fan exiled to Virginia


“Whatever your heart clings to and confides in, that is really your God.”
Martin Luther

More seriously, In Christ Alone is my favorite contemporary worship and praise song.

"In Christ Alone"
Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2001 Kingsway Thankyou Music

In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.


CCLI No:3350395.

It didn't occur to me that it is a contemporary song. And that, I suppose, is a very high compliment to it.

We sang In Christ Alone at our wedding.

We sang it while my bride and I were facing each other, just before our vows.

And while singing these great words of what Christ did for His church, it made my vows all the more serious in my mind. I could only think, "My goodness, is this what I'm called to do for her?" And my mental response to myself, "Yes, and you'll enjoy every hard minute of it."

Funny enough, my wife said she had a similar thought process while we sang, "The Church's One Foundation."

That's a long-winded way of saying I love that song

"O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing"

__________________
Curt Hayashida
member, Community Bible Church (Non-denominational)
Vallejo, CA

'In Christ alone' is a hymn, not a chorus. Certainly not a 'happy clappy worship song' by any definition!

__________________
Jonathan Hunt

Elder holding forth the word of life at:
Cheltenham Evangelical Free Church (Confessionally Based)
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom

Logic is a systematic method of coming to the wrong conclusion with confidence.
-- Thomas Elsworth

Here is the ultimate happy clappy song. And, pick up the stones: I like it


-----Added 5/19/2009 at 03:15:38 EST-----

Here is one of my favourites from the Gettys:

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We shall not adjust our Bible to the age; but before we have done with it, by God's grace, we shall adjust the age to the Bible. - Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Lawrence Underwood, Jr.
Pastor - Providence Family Fellowship / Mobile, Alabama
1644/46 LBC
My Blog - Imprimis

If you commute mass transit in any major city, and your arm gets continually bashed into (while you are trying to read a good a.m. eye opener, something like The Works of Jonathan Edwards Volume I)...or perhaps you are inundated with noise pollution of various sorts while pondering a memory verse, or you've just been told to "knock it off" if you were heralding the Gospel...

keep this song handy on your mp3 player:

__________________
Wendy, Jersey City, NJ
attending Englewood Baptist Church

"This Spirit – abiding originally as to his person, and immeasurable as to his effects and operations, in himself – he gives to all believers, to inhabit and abide in them also....And in this he is unspeakably glorious."
John Owen The Glory of Christ
blog

Happy clappy? see above.

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Edward
Deacon
PCA
Texas

AAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!

Die song die!!!

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Donald Jacobs
Roanoke VA.
Covenant Reformed Episcopal Church.

Cum vero infirmor tunc potens sum.

I love this one!

How can you clap when you have to do all the hand motions

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Rich Koster
1689'er
Browns Mills NJ USA
Often Goofy Reformed Eccentric
Romans 7:14-25

This thread reminds me of the guilty secrets one!
I am not a great fan of the praise song, but despite myself there are a few I like. My favorite is: "You're the Lion of Judah" by Robin Mark. Thumbs up to "How Great is our God," "Shout to the Lord," "Here I am to Worship" and "Amazing Love."

Not exactly happy clappy but is anyone familiar with "Glory Revealed" album. It's awesome. Words of Scripture set to music. My two favorites are Restore to me and Glory Revealed. They are on You Tube. Sorry too tired tonight to work out how to post them here.

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Donnie MacLeod
Crossroads Presbyterian Fellowship (PCA), Maplewood, MO
MDiv Student Covenant Theological Seminary

You filled my heart with greater joy
than others may have found
As they rejoiced at harvest time,
when grain and wine abound.Ps 4:7, Sing Psalms 2003

Here's one from my favorite Mega-Church