Sound Plus Doctrine

In previous epidosdes, we’ve talked about having hard conversations with your pastor, musicians, and church members. But conversations with yourself may be the hardest conversations of all. Why do we do what we do? What motivates us to do better? What’s going on when we aren’t excited about serving the church anymore? In this episode, […]

If you’re a leader in the church, at some point you’re going to have people who have problems with the way you’re doing things. It might be the music, the song choices, or the volume. It might be people in your church who just don’t like to sing. Or it might be the overly enthusiastic […]

Some leaders love to know and plan every detail of the Sunday service in advance. Others prefer finding out what God will do spontaneously in the course of the meeting. Wherever we fall on the spectrum, both planning and spontaneity are an important part of engaging with God genuinely as we gather. In this episode, […]

Christians who come out of a hyper-charismatic or pentecostal background are often wary of any talk about God’s presence. But Psalm 105:4 encourages us to “seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!” What does it mean to “seek God’s presence continually” and how can we be committed to the authority, sufficiency, and […]

God’s people are uniquely defined by God’s presence. It’s a sign of his favor, mercy, and covenant love. But bad things happen when we start to speak about God’s presence in a way that makes it sounds like we can control it, or worse, profit financially from it. In this episode, Bob Kauflin and David […]

There is something profound about a church that faithfully carries out its meetings with a steady consistency, week after week, month after month, year after year. It testifies to the unchanging truths we trust in, rely on, and cling to. But what happens when leaders realize there’s something they could do something better or differently? […]

It can be discouraging to attend a worship conference where everyone seems to assume your church has a large staff, several music teams, and an unlimited budget. For most of us, that situation is far from reality. In this episode, Bob and David talk about how to make the most of limited resources, maintain a […]

We’re grateful for every person who wants to write songs for their church. But how do you avoid the common mistakes that many beginning songwriters fall into? At a recent songwriter camp, we developed a list of potential errors to avoid, and thought it might be helpful to share with others. We hope it’s an […]

If you lead a team of musicians in your church, you’ve no doubt dealt with problems that need fixing. Lack of skill. Musicians who don’t practice. Vocalists who look disengaged when they sing. Or worse, character issues that need to be addressed. Those conversations can be difficult. In this episode, Bob, David, and Devon talk […]

What do you do when you lead the singing in your church, but it’s obvious that you and your pastor have disagreements? “My pastor isn’t involved.” “My pastor micro-manages everyone around him.” “My pastor wants me to lead songs I’m not very excited about.” In this episode, David, Devon, and Bob take some time to […]

Season 10 of Sound Plus Doctrine kicks off with a question from a listener who had to step down from leading congregational worship for a longer period than he expected. Bob, David, and Devon discuss how God often uses times when we don’t serve to help us better understand how we view our role and […]

Music can be a massive blessing and encouragement to a local congregation. But when musicians begin to think their contribution is more important than everything else, it leads to conflict. A podcast listener wrote in to ask how they might resolve that kind of tension between their music department and the rest of the church. […]

If you lead the music in your church you’re bound to encounter the well-meaning member who enthusiastically suggests a song your church should be singing. What do you do when for various reasons that particular song may not be an ideal addition? That’s the topic David and Bob address in this episode of Sound Plus […]

Sol Fenne, along with his wife Carlie, leads His Estate, “a music ministry from UK council estates from where we write and produce word-centered songs for the narrow way.” In this episode of Sound Plus Doctrine, we had the joy of talking to Sol, who has a heart for bringing the hope of the gospel […]

In the mid-90s, Bob Kauflin went through a 2 year period of depression, anxiety, confusion, and panic attacks, all accompanied by physical symptoms and a constant feeling of hopelessness, all while he was serving as a pastor in a church plant. In this episode, David interviews Bob about some of the things he learned from […]

Churches will often allot a portion of their Sunday service for “special music.” We’re talking about music that is performed, either by a soloist, a group, a choir, or some other makeup of musicians. At times it can be a massive blessing. But not always. In this episode, Bob and David explore how we might […]

Churches often use recorded arrangements of songs as the template for what they do on Sunday rmoning. In this episode David and Bob talk about the advantages and drawbacks of that approach, looking at it through the lens of what best serves our congregations.   Have a question about this episode? Send us an email […]

In this episode, we sit down with Fabrizio Rodulfo to talk about Himnos, our latest Spanish album with Gracia Soberana Música. We reflect on the journey from our first Spanish projects to this new record, and discuss the heart behind translating timeless hymns for the church in Latin America. Fabrizio shares about the dynamic of […]

There are various reasons why musicians who play and sing for their church on Sunday mornings might choose to use their musical gifts in contexts outside the church. Is it always wrong? It is always right? What kinds of questions can we ask about our hearts to help us make wise decisions? Bob, David, and […]

Some worship songs move us emotionally but contain little that actually feeds our minds, while others feel like systematic theology set to music. In this episode, Bob, David, and Devon respond to a question from a listener who wonders if we need more theologically driven songs that contain simpler lyrics. We had a great time […]

Are you afraid you’ll be too emotional when you lead? What if you don’t feel anything? What is the place of emotions when leading congregational worship? A listener wrote in to ask about how much self-control leaders should exercise when it comes to expressing their emotions while leading. How do we avoid being manipulative? How […]

Those who know Sovereign Grace Music, recognize the voice, if not the face, of McKenzie Fuller, Bob’s youngest daughter. In this episode, Bob & David talk with McKenzie about a dark season in her life characterized by depression, eating disorders, and self-destructive behavior, and how the Lord has redeemed it for her good and his […]

More than a few churches have different people leading the singing on different Sundays. If not handled wisely, that can make it difficult for a congregation to learn songs or grow in a unified voice. In this episode, Bob and David talk about specific ways those situations can be avoided and multiple leaders can be […]

One Sound Plus Doctrine listener wrote in to ask how we handle adding new members to the music team. In this episode, David and Bob talk about how we interview potential musicians at Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville and highlight principles you can put into practice in your church. Have a question about this episode? […]

It’s been ten years since the release of our Christmas album, Prepare Him Room. In this episode, Bob and David take time to look at the history of the album and the story behind some of the songs, including He Who is Mighty and Who Would Have Dreamed. We also talk about why we changed […]