Closing Words

The phrase, "what a time to be alive," is thrown around a bit cynically these days to point out how ridiculous the world around us has become, especially with the advancement of technology into sometimes worthless areas. For example: there's a video on Youtube that compiles several dozen movie clips. All of them are phone calls, probably from scenes you recognize. And they all have one thing in common: no one says "goodbye" before hanging up. Someone actually created this compilation. What a time to be alive.

The video brings up a good point, though. It is a little weird to hear and watch hangup after hangup without so much as a "see ya." (This phrase is used in one clip in the above compilation, granted.) It seems impersonal. Imagine yourself on the other end of these calls, some of which are between people who are obviously romantically involved. This is not the way to close a conversation.

Once I was made aware of this moment that's common to many movies, I can't help but see it all the time. And it interrupts the movie for me.

Which is why, when someone asked me about the way I close the worship service, I realized I had to make a change. A change for the better, of course. Most often, I will close the service during the final song by saying something like, "Have a wonderful week. You're dismissed." Someone pointed out that the word "dismissed" is most often used by teachers in a classroom. Suddenly, the phrase sounded awkward, out-of-place, even inappropriate.

The conversation with this person reminded me of something I know to be true, but which I forget too often: words are important. The background, current context, and delivery of words can really skew their meaning. Not only that, but if the worship service is a spiritually shaping event, then we owe it to ourselves to make sure we're using better words in the moments of the worship service, even the closing.

There's no blueprint for closing a worship service in the Bible. But there are many examples of closing words. And when we use these words in a worship service, we are pointing to the Bible, to its relevance. We are pointing to the truth of the gospel, to the power of the Holy Spirit to lead us. Consider these powerful closing words...

• Moses blessed the tribes of Israel before his death. (Deuteronomy 33:1-29)
• The last 5 Psalms end (and begin) with the same phrase: Praise the LORD. (Psalms 146, 147, 148, 149, 150)
• Jesus gave the great commission to his disciples before leaving them. (Matthew 28:16-20)
• In Mark's gospel, some manuscripts have Jesus giving a similar charge to his disciples. (Mark 16:15)
• Consider how Paul closed his letters. (Romans 16:25-27, 1 Corinthians 16:23, 2 Corinthians 13:11-14, Galatians 6:18, Ephesians 6:10-24, Philippians 4:23, for examples)
• Consider how Peter closed his letters. (1 Peter 5:10-11, 2 Peter 3:18)
• Consider Jude's closing praise. (Jude 24-25)

I'll make a confession that I've found true in my work, and I've learned is true for more pastors than I would have guessed... sometimes I spend so much time working on songs, and service order, and announcements, that I forget some of the most important words in the service: the opening, the prayers, the closing. All of these are opportunities to point us to God's word and remind us of God's presence.

The last words we say together should be words that affirm God's sending us into the world. Whether they speak grace and peace, or remind us of the Great Commission, or praise the God who sustains us, the words mark a transition back into the world around us. It's not just a time to slip on our coats and start to make lunch plans. It's a time to remembering with joy that God blesses us and goes with us.

What I Am Learning...

Almost seven years ago, I was at a worship conference in Kansas City. The conference was a sort of “choose your own agenda,” so I was looking through the optional breakout sessions when one caught my eye. It was about early church worship practices, and the instructor was with a school called The Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies (IWS). I decided to attend the breakout. And thus began a very important season in my life.

See, I didn’t go to seminary. I went to UNL for a BA in Music and a BSBA in Marketing. I felt called into worship ministry a couple years after college, and was encouraged to put my resumé out there. Before I knew it, I was five years into full time worship ministry with no real sense of what that meant. I yearned for a deeper understanding of worship.

Fast forward to today. I’ve spent six years reading, studying, writing and praying. I’ve been instructed and encouraged by a diverse faculty of wise men and women on a variety of topics related to worship. I’ve attained a new title as of April 13: Doctor of Worship Studies. And while I don’t feel much different today than I did on April 12, I know the past six years have forever changed me. And I know I’m not done. Here’s some of what I learned, and what I am continuing to learn…

We need each other. At IWS I was part of a cohort: we were together from orientation day to graduation day. The exchanges I’ve shared with my classmates—who come from many denominations from around the world—over the years were sometimes eye-opening. I’ve seen my own faults, and learned to speak with love and grace, and to listen. This was a tremendous time of growth for me. I ended up writing my doctoral thesis on unity. We need others to speak wisdom into our lives.

Worship looks around as much as it looks up. Half of worship is inviting others to know God the way we know God: through Jesus. The minute we put ourselves ahead of our neighbor in worship, we start to miss the point entirely (Isaiah 58:1-11; Amos 5:21-24). Worship isn’t for me; worship is for we. How do we worship in Christ? How are we being invited into God’s story? How do we respond to the story?

God is bigger. When I started learning about the history of the church, the variegation of worship around the world, and the depth of meaning behind symbols that we tend to take for granted, I realized how limiting my view of God has been. It’s like I’ve been looking backwards through a telescope at God: He looked further away, and small. Now I see God is bigger than anything that can come my way, and He is closer than I imagined, and I have to sweep my telescope back and forth to take Him into view. Until He comes again, I will never be able to fully comprehend or appreciate God’s greatness. But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to try.

We all have these seasons where God stretches us, changing us forever. Are you in one now? Or has God just led you through a season? Or do you feel a yearning that might lead you into a time of change? How will you respond in worship? Who will you invite along?

Reflections on Rain

I'm enjoying a brief respite in a coffee house, with a dark roast served to me in a cardboard cup, as if I'd want to go anywhere else. It's raining outside, and I'm drawn to reflect and, for a few moments, let the rain take my thoughts.

David Grey is on the loudspeakers. The very name of the artist feels like a storm, and the music fits.

We're in the middle of a series on Jonah. Jonah, who had the audacity to think he could run from God. Jonah, who found himself in the midst of a holy storm at sea, where buckets of rain soaked his clothes as the realization that he could not escape God must have soaked into his mind. Waves knocked him off his balance like the hand of God, slapping some sense into him.

Jonah, who looks noble as he tells the crew that to save themselves they must throw him overboard. But based on his track record, this was probably a coward's suicide attempt. Jonah, who let the water and silence engulf him, only to find life in the belly of a fish. A strange and wonderful baptism that made his heart sing in the stench of stomach lining and rotting fish food. Three days in the fish, and a new life and new purpose when he rose again from that darkness.

I wonder if it's raining in India? I'm very excited to go, to see, to smell, to experience the land of the people that I have prayed for many times over the past few years. I'm praying the visa application comes through. I'm praying I can get everything done in the 7 weeks leading up to the trip.

I'm praying God will speak to me through this time, that I'll take the time to soak in this experience like rain.

Carlos Whitaker has a song called "Rain Down" that is wonderfully unabashed in its Trinitarianism. There are very few "worship" songs that are.

Sometimes rain can be the most welcome thing in the world. It can cool and refresh and envigorate. I think of playing with my brother in the rain-filled ditches at home as kids. The rain came with a cold front on a hot day. It felt incredible, and the idea of escaping inside seemed too tragic to even consider. I think of Tracie and I getting caught in a downpour back when we lived in our apartment. We went for a bike ride and got soaked. It seemed funny, and we laughed all the way home, moving as quickly as possible along neighborhood streets, as if we could dodge the lightning we watched on the way.

Ben and I used to sing "Rain" by Jackopierce at our shows. I used to write a lot of music for us. But at some point I became so self-critical of my writing that the first draft had to be the perfect draft of a song. I've not allowed myself a creative process for a long time. And it's a hard habit to change. I'm trying, though. Rain can sometimes feel the same: oppressive, halting, confining.

It looks like the rain is letting up.

The Essentials of Biblical Christian Worship

As a preface, let me state that the following, my final paper for MWS 501 (A Biblical Theology of Christian Worship), is not even close to comprehensive. This is a huge topic, and I have read so much over the past few months. There is so much more to talk about in this area. But we're limited to 3,000 words (the following is 2,997) so this is what I came up with.

I'm pleased with the result, and though it was difficult to write, the process of writing really helped to clarify it in my head.

So, brave reader, enjoy the following. Or fall asleep trying.

The Essentials of Biblical Christian Worship:
Responding to the Revelation of God

“Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.”[1]

Latreuein is a Greek term occurring about 90 times in the Septuagint. Based on its use in Biblical and non-biblical literature, it would probably be best translated “to serve.”[2] Yet we see it in verses like Exodus 3:12, which reads, “When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”[3] In other words, God told Moses that God’s people were to serve Him at Mount Sinai, as a form of worship to Him.

Do we recognize this truth? What is our concept of the word “worship”? Do we incorporate service, homage, reverence, and awe into these seven letters, or do we have a much smaller picture of what the word means?

Worship is more than activities that take place on the weekend. And yet the language of today suggests that worship is a few well-rehearsed and well-transitioned songs. We in the church ask each other questions like, “How was worship today?” This gives the impression that worship is a measure of human experience or performance. Worship leaders use phrases such as, “Now let’s continue to worship,” or “Let’s spend some time in worship.” This implies that worship is confined to a specific time in the worship service. Just as the word “worship” is full to the brim with meaning, so also do these phrases sometimes overflow with unintended connotations. Over the history of the church, and perhaps the last half-century in particular, we have limited the scope of what it means to worship.

To redefine worship, to regain the richness of what it means to worship, we must look to the Bible. The Bible is at its core God’s story, the true story of God and the world He created.[4] Creation came forth from the words of God, and to gain an understanding of what it is to worship the Creator, we must look to God’s word to us, the Bible.

God has, throughout the history of man, initiated and defined the relationship between Himself and his people. At Mount Sinai, as part of his covenant with Israel, God gave Moses detailed instructions on the sacrificial system, the building of the tabernacle, and the laws which would guide the Israelites.[5] These were the boundaries for worshiping God. In Jesus we see the fulfillment of each of these boundaries, and Christ confirmed this with his words, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”[6] If we are going to understand worship, we must first acknowledge that God, through Jesus Christ, has established the foundation, and is the foundation.

With that in mind, this paper will seek to define and defend the essential elements of Christian worship from a Biblical perspective. Drawing from Scripture’s examples in the Old and New Testaments, we will explore four essential facets of true worship. First, worship needs to be Trinitarian in theology and in practice. Second, it must recognize the struggles of the present age but anticipate the coming kingdom. Third, true worship, though not limited to the “worship service,” is demonstrated by the structure and content of believers’ gatherings. And finally, authentic worship encompasses all aspects of the worshiper’s life and faith.

Trinitarian

We live in an individualistic culture that sways dangerously into the realm of narcissism, concerned with my rights, my life, my liberty, self-esteem, self-worth, self-realization.[7] It is only natural that when worshiping God, we see worship in the same light: my baptism, my offering, my church.

The problem is that this way of thinking is antithetical to one of the great mysteries of God: the Trinity. This way of thinking is—in practice—Unitarian. By contrast, Trinitarian worship recognizes the importance of the Trinity and articulates the view that “worship is the gift of participating through the Spirit in the incarnate Son’s communion with the Father.”[8] In other words, worship is not our own. Worship is participation in Christ’s worship of the Father.

One of the key elements of Trinitarian worship is belief in the sole priesthood of Christ. When God established his covenant with the Israelites at Mount Sinai, the Day of Atonement was provided to deal with the sins of Israel. The high priest would each year carry out the appropriate rites to remove the sins from the people of God. In this way Israel would remain holy and continue to be the nation that God blessed and through whom God blessed the world. In the letter to the Hebrews, we see that Jesus was the ultimate high priest, offering once and for all atonement for the sins of mankind. “The perfection of his sacrifice makes it possible for him to enter heaven itself, ‘now to appear for us in God’s presence.’”[9]

This is crucial to our understanding of worship. The only way that our sacrifice, our offerings, and our worship is acceptable to God is through Christ, our high priest. In other words, we must understand our worship as a participation in the perfect worship of Christ. We can not view our offerings as our own, but by the Spirit we participate in Christ’s worship of the Father. “It is he who leads our worship, bears our sorrows on his heart and intercedes for us, presenting us to the Father in himself as God’s dear children, and uniting us with himself in his life in the Spirit.”[10] This removes any chance of pride or performance from our worship.

Our view of worship will also carry into all aspects of faith and spirituality. John Witvliet had it right when he wrote that worship “both reflects and shapes our view of God and the world.”[11] Thus, a Trinitarian view of worship causes one to understand life in Christ as participation in the Trinity. Communion, for example, is an extension of the Son’s communion with the Father. [12] Baptism, too, is not our own, but a participation by the Spirit in the baptism, death and resurrection of Christ.[13]

A Trinitarian view of worship recognizes that worship is not about us. It is not by our own power or righteousness. Instead, worship is about Christ. The only way we have access to the throne of God in heaven is because He is our mediator, our high priest, and our lead worshiper. With this truth we can rest in the assurance that Christ has offered all the offering and sacrifice necessary to secure our salvation. Our worship is not a means of gaining favor with God, but a thanksgiving to God for his saving grace given to us through Jesus Christ.

Present and Future Age

A second essential element of Christian worship has to do with our understanding of time. In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul states, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”[14] One might read this and discern that the old self is gone and we are a new creation in Christ. This is true, but the statement also points to an understanding of time. Paul was trained as a Pharisee, and as such he thought of time in terms of “the present age” (pre-Messianic advent) and “the age to come” (post-Messianic advent). Paul’s statement in Corinthians understands that the old age is passing away, and the age of the kingdom of God has now arrived in the death and the resurrection of Christ.[15]

There is a tension here, though. For if God’s kingdom has come in Christ, why is there still sin and evil in the world? In Paul’s understanding, the answer is that the old age and the age to come are now overlapping. The evidence of this is the Spirit. Paul describes the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing the fullness of the kingdom coming soon.[16] This tension recognizes the importance of the Spirit. Beyond that, there are two reasons we must understand the tension between the “already” and the “not yet.”

First, we must recognize our current mission in the “already.” One of the terms of God’s covenant with Abraham, Jacob, and the Israelites, is that God would bless the nations through them.[17] God had set them apart for this purpose, but the purpose was never fully accomplished by the Israelites. So God in his wisdom sent his Son. At the start of the gospel of Matthew, the evangelist uses a genealogy to trace the generations from Abraham, who was set apart, to Joseph, husband of Mary, mother of Christ. This connects the mission of the Israelites to the mission of Christ. Matthew ends, too, with Christ making this commission to his disciples:

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”[18]

Christ, then, is the fruition of God’s covenant with Abraham, Jacob, and the nation of Israel to redeem the world. And in Jesus’ words to his disciples, he commissioned the church to be part of the same calling.

Worship, therefore, must embody in Christians a lifestyle that is winsome to the nations. That is our purpose for this time. Our songs should sing the language of bringing Christ to the nations. Our resources should go towards evangelism, missions, and outreach. Our prayers should petition God to bring justice to the oppressed.

God has given us this time to recognize that things are not right, and we have a part in making it right.[19] And worship should be the fuel that moves us outside the walls of our church buildings. Though sin and death surrounds us, we are to be a light to the nations, pointing people to Christ with our words and indeed our entire lives.

Second, we must recognize our future hope, the “not yet.” Dr. Gerald Borchert calls this the Eschatological Perspective as found in Paul’s letter to the Philippians.[20] We are to live and find hope and joy in the expectation of Christ’s return. This perspective can be found in the entirety of Philippians. Paul encourages the church at Philippi to grow in knowledge and insight “until the day of Christ.” Live according to the gospel in the knowledge that “you will be saved—and that by God.” Press on toward our citizenship in heaven because “we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.”[21]

When we live in the light of Christ’s return, we remember that we are not alone. Christ is with us by the Spirit. We also remember that Christ’s final victory over sin is already won. Most importantly, we remember our security of salvation in Christ. This affects the way we proclaim Him, the way we view Table Worship, the way we minister to others, and all aspects of our faith. Our songs should point to the promise of Christ’s return.

The Worship Service

A third essential of Biblical Christian worship deals with the worship service. When most people hear the word “worship” they think of the worship service. Worship services in Christian churches around the world take a variety of styles and forms. Some churches claim their worship to be contemporary, others blended, still others traditional. Musical instruments, artistic expressions, usage of Scripture, and views of the sacraments vary greatly between denominations.

What is the Biblical model for the worship service? Is there a right and wrong way to conduct services? In Planning Blended Worship, Robert Webber wisely begins the discussion by differentiating between style, structure, and content.[22] The content of Christian worship must be Trinitarian, which has already been addressed in this paper. We turn now to elements of structure and style.

The structure that Webber strongly recommends is based on the church in Acts as well as the church through its first 600 years. This structure is the fourfold pattern of worship: Gathering, Service of the Word, Table Worship, and Dismissal.[23] In my view, the Service of the Word and Table Worship are of particular importance to this discussion, and are absolutely essential. Both activities find their roots in Acts 2:42: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teachings and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”[24]

The Service of the Word is transformative in the worship service. God’s words in the opening chapter of Genesis cause creation to burst forth.[25] Much later when God speaks to Job, Job is overcome by his unworthiness to reply and covered his mouth in silence.[26] These are just two illustrations of the power of the word of God. The written word of God—the Bible—is awe-inspiring and life-changing. It “takes up residence within us and shapes us into Christ’s likeness.”[27] Therefore Scripture must be a regular part of the worshiper’s life, and it must be an integral part of the worship service.

Table Worship should also be a regular part of the worship service. Four images have formed our understanding of worship at the Table. The breaking of bread in Acts 2:42 (cross reference Luke 24), the Lord’s Supper in 1 Corinthians 11:20, Communion in 1 Corinthians 10:16, and Eucharist in 1 Corinthians 14:16.[28] These pictures express, respectively, the presence of the resurrected Christ, remembrance of Christ’s death for our sins, participation in the intimate relationship we have with Christ, and thanksgiving for God’s gift of salvation to us.[29] These are essential aspects of worship. We must always recognize the presence of the resurrected Christ. We must remember Jesus’ sacrifice and give thanks for our salvation. And we must acknowledge that we are part of the body of Christ, along with every other believer.

This leads to another essential aspect of the worship service, which is also apparent in Acts 2:42. Koinonia, or fellowship, was a huge part of the early church meetings. A danger of our individualistic culture is the tendency for worship services to become based on individual experience, which creates a sort of “tunnel vision” relationship between the individual and God. While our relationship with God is obviously crucial, we should also give attention to other believers. Based on Paul’s language in verses such as 1 Corinthians 14:3-26, 1 Thessalonians 5:11, and Ephesians 4:11-16, a purpose of the worship gathering is mutual upbuilding or edification.[30] The church is the body of Christ, and it needs growing and maturing. As noted before, worship is often synonymous with service. In this case, serving each other worships God, and builds up the body of Christ in the process. “In one sense the body of Christ is already complete.... In another sense that body is said to grow to perfection… The body metaphor reflects the ‘already—not yet’ tension of the two ages. It is a heavenly entity and yet it is an earthly reality.”[31] Our worship must consider others and seek to build them up. Examples of structural elements that serve this purpose are hymns, which not only praise God, but they are rich in theology, and are thus a teaching tool. Other examples are times of discussion following the teaching, times of intercessory or healing prayer, and the passing of the peace.

The worship service, then, serves a number of purposes integral to Biblical worship. First, there must be a focus on the word of God, which changes us into the likeness of Christ. Second, there must be a proper understanding of the table, which gives us proper attitudes of celebration, thanksgiving, remembrance, and participation. Third, the worship service is not only vertical, looking to God, but horizontal, looking to those around us. These purposes of the worship service are all essential to Christian worship, because as stated in a quote by John Witvliet earlier, our worship and our view of God and the world around us are interrelated. In forming a worship service that includes these aspects, we are guiding believers to live out their faith in the world in these ways.

And what of style? Webber again sums it up nicely:

“Style is not now, nor has ever been, a matter of biblical tradition. Whether our worship is formal, informal, or a combination of both, the style of worship depends on taste. We must allow our style to reflect who we are as a people. No one style is normative for all churches.”[32]

Authentic Worship

I will conclude with a final essential of Biblical Christian worship that has been alluded to throughout this paper. True Christian worship is not confined to the worship service, but encompasses all aspects of faith and life, so that the profession of faith in worship matches the living out of that faith.

In James’ letter to believers, he instructs them to avoid double-mindedness. “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”[33] Our worship, what we profess on Sunday, should be evidenced by how we live our lives Monday through Saturday.

Worship that is inconsistent with life transformation is empty and unacceptable to God. Through the prophet Amos, God tells Israel “Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!”[34] To worship the Father in a way that is acceptable to Him, we must let the Spirit transform us to be Christ to the world:

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”[35]

True worship shows reverence and homage to God, serves God, points others to Christ, demonstrates the wonder of the Trinity, is mediated through Jesus, and is meaningfully structured in the worship service. It is our present and expectant response to the revelation of God, and it will transform us until Christ returns.

Sources Consulted

Bartholomew, Craig G. and Michael W. Goheen. The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004.

Bechtel, Carol M., ed. Touching the Altar: The Old Testament for Christian Worship. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2008.

Borchert, Gerald L. Worship in the New Testament: Divine Mystery and Human Response. St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2008.

McCann, J. Clinton, Jr. “The Hope of the Poor: The Psalms in Worship and Our Search for Justice.” In Touching the Altar: The Old Testament for Christian Worship, edited by Carol M. Bechtel, 155-178. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2008.

Peterson, David. Engaging with God: A Biblical Theology of Worship. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1992.

Torrance, James B. Worship, Community and the Triune God of Grace. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996.

Webber, Robert. Planning Blended Worship: The Creative Mixture of Old and New. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1998.

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[1] Bob Dylan. “Gotta Serve Somebody”, Slow Train Coming, Sony Music Entertainment Inc., 1979.

[2] David Peterson, Engaging with God: A Biblical Theology of Worship (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1992), 64.

[3] Exodus 3:12, (New International Version), emphasis mine.

[4] Craig G. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen, The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004), 11.

[5] Exod. 20-31 (NIV).

[6] John 14:6 (NIV).

[7] Allan Bloom, The Closing of the American Mind, (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1987) quoted in James B. Torrance, Worship, Community and the Triune God of Grace (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 41.

[8] Torrance, Worship, Community and the Triune God of Grace (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 30.

[9] Peterson, Engaging With God, p. 229-230. Hebrews 9:24 (NIV).

[10] Torrance, Worship, Community and the Triune God of Grace, 29.

[11] John D. Witvliet, series preface to Touching The Altar: The Old Testament for Christian Worship by Carol M. Bechtel, editor (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2008), xi.

[12] Torrance, Worship, Community and the Triune God of Grace, 32.

[13] Ibid, 74.

[14] 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV).

[15] Bartholomew and Goheen, The Drama of Scripture, 188-189.

[16] 2 Cor. 1:22 (NIV).

[17] Genesis 12:3, 22:18, 28:14, Exodus 19:6 (NIV).

[18] Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV).

[19] J. Clinton McCann, Jr., “Hope of the Poor: The Psalms in Worship and Our Search for Justice,” in Touching the Altar: The Old Testament for Christian Worship (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2008), 160.

[20] Gerald L. Borchert, Worship in the New Testament: Divine Mystery and Human Response (St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2008), 140-145.

[21] Philippians 1:10,28; 3:20 (NIV).

[22] Robert Webber, Planning Blended Worship: The Creative Mixture of Old and New (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1998), 20-22.

[23] Ibid, 20.

[24] Acts 2:42 (NIV).

[25] Genesis 1 (NIV).

[26] Job 40:1-5 (NIV).

[27] Webber, Planning Blended Worship, 88.

[28] Ibid, 129.

[29] Ibid, 130-131.

[30] Peterson, Engaging With God, p. 206.

[31] P. T. O’Brien “The Church as a Heavenly and Eschatological Entity”, 111, quoted by Peterson, Engaging With God, 210-211.

[32] Webber, Planning Blended Worship, 22.

[33] James 1:22 (NIV).

[34] Amos 5:22,24 (NIV).

[35] Romans 12:1-2 (NIV).

A Ruinous Journey

In January I'm starting something new and (for me) exciting. I've enrolled to earn a Masters degree from the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies (IWS) in Orange Park, Florida. It's their MWS (Masters of Worship Studies) degree, and it'll take me 2 years to complete.

I have been doing some basic things to get ready: buying books, looking over the assignment list, due dates, etc. But honestly, I've been so focused on Christmas on 84th Street that I haven't spent any serious time digging into my assignments just yet. Today, I began that very thing.

My first course will be MWS501: A Biblical Theology of Worship. Seems like a logical first step, don't you think? I've got two books to read by early January: Planning Blended Worship by Robert Webber, and Worship, Community, and the Triune God of Grace by James B. Torrance. I'm more interested in the second at this point, because I do notice that many churches tend to focus primarily on the Father and the Son in worship, but not the third Person of the Trinity: the Holy Spirit.

Planning blended services isn't something I plan to do in the near future. But hopefully, this book will be a stepping stone to the idea of incorporating ancient worship service elements in modern ways. Maybe that sounds like a fine line to you, but I think "blended worship" has some definite connotations that I'd like to avoid. In my mind, blended worship is attempting to appeal to as many people as possible using a wide variety of worship service elements: here's a hymn, here's a contemporary worship song, here's a responsive reading, here's a video, here's a drama, etc. Granted, I could be a little off on my picture of the blended worship service, but this is how I perceive it. I think there are two things wrong with blended services.

First, it's kind of like the couple that moves to the suburbs. He wants to move to a quiet area, to have a little space that is their own. She wants to be close to the shopping and culture of the city. The compromise is the suburbs. But what the couple finds is that he's unhappy because the neighbors afford little privacy, and she's unhappy because it takes an hour of traffic to get downtown. Neither gets what they need, and both are unhappy. I think the blended service ends up being the same thing. Everyone wishes the blended service contained more of the elements that they like, and so no one is happy.

Second, it's easy for me to fall into a trap of designing services not with God in mind, but with people in mind. I don't know how to sort this one out yet, but so many churches seem to be acting more like marketing firms: how do we attract people, how do we get them in the doors, how do we keep them here, etc. Churches have coffeeshops, book stores, welcome gifts, CDs of worship... the list goes on and on. Maybe these things aren't bad in and of themselves, but the motives behind them are what I'd question. Are we using these things to honor God, or to draw people to our building? Blended services seem like a way to pack the pews sometimes.

Fortunately, Robert E. Webber is known for using the phrase "ancient future worship." He used to say, "The road to the future of worship travels through the past." In other words, there are worship practices and models that the church has used for centuries, and we need to figure out ways to incorporate them that speak to our culture. I think what has happened recently is that when churches drop worship practices that seem out-dated, they also tend to drop the theology and reasoning behind the practice. I'm excited to dig into the theology behind worship, to hopefully see new ways to bring that ancient theology into modern worship services.

I've read alumni from IWS talk about how their education effectively "ruined" them. They were changed, forced to consider their own mindsets, biases, incorrect assumptions, etc. And they left with a Masters or Doctorate, and more importantly, a desire to help the Church worship the Bridegroom in ways that are deeper, more meaningful, more passionate.

What are your thoughts? How is the church missing the mark in terms of worship? I'll keep you posted as I read and study and discuss with other students over the next semester, and I'd welcome you to the discussion.

Odometers and Eternity

I was driving last week. That’s not unusual, of course. But last week, while I was driving, something happened.

Before I tell you what that something is, I need to share another something with you that will help you understand why this story is significant. Or, it may reaffirm your suspicion that I am, deep down, a very strange little man, prone to develop and maintain odd habits and fancies in areas well beyond the range of a normal human psyche. This is one of those strange compulsory things like turning a doorknob exactly three times before opening the door, straightening towels in someone else’s house, using a salad fork instead of a dinner fork for non-salad meal courses, or listening to Sheryl Crow (thank you, Charlie Stephan). For years I’ve had my own little odd thing that I’m about to share with you. And that thing is this (brace yourself):

I look for patterns in my odometer.

It’s just something I can’t help doing. Whenever I get in my car, I always check the odometer. This is probably a good habit, but what usually happens next is that my mind starts moving forward, looking ahead. When will the next pattern occur? What will it be? Will I see it before I arrive at my next destination? I love seeing these patterns. And if I miss them, I feel an enormous sense of failure and disappointment. I especially enjoy watching the odometer turn from the number right before a pattern to the actual pattern. Some people simply look for the big turnover moments, like from 99,999 to 100,000. Me, I won’t settle for just the turnovers. I look for patterns.

My favorite patterns are numbers that are sort of “palindromes.” I don’t know if numbers actually can be palindromes. A palindrome is a word or words that are spelled the same way forward and backward, like “mom” or “race car” or “a man, a plan, a canal: panama.” But numbers can look the same forwards and backwards, too. Like 105450.1.

If your odometer reads tenths of miles, and you’re over 100,000 already, then you come across a palindromic number every 110 miles or so. Unfortunately, my car doesn’t show tenths. So now that I’ve passed 100,000 I only get to a palindromic number every 1100 miles, give or take.

This bums me out, so I look for other patterns, like repeats (105105), fewest numbers used (121121), what I call “clock-turners” (86098), and what I call “mirrors” (150021). See if you can figure out why clock-turners and mirrors are interesting to me. Go ahead. I’ll wait.

Yes, I’m a nerd. Numbers are a big deal for me. I could write pages on this subject, even though I’m not too advanced in mathematics. For instance, I would tell you that if you think about it, digital clocks are wrong, because 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 is actually 2 5 5 4 5 6 3 7 6 6. Think about it. If you don’t get it, I’d be happy to explain it to you. But all of that is for another blog. Let’s get back to why my odometer is important.

You now know that I watch my odometer like it’s my own little television show, where plot developments are easy to predict and slow to happen. So it won’t surprise you that I noticed the other day a very significant number on my car’s odometer: 110,277. Or 110277, which can be broken down to 11-02-77, which is my birth date.

It was weird to see the odometer display my birth date. And kinda fun. As I drove the next mile, I thought of the fact that on that day in history, my parents were at the hospital. My dad was probably excited, and my mom probably looked nervous and stressed and tired.

A day earlier I was simply an anticipation to my parents, my family. They were waiting to meet me. I had no concept of meeting them, no concept of time, no concept of the impending event, a brief day away.

As the miles moved on, the odometer showed me birthdays. There was 11-02-90 when I got my first CD, Chicago’s Greatest Hits, and then got upset at my family because it seemed like everyone went about their own business and forgot it was my birthday. Kind of an “It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to” moment of selfishness. There was 11-02-94, when I got a guitar tab for Pink Floyd’s The Wall, and I played “Mother” for my family, struggling to move from a G chord to a C while singing along. There was 11-02-98, when my roommates Chris Ageton and Josh Moenning took me out for my first beer. Ever. I had a Corona with lime, then a vanilla bulldog and I was done in for the evening.

Two miles later the odometer moved to 110300, which was no longer my birthday, but a day later in the year 2000. I had recently gotten engaged at that point in my life.

And so the past couple of weeks I’ve watched the odometer move into the future, on less significant but no less eventual dates. Right now it’s in the 110400s. In fact, it’s 11-04-69. That’ll be two days after my 92nd birthday. If I make it there.

That’s what this post is really about. I’ve been thinking of my own mortality the past few days. Every click of the odometer seems a less likely date that I’ll see someday. At some point in the future, the synapses will cease to fire, the blood will slow to a stop in my veins and arteries, the breath will pass from my lungs a final time, and time will cease to matter to me. No more days to count. No more odometer-watching. There will be only eternity with God.

Eternity is a bright white vapor in my mind. It’s kind of like clouds, but without definite boundaries. I can’t wrap my thoughts around it, or cause it to take shape or pattern. It’s enigmatic, unknown. We have nothing to compare it to, no way to classify it. In math, eternity (or infinity) has its own symbol that looks like a sideways 8, which doesn’t even come close to defining it. What will eternity feel like? Maybe eternity’s hard to describe because we always talk in terms of senses. But after death, when the body has expired, there is left just the soul. Does the soul feel? Will eternity have a smell? What will it look like? Will I hear as I do now? Is there gravity? Eternity is confounding.

I’m sure the joy I will experience there will be just as profound. Can you imagine being face to face with YHWH, Who knew you before you were born, before you were conceived, before you were a fragment of an idea in the minds of your parents? I think my reaction will be weeping. Not weeping out of fear or sorrow or regret, but simply joy. Completeness. Peace. Understanding.

I know in my head that death has no power over me. When Christ died and rose again, he conquered the power of death over all of us. That’s why we celebrate Easter, because it was the moment in history when death and Satan lost not only the battle, but also the war. I know this to be true.

But, if I’m really honest with myself, I still fear that day in my future. I still dread that moment when I will close my eyes for the last time here on earth, and open them to eternity. And I’ve been trying to process through this thought for a while. Why would I dread leaving here if I know what’s there?

I think the answer is, again, that there (eternity) is unknown, unfathomable. And so is the complete joy that we’ll feel. The Bible tells us that now we only see in part, only understand in part. And because of that, when I think of death I think of all that I’ll leave behind. Which is a dreadful eclipsing thought. Even though I know that many of my friends and family will be there in eternity, too. Even though I know that my Savior will seat me at a table, and the banquet feast before me will cause my heart to swell and my eyes to weep. Even though I will look back on my finite life on earth and wonder what the big deal was, why I dreaded the inescapability of my final day there.

Today we celebrate the promise of eternity accomplished and made available by Jesus Christ. He lived, He died, He rose again. And so, if we believe in Him, we won't perish but will instead live into eternity. What an incredible thing to know, even if we don’t fully understand it.