Saturday, November 17, 2012

Christian worship

The Worship Sourcebook is a fine collection of worship materials published by the Christian Reformed denomination. We bought copies for our worship leaders several years ago. Yesterday Zac Hicks, a pastor in Colorado, summarized its Prologue in "9 Things that Christian Worship Should Be." Four of the nine:
1. Christian worship should be biblical.
  • worship includes prominent readings of Scripture
  • worship presents & depicts God’s being, character, & actions consistent with how Scripture does
  • worship obeys explicit biblical commands about worship
  • worship heeds scriptural warnings about false/improper worship
  • worship focuses primary attention where the Bible does–on Jesus
2. Christian worship should be dialogic.
  • God speaks through the Spirit, and we respond in a variety of ways
  • worship is initiated by God
  • worship balances attentive listening and honest speech
4. Christian worship should be trinitarian.
  • worship addresses each person of the Trinity
  • the Father invites us to worship and hears our response
  • the Son perfects and mediates our praise and petitions
  • the Spirit helps us comprehend what we hear and prompts our response
  • worship draws us into relationship with God (the Father) through God (the Son) and by God (the Holy Spirit)
  • worshiping Trinity keeps us from the temptation to worship worship itself
8. Christian worship should be a generous and excellent outpouring of ourselves before God.
  • worship should not be stingy
  • worship calls for our best offerings (music, words, money, time, etc.)
  • worship practices excellence worthy of God [more]
Doxology and Theology » 9 Things that Christian Worship Should Be by Zac Hicks

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