Tag Archives: William Stewart

17 Apr

Instrumental Music in Church History

WORSHIP ARTICLE | William Stewart | Kingston, Ontario

We have in previous articles looked at instrumental music in the Old Testament, in the New Testament, and specifically in the book of Revelation. In Revelation, we found instances of the instrumental music to deal with the heavenly realm and not with the worship of the Lord’s church upon the earth. In the Old Testament, we discovered musical instruments were commanded and used in worship in Israel, but acknowledged this was not authority for us, since we are noted that none of the occurrences of instrumental music therein address worship. Rather, every example or command with regard to our worship in song calls for vocal music, not instrumental. Read More →

01 Jan

Instrumental Music in the Book of Revelation

WORSHIP ARTICLE | William Stewart | Kingston, Ontario

In the religious world, there is a basic cognizance of the need to conduct ourselves within the confines of God’s authority. The apostle Paul, when writing to the brethren at Colosse implored, “…whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of hte Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17). Such demands that we search the Scriptures to know what is and what is not acceptable to the Lord so far as religious practice and doctrine.

When we come to the subject of proper worship in song, just as with any other topic, we must seek to know what pleases the Lord. A practice or teaching may delight us, but we are not the object nor the designer of worship. How does God instruct us to worship in song? Are we to use mechanical instruments, are we to use our voices, or a combination of the two? Read More →

10 Oct

Instrumental Music in the New Testament

WORSHIP ARTICLE | William Stewart | Kingston, Ontario

In a previous article, we looked at Instrumental Music in the Old Testament (click here). We noted several instances of instrumental music used in worship as well as direct commands for such. Now, we want to focus on the New Testament. Do we see examples of worship with instruments? Are there any commands to play instruments in worship? What was the manner of music used by the early church as directed by the Spirit-inspired apostles? Read More →

28 Jul

Tribute to Sean Cavender

MARCH 13, 1987 – JULY 20, 2023

“Oil and perfume make the heart glad, so a man’s counsel is sweet to his friend.” (Proverbs 27:9)

I confess to knowing very little about oils and perfume. Certainly, a fragrant aroma is better and more desirable than a putrid smell. Soap and deodorant are more pleasant than the lack thereof. Beyond that, I’m not the guy to speak to about fragrance. Of course, Solomon’s purpose is not to exalt the excellence of beautiful odours – this is the lesser through which he introduces the greater – the value, the sweetness, and the delight of a close friend. Read More →

17 Apr

Instrumental Music in the Old Testament

WORSHIP ARTICLE | William Stewart | Odessa, Ontario

In the search for instrumental music in the Old Testament, one need not go very far. In Genesis 4:21, among the offspring of Cain, we read of Jubal, identified as “…the father of all those who play the harp and flute.” Thus, we have the beginning of instrumental music described for us. From this point onward, we find references to instrumental music in many Old Testament passages. Read More →

28 Jan

25 Ways to Get Busy Doing the Work of Evangelism

EVANGELISM ARTICLE | William Stewart & Sean Cavender

Before ascending to heaven, our Lord instructed the apostles to be busy preaching the gospel. Mark’s account of the great commission begins, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). However, this mission was not exclusive to the apostles. In Matthew’s record of the mandate, Jesus told the apostles to “…make disciples of all the nations … teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you…” (Matthew 28:19-20). In this, Jesus instituted a perpetual continuation of teaching the gospel to lost souls. We see the apostle Paul applying this in 2 Timothy 2:2, “…the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” Read More →

05 Jul

I Saw Satan Fall Like Lightning From Heaven

BEYOND THE BASICS | William Stewart | Kingston, Ontario

“I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven!” Imagine how exciting it must have been to hear Jesus make such a declaration. The assertion was made to the seventy persons whom Jesus had appointed and sent to go before Him among the people (Luke 10:1). As He had given instructions to the apostles before sending them out (Matthew 10:5-15), our Lord also gave directions to this much larger contingent of disciples for their journey (Luke 10:2-16). They were sent to “heal the sick” and to proclaim “The kingdom of God has come near to you” (Luke 10:9). We do not know how long they were gone, but Luke reported the excitement of their return. Filled with joy they announced, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name” (Luke 10:17). Jesus’ statement about Satan falling from heaven was in response to their remark. Read More →

26 Oct

Israel’s Role In The Divine Plan

BEYOND THE BASICS | William Stewart | Kingston, Ontario

To understand Israel’s role in God’s plan, we need to start with the threefold promise made to Abram in Genesis 12:1-3, 7. There we find God’s promise to (1) make a great nation from Abram, (2) bless them with a land, and (3) bless all families of the earth through him.

The nation promise was fulfilled when Joshua brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. Deuteronomy 26:5 states, “…My father was a Syrian, about to perish, and he went down to Egypt and dwelt there, few in number; and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous.” Thus, God fulfilled His promise, and Israel was set to fulfill their role in God’s plan. Read More →

06 Jul

Counterfeit Christianity

BEYOND THE BASICS ARTICLE | William Stewart | Odessa, Ontario

Caveat emptor is an old maxim regarding the acquisition of goods. It is Latin for “let the buyer beware.” Charlatans and swindlers are always ready to take advantage of unsuspecting patrons. If we are not careful (and sometimes even when we thought we were careful) we can be cheated by forgeries and bogus items, whether it be artwork, sports memorabilia, clothing, electronics, nutritional supplements, or even food products. The prevalence of online shopping today has opened a massive opportunity for con artists to dupe buyers. Indeed, caveat emptor! Read More →

06 Apr

Worshipping with a Renewed Spirit

WORSHIP/DEVOTIONAL ARTICLE | William Stewart | Odessa, Ontario

John 4:24 / Ephesians 4:23

A midday break in the city of Syrchar as Jesus and His apostles journeyed from Judea to Galilee resulted in a significant conversation. So weighty were the matters discussed that the Holy Spirit had John record it for all future would-be worshippers. Jesus made a powerful observation, stating: “The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24). Read More →