Worship Theologian
@drdanjesse.bsky.social
Husband, theologian, and dog walker. I write about emotional formation in worship services and sadness in Christianity. I love music, movies, books, my dog, and scotch.
Are we singing songs in the church that lead us to flourish or to flounder? Also, are the songs we sing in church aspirational or projections of piety?
danieljesse.substack.com/p/wanting-to...
danieljesse.substack.com/p/wanting-to...
June 3, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Are we singing songs in the church that lead us to flourish or to flounder? Also, are the songs we sing in church aspirational or projections of piety?
danieljesse.substack.com/p/wanting-to...
danieljesse.substack.com/p/wanting-to...
Have you found it to be true that constantly celebrating God's redeeming acts can take away the hope of things to come? Do you feel like if every Sunday is Easter or time in heaven it takes away from the longing for Easter or heaven?
danieljesse.substack.com/p/celebratio...
danieljesse.substack.com/p/celebratio...
May 20, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Have you found it to be true that constantly celebrating God's redeeming acts can take away the hope of things to come? Do you feel like if every Sunday is Easter or time in heaven it takes away from the longing for Easter or heaven?
danieljesse.substack.com/p/celebratio...
danieljesse.substack.com/p/celebratio...
Today we shift from talking about theologians to talking about two of the most important and influential people in Christian music, Becky and her son Todd. You all probably know them and probably have an opinion about them. Do you like them? Do you know them?
danieljesse.substack.com/p/lets-talk-...
danieljesse.substack.com/p/lets-talk-...
April 29, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Today we shift from talking about theologians to talking about two of the most important and influential people in Christian music, Becky and her son Todd. You all probably know them and probably have an opinion about them. Do you like them? Do you know them?
danieljesse.substack.com/p/lets-talk-...
danieljesse.substack.com/p/lets-talk-...
We asked in church today through song where the Sting and victory of death was. That sting was in church today as we felt the loss of those who we love, who are members of our family, and who are no longer in our community.
Singing an over-realized eschatology is harmful to those who grieve.
Singing an over-realized eschatology is harmful to those who grieve.
April 20, 2025 at 11:51 PM
We asked in church today through song where the Sting and victory of death was. That sting was in church today as we felt the loss of those who we love, who are members of our family, and who are no longer in our community.
Singing an over-realized eschatology is harmful to those who grieve.
Singing an over-realized eschatology is harmful to those who grieve.
Continuing to talk about the theologies that shape the way we think about emotions in worship. What would having an emotional encounter with God look like?
danieljesse.substack.com/p/worship-in...
danieljesse.substack.com/p/worship-in...
April 15, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Continuing to talk about the theologies that shape the way we think about emotions in worship. What would having an emotional encounter with God look like?
danieljesse.substack.com/p/worship-in...
danieljesse.substack.com/p/worship-in...
Continuing to look at theologian's understanding of sadness and emotions to understand how we got to a place where we devalue emotions in worship. Today we look at John Calvin and how we get him wrong
danieljesse.substack.com/p/worship-in...
danieljesse.substack.com/p/worship-in...
April 8, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Continuing to look at theologian's understanding of sadness and emotions to understand how we got to a place where we devalue emotions in worship. Today we look at John Calvin and how we get him wrong
danieljesse.substack.com/p/worship-in...
danieljesse.substack.com/p/worship-in...
I'm continuing to look at why the church undervalues sadness in worship and today I discuss Martin Luther's view of sadness. Long story short, Christ was sadder than you could ever be or imagine!
April 1, 2025 at 11:17 AM
I'm continuing to look at why the church undervalues sadness in worship and today I discuss Martin Luther's view of sadness. Long story short, Christ was sadder than you could ever be or imagine!
Why do we, in the church, link sadness to sin and believe worship should only be joyful? I'm starting to answer that question by looking at St. Augustine's theology.
danieljesse.substack.com/p/worship-in...
danieljesse.substack.com/p/worship-in...
March 25, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Why do we, in the church, link sadness to sin and believe worship should only be joyful? I'm starting to answer that question by looking at St. Augustine's theology.
danieljesse.substack.com/p/worship-in...
danieljesse.substack.com/p/worship-in...
Continuing to talk about J Michael Jordan's book Worship in the Age of Anxiety and how creating anxiety in worship manipulates emotions and leads to a false view of the Christian life.
danieljesse.substack.com/p/worship-in...
danieljesse.substack.com/p/worship-in...
March 18, 2025 at 10:51 AM
Continuing to talk about J Michael Jordan's book Worship in the Age of Anxiety and how creating anxiety in worship manipulates emotions and leads to a false view of the Christian life.
danieljesse.substack.com/p/worship-in...
danieljesse.substack.com/p/worship-in...
What do we do when worship becomes emotionally alienating and feels unsafe for people's mental health? In this first post of a series, I look at J. Michael Jordan's book Worship in a Time of Anxiety and translate it over to sadness.
danieljesse.substack.com/p/worship-in...
danieljesse.substack.com/p/worship-in...
March 11, 2025 at 11:06 AM
What do we do when worship becomes emotionally alienating and feels unsafe for people's mental health? In this first post of a series, I look at J. Michael Jordan's book Worship in a Time of Anxiety and translate it over to sadness.
danieljesse.substack.com/p/worship-in...
danieljesse.substack.com/p/worship-in...
Just a reminder: I'm running a survey trying to understand how you think about emotions and Christian Worship! Please take my survey and I might pay you!
forms.office.com/r/GV8cnYShK4
forms.office.com/r/GV8cnYShK4
March 6, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Just a reminder: I'm running a survey trying to understand how you think about emotions and Christian Worship! Please take my survey and I might pay you!
forms.office.com/r/GV8cnYShK4
forms.office.com/r/GV8cnYShK4
I'm excited that my paper is "Masking Worship: Concealing Pain with Praise," has been accepted for presentation at the Christian Congregational Music: Local and Global Perspectives conference taking place at Ripon College Cuddesdon, Oxford in August. It's based on my grant work, see my Substack.
February 22, 2025 at 1:46 AM
I'm excited that my paper is "Masking Worship: Concealing Pain with Praise," has been accepted for presentation at the Christian Congregational Music: Local and Global Perspectives conference taking place at Ripon College Cuddesdon, Oxford in August. It's based on my grant work, see my Substack.
Emotions are often derided in worship, unless they are rebranded as movements of the Holy Spirit. By rebranding them, we lose connection with ourselves and move the responsibility to God.
February 18, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Emotions are often derided in worship, unless they are rebranded as movements of the Holy Spirit. By rebranding them, we lose connection with ourselves and move the responsibility to God.
I'm finding through my research that worship leaders don't get a lot of feedback nor do they seek it out. What do you think about that?
February 15, 2025 at 10:05 PM
I'm finding through my research that worship leaders don't get a lot of feedback nor do they seek it out. What do you think about that?
What worship songs uplift your spirit? Are they happy, clappy, and a tiny bit sappy?
February 11, 2025 at 1:18 PM
What worship songs uplift your spirit? Are they happy, clappy, and a tiny bit sappy?
New Substack post is up! In it, I discuss what needs to change in worship services according to surveyed worship leaders. They have some great suggestions, but are not empowered by the church or congregant to do so.
danieljesse.substack.com/p/more-than-...
danieljesse.substack.com/p/more-than-...
More than a Concert and a Speech
Moving Worship outside of a Performance in both Song and Sermon
danieljesse.substack.com
February 4, 2025 at 2:48 PM
New Substack post is up! In it, I discuss what needs to change in worship services according to surveyed worship leaders. They have some great suggestions, but are not empowered by the church or congregant to do so.
danieljesse.substack.com/p/more-than-...
danieljesse.substack.com/p/more-than-...
New sub stack post is up asking local worship leaders: What emotions are missing from their worship? danieljesse.substack.com/p/breaking-t...
January 21, 2025 at 12:48 PM
New sub stack post is up asking local worship leaders: What emotions are missing from their worship? danieljesse.substack.com/p/breaking-t...
New Substack post is up where I asked worship leaders if they think any emotions are overemphasized in the worship practices of the church.
danieljesse.substack.com/p/from-catha...
danieljesse.substack.com/p/from-catha...
January 14, 2025 at 12:10 PM
New Substack post is up where I asked worship leaders if they think any emotions are overemphasized in the worship practices of the church.
danieljesse.substack.com/p/from-catha...
danieljesse.substack.com/p/from-catha...
To my head I raise
A wreath of white flowers
And cry "Unhappiness"
My mournful benediction
The cry of my soul
Dreamless sleeper
Your face, the grave will change
Your blood poured
Like your savior's
I drink the midnight hymn
A wreath of white flowers
And cry "Unhappiness"
My mournful benediction
The cry of my soul
Dreamless sleeper
Your face, the grave will change
Your blood poured
Like your savior's
I drink the midnight hymn
January 12, 2025 at 2:40 PM
To my head I raise
A wreath of white flowers
And cry "Unhappiness"
My mournful benediction
The cry of my soul
Dreamless sleeper
Your face, the grave will change
Your blood poured
Like your savior's
I drink the midnight hymn
A wreath of white flowers
And cry "Unhappiness"
My mournful benediction
The cry of my soul
Dreamless sleeper
Your face, the grave will change
Your blood poured
Like your savior's
I drink the midnight hymn