International Music Day

On October 1,1975, the world celebrated the first International Music Day, designed to promote the diverse experience of the musical arts around the world. Scripture bears witness to this idea through King David who expressed joy, grief and faith in the music of the Psalms; by reading (or singing) the Psalms, we are a part of King David’s 3000 years-ago Middle Eastern experience and learn from his songs about the God both he and us worship. Move forward in history 1000 years to 60-62 A.D. and we find the Apostle Paul commanding the Ephesian believers to be filled with the Spirit, “speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord” (Eph. 5:19, NIV). Paul follows the command for Spirit-filled relationships marked by worship with instructions for Christian households. Families grow and nurture one another spiritually when worship through music is a part of everyday life at home. The resources below are tools to help your family worship together through music.

Bestselling author, Joni Eareckson Tada, and Bible teacher, Bobbie Wolgemuth, have compiled a collection of hymns that have been loved by Christians all around the world. Partnering with Yuris Yoon’s breathtaking artwork, Timeless Hymns for Family Worship: Bringing Gospel-Centered Moments into Your Home invites families to rediscover the Biblical and theological truths in the hymns that have inspired Christians for generations cross-culturally. Each hymn paired with a short devotional, background information about the hymn, score and lyrics of the hymn, and artwork, gives families a tool to use for family worship time. The devotionals are best for elementary-age children and older, but with the parent’s explanations, the truths in the hymns can build theological foundations for everyone. When Joni Eareckson Tada broke her neck at age 17 and became quadriplegic, the hymns in this book are what made her remember God’s faithfulness and the strength He gives. Just like Mrs. Tada, the children who have strong Biblical and theological foundations will be able to remember and lean on that foundation when they are faced with both the ups and downs of life. You can purchase the physical or e-book version Here.

Gateway music offers incredible worship resources, not only for a church setting but also for parents. They offer a collective of multigenerational, and diverse musical expressions, with the desire to glorify God as the body of Christ. Their prayer is that through their music, people develop an intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ. All their music is Bible-based worship because they value the truth of God’s word and its power to transform us. Additionally, they have a global perspective for spiritual transformation; therefore, they have created a bilingual Gateway Kids Worship album “Todos Mis Dias” (Spanish and English). This album focuses on the goodness of God and the desire God has to establish a relationship with His creation. Through worship, children can confess and testify “Father, I am giving you all of me every day”. Some songs come along with lyric videos and dynamic dance videos for children. This album is perfect music for a road trip or as part of family devotions. If you are interested in acquiring these worship resources to be used with your children or church family, you may access them for free here (Spanish Version).

Grace Church Music is a resource for parents looking to enrich the worship experiences of their children. They operate as part of a local church located in lower Wisconsin and they have had many years of experience in teaching and training adults and children in the gospel through worship. Their music is centered on explaining the stories and truth of scripture in an engaging and creative way. Their most recent album focuses on Jesus as the best King. All the songs tell the story of a different biblical king and how they failed in one way or another because they were not Jesus. These songs are “catchy” and rich in truth which makes them the ideal tools for parents wanting to saturate their children in scripture through music. Whether you are playing these songs at home during your free time or through your car radio as you drive to school, worship can happen in so many places other than a Sunday church service – these songs make it easy to bring worship into your daily routines. You can find their music here to download for a small price and you can also find their albums on Spotify for free here.