Worship

I have decided to do through this medium what many have been asking me to do lately and that is to share with you what I have learned and discovered regarding worship—particularly corporate worship. 

A large part of our lives as officers is taken up with the planning and preparation for worship.  I spent 16 years of my life ‘in the trenches’ planning and leading worship on a weekly basis (twice on Sunday and at least once sometime during the week).  Since then my Sunday worship experience has been another’s responsibility.  This has given me an intense desire to “study” the subject – probably for a few obvious reasons.  I have read numerous books (you’re welcome to borrow) and have had the privilege of taking seminary courses on the subject in addition to teaching the subject and conducting seminars.  I don’t say this to puff up any sort of resume, just to illustrate the depth of my interest in the subject.  My interest has also been intensified by the so called worship wars regarding music styles that we’ve all lived through.

I have been told by colleague officers that I have a gift for worship planning—I still am not sure about this but I do know that I love planning worship.

As I talk with soldiers, especially our younger members, there is a plea in them and a hungering desire for “meaningful” worship.  As you question them they often find it difficult to articulate what is “meaningful.”  However, they have their ideas -- some I might challenge but that is really irrelevant. In the final analysis it is not about style but about content.  To a certain extent it is also about culture:  are we worshipping in a way that is relevant to the culture we live in?  For example, we live in a visual, fast paced society; how does our worship reflect this in a way that is recognizable and feels ‘normal’ in its presentation?

So here’s what I want to do.  I would like to explore this subject in some depth.  I need your responses and the benefit of your knowledge, especially those of you who are leading and planning worship on a regular basis.  I would love for us to share our resources and experiences. 

So let’s begin.

I challenge you to define worship.  When you do would you please share?  It is not as easy as it would at first seem.  Definitions are important; the difference between a lightning bolt and lightning bug can be life altering.  We cannot take for granted that when we talk about worship, we are saying (meaning) the same thing.   Care also needs to be taken when describing worship because the words we use can be polarizing. For instance, the use of traditional vs. contemporary when describing worship style that is usually stated in preference of one or the other.
Robert Shaper asserts that worship, like love, is characterized by intuitive simplicity (everybody “knows” what worship is, just as everyone “knows” what love is) and philosophical complexity (the harder you press to unpack love or worship, the more difficult the task).  (Shaper, In His Presence. P. 13) The reality is that worship embraces all aspects of our lives; our relationships, our attitudes, our actions.

Worship is covenantal and is rooted in the promise in Genesis 12:1-3: “The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.  “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Our foundation of worship is given to the world through Abraham and the salvation that God offers to us through Christ.

What I mean by worship being covenantal is that it is built upon a relationship—the relationship between God and his people. A covenant that commits two parties to relate to each other in agreed upon ways.  

We will explore in greater depth this covenantal relationship in our next post. For now let me leave you with the following thought:

“Christian worship is a God-instituted gift to the church for nurturing our relationship with God and others.  Worship is above all to God, with God, and for God. Therefore it is wise to discover God’s expectations for Christian corporate worship. It is there that we must begin and end.”  (Constance M. Cherry, The Worship Architect. P.xii)