Growth Class: Session 3 — Biblical Worship
What we’ve covered so far:
Defining Worship
Understanding The Character of God
The Elements of Worship
The History of Worship
POP QUIZ
Define worship - Christian worship is my (1) response to an awesome (2) God. See Psalm 96:1-4; 100:4-5
If God did not reveal Himself to us, we would not even know to worship Him.
God initiates worship.
Furthermore, if worship is my response, then I need to figure out how to interpret/receive God’s revelation so that I can respond correctly.
God has revealed that He is holy; therefore, my worship must be marked by (3) reverence and (4) awe (Hebrews 12:28-29).
How then does God reveal Himself to us?
(5) nature (Psalm 19:1)
(6) Scripture (1 Peter 1:16; 1 John 4:16)
(7) Jesus (Hebrews 1:2)
Jesus’ Instruction on Worship (John 4:23-24)
True worship requires responding to the right (8) God in the right (9) way
True worship is not restricted to one location.
True worship is directed to God the Father.
True worship is done in spirit and truth.
True worship is initiated by the Spirit of God.
The Necessary Elements of Gathered Worship
Read the Word (1 Timothy 4:13)
Preach the Word (2 Timothy 4:2)
Pray the Word (Matthew 18:20)
(10) Sing the Word (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16)
Give for the Word (1 Corinthians 16:2)
See/Show the Word: Baptism & Communion (Matt. 28:19; 1 Cor. 11:23-26).
Music and Worship
What role should music play in gathered worship?
Music does not simply prepare our hearts
Worship (Psalm 96)
See also 1 Chron. 16:8-10
Psalm 63:3-4; 68:4
Is. 12:5
Discipleship (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16)
Filtering Music for Gathered Worship at Morningside
Text (Objective Criteria)
Is the text doctrinally accurate?
Are the lyrics God-centered?\
Is the text explicitly Christian?
Tune (Subjective Criteria)
Does the tune complement or distract from the text?
Are the tune and rhythm singable for most of the congregation?
Helpful quotes:
On choosing music for gathered worship
“Judge a song on its own merits not on who wrote it or who arranged it.”
On associations — “It’s much easier for me to take a song and look at it from those 2 aspects [text and tune] than to find all these threads of association that many people attach to whether or not a song is worthy to be sung. You might not agree with that philosophy, and that’s fine, but just understand that that’s what it is, and that’s what I’ve used all these years, and that’s what pastor’s allowed me to do.”
On contextualization — “Where you draw the line is based on multiple factors. It’s based on what country you’re born in, what area of the country you’re born in…your upbringing, education musical education, family, a host of things. That’s why it’s so hard [to determine exactly where the line is drawn].”
Pastor Larry Carrier, Drawing the Line
5 Balances in Our Morningside Music
Singing and Playing While the NT emphasizes the centrality/necessity of corporate singing (Eph. 5:19), the OT shows that instruments were also used in gathered worship (Ps. 98:5-6).
Participating and Presenting The NT commands all believers to sing, but the OT also shows that presented music (choirs and orchestras) were used in gathered worship (1 Chron. 6:31-32; 16:42; 2 Chron. 5:12-14).
Old and New Our singing unites us around the core truths of Christianity, but each generation finds new ways to express unchanging truths (Ps. 98:1). Do our songs effectively communicate truth to each generation in our congregation?
Psalms and Hymns Are we obeying Scripture’s commands to sing songs of “divine” composure (Col. 3:16)? Singing the psalms helps us embrace the wide range of human emotions from a Christian perspective. It protects us from singing just the “good stuff” (i.e. “happy clappy” gospel or praise and worship).
Objective and Subjective Do our songs accurately communicate truths about God and His nature? Do our songs also appropriately communicate how those truths practically meet us where we are?