trinitarian worship

‘Our Heavenly Father’ – Praying to the Abba of Advent – Part Two

2011-12-18T16:33:00.000-08:00

In The Lord and His Prayer by N.T. Wright (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.), the author says the word ‘Father’ in the prayer Jesus to taught his followers calls our attention to the revolutionary message and mission of Jesus that is the real Exodus message—the message of the defeat of tyrants, oppressors and evil. It is the Father’s revolution that comes through the suffering and death of none other than the Messiah that is the Father’s Son.

And our part? Wright says our Lord taught us this prayer because the Advent message is that the Father’s revolution comes through the Messiah and his followers “sharing and hearing the pain of the world, that the world may be healed” (p 19).

In John’s gospel Jesus uses the image of father and son to explain what he was himself doing. In that culture, the son is apprenticed to the father. He learns his trade by watching what the father is doing. When he runs into a problem, he checks back to see how his father tackles it. That’s what Jesus is doing in Gethsemane, when everything suddenly goes dark on him. Father, is this the way? Is this really the right path? Do I really have to drink this cup?

The letter to the Hebrews says, with considerable daring, that the Son ‘learned obedience by what he suffered’ (Hebrews 5:7-9; compare 2:10-18). What we see in Gethsemane is the apprentice son, checking back one more time to see how the Father is doing it …. The daring thing about that passage in Hebrews is this: Jesus too, like us, went on learning what it actually meant to call God ‘Father’. And the learning process was only complete when he said, ‘Father, into your hands I commend my spirit’ (pp 18-19).

Wright calls our attention to the end of John’s gospel in which Jesus says to his followers: As the Father sent me, so I send you (John 20:21), and then describes the tension and confusion of our living between the first Advent and the second Advent.

That apparent confusion, that overlap of the first and second Advents, is actually what Christianity is all about; celebrating the decisive victory of God, in Jesus Christ, over Pharaoh and the Red Sea, over sin and death—looking for, and working for, and longing for, and praying for, the full implementation of that decisive victory. Every Eucharist catches exactly this tension. ‘As often as you break the break and drink the cup, you proclaim, you announce the death of the Lord—until he comes’ (I Cor. 11:26). We come for our daily and heavenly bread; we come for our daily and final forgiveness; we come for our daily and ultimate deliverance; we come to celebrate God’s kingdom now, and to pray for it soon. That is what we mean when we call God ‘Father’ (Pp 20-21).

Thus when we call God ‘Father’ we are children who are learning (like apprentices) how to discover a pattern of spirituality and a way of “penetrating into the mystery, of daring to enter the cloud of unknowing” in stepping out into a terrifying world of pain and darkness (including, Wright reminds us, the darkness inside our own selves), as sons and daughters called to “be the people through whom the pain of the world is held in the healing light of the love of God” (p 21).

In the midst of such pain and suffering we pray not for the selfish pursuit of private spiritual advancement or to get in touch with our own feelings, but rather we discover the desire and necessity of praying,Father, Our Father; Our Father in heaven …. may your name he honored. That is, may you be worshiped by your whole creation; may the whole cosmos resound with your praise; may the whole world be freed from injustice, disfigurement, sin, and death, and may your name be hallowed. And as we stand in the presence of the living God, with the darkness and pain of the world on our hearts, praying that he will fulfill his ancient promises, and implement the victory of Calvary and Easter for the whole cosmos—then we may discover that our own pain, our own darkness, is somehow being dealt with as well….

It is the rhythm of standing in the presence of the pain of the world, and kneeling in the presence of the creator of the world, of bringing those two things together in the name of Jesus and by the victory of the cross; of living in the tension of the double Advent, and of calling God ‘Father’. Our task is to grow up into the ‘Our Father’, to dare to impersonate our older brother, seeking daily bread and daily forgiveness as we do so: to wear his clothes, to walk in his shoes, and to feast at his table, to weep with him in the garden, to share his suffering, and to know his victory (Pp 22-23).

Blessings to you all during this Advent season!

‘Our Heavenly Father’ – praying to the Abba of Advent – part one

2011-11-17T03:49:00.000-08:00

In chapter one of The Lord and his Prayer, (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.) N.T. Wright says that when we come to our personal place of prayer, among other things, we are coming to “lay hold of the love of God which has somehow already laid hold of us,” and that in our heart of hearts, we want to know and love him, and be able to truly call him Father.

However the author also encourages us to ask what was going on in Jesus’ life when he called God Abba, Father, and taught his followers to do so too? What can we learn about who Jesus was and is, as well as about the mission of Jesus and all who Jesus taught to share in this prayer to Abba? According to Wright, the word speaks to revolution and hope - the hope of Advent. True, the Lord’s use of the word Abba in the prayer reveals a new level of personal intimacy with God, but Wright also says the word drew into one point the vocation and salvation of Israel, noting

The first occurrence in the Hebrew Bible of the idea of God as the Father comes when Moses marches in boldly to stand before Pharaoh and says: Thus says YHVH: Israel is my son, my firstborn; let my people go, that they may serve me (Exodus 4:22-3). For Israel to call God ‘Father’, then, was to hold on to the hope of liberty. The slaves were called to be sons.

When Jesus tells his disciples to call God ‘Father’, then, those with ears to hear will understand. He wants them to get ready for the new Exodus. We are going to be free at last. This is the Advent hope, the hope of the coming Kingdom of God (Pp 14-15).

According to Wright, this revolutionary, kingdom-bearing meaning is reinforced by another strong echo of the use of the word ‘Father’ to listeners in Jesus’ world - a promise to King David, and also to the whole people - Messiah would appear and bring liberty to an Israel that is in bondage.

God promised to King David that from his family there would come a child who would rule over God’s people and whose kingdom would never be shaken. Of this coming King, God said to David, ‘I will [be] his Father, and he shall be my Son’ (2 Samuel 7:14). The Messiah, the King that would come, would focus in himself God’s promise to the whole people. And in Isaiah this promise, though still affirmed, is thrown open to all God’s people. ‘If anyone is thirsty, let them come and drink….and I will make with them an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David’ (Isaiah 55:1,3)… The two pictures go together. Freedom for Israel in bondage will come about through the liberating work of the Messiah. And Jesus….is saying to his followers: this is your prayer. You are the Messianic people (Pp 15-16).

Wright reminds us that though the Jews had still clung to that Exodus-hope through the centuries, they had also grown weary and longed to see the promises fulfilled.

‘Surely you are our Father’, says one of the later prophecies, ‘though Abraham does not know us, and Israel does not acknowledge us’ (Isaiah 63:16)….in other words….the things we thought were so secure have turned to dust and ashes; yet we cling on to the fact that you are our Father, and that fact gives us hope where humanly there is no hope…. Most Jews knew in their bones, because they celebrated it at Passover and sang about it in the Psalms, that freedom would come when God gave them the new, final Exodus. Many believed that this would happen when the Messiah came. The very first word of the Lord’s Prayer says: Let it be now, and let it be us. Father….Our Father…. (Pp 16-17).

Spiritual depth and renewal do come to the followers of Jesus, but Wright reminds us that that it come as part of a larger package -the Advent-package - which itself is about deliverance from evil, return from exile, having enough bread, and about God’s kingdom coming on earth as it is in heaven, and this package was arriving through his own work.

Such was the significance of using the word ‘Father’ as Jesus did in his prayer—that the Father and Son were engaged in a project that was, “Nothing less than the new Exodus, rescuing Israel and whole world from evil, injustice, fear and sin.” But look around. We too live in a world of injustice, hunger, malice and evil, and the people cry out for deliverance, justice, bread, and forgiveness.

To be continued….

What can we sing at times like these?

2011-09-10T13:52:00.000-07:00

Living on the West Coast of the U.S., I was up early to do business with my East Coast clients—including those in Manhattan, NY—and before leaving the house I usually checked email and national headlines. But the news that morning was anything but usual, as confusing headlines and horrifying pictures of one of the Twin Towers belching flames and black smoke sent me running to the bedrooms to wake my wife and our four grade school kids. Arriving in front of the TV, we were horrified to see the second tower explode into flames, as a jetliner hit it like a guided missile.

As we stared in disbelief, the kids asked questions for which we had no answers. Actually, words were failing everyone—reporters, commentators, people on the streets—as events quickly unfolded to snuff out the lives of nearly 3000 souls from 90 countries, as suicide hijackers piloted four passenger airliners into the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon building in Arlington, Virginia, and a fourth plane crashed into a field in Pennsylvania as passengers fought against the hijackers.

This weekend in sermons, testimonies and prayers at church services and public events, we look back ten years and still ponder those tragic events, and to some extent words still fail, and there will need to be moments for complete silence. We might also ask, what can we sing at times like these?

Songwriter and worship leader Matt Redman writes as part of "How Evangelical Leaders Have Changed Since 9/11" in the recent ChristianityToday forum,

My wife and I were due to fly from England to the United States of September 12, 2001 for a few months of sabbatical… But the horrific events unfolded, and of course our plans shifted. Later in the week, international flights resumed, and we managed to get on one of the first flights out….

[But] what could we sing to God at a time like this? It was as if our worship songs were missing some important vocabulary—the language of tragedy and struggle, of the valley at the bottom of the mountain—which I found surprising, as the Psalms are full of lament. Soon after the tragedy, my wife and I wrote Blessed Be Your Name. It is a simple worship offering about choosing to worship and trust God no matter what the season.

September 11 taught me that when it comes to worshiping God, we must trust, of course. But we can also be real, raw, and honest. We can lay our frustration and confusion before God and still rejoice. Doing so tells God we know he is bigger than all of our issues—and also provides a window of hope to a watching world.

Agreed. As Matt’s song says, we can still bless the Name of the Lord even when we are in the “desert place” and walk “through the wilderness,” and also on “the road marked with suffering” where there’s “pain in the offering.” The good news we discuss on this worship blog is that the Suffering Servant became the Perfect Offering we could never be. Bodily risen and ascended, He lives and as the Spirit reminds us, is still with us and for us, in spite of appearances to the contrary—even during the times for which we have no words, no answers.

While not designed for congregational singing, millions have been touched by the ballad Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning, penned by Country Music entertainer Alan Jackson soon after the events of 9/11, and performed in early November 2001 at the CMA Awards telecast, where the song was widely considered the highlight of the show, and was soon released as a single.

The first verse speaks of shock, anger, fear and crying, the then asks, “Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer?” Later verses ask, “Did you dust off that Bible at home” and “Did you go to church and hold hands with some strangers.”

In later interviews Jackson said, “I’ve always been careful to try not to get too preachy,” but as to how the song has deeply touched listeners, “it’s about what’s important to people.” Absolutely. There is nothing more important than the love of God revealed in person and work of Jesus, even in—no, especially in—the midst of unspeakable loss.

In trauma and tragedy we face our limitations. Life is fragile and short. But in grieving and turning to God, we have faith and hope that is not simply ours alone. It is perfect faith and hope that belongs to the living Son of God, who has ever trusted the Father on our behalf. It’s the unfathomable simplicity of Christ that the ‘everyman’ Jackson points to in the song’s simple but profound chorus.

I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man 
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God 
And I remember this from when I was young 
Faith, hope and love are some good things He gave us
And the greatest is love.

Our words may fail. But because of Divine love, the Word became flesh (John 1:14), and by the Spirit the Living Word in heaven tells the Father all the things that weigh on our hearts. That love, and that Living Word, never fails. As the singer of simple songs would say, it’s the story of those good things He gave us.

Part 2: How one small church found its ‘worship voice’

2011-07-25T14:08:00.000-07:00

Last time we began exploring the concept of God’s singing in the new life of believers as the ‘sound of the spiritual harvest’ (as described in The Sound of the Harvest, by J. Nathan Corbitt) and the need for a gathered group of such people to find their own ‘worship voice.’

But many observe there seems to be two completely different church ‘worlds’—there’s ‘big church’ and ‘little church’—and when it comes to music resources, they’re worlds apart. Mega churches have choirs, praise teams, bands, worship directors, staff, and celebrity worship leaders. But for small congregations with quite limited resources, it often means singing along to CDs or videos.

So after some years of singing along to CD’s, here’s the story of how one little church prayerfully reevaluated their situation and decided to move in a different direction.

The little flock had come to a crossroads of sorts, and needed to address a number of challenges. In sitting down on several occasions to pray and share their feelings, one thing became clear—the congregational singing portion of the church service just didn’t feel right anymore. Oh, the songs were just fine, but after years of pumping slick recordings of voices and instruments through a sound system, they finally decided it wasn’t really them—wasn’t the sound of God’s spiritual harvest in that setting—wasn’t their own ‘worship voice’ and they yearned for a warmer touch of humanity.

No, they weren’t self-centered and stuck on the sound of their own voices, which were clearly nothing to brag about, but it seemed to them more important to more clearly hear the sound of their voices thanking and praising God than to be drowned out by voices and instruments that weren’t even present, and were merely recorded. Even if it meant singing without accompaniment, they decided it was more about the presence of people, and the actual humanity shared in Spirit with the risen, ascended Jesus, than it was about music.

So they identified someone with a strong voice who agreed to lead worship. Unexpectedly, a relative of that person soon began attending, and that person played an instrument and offered to play along. Soon a member who hadn’t picked up his instrument in decades decided to knock off the rust and join in. Soon each were comparing notes to see what songs would sound best given their particular involvement. Interest and attendance began increasing and the congregation began feeling more engaged.

They discovered it was a relational thing. Instead of pumping the sound of a mega-church worship service into their own small gathering, they found they were perhaps better able to appreciate what the Spirit was doing in and among them as they cherished the actual living presence and interaction of each participant.

Admittedly, every situation is different, but I’m glad my friend shared his story. If your small congregation is looking for ideas that go beyond CDs, here are a few suggestions.

· Contact the music department of a college or high school, or music school, to see if students might be available to help with church music. Offer a small stipend for their honorable work of assisting you with six or seven songs each weekend.

· Such a musician might appreciate the opportunity and welcome the experience. It is likely you have someone in-house who can sing well enough to lead, and only needs an accompanist to round things out.

· Some songs sound great on acoustic guitar. Sure, you’ve heard big arrangements of the Revelation Song, but the author wrote it on guitar, and sang it often in her small congregation and in other small settings before it ever hit the big venues with full bands and praise teams (click here to see an earlier post about song writer Jennie Lee Riddle and the Revelation Song).

· Live accompaniment can bring life to an old hymn. Besides, you can actually fellowship with an accompanist and go out for dinner!

· Small churches are intimate, but if you occasionally yearn for a bigger event, why not arrange to combine with several other small congregations for larger celebrations several times each year.

Your comments and ideas are most welcome! What does the spiritual harvest sound like in your congregation? Has it found its own worship voice?

Part 1: Finding our worship voice – the sound of the harvest

2011-07-11T22:14:00.000-07:00

When it comes to congregational singing, some of the best advice I've ever heard is that each congregation needs to find it’s own collective ‘worship voice’. In other words, it is important for each unique collection of humanity to discover the music, songs, instrumentation and methods that best enable the offering of thanks, praise, and testimony in that particular setting.

Through Christ and the Spirit, the Triune God has entered into creation and the life story and relationships of each individual and group. So, yes, there is unity in Christ. But because of unique individual, family, cultural and congregational relationships and histories, each collective ‘worship voice’ will not sound identical to a ‘worship voice’ in another setting, though each sings the common, yet ever-new song of redeeming love, an echo of the New Song of the Lamb in the heavenly realm.

This ‘worship voice’ of gathered humanity is not static, but lives, breathes, and goes through changes in seasons of celebration and suffering, as people age and die, and as babes and newcomers arrive to add their own unique relational experiences to the mix—and as the times and cultures around us change.

Reminds me of an insightful book by Dr. Nathan Corbitt, The Sound of the Harvest: Music’s Mis sion in Church and Culture (1999 Baker Books). It’s been years since I first read the book, but I especially appreciate the way Corbitt explores the elements that make up what he calls the ‘sound of the harvest’.

As diverse as God’s fearfully and wonderfully made creation (Ps 139:14), music is always cross-cultural. Its meanings are so bound to the people and cultures who make it, we often fail to see our commonness because of our strangeness. God’s song of redemptive call and purpose are found in every place.

Some of us choose to live in terrariums and never know this beauty because we sing with ethnocentric tongues as opposed to those of celestial angels. Dominant cultures spread their music like the pervasive kudzu vine. Carried on the floods of digital technology, the gentle songs of remote cultures and ancient hymns are washed away to the gutters of history like musical deadwood because we perceive them to be irrelevant to our experience or too difficult to learn.

Yet as a plant is born, bears fruit and dies, music also exhibits a life cycle. Bound to the context of its original cultural garden, which is ever changing and dynamic, music finds not an immediate death, but a fading relevance to the people who call it their own. New music is born with a cross-pollinated and grafted heritage from tradition and eventually finds its way into the marketplace of the city street. It is from the streets of our lives that we both share and borrow our musical experience. (pp. 7-8)

Surrounded as we are in almost every culture by music, Corbitt ponders what might be unique or even holy about the music and songs of Christians, and describes meeting a woman who caused him to reevaluate his views of music ministry.

By many human standards her music wasn’t beautiful, but it was God’s singing in the new life of a believer—the sound of a spiritual harvest...

Born in the garden of the heart, harvested in the spirit of the soul, and manifested in the beat of the street, music is the expressive voice of the Christian faith.

Christians of every gifting, social class, race, and ethnicity are called to be faithful to God; and communicate, by expressing their own spiritual harvest in the beats of the streets, expanding and growing in the fullness of a kingdom still yet to come. (p. 30)

Note that Corbitt does not limit the discussion to music within the walls of a church meeting, but thoughtfully explores and expands into a more holistic view.

Christians must embrace a holistic ministry that includes music making at every level of life experience, including places outside the church sanctuary. Music making is not a secondary activity and ministry for Christians. Nor does a holistic music ministry make music making a utilitarian tool for manipulating people into conforming to our purposes. While I have focused on the functions of music within a few recognizable categories…. God is not bound by our categories. The Spirit of God can lift the human spirit, convict of transgression, or heal the grieving soul through any music, in any context. (p. 341)

Corbitt tells fascinating stories of people making use of music for creating unity, proclaiming, preaching, teaching and healing, and he fully discusses the use of voice, song, instruments and musicians.

How about you? When it comes to congregational singing, has your congregation come to fully recognize and utilize its collective God-given ‘worship voice’? What does the ‘sound of the spiritual harvest’ sound like in your church?

Your comments and participation are most welcome.

Utilizing Worship Fusion – Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)

2011-06-21T12:01:00.000-07:00

A “blended” worship service commonly means a service designed to use both traditional hymns as well as contemporary songs or choruses—whether the mix leans more heavily to one side or the other, or is right down the middle. (Of course you can also use other styles of music as well, but for this discussion let’s stick with hymns and choruses.)

However, creative writers and musicians sometimes go beyond just sprinkling hymns and choruses throughout the worship list for the day and take the extra step of creating one piece of music that is more a “fusion” of something old and familiar with something fresh and new.

Using symbols to describe the process—just placing two different worship styles one after another (for example, a contemporary chorus after a traditional hymn) can be represented as A + B = AB. Whereas creatively fusing these elements together in such a way that both are mutually transformed into a new third thing can be seen as A + B = C.

A great example of this is the song Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone), a fusion of the John Newton poem, “Amazing Grace,” and a new chorus, "My Chains Are Gone," co-written by Chris Tomlin (pictured left) and Louie Giglio, published in 2006. The result is a centuries-old hymn contextualized with modern music and with an additional chorus that uses common contemporary language to help us as we respond to the Father through Christ and by the Spirit in thanks and praise. (Click here to see a video of Tomlin discussing and demonstrating the song on the newsongcafe program.)

ChristianityToday has referred to the poem by Newton—former slave trader turned pastor—as “probably the most famous hymn in history.” The article Whatever Happened to Amazing Grace, from the March 2011 edition, traces the song’s origins as well as major differences in the circumstances and timing of its publication, acceptance and popularity on each side of the Atlantic.

As pastor of a mostly uneducated Anglican congregation in the lace-making town of Olney, just northwest of London, Newton often wrote poems, including one titled “Amazing Grace,” and wedded them to familiar tunes in an effort to reinforce the point of his sermons. In 1799 the Olney Hymns were published, containing 280 poems from Newton, along with 68 from poet William Cowper, a layperson helper in the congregation. (Pictured left is a page from the Olney Hymns. Near the bottom are the first few lines of the Newton's poem that eventually became the famous hymn "Amazing Grace.")

In many non-Anglican, independent churches, parishioners sang the hymns of Isaac Watts (1674-1748). Watt’s hymns were also sung in Baptist churches, such as the one in London pastored by John Rippon (1751-1836) [who] wished to expand hymn-singing options and bound many of Netwon’s poems with Watt’s hymns, titling the volume A Selection of Hymns from the Best Authors…..

Rippon’s collection became quite popular, with more than 200,000 copies in circulation. But though containing many of Netwon’s works, “Amazing Grace” was not among them. Was it perhaps the lack of mention of Jesus or God (the final verse—“When we’ve been there ten thousand years,” includes the word God, but was added later), or low-brow plebeian language? (Only 11 words from the four of the original verses that are commonly printed contain more than one syllable.) Late-19th century hymnologist John Julian simply said of the omission that “Amazing Grace” was “far from being a good example of Newton’s work.”

In any case, “Amazing Grace” went missing from English hymnbooks from the early 1800s, and did not appear in England, with the familiar “New Britain” tune, until 1964.

Across the Atlantic the situation was quite different. Some historians think Olney Hymns came to the United States with Scottish immigrants who settled in Kentucky and Tennessee…[and became] particularly popular in Methodist camp meetings in the first decades of the 19th century. In 1835 it appeared in William Walker’s Southern Harmony, wedded to the now-standard New Britain tune… [and reaching] a circulation of 600,000—about one copy for every 40 people in the country. However “Amazing Grace” remained absent in many of the major Protestant denominational hymnals in the North.

From 1947 on, “Amazing Grace” began to migrate from its stronghold in the southern states into the secular mainstream. Gospel singer Mahalia Jackson performed it that year on the radio and subsequently included it in one of her releases. [The video here is of Mahalia's 1971 appearance on the Johnny Cash TV program.] Other singers who made it well known included Judy Collins (who sang it as an anti-Vietnam War protest) [Collins video here is from 1976 concert with Boston Pops], Aretha Franklin, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, and Willie Nelson. Arlo Guthrie sang it at the 1969 Woodstock Festival. [Guthrie video here is from 70's, in concert with Pete Seeger.]

To provide the beloved old hymn with new life and a fresh voice for today’s worshipers, Tomlin and Louie Giglio added the powerful chorus, "My chains are gone / I've been set free / My God, my Savior has ransomed me / And like a flood His mercy reigns / Unending love, Amazing grace!"

A less obvious but important part of this “worship fusion” creation is that the entire piece is now sung in the 4/4 time signature, whereas “Amazing Grace” is more traditionally played with a waltz feel. As evidence of its popularity, for the past several years Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) has consistently been listed in the CCLI’s top ten worship songs, as reported by churches in their copy activity reports.

Traditional versions of “Amazing Grace” will no doubt continue to be sung for many generations to come. But this new version with the inclusion of “My Chains Are Gone” is one more way the Spirit has inspired current generations to tell the story of the Eternal Father’s unending love for each person and all creation—the amazing redeeming grace and freedom found in Jesus.

Please share what other “worship fusion” songs are being sung in your congregations.

Lighten up already! Karl Barth’s remedy for thinking too highly of ourselves

2011-05-16T18:36:00.000-07:00

Sure, ministry involves the important stuff of life, but have you ever attached so much importance to the ministry in which you serve that you begin losing your sense of playfulness, humor or joy? Or in taking your role as a servant seriously, have you also begun taking yourself a bit too seriously? It’s an easy trap to fall into.

(Confession time here. In leading worship through the years, I’ve seen more than a few photos of myself looking more serious than a solemn judge, and not so much like a joyful worshiper. Though none of us will do it perfectly, those who serve in visible roles should be aware of the impressions given.)

And if we take ourselves too seriously, we might also think too highly of ourselves and our work—especially if folks regularly offer thanks and appreciation for our work.

Remedy arrives in the wisdom and humor of Swiss theologian Karl Barth. Barth was perhaps the most highly acclaimed theologian of the 20th century, and no one had written more about the seriously deep, weighty matters of God, creation, humanity, revelation, response, freedom, responsibility, and so on, than Karl Barth in his 13 volume Church Dogmatics, written over the span of 35 years. (Click here for the link to Boiling down a bazillion words – a previous post referring to Barth’s work and to 'theological belonging' -- that both by creation and redemption, humanity belongs to Jesus.)

Yet for all the acclaim heaped on Barth, the theologian maintained a joyful servant’s heart and a self-deprecating sense of humor, as was described in an address given by Martin Rumscheidt at a Memorial Service at the University of Toronto in the chapel of Knox College in December 1968, following Barth’s death at age 82.

He was a joyful man, a man of humour…. You can see Barth turning the laugh on himself when he says: “The angels laugh at old Karl. They laugh at his trying to capture the truth about God in a book on dogmatics. They laugh, because volume follows volume, each thicker than the last, and as they laugh they say to each other: “Look! There he goes with his [wheel]barrow full of volumes on dogmatics.” …..Recently, in fact four days before his death, he told two friends that he had at last discovered the explanation of the size and number of his books. ‘My doctors discovered that my colon was much too long’, he said. ‘Now at last I know why there is no end to my volumes on dogmatics.’

Rumscheidt showed that same humor was already evident in a much younger Barth.

In 1922 he [Barth] addressed to himself these words by Luther: ‘If you think and are of the opinion that you really stand secure and you please yourself with your own books, your teaching and your writings, [if you think] that you have done splendidly and have preached magnificently, and if it then pleases you to be praised before others….then my friend, if you are man enough, put your hands to your ears, and if you do so rightly, you will find a lovely pair of big, long, rough donkey’s ears. Do not spare the cost of decorating them with golden bells so that you can be heard wherever you go and the people can point to you and say; “Behold, behold! There goes that splendid creature that writes such wonderful books and preaches such wonderful sermons.”

Speaking further of Barth’s humor, Rumscheidt said,

Barth’s humour is humour out of faith. A very appropriate academic and ecclesiastical honour to bestow upon him would have been a doctorate humoris causa…. It is here, in the knowledge of faith in the power and finality of redemption, that man can laugh, laugh at himself, laugh in the happy expectation that the word of him who speaks the last word will most assuredly be a good word, a word infinitely better than all those muttered or spoken by man. Barth’s humour is of the ‘nevertheless’ kind, like Mozart’s music, in which the shadows of death and the dark hues of pain and suffering are not absent, but are nevertheless bathed in the radiance and harmony that sings praises to the goodness of God’s creation.

As to continual praises for Barth’s work, Rumscheidt quoted from a speech Barth gave on the occasion of his eightieth birthday celebration.

‘Let me again remind you of the donkey… A real donkey is mentioned in the Bible, or more specifically an ass. But let us call it a donkey. It was permitted to carry Jesus to Jerusalem. If I have done anything in this life of mine, I have done it as a relative of the donkey that then went to its way carrying an important burden. The disciples had said to its owner: “The Lord has need of it”. And so it seems to have pleased God to use me at this time, just as I was…. I just happened to be on the spot. A theology somewhat different from the current theology was apparently needed in our time, and I was permitted to be the donkey that carried this better theology for part of the way, or tried to carry as best I could.’

Seriously, anybody feeling a bit like a donkey?

Keeping it practical: understanding how to lead in a worship setting

2011-05-06T20:46:00.000-07:00

Our recent posts have discussed the relationship of the Church’s worship in the earthly realm and the ongoing intercession of Christ at the right hand of God where saints and angels give praise and thanks. We were reminded that through the power and working of the Holy Spirit we participate in that heavenly worship and are included in our Mediator Christ’s ongoing intercession and prayers—as well as in the Son’s ongoing praise and thanks to the Father.

Scrolling down the right hand of this page in the quote section you will find this quote:

"Christ receives all that we offer God, in thanksgiving, in worship, and in service, converts it in himself, and presents it as something prefect and wholly acceptable to his Father, who is our Father...The theology of incarnation reminds us that all humanity has been caught up in Christ's ascended and glorified humanity, so making it possible for us to participate by the Spirit in the Son's perfect communion with his Father" (Graham Buxton, Dancing in the Dark, The Privilege of Participating In the Ministry of Christ, pp. 117-118).

And that’s incredibly big! For those having answered a call to lead worship, the above perspective offers a sense of thankful joy, peace, and also liberation from endless striving for the unattainable perfect worship service. At the same time, whether we are new to the task, or have been doing it for many years, we see the importance of sharing in what Christ is doing, and we want to do everything we can to serve our congregations to the best of our abilities as we worship.

Here is a helpful summary of five practical steps for worship leaders, adapted from Worship Team Handbook, and an article by Matt Frazier from BuildingChurchLeaders and Christianity Today International.

1. Use your eyes and your body to lead – Eye contact is a great way to connect and communicate with those you lead. Your eyes should say, “Isn’t it great to worship God together?” As for your body, try to relax, be comfortable and work toward losing any distracting physical habits (most people have some) that would draw attention to you rather than the worship.

2. Use your voice – It’s the best tool of all for leading worship. A voice that sounds pleasant and excited works best in a worship setting. If you need to call out a verse or chorus in giving directions during the song, use the same pleasant tone, so you don’t break the mood by switching to an ‘information’ voice that has a completely different tone.

3. Be aware of the people you’re leading – Don’t just focus on your own experience and thereby forget about the congregation. It is true that even if others don’t follow is in worshiping God, that shouldn’t keep is from worshiping. But we can’t be in our own world, ignoring all others around us.

4. Tune into your congregation’s current needs – If the congregation is not yet familiar with a song, you’ll need to lead more strongly until they become more comfortable with it. If it is unclear what verse comes next, help them with it. From beginning to end of every worship time, try to be aware of what the congregation is experiencing, so you are prepared to help at any given moment. What cultural, social, or holiday events are in play that might affect the day? What is useful to help people respond after one message may not be useful after other messages. In order to guide people to a new destination, you need to know something about their point of departure.

5. Plan in specific ways how you will lead each worship time – If for example, you want participants to reflect on a particular attribute of God, give them a Scripture, a story, or an illustration to get them thinking. Don’t just say, “Reflect for a moment on how holy God is.” Explain what holiness is about. Give an analogy or metaphor they can relate to. Read Scripture that illustrates God’s holiness in fresh ways (it doesn’t even have to use the word holy as long as that’s what it’s about). Plan to ask people to move physically—to stand, if you want them to respond in excitement, or to sit if you want them to experience God’s rest.

Finally the article reminds us of the important fact that the worship leader is not only a leader, but is also a worshiper.

To lead worship, we must worship—we can’t take others where we’re not going. It is crucial however, that we learn how to focus on God while also being aware of what the people we lead are experiencing. With that awareness, we can create situations that help others worship.

Resurrection, Revelation, and the ‘Trajectory of Worship’

2011-04-13T18:12:00.000-07:00

Easter is a time for the really big celebration songs—time to joyously proclaim with expectancy and with all our might, the grace, the living hope, and new life of the risen and ascended Lord Jesus—our bodily risen Savior who lives to minister and share this life with us by the Spirit and to the glory of the Father.

It’s time to sing Christ the Lord Is Risen Today, and big hymns such as Crown Him With Many Crowns and Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty. At Easter time when I was a kid, the church pipe organ thundered and testified till we could feel the vibrations in our chest and through the floor and the soles of our shoes!

Presently, folks in our small congregation say one of their favorite big songs is the Revelation Song, written by Jennie Lee Riddle and made popular by Kari Jobe, pictured left. [Click here to see Kari sing the song.]

In the March 26 post we highlighted and commented on portions of an excellent article from the March 2011 edition of Christianity Today magazine, The Trajectory of Worship, by John Kossler. Worship begins with God, and specifically, we worship through Christ and by the power and work of the Spirit—joining with the bodily risen and ascended Jesus and the ‘heavenly choir’ in ongoing worship of the Father.

Riddle (pictured below, left, with Kari Jobe, upon receiving 2010 Dove Awards for Songwriter of the Year, and Worship Song of the Year) tells of writing the song in her ‘mommy years’—long energy depleting days of changing diapers and caring for her four children. Thinking of Ezekiel 1 and Revelation 4, she longed to see beyond her own common needs, and yearned to see and hear all creation worshipping their God. She prayed for help to write a song that painted pictures of the heavenly worship that is already taking place—which we join here on earth.

She put the baby down and using four guitar chords she had just learned the day before (she’s a keyboard player), wrote a melody married to scenes of heavenly worship “clothed in rainbows of living color, flashes of lightening, rolls of thunder.” Riddle used Revelation 4:8 as the first two lines of the repeated chorus—“ Holy, Holy, Holy, Is the Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come,” and the praise to the King of Kings intensifies with multiple repeats of the chorus following the bridge and final verse.

Gordon D. Fee points out in Revelation: A New Covenant Commentary (Cascade Books, 2011), that John’s use of “who was, and is, and is to come”—past-present-future—is written from the perspective of our time-bound existence, whereas the order used in Rev. 1:4, “who is, and who was, and who is to come”—present-past-future—is expressed in terms of God’s own eternal existence. Fee says that in both 1:4 and 1:8 it is a deliberate play on the divine name found in Exodus 3:14, where with a play on the verb “to be” God reveals himself to Moses as the “I am who I am.”

So whether we sing “Who wert, and art, and evermore shalt be,” in Heber’s traditional hymn Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty to the thunder of a church pipe organ, or use a guitar and four chords to sing “Who was and is and is to come” in Riddle’s Revelation Song, we are richly blessed to be joined through Christ and by the Spirit to the perfect offering, response and song at the Father’s throne—the heavenly worship of which our own instruments and voices are at present only a faint and fragmentary echo. Happy Easter everyone!

A Trinitarian discussion of the ‘Trajectory of Worship’

2011-03-26T16:23:00.000-07:00

The March 2011 edition of Christianity Today contains five thought-provoking articles related to worship, including an excellent article by John Kossler, The Trajectory of Worship: What’s really happening when we praise God in song?

Kossler (currently professor of pastoral studies at Moody Bible Institute) begins by warmly describing his worship journey of nearly forty years, and the colorful variety of songs, settings and fellow worshipers, including early memories of the Glad Tidings Pentecostal Church and the Lost Coin Coffee House.

But having previously considered himself a man of wide-ranging eclectic tastes, raised on everything from Beethoven to Bix to the Beatles, and “baptized by immersion in the waters of musical diversity,” he admits to a more recent time in which he became a ‘worshiping curmudgeon’—trying hard not to begrudge others of worship music that was not of his choosing, but becoming quite annoyed nonetheless. Upon reflection he concludes his problem was not so much aesthetics, but vertigo, and that he needed to reorient his view of the trajectory of worship, which is not actually something that moves from earth to heaven.

The trajectory of heavenly worship begins with God and descends to earth. This trajectory is reflected in Psalm 150, where praise begins in the heavenly sanctuary and resounds throughout the domain of God. From there it is taken up by those on earth, who praise God with a variety of instruments and dancing, until “everything that has breath” praises the Lord (Ps. 150:6) .

We find the same trajectory of worship in Revelation 5. John, who has been caught up to heaven and sees an innumerable multitude of angels and saints surrounding the throne of God, hears the angels declaring the worthiness of the Lamb “to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” ….5:13 continues: “Then I heard every creature in heavens an don earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!’”

This portrays the worsh i ping Church as part of a heavenly congregation that includes the patriarchs and prophets, saints and angels, and that the bibl ical writers describe varieties of sounds that “should exceed the scope of taste.” So Kossler concludes, “Worship is not a private practice. It is the chief work of heaven and the duty of every creature.” Accordingly, he offers three suggestions.

F irst, we don’t ha ve to—nor i s it possible to—pleas e everyone, and we needn’t be ashamed if we don’t like some music in church, nor be u pset when others don’t agree with our own choices.
Second, the quality of music is not always the most important factor in our worship experience. Kossler writes, “Part of me wants to believe we should offer God only the be st. Yet the worship that moves me most and is the most effective vehicle for helping me to enter God’s presence is not always the best music.”
Third, rather than our differences in taste, is it our mutual contempt and lack of respect that have caused the most damage in the church.

While I agree with the author's excellent article, I would add that in view of the ongoing vicarious humanity of Christ and the Trinitarian nature of worship, we do well to continually emphasize another crucial aspect of the relationship between the heavenly worship and our earthly worship—one if overlooked only adds to a quarrelsome striving for the ‘perfect’ worship music/lyric, liturgy or prayer.

J.B. Torrance (in Worship, Community & the Triune God of Grace) and T.F. Torrance (in The Mediation of Christ, and elsewhere) remind us of the unique self-presentation of the only Worthy One, the Lamb of God before the Father. The risen, ascended Christ alone was and is the perfect living Sacrifice, Offering and Response to the love of the Father. He alone is worthy to worship and present himself at the Father’s throne, and it is by his sacrifice we are redeemed.

The epistles of Romans and Hebrews point to the relationship of the Church on earth and the eternal intercession of Christ at the right hand of God where saints and angels give praise and thanks, and the scriptures indicate it is through the power and working of the Holy Spirit that we participate in that heavenly worship. It is by the Spirit we participate in and are included in Christ our Mediator’s ongoing intercession and prayers—as well as in the Son’s ongoing praise and thanks to the Father. In Royal Priesthood T.F.T. describes the Lamb as being upon the altar throne, undoing our sin and guilt, and the saints as beneath the altar. He describes our earthy participation as being a faint echo that is incomplete but which points to that which is beyond it.

…the liturgy of the Church on earth is essentially imperfect and fragmentary. All we get here are broken snatches of the earthly liturgy as it echoes the heavenly. The heavenly liturgy is described as the New Song, which no one knows but the redeemed who have passed over to the other side….[and] on this side it is impossible to score that New Song….

Like St. John in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, we lift up our hearts above and beyond the liturgy of earth and in breathtaking wonder and in indescribable joy echo the heavenly Song of the Lamb. As this fragmentary and imperfect echo of the perfect liturgy and music of heaven the sacramental liturgy of the Church is at once an anticipation of the future, and yet an interim measure that will pass away (p. 96).

The people of God, the worshipping community, as ‘new creation in Christ’

2011-02-25T00:03:00.000-08:00

While we are each created as unique individuals, we are also created for relationship with the Triune God, and with all creation—especially with others in the worshipping community. In his essay Baptism and the Christian Community, the late British theologian Colin Gunton described the worshipping community—the church—as being new creation in Christ by the Spirit. Gunton points to the relational aspect of the ever-changing church community, and says that to baptize a person is to bring that unique person into

"….the sphere of the Spirit’s working, into the place where his or her gift may be exercised for the glory of God. The Spirit is the Spirit who creates the community of the Last Days, that worshiping body that is brought into the presence of the Father in the Son and by the Spirit."

"Baptism, therefore, brings persons into relation with that community, so that they are now by means of a sacramental action brought within a new pattern of relationships….that are what they are by virtue of their derivation from and orientation to the Triune God. This is surely the point of Paul’s “if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17).

"I do not believe that this refers to some invisible inner change or (as in some forms of pietism) an instant transformation in the individual brought about by conversion. Indeed, it is not meant individualistically at all. By “in Christ” Paul means nothing other than in membership of the body of Christ, the church. There is, indeed, a new creation because of the addition to the community of…some unique and particular person."

"By virtue of the addition of a new member, the church is by each baptism reconstituted. That is the new creation of which Paul speaks. By virtue of its relationship to Abraham, it is the same church: the one historical people of God called and elected to praise him on earth. But it is also a different church, for the addition of a unique person to its membership means that new patters of relationships, and therefore a new reality, have come to be. If that reality does not include our children and young people, then our notion of community and of the way God works toward and through it is indeed an impoverished one." (p. 107)

"Baptism has [often] been treated as a rite dispensed to the individual by an institution, rather than as the means by which the person enters a new sphere of relationships which, by virtue of the new member, are themselves changed….One of the ways in which we may enable our own society to emerge from the stranglehold of individualism is in developing, under the gospel, forms of life in which each person is accorded that uniqueness that is the gift of the existence in true community. In that way the church may be, as Calvin taught that it should, the sacrament of society: a living reminder to society of its true nature." (p. 108)

Gunton’s essay is found in Incarnational Ministry: The Presence of Christ in Church, Society, and Family—Essays in Honor of Ray Anderson, (Wipf and Stock Publishers), edited by Christian Kettler and Todd Speidell. Included in the book's collection of 21 essays is The Distinctive Character of the Reformed Tradition, by Thomas F. Torrance, The Ministry of Reconciliation Today: The Realism of Grace, by James B. Torrance, and The Atonement as the Life of God in the Ministry of the Church, by Christian Kettler.

A new Hymn to the Trinity – and our place in the life of the Son

2011-02-13T21:52:00.000-08:00

On this blog we typically focus on the larger themes and theology of Trinitarian life and worship rather than on specific worship songs. But here’s a new hymn about that Divine and human reality.

In searching for Trinitarian worship music, Jonathan Stepp decided to write a new song – Hymn to the Trinity. Surprising perhaps, since Jonathan isn’t a song writer, but then again considering the theme of the hymn, perhaps not so surprising, since Jonathan is a church pastor in Nashville TN who for years has poured himself into preaching and writing about Trinitarian life—the good news that the Son of God lives in humanity and shares with us the relationship he has with God the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jonathan often refers to this as “the adopted life” – the life in which we are all participants now that the Trinity and Humanity are together in Jesus. Jonathan (along with Tim Brassell) developed The Adopted Life website and newsletter, and is a primary contributor to the Trinity and Humanity blog. He also teaches classes online for Grace Communion Seminary.

With the resurrection of Jesus in mind, Jonathan says he felt moved and blessed to write a song that expressed what was in his heart on this important subject. For the hymn’s music he chose a traditional Gaelic melody used in multiple songs, and most notably in modern times as Morning Has Broken, recorded by Cat Stevens.

It is interesting to note the tune was also used for the Gaelic Christmas hymn “Leanabh An Aigh” (Child in the Manger) by Mary McDonald and translated by Lachlan MacBean in "The Songs and Hymns of the Scottish Highlands" published in 1888. [Click here to view the actual page from the hymnal.] It is said that MacBean named the tune “Bunessan," after Mary McDonald's home village on the Isle of Mull, Scotland. Thus a tune long used in singing about the incarnation now points to the resurrection as well.

Hymn to the Trinity

Jesus is risen, Heaven is dawning
Jesus revealing the Father’s love
Come Holy Spirit, show us the Father
Show us our place in the life of the Son

Joy and anguish, Diving and human
Heaven and all things joined in one Man
Jesus has brought us home to the Father
Give Him the glory for our new life

Praise to the Father, Jesus and Spirit
Praise to the Three who love life as One
Father in Jesus, Jesus in Father
Spirit in their love, one God in Three

The song begins with Jesus’ revelation of the Kingdom and the Father through the resurrection and then moves to our cry to the Holy Spirit to help us understand this marvelous revelation, for Jonathan points out that like the first disciples and the early church we struggle to grasp how Jesus is the Son of the Father even though God is One, and to know that we are included in that relationship through the Son’s humanity. Jonathan explains in the Trinity and Humanity blog that the second verse

“…is meant to express what it is that the Spirit reveals in answer to our prayer…. that Jesus is the union of the joy and divinity of heaven with the anguish and humanity of all things in creation (Eph. 4:10, Col. 1:17)…. [for] In Jesus both the pain and joy of existence are found to be real and true…. [but that] this union of heaven and all things in Jesus means that we have been ‘brought home to the Father’ and now have a ‘new life’ for which we give Jesus the glory (Eph. 2:6, 2:15)…. [and] everything that we are, joyful and agonizing, has been gathered up in the Son’s humanity and that heaven is dawning on us because we are now seated in Christ at home with the Father (Col. 3:1-4).

Certainly there is enough pain and anguish to go around in this world, and the author does not try to spiritualize it away. In a two page article available on Trinity and Humanity, Jonathan (pictured left) comments on the crisis of belief in each individual’s life, and describes his thoughts behind each of the three verses and the reality to which the lyrics are intended to point.

The hymn seems especially fitting for an Easter service, and perhaps the first verse with its emphasis on the resurrection could be repeated at the end. Thanks Jonathan, and blessings as you continue serving in the ongoing ministry of the risen Jesus!

“He who sings prays twice.”

2011-01-22T12:22:00.000-08:00

Some will recognize that statement as a reminder from St. Augustine of the rich blessing and importance of singing to God. Or in light of a Christ-centered incarnational theology, we might even say the blessing and importance of singing with God—being included in the prayers and praises of the risen and ascended Jesus in the heavenlies.

Yet when it comes to congregational singing, some folks are (or at least seem to be) reluctant to participate. My old friend joked recently that he doesn’t have ‘the gift of worship’—said he’s ‘worship challenged.’ Well, at least he’s joking. He’s fully supportive of church worship, but when the music starts, he’s just not the most boisterous worshipper among us. We get it.

I’m not personally a fan of worship leaders pleading with those in attendance in an attempt to coerce more participation, more volume, more smiles, more intensity, more this and more that, during a worship service. (For one thing, I kinda like what Joseph Garlington said to me one time about church goers who arrive late for the service, “I’m just happy they came at all!” But there are some theological reasons too.) Yet we do well in preparation each week to consider how we might best bless and serve God and the people of God—the particular persons he has chosen for us to be with as a worshipping community—and we consider what songs and practices might allow for greatest meaningful inclusion in that particular setting.

The subject of Congregational singing is explored on the CRG (Congregational Resource Guide) website—a guide to books, articles, interviews, surveys and comments on many aspects of church life. Click here for a link to the recent blurb on the subject, and on hymnodist Brian Wren’s book Praying Twice: The Music and Words of Congregational Song, as well as a link to an interview with Wren from Reformed Worship magazine. [Thanks to Ted Johnston of the Surprising God blog for recommending CRG.]

Victory, let’s hear It! V-I-C-T-O-R-Y! But what about worship with the ‘suffering servant’?

2011-01-06T00:26:00.000-08:00

“Season’s Greetings Dear Friends and Family. Wanted to let you know we won the Mega Millions Lottery and are now millionaires many time over!”

Sure, Christmas and the end of the year is a great time to catch up with friends and family from around the globe, but have you ever felt a wee bit unsettled upon receiving a letter mentioning nothing but the greatest accomplishments, glories and good fortune? You know, a letter that goes something like this….

“What an AWESOME year! Wilbur was promoted to Manager with a huge raise, but then accepted an offer to be Vice President at Acme Inc. with a HUMONGOUS signing bonus, and a company car! (Starts right after we get back from our one month European vacation.) Sally won the Miss America contest and will receive a full college scholarship, and next month she leaves on her book signing tour, and her latest recording will be released then too!”

“Our quadruplets are the youngest players and the only multiples ever to be brought onto the national soccer team in preparation for the Olympics, but first they have to return from the International Space Station (which they were recommended for when the four of them were interns at the White House). We certainly appreciate your remembering Betty during this difficult time, as she needs to make the hard decision between accepting the Ambassadorship appointment and taking a leading role in the next Steven Spielberg movie. Will let you know what she decides. Well, Happy New year! Write to us soon!”

But you're not going to write. How do you tell them a loved one died, your job ended, and your part-time job is a shaky too? And since you and your kids are just completely normal, there have been some health issues and plenty of challenges and disappointments to go along with some much-appreciated blessings and what seems like only a few victories and high points. No, the in-your-face over-the-top tales of great successes and victories don’t resonate so well with you right now.

It is a little bit like leading worship. We shouldn’t allow ourselves to become exclusively sunny musical cheerleaders singing V-I-C-T-O-R-Y and shouting over-the-top exhortations of triumph to a congregation of very normal people—suffering servants in need of reminders of fresh mercy and grace, a healing balm, a comforting touch, and heartfelt understanding to go along with the songs of thanks and praise.

Perhaps some have experienced the heartbreaking loss of loved ones this past year? What about life-threatening illnesses or accidents? During the current economic downturn, have some lost their homes, or had careers, or school studies come to a screeching halt? Do your plans for upcoming worship services include sensitive and reflective songs and readings, Biblical laments, and humble prayers of petition to help balance out the doxologies, anthems and songs of victory?

Yes, we give thanks and praise always, and our victory is Jesus, and he is our joy! But it is a victory that comes to us from the future (as our King of Kings does), and we now live between the times as his Church—as his suffering servants. Though the victory and triumph are indeed freely given to the adopted children of the Father, so is the necessary comfort and presence of Jesus who suffers with us even now, as well as the Spirit that groans with us during our trials and suffering (Rom. 8:15-17). So too should we be there for one another, comforting one another with songs, prayers or silence, in whatever way the Spirit leads us to share and serve.

Though victory, blessings and eternal riches are indeed ours (Rom. 11:33), there will times when it may be insensitive and unwise to ask people to stand and shout in victory. Jesus will sit with them. There may be times when a wounded soul quietly comes in late and sits in the back rows, unable even to bring himself or herself to sing. Perhaps someone is too hurting to even show up for a while. Jesus has not forgotten them. So we continue praying for his wisdom and discernment as we prepare to serve and worship in the New Year.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.

A tale of two Christmas pageants: Bethlehem’s angels and General Washington’s weary soldiers

2010-12-29T00:18:00.000-08:00

“Wow! Someday I want to be in that Christmas pageant too! I wanna play the part of Joseph, or one of those kings bearing gifts, or a shepherd hearing from angels!” That's what I said as a small child thrilled with the wonderful sights and sounds of the big Christmas pageant at our church school.

But it didn't turn out quite like I had wanted. Each year those main character parts were handed out to others, and my role was to simply sing in the children’s choir—a group of small white-shirted messengers of God, proclaiming the birth of a Savior named Jesus. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve always loved singing, but wouldn’t it have been neat to wear a shiny crown and a colorful robe as one of the wise men from the East bearing gifts for the newborn King?

Finally one year I landed a speaking part (seven whole words!), but instead of the regular pageant with angels and wise men and shepherds, this time it was for a most unusual little production. We enacted parts of the true story of Christmas Eve 1776, and I was to play a cold, frightened foot-soldier in General George Washington’s Continental army, huddled near a campfire along the banks of the Delaware River, being readied to cross on Christmas day and fight the Hessians in Trenton. The war had not been going well, and Washington knew his rag-tag army (and the colonies as a whole) were losing hope amid deteriorating conditions and discouraging losses, and a victory was badly needed.

So orders were given for a daring Christmas Day crossing of the river and a December 26 surprise attack on the Hessians. There would be no marching music for this secret mission, and instead of instruments, army musicians were handed muskets. So as a common soldier huddling with others near a campfire, fearing for life and limb, and thinking of families back home, with heavy winds and sleet and snow soon making the crossing all the more treacherous, the script called for this shivering soldier to pronounce loudly with more desperation than confidence, “peace will come, it has to come!”

But for those frightened men, peace and victory were not a sure thing, and as sentry lines were formed, the password “Victory or Death” spoke more of danger than certainty. Peace, ultimate victory and final freedom seemed more a distant dream than reality. For various reasons, two of the three columns in the planned attack did not end up crossing the river, so Washington's contingent alone was left to accomplish the difficult crossing and he had far fewer fighting men for the battle than anticipated. Still they were victorious, and it is said that in some ways this victory was the beginning of the future final victory for the colonies.

Seems quite a different Christmas Eve pageant than one with heavenly angel choirs praising God and announcing “glad tidings of great joy” and “peace on earth” to surprised shepherds learning of the surprising birth of Jesus to a young maiden named Mary. But there are important similarities too.

For the human participants around the birth of Jesus (Mary, Joseph, shepherds, Simeon, Anna, wise men from the East), the surprising miraculous events were not of their own doing—were not done by their own power or might, but by the Spirit of God, and with dreams and heavenly messengers sent from God. And for as wondrous as it all was, it was also puzzling, mysterious, and dangerous. And while it meant that the promised blessing—the Messiah—was theirs, it also meant a future filled with difficulties, trials, and not a little pondering what was happening around them. Mary and Joseph did not hear heavenly hosts singing around them at the manger, but according to the story were left to believe what shepherds told them they had seen and heard on the nearby hillsides. Later, Herod had numerous babies put to death! What did Mary and Joseph think about this? The 'Wise Men' who came to worship the young King were told that for their own safety they had to travel home another way, and Mary and Joseph were warned they needed to flee to Egypt. No smooth sailing. Simeon told Mary “a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

Playing the part of a common soldier in 1776 facing a dangerous and uncertain future, and a challenging situation that was bigger than any one individual, I was told that peace would eventually come, and that no matter how bleak things looked, or how many losses there had been, we could look to a surprising and unexplainable victory once we had, along with the courageous General Washington, moved closer to freedom in crossing to the other side--even while others had refused or turned back.

It is all too easy to be discouraged and frightened by the very real things we see and experience. But we should not lose heart. The Lord Almighty points to accomplishments made not by might nor by power, but by the Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Ultimate freedom and victory is given to the weak, the lowly, the poor, the bound, and the oppressed.

In the midst of our trials and suffering we may be too frightened and weak to sing, or to even hear the music around us, but the Spirit groans as we share in Christ’s sufferings. But though we may not be able to hear the music of heaven, Jesus and the angels are actually singing over us, and ultimately the music will break through. We are led toward victory and freedom by the One who is pictured as riding a white horse—overthrowing kings and rulers who resist.

We are invited to be His People—People of the Promise. The Lord has acted in His Freedom to make himself present and known to us, and to set the entire Cosmos free—a universe groaning for its change to come. We belong to the Prince of Peace, the King of Kings—the risen and ascended Son of God and Son of Man born in Bethlehem, and who holds us close to himself in his flesh for as long as forever is. And by the Spirit and as adopted children of the Father, we get to sing with angels and pray through the Son to our Father.

“Said the King to the people everywhere, listen to what I say. Pray for peace, people everywhere. Listen to what I say. The child, the child, sleeping in the night, He will bring us goodness and light, He will bring us goodness and light” [from Do You Hear What I Hear, by Noel Regney and Gloria Baker].

Advent - the creative act of the Spirit in Mary and the Son – the beginning of the future

2010-12-19T16:59:00.000-08:00

According to Matthew and Luke, and as testified in the creeds of the Church, it is in relation to Mary, the mother of Jesus, that the Holy Spirit begins to be revealed in his New Testament fullness.

Tom Smail writes in The Giving Gift: The Holy Spirit in Person ,

Of course when the Creed brings the Holy Spirit and Mary together, the subject of the sentence is not either of them, but ‘Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary’. If the Spirit works revealingly in Mary, it is not for her sake or yet for his own, but so that Jesus Christ can be formed in her and born from her. Mary’s response is not to the Holy Spirit as such but to the promise about Jesus that is made to her (Luke 2:26-38). The Christological concentration is central from the start…. (Page 22).

To paraphrase Smail, we can think of Mary as the model charismatic—and the primary gift the Spirit gave to her was the gift of the Son, and not primarily tongues or prophecy (though she was given the gift of prophecy in her Song of Praise found in Luke 1:46-55). As the Holy Spirit seeks to unite all with Christ, Mary (in her unique situation) was the first given to receive and respond to Christ in the New Testament. Smail notes the following [summarized from pp. 24-29]:

1. The implicit Trinitarian structure of the gospel stories of the birth of Jesus. The source of this birth of a Son to Mary through the Spirit is the mysterious and miraculous action of a sovereign loving God who is himself the Father.

2. There is from the beginning with Mary an inter-dependence between the work of the Holy Spirit and the coming of the Son. There is a mutual subordination of the Son and the Spirit to each other, in which each acts in dependence on the other. The Son depends on the Spirit for his coming into the world, and in his earthly life and beyond, and the Spirit acts for the Son’s sake.

3. The relationship between the work of the Spirit and Mary’s response. Mary does not take the initiative, but was free to act. The Spirit invites her and gives her the grace of surrendering to him, so that God’s freedom shines in her. God is the source of all faith, and Mary’s free and active participation was sustained by the Spirit, who worked in her “both the will and the action” (Phil 2:13). The ability to respond freely to the promise of Christ’s coming is the work of the Spirit in us.

4. The story of Mary presents the Spirit as the Lord and giver of life, including re-creation—a new creation. ‘The Holy Spirit shall come upon you’ (Luke 1:35) refers to divine re-creation, the model for which is in Genesis 1, as the Spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters at the first creation. The same creative Spirit hovers over Mary at the beginning of the new creation! Those born to be God’s children are ‘not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will but born of God’ (John 1:13).

5. The Spirit is the creator of fellowship around the Son.

a. The togetherness of Mary and Joseph as guardians of the Son who is the bond of their marriage, even though not its product.
b. Elizabeth and Mary (Luke 1:39-45) find new kinship in mothering two children born by two different divine interventions, and each playing parts in redemption’s drama.
c. Simeon and Anna (Luke 2:25-38) find fellowship with Mary in their inspired discernment that the promises of God will have their long awaited fulfillment in her Son.
d. Mary has her own unique place near the center of that fellowship around the Son, because she is what no one else could ever be, the theotokos, the mother of God.

6. The action of the Spirit in Mary produces both prophecy and praise. The Spirit in her is the Spirit of worship, prayer and contemplation, enabling her to discern and interpret what God is accomplishing in and around her. She sings the Magnificat, and thinks on miraculous and mysterious things God has done for her, and treasures it in her heart (Luke 2:19,51). To receive this Spirit is to respond in praise to God. This Spirit is the Spirit of prayer.

7. What the Spirit does in Mary is the beginning of the future. It can only be understood in the context of what it leads to in the ministry, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, and in Pentecost, and what lies beyond. In the Spirit, Jesus, who is the world’s future, is born into the world’s present. The end of time appears in the middle of time. The last things begin happening. The Spirit brings into time, first into the time of Mary—then into the time of all—Christ, who has conquered death and is the new, the end Adam, the ultimate man (1 Cor. 15:45), who by the Spirit shares his humanity with us and begins transforming us into what God made us to be.

“For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen” (Rom. 11:36).

Blessings to all in preparing to worship in Spirit and Truth and celebrate the past, present and future coming of the Son of God and Son of Man.

A most welcome Trinitarian Advent song from Phil Keaggy

2010-12-12T14:19:00.000-08:00

With a more limited budget this year, I hadn’t planned on adding to my collection of Christmas music—that is, until Welcome Inn: a Phil Keaggy Christmas, caught my eye at the Fuller Seminary bookstore. Having witnessed several of Keaggy’s virtuoso performances first-hand, he’s a favorite of mine. His guitar playing is legendary, and he’s also a talented singer-songwriter (often said to sound a bit like Paul McCartney), so I couldn’t wait to hear this latest mostly original vocal/acoustic Christmas package (“In the Bleak Mid-Winter” and “Shades of Green and Red” are the only two instrumentals).

Surprise number one—my favorite of Phil’s originals on this CD isn’t a guitar-driven song. It’s the beautiful piano-based ballad “Father,” a reflective and worshipful song pointing to the love of the Triune God, and the roles of Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the story of the coming of the long awaited Savior, as well as the role of Mary—who did not fear the will of God. The song also testifies to the Triune God’s love and favor that will include all those given to receive, believe, and as children, become heirs of eternal life.

Father, you promised mankind
You gave your word there’d be a Savior coming
He came, the fullness of time
Revealed the long awaited favor of your love
And there is no love quite like yours

Jesus, you are the Promise
You are the Bright and Morning Star in my life
You came to live among us
While you were found there lying in a manger
You were a stranger to this cold world

Chorus:
And to those who receive you
And to those who believe in you
You gave the right to be the children of God
And the heirs of eternity
O, Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, and Prince of Peace

And Father, the Holy Spirit conceived the child within the womb of Mary
Your will, she didn’t fear it but she delighted in your perfect Wisdom
And there’s no Wisdom quite like yours

Surprise number two—the song “Father” isn’t really so new after all, as Keaggy told ChristianityToday,

I wrote it 30 years ago in Paul Clark’s basement for someone's Christmas compilation, and I chose to keep it to myself. It stayed in my mind and heart. It amazes me that at this time, 30 years later, it found just the right "home."

From the Creator’s heart to ours, the story continues finding a “home,” and Keaggy’s reflective Trinitarian song is most certainly welcome during this time of what Stephen Seamands has referred to as a Trinitarian renaissance of sorts—a continuing resurgence of interest in the Trinity beginning with Karl Barth and building even more momentum in recent decades.

In mentioning that Keaggy’s song is a ballad, and not a song intended for congregational singing, I’m reminded of a conversation with "retired" professor Edd ie G ibbs last year. Dr. Gibbs (who is of course busier than ever) graciously sat down with me over a cup of coffee to talk about worship and an ever-changing church culture. He suggested perhaps it is time for praise and worship church programs to include greater use of ballads—stories put to music—sprinkled between congregational songs or even during sermons, allowing a congregation time to reflect on important messages presented by a soloist or group.

Perhaps Dr. Gibbs is right. Phil Keaggy’s “Father” is surely one such example of a song we are blessed to reflect upon, as the Spirit reminds us of the Father’s love and life known and shared through the past, present and future coming of the promised Son named Jesus. Merry Christmas everyone!

Advent worship - Finding new meaning in old Christmas carols

2010-12-04T12:59:00.000-08:00

Much as I enjoyed singing Jesus Love Me, This Little Light of Mine, and I Will Make You Fishers of Men in Sunday school each week as a small child, those children’s standards were fairly blown out of the water at Christmastime by even better songs—a dozen or more centuries-old Christmas carols with memorable melodies and wondrous word pictures of a baby King named Jesus born in a stable to a virgin named Mary, as a host of heavenly angels joyfully sang “alleluias” to shepherds in fields near a little town on a clear night. Angels announced good news for all people -- the baby in the manger was the Savior, the Messiah!

I’m not a kid anymore, but the story in those traditional carols of the coming of the Son of God and Son of Man—the person named Jesus—is still nothing less than absolutely wondrous! So come Advent and Christmastime, I'm happily back to singing blast-from-the-past carols that have been sung by our Christian brothers and sisters century after century—describing the Father’s love revealed in Jesus by the Spirit.

Though not as commonly known as carols like Hark, the Herald Angels Sing, O Come All Ye Faithful, Angels We Have Heard on High, Silent Night, What Child Is This?, or It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, one of the oldest Christmas carols is Of the Father’s Love Begotten—part of an epic poem written by Aurelius Prudentius around AD 400 in Roman ruled Spain and sung to a tune written 800 years later in the 1200s.

[Here are four versions of the carol Of the Father’s Love Begotten, first, an ancient Christmas chant version with screen lyrics; next, a concert version sung by the Santa Barbara High School Madrigals; a presentation by the Azusa Pacific University Men’s Chorale; and finally a peaceful modern arrangement sung by a choir at First Free Church in Springfield, MO. Enjoy!]

During the past several Advent seasons, Gerrit Scott Dawson, Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has preached sermons within the theme of “Finding New Meaning in Old Carols.” Dawson is author of An Introduction to Torrance Theology: Discovering the Incarnate Saviour, and Jesus Ascended: The Meaning of Christ's Continuing Incarnation, and has been interviewed numerous times on the GCI video program, You’re Included.

Dawson’s Advent sermon of 11.28.10 is about the author of the carol Of the Father’s Love Begotten, and the relationship of two of its stanzas to foundational Christmas scriptures Luke 1:30-33 and John 17:24-26. [Click HERE to be linked to the church website to view or download the entire sermon transcript or listen to a recording of this very recent sermon, as well as Advent sermons from 2009.] Dawson highlights the following two stanzas of the carol.

Of the Father’s love begotten, ere the worlds began to be,
He is Alpha and Omega, he the source, the ending he,
Of the things that are, that have been, and that ever more shall be.

Of that birth forever blessed, when the Virgin, full of grace,
By the Holy Ghost conceiving, bore the Savior of our race,
And the babe, the world’s Redeemer, first revealed his sacred face.

Dawson reminds us that “the baby in Mary’s arms had been in a relationship of love with the everlasting Father before the foundation of the world” and that

1) The universe came to be as part of the love story of the Father and the Son.
2) Jesus wants us to be taken into his eternal love story.
3) Jesus brings us into his love story by coming to dwell within us

Dawson concludes his sermon by reminding us of the priority of praise.

There is nothing more practical than praise. We can’t imagine before we praise God for who he is how this can be. It seems irrelevant. But telling the story back to God, praising him for the love story of Christmas, is actually the only way we get taken into the story. It’s the way we believe. We hear the story and reflect it back. This Advent, let’s take time every day to contemplate just what happened that first Christmas. The eternal Son showed his face in Mary’s arms. Love pierced the sin-dark shroud of the world’s night. Look upon him by faith and enter the love.

Amen! Blessings to all as you take part in worship this Advent. If you have not already done so, you may want to visit previous Trinitarian Worship posts 11.26.10, containing the poem “Christ Child”, the 11.30.09 post, Christmas Reader’s Theater, and 11.24.09, Songs for the coming of Jesus.

Preparation for Advent Services - Christ holds our flesh in His!

2010-11-26T12:32:00.000-08:00

As we prepare for the Advent season, I’d like to share the poem, Christ Child, my favorite poem written by dear friends John and Nancy McKenna. First published in The Burning Green (1996, Wipf and Stock), it is more recently found on p. 318 of The Great AMEN of the Great I-AM: God in covenant with His people in His creation, by John McKenna (2008, Wipf & Stock Publishers), where John uses their poem to punctuate the conclusion of chapter eight, “The Church and the World.” We are bid to ponder the wondrous and surprising message that Christ holds our flesh in His! Thanks John and Nancy!

Also below is a list of 14 ideas for a progression of four Advent services, sent to us from Ted Johnston, writer / moderator of The Surprising God. Thank you Ted!

___________________________________

Christ Child

by John and Nancy McKenna

Like the seas change
Land and the longing
Dark wraps like arms
The earth in sound,
A small child pushes in his hand
His dreams into a blue sky.
And round the beginningless roar
He alone who reigns holily
Shall take and hold,
For as long as forever is,
Their flesh in His.

___________________________

Fourteen ideas for a progression of four Advent services

*Hope - Isaiah 9:2
 *Peace - Isaiah 9:6-7; John 14:27 
*Joy - Isaiah 65:18; Galatians 5:22-25
 *Love - Deuteronomy 10:17-19a; John 13:34-35  

*God’s People - Isaiah 64.1-9 
*OT Prophets - Jeremiah 33.12-16
 *John the Baptist - Matthew 3.1-12
 *Mary - Luke 1.26-38  

*Waiting - Isaiah 52:7-10 
*Accepting - Luke 1:26-38 
*Journeying - Isaiah 55:6-13 
*Birthing - Luke 2:1-7

  *Expectation - Luke 1:5-17 
*Bethlehem - Micah 5:2
 *Angels - Luke 1:26-38 
*Shepherds - Luke 2:8-20  

*Expectation - Luke 21: 25-36
 *Preparation - Luke 1: 68-79
*Repentance - Luke 3: 7-18
 *Rejoice Luke - 1: 39-55

  *The prophets - Jeremiah 33.12-16
 *John the Baptist - Matthew 3.1-12
 *Mary - Luke 1.26-38 
*Three Kings - Matthew 2:1-12

  *Expectation - Isaiah 42: 1-9 
*Annunciation - Luke 1:26-38
 *Proclamation - Luke 3.7-18
 *Fulfillment - Luke 21: 25-36  

*People with a Song - Psalm 147:1-3,12-14
 *Song of a Brother and a Sister - Ex 15:1-21 
*Two Songs of the Big Night - Luke 2:8-10
 *Song of Mary - Luke 1:46-55

  *Here Comes God! - Micah 1:2-3
 *Like a Plowed Field - Micah 3:12 
*The Poor Man's Ruler - Micah 5:2 
*The Strong Shepherd - Micah 5:4

  *Anticipation - Isaiah 25:6-26:6 
*Patience - Romans 8:25
 *Hope - 1 Peter 1:3 
*Revelation - Hebrews 1:1-4

  *He Reveals Himself - Exodus 3:1-15
 *He Calls Us for Life - 1 Samuel 3:1-10
 *He Stretches Us - Jonah (selected verses) 
* He Accomplishes Great Things - Luke 1:26-38

  *Comfort My People! - Isaiah 40:1-2 
*The Straight Highway - Isaiah 40:3-5 
*The Breath of God - Isaiah 40:6-8
 *God's Good Tidings - Isaiah 40:9

*Mary's song - Luke 1:46-55 
*Zechariah's - song Luke 1:67-79
 *John the Baptist's song - Luke 3:1-18 
*Angels' song - Luke 2:14  

*Coming to Execute Justice - Isaiah 25:6-26:6 
*Coming to Forgive Sins - Ephesians 1:3-14 
*Coming to Renew Love - 1 John 4:13-16
 *Coming to Feed the Hungry - John 6:50-51

As always, ideas, comments, suggestions and questions are most welcome. Blessings, as you prepare to worship, serve and share during this Advent season!

This Thanksgiving, give thanks as a Christian

2010-11-18T15:34:00.000-08:00

[Following is an excerpt from an article by Matt Royal. You can read Matt’s entire article Giving Thanks as a Christian, in the Nov. 8, 2010 issue of The Adopted Life. The same issue includes an excellent article on Advent by Jonathan Stepp, titled The Womb of the Incarnation.]

The act of thanksgiving centers us, stabilizes us, and reinforces the truth of our place of dependence in this universe. When we as Christians give thanks to our God, we are not just giving thanks to the source of all blessings. We are giving thanks to a God who knows us and who shares his life with us in a personal way. We give thanks to the one true God who is (and always has been) all about person-to-person relationships.

We give thanks to a God who is not a simple individual, but a community. He is the Trinity—one God who is Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit. In our God the sharing of life and love has always been who he is, and out of that he shares his life with us. Out of his energy and intellect and self-giving, he gave us the possibility and the reality of life and breath; because of him we have minds and hearts and strength. He shares in all our joys and all our pains. And out of his incredible affection and care for us, in Jesus he shares in our human life willingly and graciously.

God honors our personhood. You and I are not just pieces of the created universe. It isn’t as if, from God’s perspective, there’s this classification called ‘Humanity” and we’re just random, unremarkable examples of it. God likes us and our uniqueness. He likes the interactivity, the give-and-take that happens when people come together. Paul speaks directly to this divine privilege of personhood and relationship.

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them (I Timothy 2:1, NLT).

This Thanksgiving, give thanks for your family as a whole, but also give thanks for each member individually, personally, as an individual gift of presence, in themselves a blessing! God decided to bring that person into the world—different and special, just as he brought you into the world, with your unique laugh and walk and way of being you. Give thanks for those who couldn’t be with you, for those who wouldn’t be with you. Maybe right there, at the table—maybe privately, between you and God.

Choose to see each person as a blessing, and as someone who needs blessing. They need the same blessings you need; all the nastiness and trouble that has become evident in their lives and in their relationships with you and the people you love may just be a judgment that they need Jesus, and the need for God’s will “that everyone be saved and understand the truth” to become known as real in their life. Choose to see God’s wisdom in making that person and bringing him into your life. Trust God’s control of your future, and of theirs, and give up trust in yourself. Give up the idea that you really see things as they truly are.

For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time (1 Timothy 2:6).

Know that Jesus has bought your freedom, our freedom. Know that redemption is a reality. Know that—as we are going to sing in a few weeks—God and sinners are reconciled. All those people we find it difficult to give thanks for, all those people who seem miserable and intent on making us miserable… It’s a lot easier to give thanks for them when we know that their freedom has been paid for! Their reconciliation has been accomplished!

Just as God has given you and me freedom and has brought us into his life, the truth is that in his relationship with the rest of the people in our world, God is not captive to their attitudes, their anger, their blindness and their resentments! We may find them difficult to be around, but God has always chosen to be around them—and having been there, and having known them as they are, in Jesus God has given his life that they may live in him.

This year, have a wonderful Trinitarian Thanksgiving!

Lord’s Prayer - Part 4: The Spirit-filled forgiven community is a forgiving community

2010-11-13T09:42:00.000-08:00

In The Forgotten Father, by Thomas A. Smail, the author suggests that with the particular placement of petition for pardon (“Forgive us our sins”) Jesus teaches his disciples that we are to make such petition only after we have already

praised the Father, exposed ourselves to the call and grace of his kingdom, set ourselves within the generosity of his provision for us” that we can and must see the wrongness of our present response to him and have recourse to his cleansing and forgiveness (p. 166).

[Valuable advice for pastors, worship planners and worship leaders, in designing and carrying out worship services.] To bypass the clear priorities of these earlier parts of the Lord’s prayer (Luke 11:1-4), and to immediately rush to request pardon can lead to a “guilt-ridden religion that is obsessed with its sins and unworthiness.”

Smail also reminds the people of God of the social consequences of the gospel of forgiveness – that it is not merely an “individualistic inner transaction with God,” for receiving God’s forgiveness will mean sharing forgiveness with others (“for we also forgive everyone who sins against us”).

The forgiven community is also a forgiving community among it’s own membership and towards its enemies outside. If it is not that, it brings into doubt the reality of God’s forgiveness which it exists to proclaim (p. 166).

Finally, Smail writes that God’s delivering action in providing his Son for us “not only covers past transgression, but sets us free from assaulting and continuing temptation.” The author cites scholars who say the intent of the original language in the next line of the prayer about our ongoing sanctification might be better rendered as, “And do not let us be handed over to the power of temptation,” as Jesus teaches his disciples to continue praying as we find our pathways filled with traps and lures which test our faith.

Smail then points to Jesus’ further comments on some of the petitions (Luke 11:5-13) and to Jesus’ invitation to the disciples in Verse 13 to pray for the Holy Spirit, as “it is only in the Spirit that the Lord’s prayer could be prayed with any reality.”

Only in the Spirit can we call God Father (Gal. 4:6); only when filled with the Spirit can we praise his name (Eph. 5:19), that we receive the good gifts of God (I Cor. 12) and are convinced of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8-11) and so are sanctified and kept out of the power of evil (p. 167).

Smail reminds us that even in synoptic teaching of Luke, we see implications that Christian prayer is Trinitarian in nature, as prayer is

addressed to the Father, the way to whom is through Christ the Son who teaches his disciples to pray, and the possibility of that praying is the gift of the Holy Spirit. That is explicitly formulated in Eph. 2:18, which also reminds us that such a prayer has its locus within the fellowship where Jews and Gentiles have through the cross been reconciled into one family. “Through him [Christ] we have access by one Spirit to the Father (p. 168).

[The late James B. Torrance listed Thomas A. Smail as one of his most brilliant students. Other helpful books by Smail include The Giving Gift: The Holy Spirit in Person.]

Lord’s Prayer, Part 3 - Praying for the kingdom that keeps on coming, and heavenly bread for the great Tomorrow

2010-11-06T10:39:00.000-07:00

Continuing with our study of the Lord’s Prayer from The Forgotten Father, by Thomas Smail – After having taught his disciples to praise the Father in prayer (Luke 11), Jesus then invites them to pray “Your kingdom come.”

We can pray to put ourselves at his disposal so that by his sovereign grace he may continue to “work his kingdom in us, among us and through us.” Smail reminds us, “With the coming of the kingdom we are dealing with the last things, but with the last things that have already overtaken us in the coming of Jesus…”

1. The kingdom has already come with the coming of Jesus—the last days have begun
2. It keeps on coming and make’s it’s presence known as the risen King lives and works among us by the Spirit
3. But like the anticipated return of the King, the final coming of the kingdom is still in the future.

As noted in the post of 10.24.10, there is a Jewish prayer similar to the one Jesus taught. However, with the Father having already sent Jesus in the world, we note the difference.

That the kingdom has [already] come gives the Christian prayer, over against the similar Jewish one, its peculiar confidence, that it keeps on coming gives it its distinctive expectation; that it will come completely as and when God decides, gives it its unique hope. (p. 164)

In discussing how Jesus moves next in the prayer to God’s loving provision for our needs, Smail points to what he considers the “irreversible order” of Christian worship.”

1. Praise centered on God’s name as Father
2. Seeking the kingdom and its righteousness
3. Seeking intercession centered on our needs

Our Father cares for and is eager to be approached about our daily needs. Smail writes,

The phrase epiousious artos, usually rendered daily bread, has caused the commentators a lot of trouble. It can mean bread that is essential….it can also mean bread for tomorrow, and it can also mean bread for the great Tomorrow, heavenly, eschatological bread – “food which God provides is food for body and soul; he gives men what they need and he gives them a rich foretaste of the rich provision available in the kingdom of God” (I. Howard Marshall, The Gospel of Luke). [This reminds us of] John 6….[where Jesus] meets the physical hunger of the multitude, offers himself to them as the bread of life which God gives to meet their ultimate hunger….[and reminds us of] the sacrament in which these two kinds of bread become one. (p. 165).

Luke 11 goes on to show those who ask in Christ’s name receive bread from the Father, and in seeking find the Father’s provision for them—in knocking find the door into the Father’s house continually opening before them. The Spirit and his gifts and fruit are through Christ, the bread for the Great Tomorrow. Smail reminds us that our prayers,

do not move in the world of guaranteed techniques and fixed laws, but in the world of personal relationships, where prayers are changed and modified as they are brought before the Father….[who] knows not only how to give what we ask but “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” [Eph. 3:20] (p. 165).

[Note: Page numbers of The Forgotten Father referenced here are from the 1980 edition, Eerdmans Publishing Co. Later printings are available from Wipf and Stock.]

Lord’s Prayer – part 2 – Jesus teaches us to begin with praise before asking in hope

2010-10-30T10:46:00.000-07:00

In personal and corporate worship, we are blessed in recognizing both the Triune nature of God and the Trinitarian nature of prayer and worship. Through Christ we have access by one Spirit to the Father (Eph. 2:18).

Last time we noted that in The Forgotten Father, Thomas Smail urges us not to succumb to a man-centered, need-dominated distortion of the gospel. The life of Jesus “was not dominated by the claims of men, but [rather was] surrendered to the claim of God,” and that the chief aim of humanity is not the self-centered goal of having our soul saved or body healed, but to glorify God and enjoy him forever. Jesus use of “Abba” is not only deeply personal, but can also be liturgical.

The first request Jesus taught us to pray in Luke 11 is, “Your Name be hallowed.” Some might think of this more as a declaration of praise than a petition, but we can join with Jesus in asking that we and others learn to give glory to and rejoice over the holy name of God that has been shown to be our heavenly Father.

Smail reminds us the early Church considered it a privilege to pray this prayer that was not known to those outside the worship of the believers. Only Christians had been given to know God as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It took Holy Spirit boldness to dare to say Our Father. That is reflected in the… formula used in the liturgy of St John Chrysostom [c. 349-407] by the Orthodox to this day, “And make us worthy that we joyously and without presumption may be made bold to invoke Thee, the heavenly God and to say Our Father” (p. 162).

Even today most do not know God as the Father of our Lord Jesus—and are not aware of the sending of the Spirit, or the ongoing Priesthood of our living Lord. And if we do know it, the words can become just so much church jargon. So glorifying and proclaiming God’s name as Father has both a negative and a positive.

God’s name has been uniquely revealed to be Father and in our worship the character of his fatherhood is to be glorified and proclaimed… [and] is to be guarded from all misuses and desecration… God is not to be turned into an indulgent heavenly Daddy whose main function is to gratify our wishes…. [But in some circles] there is a pious taking of God’s name in vain by people who give the impression that the heavenly Father is so busy giving them infallible messages about every detail of their lives, that….[it generates into] a form of words without much meaning, especially when the content of the alleged divine communication is so often entirely banal.

Those who through Christ and in the power of the Spirit know his name will indeed have the freedom to rejoice in it and the fellowship it opens, but they need also the reticence, discrimination and godly fear to keep it holy (pp. 162-163).

Smail reminds us we are to avoid a man-centered type of worship that will

begin and end with confession and petition, with our own sins and needs in the center. But where the center ceases to be ‘Lord bless me’ and has become ‘Bless the Lord,’ when we begin to praise God for his grace, power and love as Father….then the name of the Father is being hallowed by being made first and central….[For us to] begin with intercession is to end with depression, but to begin with praise is to come to the point where we can ask in hope (p. 164).

Speaking of the prayers of Jesus, Smail quotes theologian and Near Eastern scholar Joachim Jeremias,

It is characteristic of this new mode of prayer that it is dominated by thanksgiving…. There is a profound reason for this…. A fine saying from Tannaitic times [from Rabbinic sages around 70-200 CE] runs, ‘In the world to come all sacrifices will cease, but the thank-offering will remain for ever: likewise all confession will cease, but the confession of thanks will remain for ever.’ Thanksgiving is one of the foremost characteristics of the new age. So when Jesus gives thanks, he is not just following custom….he is actualizing God’s reign here and now.

Similarly at the beginning and ending of letters from Paul we find the formula, “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” or “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Cr. 1:3; 11:31, Eph. 1:3). So when Christ is at work in our worship, there’s a priority on thanks and praise (Eph. 5:19-20).

Jesus first petition that invites us to bless, thank and praise the Father is preparation for the second petition, “Your kingdom come,” which we’ll examine in the next post. As always, your comments are most welcome.

Keeping it practical: Learning to pray “Abba” to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ

2010-10-24T22:48:00.000-07:00

I’ve been reading The Forgotten Father, by Thomas Smail, who says we often forget about the Father in our life and worship, and become imprisoned in a “man-centered, need-dominated distortion of the gospel where Christ and his Spirit can be easily reduced to the source of our blessings and the satisfiers and servants of our needs.”

Smail says this distortion happens when we forget the Father and forget that the life of Jesus “was not dominated by the claims of men, but [rather was] surrendered to the claim of God.”

Thus we need full orientation to the whole Trinity, to Spirit and Son, but also to the Father to remind us that man’s chief end is not to have his soul saved or his body healed or even his church revived—but is to glorify God and enjoy him forever…[And when that’s the case] worship ceases to be simply religious entertainment or mutual edification and becomes God-centered praise, when in the power of the Spirit a man or a church are delivered from their own problems and are available to serve and suffer as God appoints.

That happens more and more as the shape of the Christian life in the Spirit becomes the same shape as the New Testament gospel and the life of the God that gave it, and as in the Spirit and through the Son we seek and find the Father. [John 14:8] “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” (p. 28)

In chapter nine (Our Father and our Worship) Smail discusses “the Lord’s prayer,” and what is revealed about the Father in Jesus giving the disciples this prayer.

Abba….is prayer before it is theology…. When God is called Father in Paul and the synoptics, the context is most often prayer and worship, which is not surprising when we remember that the word Abba itself goes back to Gethsemane and the prayer life of Jesus that reached its climax there…. [We] now look at the Lord’s prayer.….to see what we can learn from the way in which Jesus invites us to approach and address his Father and ours. A few general points….

1. [Theologian, Jocahim Jeremias] argues convincingly that the version in Luke is likely to be nearer to the original than the one in Matthew. The Matthew form is most likely later liturgical expansion…. The original form of the prayer behind Luke 11:2-4 was most probably “Dear Father, your name be hallowed, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins for we also forgive everyone who sins against us, and do not let us be handed over to the power of temptation.” Behind the Greek Pater there almost certainly lies an Aramaic Abba, which we have rendered Dear Father.

2. The Lord’s prayer is related to the Jewish liturgy and in fact stands in the main tradition of Jewish prayer. Its first two petitions are closely connected with an Aramaic prayer regularly used at the end of the synagogue sermon which also seeks the hallowing of God’s name and the coming of his kingdom. Jesus does not reject but takes up and enlivens the inherited liturgical forms of his people’s worship…. The prayer Jesus gave us, far from authorizing a dismissal of set liturgy, itself makes use of it and gives it new relevance and urgency in the light of the present approach of the kingdom and the king.

3. But [also] the Lord’s prayer is warm and familiar. Most daily Jewish prayers were in Hebrew, the special holy language of worship, but Jesus’ prayer is in Aramaic, the ordinary language of the people. He prays to Abba, a God too close to be appropriately addressed in the archaic language of long ago, because he is the living God of today, deeply involved with the contemporary life of his people…. [so Jesus] removes prayer from the liturgical sphere of sacred language and place it right in the midst of everyday life…. [so] the two traditions of liturgical and spontaneous prayer are reconciled at their source, and are shown to belong together rather than to be at loggerheads.

4. The Lord’s prayer is a particular prayer of the followers of Jesus. It was the custom for religious groups and fellowships to be identified by a distinctive form and rule of prayer. The group round John the Baptist had been so identified and the request of the disciples [Luke 11:1] was that Jesus would give them a form of prayer that would arise from and express what was essential in their life together (pp. 160-162).

Note: In lectures on prayer and worship given by James B. Torrance in ’97 (see last week’s posting for links to the recordings) J.B.T. mentions Thomas Smail [pictured left] as having been one of his most brilliant theology students. Smail’s The Forgotten Father was first published in 1980, and reprinted in 2001. Also see Smail’s Like Father, Like Son: the trinity imaged in our humanity (Eerdmans, 2006).

Next time we’ll look at the petitions Jesus taught in ‘the Lord’s prayer.’ As always your comments are most welcome.

What songs & hymns reflect the theology of this Trinitarian worship blog?

2010-10-16T12:18:00.000-07:00

Last time we touched upon a starting place for this discussion—a place of being and belonging. Jesus already loves us and we belong to him in spite of our weakness.

In launching this blog (09.08.09) I described my quest in ’95-’96 to understand worship, and how in my view dozens of books failed to get to the core of worship, but that a breakthrough came in ’97, when several key books were suggested, including Worship, Community and the Triune God of Grace, by James B. Torrance.

J.B.T. defined worship as the gift of participating through the Spirit in what the incarnate Son has done once and for all, and what the Son continues to do today, in his communion with the Father and in his mission from the Father to the world. In prayer and worship, the risen, ascended Jesus lifts us up by the Spirit out of our grief, sorrow and selfishness, taking us into the Holy of Holies to share in his life of communion with the Father.

[Note: The book is a short summary of decades of his teachings on prayer and worship, culminating in a series of lectures J.B.T. gave at various locations in the 1990’s. On the 10.11.10 post of The Surprising God blog, Ted Johnston provides a link to four such lectures presented in '97, or you can Click here to go to a link.]

At that time I also read Royal Priesthood, and The Mediation of Christ, by J.B’s older brother Thomas F. Torrance, and again the key point is the sufficiency of Christ—about Jesus (our High Priest) sharing with us his ongoing life, worship and communion with the Father in Spirit. However none of these books mention specific songs to sing. Why so?

For one thing, they are meant as foundational tools, not detailed “how to” manuals. But perhaps it’s also so we stay focused on Christ rather than our own words. Our thoughts and words are limited. Yes, we do our best to express our hearts in petition, and offer up heartfelt praise, thanks and testimonies, but even at our best (including the most gifted among us), what we put together is still imperfect, inaccurate and incomplete, and the point of these books is plainly the sufficiency of Christ—that in Christ (the perfect offering) our worship and prayers are gladly accepted as perfect at the throne of Grace.

Yes, the expressions of our hearts matter. But they will be always be stated in different ways as we pray and sing—dependent on the time, place and happenings in our own life and that of our worship community. In each era of the church, and in each worshiping community, we find our own worship “voice” arising out of God’s action and gifting.

In WCTGG Torrance reminds us that the person of Jesus shares his life with us, and that by grace the Father has given us Jesus and the Holy Spirit—drawing us into a prayer and worship union with him—already giving us what we need to pray and worship. By the Spirit our weak incomplete and fractured thoughts, prayers and worship are taken up by Jesus, as he lifts each one of us up with him to the Father and makes his own perfect words ours and makes our imperfect words his.

We might consider the worship service from beginning to end as one continuous testimony and prayer of Jesus. No one song or collection of songs is expansively complete or perfect, but is complete only in Jesus. He is our Song—our living Prayer, our perfect Worship—is man’s word to God and God’s Word to man.

Of course we want to do our best, and be faithful witnesses, but it is easy to fall into a mode of wearying hyper-correctness that places every word under a microscope, and drains worship of its fresh joy, heart, and personal expression. It is also easy to forget that songs are poetry and not prose.

In my view, perhaps 99% of all hymns or worship songs are just fine. It’s just that most songs (with the exception of a few creedal anthems, or hymns with umpteen verses) are generally focused on some slice of the larger picture, just like just a couple of Bible verses aren’t going to tell every possible part of the larger story. The work of the worship planner is to put parts together to tell that larger story.

But even the best list of songs will not have the best effect if the worship leader loses sight of Jesus being our High Priest and Mediator—of how in the Spirit we have been drawn into union with the Triune God. Overlooking that, we fall into a somewhat Arminian or Pelagian approach, making it seem God is far away and that we must work harder to reach or please God, and think we can somehow make our worship "worthy" by singing louder, praying longer, or by being more wordy, passionate, authentic, focused, humble, or by taking a particular posture in worship—turning everything into our own effort, throwing us back onto ourselves, as if we have no heavenly High Priest.

We do well to remember that the theologians mentioned on this blog actually come from varying denominations and worship traditions, and in most cases they are also considered ecumenical theologians. Their focus is on Christ. They sing different hymns or songs in different churches, and they know different things resonate with different people.

One final thought on our theologies as we plan worship. In Reality and Evangelical Theology, T.F. Torrance quotes Paul, “Let God be true and every man a liar,” and then Torrance reminds us, “No man may boast of his own orthodoxy any more than he may boast of his own righteousness” (p. 18). We should always acknowledge our inadequacy and deficiency and point to Jesus rather than ourselves.

Blessings as you point to the love of God known in Jesus. Enjoy! Worship!

Keeping it practical: boiling down a bazillion words

2010-10-02T14:55:00.000-07:00

A reader sends a great question, “What songs and hymns reflect the theology that is represented on this Trinitarian worship blog?”

For the past year we’ve touched on the theology of T.F. Torrance and J.B. Torrance, and a generation of theologians they mentored, such as Andrew Purves, Chris Kettler and John McKenna, as well as an even younger generation of teachers such as Julie Canlis, Jeff McSwain and Robin Parry. What we’ve seen is that this Christ-centered, Trinitarian, incarnational theology has everything to do with worship!

And how is the essence of this theology put into songs for the people of God? We do well to revisit the wisdom of one of T.F. Torrance’s great teachers, Swiss theologian Karl Barth—arguably the most significant theologian of the 20th century, and perhaps the most important theological voice since the Reformation. Christianity Today called Barth “…one of the giants in the history of theology.” Pardon the pun, but Barth even graced the cover of TIME magazine during his one visit to America in 1962.

[Note: Barth’s important bazillion-word, 13-volume Church Dogmatics, was written over the span of 35 years, covering the doctrines of the Word of God, God, Creation and Reconciliation, taking “all that has been said before and to think it through once more and freshly to articulate it anew as a theology of the grace of God in Jesus Christ.” Sort of makes your head spin, doesn’t it?]

But when the old professor was asked at Union Theological Seminary in Richmond VA (during one leg of his U.S. visit) to summarize the essence of all he had discovered and published in his long theological life, Barth is said to have paused a moment [drum roll here] and replied, "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so." [Huge cymbal crash!] (From the epilogue to Karl Barth’s, Fragments Grave and Gay, editor Martin Rumscheidt, London: Collins, 1971, p. 124.)

My point is not that all our worship songs and hymns need be as simple as that famous children’s song, but that as Barth demonstrated, this theology boils down to the love of God revealed, known and lived out in the person that is Jesus, and pointed to in scripture—and that’s what we sing about as we worship.

Youth minister and founder of Reality Ministries Jeff McSwain points to the second half of the first verse of the Anna Warmer song Barth quoted, saying unfortunately Christians often go about life and evangelism as if people only belong to Jesus and are included in his love only if we say and do certain things. Instead, McSwain preaches the gospel

with an emphasis on theological belonging, the idea that humanity belongs to Jesus Christ by virtue of creation and redemption. Rather than splitting Christ as Creator from Christ as Redeemer, [my aim is to] preserve the gospel symmetry proclaimed by Paul in Colossians 1, where he speaks of the Christ who created and reconciled all things (Col. 1:16, 20). This is the gospel “that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven” (Col. 1:23) [and declaring] every person is included not only in the first Adam but also in the second (Rom. 5:18).

  [We] embrace kids at their worst because that is the way God is! We do not show love and grace to kids so that we can eventually introduce them to a different “god” (i.e., a god who is angry and withdrawn)…. We teach our children these words—‘Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so, little ones to him belong, they are weak, but he is strong’—are we to tell kids that when they get to be a certain age this is no longer the case? Are we to tell them they belong to Jesus if . . .? Is belonging with an if really belonging at all?

[Click HERE to see Jeff McSwain in the first of three interviews on You're Included, as he talks about how to help young people experience the loving embrace of Jesus Christ.]

We’ll continue discussing songs and hymns on this blog. But whether we are a kid or an old theology professor, Jesus is our song, our prayer—our worship. He loves us and we belong to him in spite of our weakness. It’s as simple as that. You can work out what songs you use to proclaim it, whether you sing it in an old Fanny Crosby hymn, or a new song by Chris Tomlin or Matt Redman.

It’s the message of the world’s best known children’s song. It’s what the people of God are blessed to know and experience before we can ever get around to a bazillion other words.

Singing sinners, singing saints – the mixed bag of wickedness and righteousness

2010-09-21T11:01:00.000-07:00

Here we are singing in church—sinners saved by grace—all singing praises and giving thanks through the Spirit for the love of God known in Jesus, who has made us his own, and who lives in us (Gal. 2:19-20).

Yet admittedly, sometimes we church-goers and the churches we attend become not a little hard to stomach, so it has become common of late for book after book to trumpet the general notion that “God is good, but church stinks, so I’m outta here,” as perceptive authors point to church problems and quote the disillusioned, the turned-off, the disaffected.

So it was quite a change to see a book titled Why We Love the Church: in praise of institutions and organized religion, 2009, by Kevin Deyoung and Ted Kluck (also coauthors of Why We’re Not Emergent). While agreeing the church has a boatload of problems and imperfections, the authors take exception to the growing attempt to have God without church, and they hope that by God’s grace their book might encourage four kinds of people—the committed, the disgruntled, the waffling, and the disconnected—to not give up on the local church, no matter how imperfect it may be.

Citing a common tendency to develop an idealized notion of how a churched community should be, the authors aptly quote Dietrich Bonhoeffer from Life Together,

Anyone who loves the dream of community more than the Christian community itself [warts and all] becomes a destroyer of the latter even though the devotion to the former is faultless and the intentions may be ever so honest, earnest and sacrificial.

My theology is not identical to Deyoung’s and Kluck’s, but their book contains plenty to agree upon. Ted Kluck says his generation (people in their 30’s) seems to want to feel great during each and every church service, which besides being a bit unrealistic is not what community and the gospel are about. He then paints a touching real picture of the church community of love he is part of—including what looks for all purposes like a lack of happy endings—as rather than continual mountaintop experiences, or perfect testimonies, people suffer with, care for, and pray for one another.

As I look around the room this morning, I see a great man with Lou Gehrig’s disease, holding hands with his sweet wife. I see another couple, the husband just diagnosed with cancer that will probably take his life in six months or so. I see a weird military vet guy who fried his brain on drugs in Iraq… (pp. 192-3).

I also appreciate their discussion of the invisible-visible dimension of church. In a nutshell, the saints are, of course, still human—still sinners—therefore much of the glory of the church is yet to be fully revealed, is still hidden, so to speak, in the visible church. “Instead of beauty we see imperfection. We see a community often unlike Christ. We see the church with little ‘already’ and a lot of ‘not yet’” (page 163). And rather than seeing this as a reason for being patient with the church, some use it as an excuse to leave or avoid commitment to the gathered body of Christ.

Related to the “already” and “not yet” is the matter of “the old man, and the new man,” and there is an excellent discussion on this important subject, including how it relates to corporate worship, in a recent interview with Jeff McSwain, founder of Reality Ministries, on the You’re Included program. [Click here to view the entire 31 minute video interview, which is Jeff’s third on the program.]

Jeff is asked about how we can live now by the Holy Spirit as righteous sons of God, even though our lives are a mixed bag of righteousness and wickedness. Is it that, as Paul says in 1 Cor. 13, “we see in a glass (or mirror) darkly”—that we see poorly, have a hard time seeing our true selves as God made us to be, but that the time is coming when we will see ourselves as we really are?

Jeff McSwain: That’s right. That distortion is there, because we think of our own sinfulness in a sinful way, and only by the revelation of God can we really see him and ourselves as we really are. And we have to keep reminding each other of that. That’s why this whole thing is corporate from beginning to end. What must I do to be saved? Well, BE saved, because you are. How do I do that? How do I do that? I want to know how, how, how? Well, let’s do it together. Let’s just celebrate it. Let’s pretend like it’s true. Let’s keep thanking God over and over and be grateful for what he has done, and let’s rub in the ointment of grace, and pretty soon we’ll begin to have the mind of Christ which we have been given to think about ourselves more accurately, and not only that, to think about everybody else in the world more accurately.

The mind of Christ. The ointment of grace. Amen. That’s why we sing—together.

Congregational singing, and how special does ‘Special Music’ really need to be?

2010-09-05T15:49:00.000-07:00

Nearly all churches use music of some kind—congregations sing hymns or worship songs, and some churches also use ‘special music,’ i.e. a selection of music (vocal or instrumental, solo, duet or ensemble) performed while an offering is taken up, or as a set-up to the sermon, or even as part of the message for the day.

At one time in our fellowship ‘special music’ was the norm—whether from an up-and-coming young music student, an established singer or musician, or a church choir. For years I was on a list of volunteer singers and musicians on a circuit to perform ‘specials’ at our home church in Pasadena and then make day trips to other churches throughout Southern CA. Great memories of serving and getting to know brothers and sisters in so many different congregations. But things change.

If you serve a very small church, it’s hard enough just figuring out how to do regular congregational singing, what less special music. If you’re really blessed, there’s a resident musician for accompaniment. For others, recorded accompaniment helps.

Sometimes we might feel bad about the humbleness of our small worship services—no huge sanctuary, choir, band or orchestra—just few folks gathered to pray, sing, hear the word, share communion, and fellowship. And while we’d all love to sound like angels, perhaps you say, “we can’t really muster up anything special enough to be called ‘special music’ and our regular worship music isn’t too hot either.”

Yes, we wish we could employ the grandest choir and orchestra to give highest praises to our God. But this blog takes a Christ-centered Trinitarian approach in reminding us that Jesus himself is our Worship. It is the Holy Spirit who has touched our hearts with the heavenly desire to glorify God in loving response. And in the living person that is Jesus, the Father has already graciously sent us the perfect obedient response, offering and worship, which we could never have given of ourselves. In Spirit and through the lips of our faithful High Priest Jesus, our fractured prayers and humble songs (indeed our lives as New Creations in Christ) are accepted as perfect at the throne of Grace, as our crucified, risen and ascended Mediator includes us in his ongoing life and worship.

In other words, no matter whether its congregational singing, or any other kind of worship, it is truly “from Him and through Him and to Him” that all things are done to the praise and glory of God (Romans 11:36). Jesus is our Song, our Joy!

What does that look like where you are? There’s no one ‘right way’ to design a worship service, and there is no ‘one size fits all’ church shoe for us to wear. Much depends on resources, circumstances, and what you see God doing in your midst. I encourage you to share your thoughts and experiences, as well as ideas for moving forward. Feel free to comment either by name or anonymously.

1. What has proven to be helpful where you are (and what are the resources and circumstances where you are)?
2. Does your congregation use ‘special music’ in addition to congregational singing? Why or why not?
3. What non-musical things are you employing (describe and explain)?

Mythology or theology? And would you invite this person to a cookout?

2010-08-29T14:11:00.000-07:00

Did the Council of Nicaea recommend niacin? Is Pelagianism related to plagiarism? Is the father of 70 children called a Septuagint? Does the Kenotic Theory explain the mystery of why Ken is no longer with Barbie? And can anyone you’d want to invite to a cookout even pronounce Eutychianism, what less know what it means?

Okay, so you might know the answer to some of the above, but let's face it, theological sounding terms and the word ‘theology’ itself just smacks of confusing academia—and of old dead guys in the Church—and seems to have little to do with the simplicity that is in Christ. ['Dead old guy' Athanasius, pictured below, died way back in 373, and we'll get to him shortly.] Besides, all you really want to do is be able to share a prayer, a song, or a timely meaningful word with your sisters and brothers. You're not after a PhD.

Perhaps you’ll find encouragement in the words of respected theologian T.F. Torrance from pages 445-446 of the Epilogue of Atonement: the pers on and work of Christ. (Okay, T.F. died at the age of 94 in 2007, so we respectfully admit he’s an ‘old dead guy in the Church’ now too, but let's focus on the meaning of his message.) He says being attuned to and governed by the mind of Christ “is much more important than being able to offer a formal academic account of some doctrine or historic debate in the church.” And he spoke of developing a sort of theological instinct.

“I have been wonderfully blessed with a mother and a wife who have a profoundly Christian, and indeed a remarkably theological, instinct. My mother had little academic training in theology, but her life and her understanding were so tuned in to the mind of Christ that she knew at once where the truth lay and was quick to discern any deviation from it. This is also very true of my dear wife, who is imbuded with an unerring theological instinct….

At the end of the day that was the test I used to put to my students, as I read their essays and examinations or listened to them in the chapel [daily prayers in New College chapel were often led by a student or staff member after morning lectures]. Has this person a genuinely theological instinct or not? Is his or her thinking spontaneously and naturally governed by the mind of Christ? That is much more important than being theologically learned, much more important than being able to offer a formal academic account of some doctrine of historic debate in the church. What really counts in the end is whether a person’s mind is radically transformed by Christ and so spiritually attuned to the mind of Christ that he or she thinks instinctively from the depths of their mental being in a way worthy of God.”

But T.F. says this type of instinct isn’t thinking out of our own reason (what he calls ‘unbaptised human reason’), but rather is thinking from a mind transformed by, and having its center in Christ. He equates trying to think of God out of our own reason as merely dealing in myth—doing mythology rather than theology, and refers to some sound teaching from Athanasius, (who you already met above).

“As Athanasius used to insist, we must learn to think strictly ‘in accordance with the nature’ of God the Father as he is made known to us through the Son and in the Holy Spirit, that is, in an essentially godly way. To think like that from a center in God himself, in accordance with his essential nature revealed in the incarnate Son, is, he claimed, what theologia strictly is…. Either you think from out of a mind centered in God through union with the mind of the Lord Jesus, or you think from out of a mind centered in yourself, alienated from God and inwardly hostile to the truth incarnate in the Lord Jesus….

Torrance describes this transformation / renewal of the mind as assimilating the mind of Christ during our “never-ending discipleship in repentant rethinking as we take up the cross and follow Christ” and ongoing prayer, worship, and offering ourselves to God daily through the reconciling, atoning mediation of Christ (Rom 12:1-2).

If you can say, "the simplicity that is in Christ," you can start the cookout.

Robin Parry: Realize it or not, it’s the Triune God you encounter and experience

2010-08-21T12:44:00.000-07:00

Dr. Robin Parry, Theological Books editor for Wipf and Stock Publishers, and author of Worshipping Trinity: Coming Back to the Heart of Worship, was recently interviewed about having a Trinitarian perspective in worship. (We previously posted quotes from Parry’s book here on 2.16.10, 2.23.10 and 3.08.10.)

As part of the interview, Parry [pictured below] was asked what Christians may be missing if they don’t have some kind of understanding of the Trinity and the relationships within the Trinity and how we are drawn into that relationship. (For even though they believe in the Trinity as a fundamental doctrine….most members don’t think about it and they wouldn’t be able to explain it if they were asked.) What do they lose? They know they are Christian and they know they have faith, they know they are saved by grace and they experience and walk in Christ to the degree that they can, but what are they missing—what could they have if they better understood?

Parry: I think what we have to say first of all, is that their experience of God is Trinitarian even if they don’t realize it, because there is no other way of encountering God, because there is no other God to encounter.

And so when anyone has an encounter with God it is the Triune God they encounter. But it can enrich their encounter with God, their subjective understanding and experience of that relationship with God, and it can free them up to walk with God in more liberated ways, as it were, to understand better the God who it is they encounter…the God who it is that is at work in their lives working out their salvation. Of course it’s still the Holy Spirit working in them even if they have never heard of the Spirit or cannot conceptualize those things rightly. But it would enrich their relationship with God in many ways.

For instance, it would enrich their engagement with God as a Father to realize that it is not through their effort to try to please the Father….or somehow if they misconstrue their Trinitarian theology…somehow placate the Father who is really not very kindly disposed toward them….to realize that in fact you don’t have to placate God. God doesn’t need placating. God loves us. This is why he sends his Son. This is why he sends his Spirit and draws us. And it just enables us to appreciate more the love and grace of God. And to sort to take some of the pressure [as if we] have to earn stuff with God.

But it doesn’t change the objective fact that it is still the Father through the Son in the Spirit….that’s the only way that they are able to engage with God in any sense at all, even if they can’t think of it straight.

View or listen to the complete 28-minute interview of Dr. Parry on the You’re Included program by clicking here.

Remembering the passionate music and ministry of Keith Green

2010-08-14T09:03:00.000-07:00

In this post Lee Berger reflects on the life and music of Keith Green, following a recent live web event honoring the ministry of Keith. Thanks Lee for sharing! As always, additional comments from readers are most welcome.

- Mike Hale

Hi friends. I don't know how many of you are fans of Keith Green’s music or are acquainted with the Jesus Movement music of the 1970's, but what Keith and others wrote and sang in those years was part of the genesis of what we today call "contemporary Christian" (including the bands, the soloists and the praise & worship music that is in vogue now). Keith [pictured below] was truly a firebrand of the gospel and a genius with his music and lyrics, and I love his writings.

On July 28th there was a free live web event honoring the life, ministry and music of Keith. His wife, Melody Green (who wrote many songs of her own) sponsored the event, and Christian leaders from Youth With a Mission (YWAM) and other organizations as well as individuals were speaking and leading in music worship. I was able to watch most of the web event (they had some serious technical glitches early on, but it eventually smoothed) and you can now go to www.KeithGreen.com to watch the nearly two-hour event.

There is a mix of some old video footage of Keith performing live, comments and prayers by people involved with him in early days ministry, some musical worship by a couple of young guitarists, and quite a bit of time spent in calling, challenging, and cajoling the viewers to repent of being lackadaisical, renew their commitments and sign up for foreign missions. You can almost feel the fresh excitement that these "hippies" evidenced when Jesus became visible to them.

To me, I gained from not only hearing from Keith and from those who knew him well, it was also interesting to understand the theology and Christian-life application represented by those involved.

And in that, I was frustrated. There was no doubt of sincerity and commitment to "follow Jesus" and be the best Christian these folks could be—and one could see and hear the emotion involved in the charismatic-leaning worship—good folks wanting to obey and honor Jesus. But I also felt that the participants in this sort of theology take a lot of responsibility onto themselves that belongs to the Triune God—especially to the Holy Spirit.

The need for Christians to get the Gospel message to every last person before they expire from this physical life is a heavy weight to bear—and one that (if one looks at the raw numbers of "converts" over the centuries) leans clearly toward failure to accomplish. I sensed a strong yearning of the participants to "save the world for Christ," but there was also a strong sense of "we're not doing enough/you're not doing enough"—and God can't accomplish His purpose without us. I didn't sense a lot of divine peace and trust in the Triune God, just mostly the desire to create kinetic action on our part.

I own recordings of dozens of Keith's songs (and of several others of the Jesus People music era) and I love their raw focus on God's love and His desire to save and redeem all mankind. This was all before "Jesus music" morphed into what is largely a more tamed modern-day "contemporary Christian" music industry. But while I very much appreciate the bold call for personal belief, transformation and sharing of the Good News, I believe the focus can rest too much on our human efforts 'for God' and not enough on God's work accomplished fully in Jesus Christ.

So I encourage you view the Keith Green event and to appreciate the passion in the participants—and to think about the great Plan God has in place for the salvation of all His kids.

If introverts are called and gifted by God, then why is church designed for extroverts?

2010-08-05T20:54:00.000-07:00

Church, especially the evangelical church, is largely designed for extroverts—and that’s a problem, especially since fully half of us are actually introverted. Such is the picture drawn by Adam McHugh in Introverts in the Church: Finding Our Place in an Extroverted Culture (2009, InterVarsity Press).

McHugh cites comprehensive surveys of the last ten years showing 50.7 percent of the general population as introverts, and then explores ways to more fully include introverts in the evangelical church, and better utilize their God-given abilities. As to why the church is so bent toward extroversion? The author says that besides the larger culture (schools, corporations and social institutions) already being slanted toward extroversion, it is also because churches place such a high value on relationships.

So we set up groups, fellowship hours, social events, classes, accountability groups, committees and prayer chains and encourage or imply required participation. So much that,

"…. for some churches spirituality is equated with sociability. The mark of a progressing faith is familiarity with a growing number of people and participation in an increasing number of activities" (p. 20).

The author points to evangelicals inheriting much of their values of piety and passion from the Second Great Awakening of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, and the tent revivals that led to twentieth-century evangelical crusades, where genuine devotion and obedience were what mattered, along with hard work and common sense. Such people were skeptical of intellectual sophistication and thoughtful reflection. The influential D. L. Moody was to have said, “My theology! I didn’t know I had any!”

"The pragmatism that we [evangelicals] have inherited fosters an action-oriented culture….[and] values the doer over the thinker…. There is a restless energy to evangelicalism that leads to a full schedule and a fast pace….[saying] busyness is next to godliness" (p. 26).

McHugh quotes Eugene Peterson’s indictment of such Christianity: “American religion is conspicuous for its messianically pretentious energy, its embarrassingly banal prose, and its impatiently hustling ambition.”

Also when people think of God as the “extrovert” closely watching all people, then extroversion is thought of as a sign of his people, and in that environment “introversion” is sometimes equated with disobedience. Thus mainstream evangelicalism has created an environment that can be

"marginalizing and even exclusive of introverts. For example, the up-front piety….and the expectations for outward, emotional displays of faith, can feel invasive and artificial to introverts. Meanwhile the anti-intellectual stream can alienate some introverted thinkers who find that their love of ideas, comfort in solitude and powers of concentration translate into a life of intellectual pursuits. Furthermore, the pragmatism that seeks measurable, tangible gauges for success strikes many introverts, who appreciate depth, as superficial and oversimplistic, and our action-oriented culture does not always value people who are thoughtful and reflective" (p. 28).

Little wonder introverts feel displaced, marginalized, and guilty. An introvert himself, McHugh [pictured at right] says that to cope with this bias, and seek acceptance, they may begin masquerading as extroverts, but eventually become weary of fighting and “long to live faithfully as the people we were created to be.”

He believes that in order to capture the depth and breath of God’s mission for the church, there must be a combination of both introverted and extroverted qualities moving together in partnership. McHugh is even convinced that

"Introverts are an important ingredient in the antidote to what ails evangelism. Our slower pace of life, our thoughtfulness, our spiritual and intellectual depth, and our listening abilities are prophetic qualities for the evangelical community, calling us to a renewed understanding of God and a fresh reading on the abundant life Jesus came to give us" (p. 31).

Click here to read an interview by Mark Roberts with author Adam McHugh, an ordained minister, a spiritual director, and an introvert.

Random memorable moments and blessings from the GCI conference in Orlando

2010-07-29T14:21:00.000-07:00

Just returned from the Renewed In Christ GCI denominational conference in Orlando FL, where I was blessed to serve with the Higher Ground praise band in lifting prayers and songs of thanks, petition and praise with 1,100 worshipers.

What a colorful kaleidoscope of humanity from around the globe – unique but unified persons sharing in Spirit with Jesus – our true Minister of the Sanctuary – in his ongoing worship of the Father.

Following is my random list of memorable moments and blessings from the wonderful week. Your own comments and memorable moments are most welcome!

• Memorable call to worship – tie between Because of Your Love by Paul Baloche, and “You Are Good” by Israel Houghton
• Favorite traditional hymn – the Christie Nockels version of Praise to the Lord, the Almighty with the Hallelujah sections
• Sermon by Dan Rogers
• Being invited by Ross Jutsum to share a few words during his worship workshops to comment about singing and praying as it were, through the lips of Jesus—our risen and ascended High Priest and Mediator.
• Favorite reflective song – tie between “All Who Are Thirsty” by B. Brown and G. Robertson, and “Grace Flows Down” by Bell, Giglio and Padgett
• The Elmer Colyer story about giving away those $10 bills to the local church scoundrel during a sermon about grace
• Favorite hallway conversation with a theologian – Gary Deddo
• Seeing prayers from three years ago answered as Marianne Dobritch joined Higher Ground to sing “Elation” that she and Steven wrote for teen ministry
• Song request – “Power of Your Love” for GCI President, Joseph Tkatch
• The hole in Ed Stetzer’s shoe
• Most comments on a song – Where to find a recording of “I Will Not Be Shaken” by Tommy Walker (with the “Holy, Holy, Holy” section). It's from his latest CD, Overflow
• Favorite meal with a theologian – dinner with John McKenna
• Favorite comment from the band – Buddy (lead guitar) after being complimented on a great instrumental solo, quoted Thelonious Monk -- “You should hear what I MEANT to play!”
• Hugs, handshakes, tears and laughter with many hundreds of the brethren during every day of the conference
• Favorite song of sending – “All Things” (Romans 11:33-36) sung to the top of our lungs following communion in the last service

Ministry in poetry -- Lazarus, freedom, and the Word we were created to hear and know

2010-07-17T11:13:00.000-07:00

Below is one of my favorite poems by Dr. John McKenna and his wife Nancy. Students of theology are sometimes surprised to learn that in addition to being a theology professor at several schools and a doctrinal advisor to Grace Communion International, John is also a gifted poet. The Burning Green (1996, Wipf and Stock Publishers) is a collection of their poetry, and is available at wipfandstock.com.

John and Nancy wrote in the book's Foreword in 1996,

Throughout our more than twenty years of marriage [and now more than thirty] Nancy and I have struggled to give these poems a voice that might reflect the gift of God with us. We are of a time that is deeply wounded. Our language echos its rage and folly. We are thankful to be free from its destructive power. To this freedom we hope our poems will point their readers. The Bible verses [included alongside each poem] are meant to help us hear.

Sometimes a certain type of poem speaks more than pages of prose. For me, “If You Are Lazarus” is one of those. Enjoy.

If You Are Lazarus

If you are Lazarus
And the universe is your tomb,
Body, time, and space
Your mummy clothes,
And your heart a slab of stone,
As love heals the dead
The light shall hurt your eyes,
For we are made of dust and nothingness
By the breath of God
A little less than Him,
Made to hear and know His Word
Or without Him to pretend.
Love does not live for death
And neither shall Man.
When the stone is moved,
You will hear Him call.

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. John 12:24-25

The urgent second step: Rewriting our ‘roadmap’ to serving in the hope of the risen Lord

2010-07-05T11:48:00.000-07:00

The things that a worship leader says and does are important. Why? Because in part, over months and years, it helps shape a congregation’s understanding of God, scripture, and the living relationship of Father, Son and Holy Spirit with all creation.

Wow! That sounds daunting! So for help with this important task, we’ve been looking at what Andrew Purves has to say in The Resurrection of Ministry: serving in the hope of the risen Lord (IVP 2010).

We saw that the crucial first step to ministering in the hope of the risen Lord is to focus on the person that is Jesus—not some general concept of God. Everything else follows as a result of this confession, and the truth it bears witness to.

The urgent second step is a willingness to admit that some rewriting of our ‘roadmap’ to faith and ministry is required. Purves says we must give additional thought to the central issues of Christian faith and admit that we are sometimes unfaithful to the reality that is at the core of all we are and all we do—that Jesus lives!

We grasp the things of God dimly, and only by hard study may we grasp them somewhat less dimly. Our spiritual lives, often fragile and shallow-rooted, periodically need to be reclaimed and rerooted. (p. 32).

Without carefully refocusing on the fact that Jesus is living, we then remain stuck in the mood of Holy Saturday—the day prior to his resurrection—and are in desperate need of reframing our ministries.

The core problem, perhaps the terrifying problem, is there is no Christian faith on Holy Saturday and no possibility for Christian ministry because all we have at that point is Jesus as a dead moral and religious influence. He “lives” only as a particular instance of a general religious memory…. If we remain stuck in the mood of Holy Saturday we have separated ourselves from the resurrection joy and hope of the Easter Lord. All we have is a huge burden to carry because at this point everything seems to be left up to us to do. It is little wonder, then, that we are always weary (p. 33).

But in our trying to think of the risen living Jesus, we are faced with a problem. As Purves puts it, “the risen Lord is beyond all human conceiving.”

So here is the central paradox that confronts us when we try to think about the resurrected Jesus: he is the central perspective from which all of Christian faith is determined, yet we have no human categories of thought by which to bring him to expression. The sentence, “The resurrected Jesus is like…” cannot be completed. Easily we can say that we have before us a mystery to be adored rather than a problem to be solved… (p. 35-36).

But thankfully that isn’t where we are left in speaking of the resurrected Jesus. Purves reminds us that “the Word became flesh and lived among us” (John 1:14), and that Matthew 11:27 tells us that “No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

It is, as it were, as if Jesus takes us by the hand and leads us to knowledge and speech of the Father. Or, in a different image, he speaks himself and God into our minds. Just as a child learns speech by being spoken to by his or her parents, as we are spoken to by Jesus we are able to bring him, and indeed God, to appropriate speech. Jesus…speaks himself into our speaking of him.

1) Jesus spoke forth himself while on earth.
2) Jesus spoke forth himself during the forty days between the resurrection and the ascension.
3) Jesus speaks forth himself today as the ascended Lord, not now limited by the created categories of time and space. He speaks forth himself by the Holy Spirit, especially through he proclamation of the sermon.
4) Jesus will speak forth himself as the end (as the eschatos) when he gathers all things together and gives them to the Father.

Theological speech is possible therefore on the grounds of Jesus bearing witness to himself through the Holy Spirit and of our being converted in the structures of our thinking and developing speech that has its sole ground in him… Thus we can speak of the risen and ascended Lord. Such speaking is our “rational worship” (Romans 12:1-2) in which we acknowledge that we speak as we are spoken to by the risen Word who bears witness to himself.

Speech concerning the resurrected Jesus is confessional speech, the speech of faith. There are no outside references or independent warrants we can appeal to. Faith speaks to faith, and the Holy Spirit alone can open the ears if another would also hear (pp. 36-37).

God’s richest blessings, as you continue in faith, by the Holy Spirit, to confess the risen Lord, who has revealed the Father to us, and who lives and reigns to give us his joy!

The first step to ministering in the hope of the Risen Lord

2010-06-18T21:58:00.000-07:00

Last week we began looking at what Andrew Purves describes in The Resurrection of Ministry (IVP 2010) as ministry that is centered in the reality of the redemptive, hope-filled ministry of the risen and ascended Jesus. He reminds us that

…the resurrection of Jesus…[and his] ascension and ministry at the right hand of the Father and through the Holy Spirit, make Christian faith and ministry possible….as God the Holy Spirit joins us to him to share in his life. Joy and hope, therefore, mark Christian identity because Jesus the Christ is risen, reigns and will come again, and we, in union with him, share now in his life (p. 23).

Purves, professor of Reformed theology at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, says the first step to ministering in the mood of Easter Sunday—in the hope of the Risen Lord—is simply to focus on the person that is Jesus. It’s all about Jesus, living and reigning—and not about some general concept of God. “Jesus lives! Everything else follows as a result of this confession and the truth it bears witness to” (p. 24).

Purves describes the proper place of the words “God” and “Christ.”

[The truth of Christian faith and ministry] is not located in the first instance in a theological title—in “Christ”—nor in a general concept of deity—“God.” The truth for Christian faith and ministry is located in the personal particularity of Jesus, who in the flesh of his humanity is both Christ and God (p. 24).

Purves explains that, for some people today, the theological title “Christ” has an unclear meaning, and is especially a problem when separated from Jesus and used alone.

…. detached from its anchor in Jewish theological history, and its fulfillment in and as the man Jesus…. [It becomes a] concept or idea that has slipped from its moorings, namely, the particularity of the man Jesus, who is Christ….

Speaking about Jesus, who was fully God, reminds us that he was and is a man… Jesus never ceases to be fully human…. [and as] our high priest, ever lives to be the mediator between the Father and us, bringing God to us and us to God, all in the power of the Holy Spirit. When we lose hold on his humanity, everything gets cast back on us to establish a relationship with God. Then we are on the road to introducing messianic pretensions into our Christian practice.

Even as the title of “Christ” and the history of expectation that preceded it identify Jesus as the Lord’s anointed, it is Jesus, finally, who gives the title its full meaning… Because he is singularly the incarnate Lord, the word “Christ” has proper use and appropriate meaning only when attached to the person of Jesus in the flesh of his humanity (p. 25).

Purves also describes a problem in using the word “God”—saying that word carries with it “the assumption that we actually know who we are talking about.” There is also danger of the word “God” becoming what Purves says is

…an abstract general concept….of a generic God of the religions, lying behind the back of Jesus, as it were or behind the doctrine of the holy Trinity. This general concept of God is seen to be applicable to all religions and may have also a civil religious reference…The implication is devastating for Christian faith. Father, Son and Holy Spirit can no longer be seen to be the name of God. God, as the Trinitarian communion of love, becomes a Christian addition…. [and] It is impossible then to get from a general religious concept of God to a proper theological understanding of Jesus as Lord (pp. 25-26).

But because Jesus is God, the concept of God becomes reconstructed into the doctrine of the Trinity, and becomes what Purves calls “christologically controlled.”

First, it is the Son, “who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known” [John 1:18]. And second, Jesus tells us that “no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” (Matthew 11:27).

Without such divine revelation, Christian faith is seen as radical, scandalous and nonsensical “precisely because of its astonishing and insistent historical particularity.”

It is a faith that deals with Jesus, born through Mary’s birth canal, acknowledging that he is the Christ, and confessing that he is wholly and fully God. Our understanding of both Christ and God are filled in by Jesus, by who he was and is, by what he did and does, by what he said and says, and by what happened to him (p. 26).

The hidden God became a human person.

As Jesus, and in the Spirit, God still deals with us. And we, dealing with Jesus, are dealing with God (p. 27).

In the Spirit Jesus is in fact at hand and at work to bless, to comfort and to heal, because that is who God is and what God does (p. 28).

It’s all about the living Jesus: risen, reigning, mediating, ministering, and coming again

2010-06-11T21:55:00.000-07:00

Those involved in music and worship ministries are typically serving as volunteers, but are ministers non-the-less. In The Resurrection of Ministry: Serving in the Hope of the Risen Lord (InterVarsity Press, 2010) Andrew Purves encourages ministers of every stripe to become committed to deeper theological reflection, and says if we are not centered in the redemptive, hope-filled ministry of the risen and ascended Jesus, we have no ministry at all.

I find his latest short book (153 pp.) to be encouraging, thought provoking, and while theological, is readable, practical, and relevant for the planning of songs and prayers of thanks, praise, hope, petition and lament, and for considering exhortations, readings and testimonies.

Purves aims to show us how in and with Jesus, ministry is to move beyond what he calls ‘the mood of Holy Saturday’ to ministry ‘in the mood of Easter Sunday’ -- the difference between "God help us" and "Hallelujah, Jesus lives!"

In the introduction the author describes events of Holy Week leading up to Easter Sunday – from Palm Sunday/Passion Sunday in which we sing praises while knowing the terrible story that soon comes to pass, to Maundy Thursday with the ‘Last Supper’, to Good Friday with Jesus put to death on a cross, to Holy Saturday….a day of strange emptiness, as Jesus lies in Joseph’s cold stone tomb. Purves says,

The day feels like a gap, a space, a blank…There’s a hole in the universe….a day when the power of God is felt as deepest mystery in its absence. What is the Father doing? What does Jesus descent into hell mean?...What are we to make of [Holy Saturday’s] strange day of questions and confusion?...the continuance of death marks the end of the Holy Week.

From our present perspective, Holy Saturday is an ‘almost’ sort of day…. atonement is complete, but the victory is not yet won, and the vindication of the Son by the Father is not yet asserted. We lean forward hopefully, knowingly, but as yet there is no power….no basis for joy and no ground for hope (pp. 13-15).

As Purves sees it, even though we know the rest of the story of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, many of us “remain stuck with the experience of the mood of Holy Saturday….not yet entered into the reality of Christian life in terms of Easter Sunday.”

He says perhaps part of the problem is that “eternal life is promised, but we still get sick and die…Jesus lives and reigns, but the cruelty and suffering in the world remain undiminished. In our own lives we confess our faith, yet we often feel trapped in our moral confusions and stuck in our attempts to live holy lives…. Jesus maybe raised from the dead, but we remain still the people of Holy Saturday, looking longingly across the divide that takes us to Easter Day, praying wistfully for the power of the Holy Spirit.”

The author says we need a practical theology of the Easter Lord – about Jesus, resurrected, ascended, acting and reigning – yet avoiding empty triumphalsim by being ever mindful of salvation through the cross of Calvary, and recognizing that

…. the resurrection of ministry is first all about the resurrection of Jesus ministry. Because Jesus is raised, he not only has a new life but his ministry has a new future. Jesus raised and ascended, with work to do, is the basis for joy and the ground for hope.

The gospel…is not a metaphor but a personal, living Lord. Perhaps too the resurrection has come to be interpreted as more about us and what we feel than about Jesus and something that happened to him. What ever the reasons for loss of joy and hope in present Christian experience, and especially in the experience of many people involved in ministry, it is right to…reclaim the centrality of the resurrection and ascension of Jesus for our Christian consciousness and practice.

…. because Jesus has a resurrected ministry, we have a ministry that is entirely oriented around his living ministry…It is a foundational realignment of ministry.

…the accent is on joy and the horizon of meaning is filled with hope and the expectation of both charismatic giftedness for the church and God’s ultimate triumph over the forces that made for death and evil.

…the life and ministry of the resurrected Jesus is not just a pleasing theological idea, but directs us to a compelling participation in a living fellowship that surely shapes and informs everything that we do (pp. 18-20).

Next time we’ll explore further what it means to live in the victory of God won in, through and as Jesus Christ.

Experiencing the mysterious self-revelation and self-communication of God

2010-05-31T16:41:00.000-07:00

“I can’t explain it,” someone says after the worship service, “but I just know that something happened today while we were [fill in the blank here – singing, praying, testifying, listening to the sermon, etc.], and I had the distinct sense that God was in it, and that I could almost feel His presence!”

It might have been during a particularly dramatic service, or surprisingly, it might have been in a ‘regular’ meeting in which nothing particularly dramatic had been presented. Or perhaps it was in a prayer meeting, or in small group, or even while reading or praying alone at home, or while talking about God with a friend over coffee. Or a person might experience such feelings in the course serving and attending to the needs of others.

What happened? Was it just our imagination – just emotions? And since we can’t seem to explain exactly what occurred, was it real, or just a warm fuzzy feeling? We like logic and want to be sound-minded. Shouldn’t we be able to describe what happened?

Well, no, not always.

What we may be experiencing is the mysterious self-revelation and self-communication of God to us in Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit. Some of the greatest Christian minds of our time (Barth and T.F. Torrance) remind us that that when we know the love of God through the grace of Jesus in the communion of the Holy Spirit, we know far more than we can actually grasp or express. And such knowing may occur as we actively participate in mission and worship, as Elmer Colyer points out in How to Read T.F. Torrance (2007, Wipf & Stock Publishers).

For Torrance, we know God through evangelical (from the Father through the Son in the Spirit) and doxological (in the Spirit through the Son to the Father) participation in the gospel.

Torrance argues that the Holy Trinity can only be known evangelically and doxologically, in a transformative encounter with the love of God through the grace of Christ and in the communion of the Holy Spirit which includes personal faith, thanksgiving, worship and prayer, first in the vicarious humanity of Christ and then in us (p. 287).

In Torrance’s theology God is intrinsically knowable, for the Word of God incarnate as Jesus Christ inheres in the being of God. Yet this self-revelation and self-communication of God to us through Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit is an astonishing and inexhaustible mystery.

God does not simply reveal a proposition about God to which we assent. What the living God gives to us is a Self-revelation and Self-communication through Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit which reconciles us, redeems us from our sin, and radically transforms us from unbelieving, self-centered and ungrateful sinners into children of God.

God does all this only through Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit who unites us to Christ in Christ’s oneness of being, knowing and loving with God the Father so that we share at least in some degree in God’s own self-knowing and self-loving. Torrance describes this as a kind of ecstatic passion, for what we know of God is an inexhaustible mystery, the inexhaustible mystery of the Trinity so replete in depth and breadth of content that we cannot master and capture it within the confines of our concepts. We come to know far more of God than we can tell.

In all of our theological inquiry into the Trinity, Torrance contends that we have to acknowledge this implicit, informal, inarticulate, inexhaustible element (which is cognitive but not reducible to propositions) of God’s self-revelation and self-communication through Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit which engenders our faith, love and worship, and which ought always to keep our statements and concepts open to the inexhaustible mystery of the triune God (p. 288).

The dangerous act of worship - God's call to transforming engagement with the world

2010-05-10T11:13:00.000-07:00

Perhaps the most thought-provoking and unsettling book I’ve read about worship is The Dangerous Act of Worship, by Mark Labberton (2007 IVP). The book jacket presents the discomforting picture of a desperate figure sprawled on the cold stone walkway outside a church, seemingly neglected, forgotten, and out of sight and out of mind from those inside – those gathered to worship behind safe thick walls and heavy closed doors.

The author points out that while the believers inside those walls want to be separate from the world, they also claim to be called to worship a God that reveals himself as a God of great mercy and selfless, sacrificial love for all humanity – including (and especially) the powerless, the poor, the prisoner, and the oppressed. So Labberton challenges us to learn to “live with a wise openness toward others, finding ways of being available and alert and responsive” to those in need.

In Labberton’s view the Church is not dead, but is often asleep to God’s heart for a world filled with injustice – preoccupied with ministry and our institutional existence, distracted and busy with life, sleepwalking and unable to hear the voice of God who suffered for the sake of the world, and who said, “Lay down your life, take up your cross and follow me.”

Labberton says we can easily fool ourselves, and he challenges us to ask if we might be caught up in worship that makes us feel better but does nothing to help others who suffer – and goes so far as to ask if all our preparations for and participation in weekly corporate worship occupies so much energy and time that it leaves us too tired for ministry that might actually take us to where the needs are greatest? Are we so preoccupied that we lose sight of our being disengaged and disconnected from the needs of others?

He tells of once watching an enthusiastic worship leader who closed his eyes, lifted his hands and sang and moved with such passion that he failed to recognize he was continually stepping all over the feet of those nearby. In worship, he had completely lost sight of his neighbor. But Labberton points out that in worship we are not only shown God’s will for ourselves, we are also shown our neighbor, and are urged to pray for, and to reach out and serve those in need. We are to be awakened to God’s heart for all.

Vigorously honest worship, whether personal or corporate, is meant to be the primary love feast in our lives. It is meant to be the context where we experience being known and loved as we are. It’s meant to be the context where we affirm our home in God’s heart, seeing, tasting, hearing and sharing the love of Christ with one another. Out of this greenhouse of grace, we move back into the world in need of that love to which our lives are meant to bear witness (p. 181).

Labberton directs us to Romans 8:38-39 and reminds us that….

…in worship we are given the perfect love of God in Christ, a home of grace that cannot be removed…. But the purpose, this side of glory, for dwelling in such love and finding it so profoundly strong and all-sufficient is for the assurance we have in giving it away (p. 182).

There are a few sections of the book with which I may not completely agree, but still find quite thought-provoking. However one thing is clear. Life in Christ is not passive or self-centered. Labberton says that in worship the Spirit wants to wake us up and lead us away from safety and comfort, and rather than separating us from the world, provides us the freedom to be led into transforming engagement with the world that God loves.

Worship bloopers and "interesting" moments

2010-04-29T22:50:00.000-07:00

What song is this? You’re the worship leader but suddenly you don’t recognize the piano intro, so the next few moments are, well, “interesting.”

Or have you ever forgotten lyrics? Ever lose your place and need a few moments to find it again? Ever start singing the second verse instead of the first? Ever belt out the first two words of a chorus only to discover that everyone else is singing the bridge you have skipped? Ever start a song in the wrong key?

If you’ve led worship for any time at all, you’ve run into some “interesting” situations. I’ve been there. Some are a little frightening or embarrassing, and some are humorous. I think my hair has turned a little more gray with each interesting episode, and now it’s nearly completely white.

Once at our national pastors’ conference I was sitting on a wooden stool onstage between worship songs, when suddenly with a resounding “craaaack!” the stool broke apart, and I just barely caught myself from falling completely to the floor. A quick comment was made about “too many bagels for breakfast” and after the laughter died down, order was gradually restored.

Recently our praise team discovered that for the past several years we’ve been singing the word “light” in a song when the powerpoint lyrics for the congregation says “might.” Oops. We’ve also experienced electrical power outages, microphones that make funny noises or stop working altogether, and occasional problems with amplifiers, keyboards, cables, computers, projectors, lighting and so on. A head cold or seasonal allergies can add even more potential for distraction.

Care to share any of your own “interesting” worship moments with us?

Of course we take our assigned duties seriously and practice individually and as a group. We’re thankful for having been blessed with some strengths, talents and for many years of opportunities and experience. A lot of worship services do occur without discernible glitches, but we know it’s never perfect, and once in a while there’s still a real doozie of an interesting moment. Perhaps the glitches just keep us humble, and remind us of our limitations and frailties. But of course we wish we could do better.

We can take great comfort in the Trinitarian understanding that worship is never dependant upon what intensity, energy, excellence or authenticity any of us can muster on our own, or how error-free our prayers or songs can be. Rather, worship is a gift of grace, of participating through the Spirit in the incarnate risen and ascended Sons communion with the Father. We are completely dependant upon and taken up and included in that reality.

With Christ mediating from both above and below, as God to man and man to God, we need not have worries and fears about any supposed worth of our own worship. Our own worship is never worthy in itself, but Christ’s is worthy, perfect, and has been and is being offered and fully accepted at the throne of God for us. As new creation in Christ, in humble thanks and praise we can enjoy in worship the true freedom, healing, peace and rest that is God with us and for us - right here in the celebration, suffering, and real messiness of life - including all those "interesting" little moments.

Being liberated from myself, and the myth of solitary religion

2010-04-11T16:36:00.000-07:00

Invitation to Theology, A Guide to Study, Conversation and Practice, by Michael Jinkins, with Foreward by Alan Torrance (2001, InterVarsity Press) includes a discussion of God’s calling us out of isolation into community, along with the related issues of the myth of solitary religion and the dangers of being shut up in the solitude of our own hearts. (Dr. Jinkins is a trinitarian theologian and Academic Dean and Professor of Pastoral Theology at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.)

We recently quoted Dr. Julie Canlis [see 03.22.10 post] as saying that things done in the community of church – praying together, taking Holy Communion, and listening to scriptures (which were addressed to whole communities in the first place) – are things that “liberate me from myself.” Michael Jinkins provides additional detail to that picture in Invitation to Theology. Here are some quotes.

“…the Holy Spirit creates community among us as a refection of the communal life of the holy Trinity….that God has always been creating this community of faith and worship among us. The doctrine of the church reminds us that God’s original intention and ultimate design is to call us out of isolation into communion” (p. 212).

“Salvation is itself the integration of persons into communion with God and other persons, and, as such, this integration of persons in communion is the fulfillment of God’s original intention and ultimate purpose for all humanity. Wherever redemptive community of faith in God is called into being, it is the result of God’s Word and Spirit, which are never restricted to our cultural or sectarian expressions.

“Isolation, biblically speaking, corresponds to chaos and destruction, the ultimate disintegration of persons, from which God seeks to save humanity by sharing with us a genuine participation in the communion of the triune God in whose image we are created. God draws us to participate in this strong communion by integrating us into the human community of faith in the crucified Christ” (pp. 214-215).

Jinkins (pictured left) warns against the dangers of self-reliance and rugged individualism, and what he calls “the myth of solitary religion” that Christians can easily fall into. He speaks of the danger of being “shut up in the solitude of our own hearts.” People say they…

“just can’t stand to go to church because of all the hypocrites….much better to worship God by myself….where I can concentrate on God and listen to his voice alone, than to pray in a room cluttered with disagreeable old sinners.” Of course, the problem with this way of thinking is that it fails to see that when we are left to worship by ourselves, what we usually worship is ourselves.

"Solitary religion tends toward idolatry, the worship of false gods made in our own image. The great scandal of the church according to Christian faith is not that it is full of hypocrites and sinners but that God actually reveals himself in the midst of and through the lives of these hypocrites and sinners” (pp. 221-222).

“God works through Christian community….using the contrasting personalities, stereotypes and peculiarities; local customs….histories; cultural viewpoints and interests of others in the larger community to break through and beak down our most cherished stereotypes and mythologies, our images of ourselves and our false images of God.

“God frequently uses the rituals of others to relativize our own. God often uses the unholy foolishness of others to call our own into question. God even uses the interpretations and conceptions of God held by others to call into question and correct our own interpretations and conceptions that, left to themselves, become idolatrous. And often we see that our theological reflections are greatly improved when hammered out on the anvil of someone else’s theological perspective.

“This is why—as we have known for years in the field of practical theology—those churches in communication with a larger community of churches are healthiest in themselves” (p. 222).

The inseparable Incarnation and Resurrection

2010-04-02T16:48:00.000-07:00

Christmas and Easter. Growing up, I remember our family photo album wasn’t complete each year without picturing the joy of both annual celebrations. So from toddler to teen years, there were pictures of us kids grinning from ear to ear by the Christmas tree in the living room, and a few pages later we were outdoors, dressed in Easter outfits and squinting in the sunlight of Spring. As years passed, each combination of pictures help show who we were and who we were becoming.

Of course we were not theologians—just a typical church-going family with three kids in the 1950’s and 60’s. But incarnation and resurrection really are inseparable, as T.F. Torrance makes plain in Atonement, the Person and Work of Christ (2009, InterVarsity Press):

The teaching of the New Testament makes it clear that we cannot isolate the resurrection from the whole redeeming purpose of God, or from the decisive deed of God in the incarnation of his Son that ran its full course from the birth of Jesus to his crucifixion and triumph over the powers of evil….when he, the eternal Word and creative source of all life and being outside of God, entered into our mortal and corrupt existence, that was wasting away under the threat of death and judgment, in order to effect the salvation and recreation of the world (p. 209).

It is in the resurrection that we have the unveiling of the mystery of the incarnation: the birth and resurrection of Jesus belong inseparably together and have to be understood in the light of each other….When the eternal Word by whom all things were made himself became incarnate…. [it was] inevitably a concealing of the divine power, for that power now enters within creaturely reality…in order to operate within it in the fulfillment of the divine will for its healing and re-creation (p. 218).

Torrance refers to the veiling and unveiling of God in the life of Jesus, and says we may think of a line from the birth of Christ to his crucifixion as a the line of the hiddenness of God, in which God entered into our estranged existence in order to “get inside our death.” He then describes another line from Christ’s birth to his resurrection (which includes miracles and the fleeting transfiguration), showing it is the resurrection that reveals once and for all that the virgin birth was the birth of the Creator-Word.

If the crucifixion represents the nadir of the hiddenness, the resurrection represents the high point of the revelation of Jesus as the Son of God become man…. [and] these two lines of veiling and unveiling mutually involve one another – that is why Jesus revealed himself only slowly and in such a way that his self-disclosure kept pace with the development of his life and the steady march of events to their climax in the cross: one was not allowed to outstrip the other. On top of the final darkness of the ‘Eli, Eli lama sabachthani!’ and burial in the finality of death, came the rending of the tomb and the unveiling of Jesus Christ as the Son of God come to be our savior (p. 219).

The Good News is that we too are caught up in that resurrection and new creation with Christ, as Torrance declares in his book Space, Time and Resurrection (1998, T&T Clark, Edinburgh):

The Church of the risen Lord has no right to be a prophet of gloom or despair, for this world has been redeemed and sanctified by Christ, and he will not let it go. The corruptible clay of our poor earth has been taken up in Jesus, is consecrated through his sacrifice and resurrection, and he will not allow it to sink back into corruption…. The Church must learn to take into its mouth the Good News of the resurrection and new creation, for that must be its primary note, one of limitless joy and thanksgiving.

That is how the Church began its mission at Pentecost where the dominant emphasis in all its preaching was the resurrection of the crucified Christ and the astounding fact that because of the Spirit of God himself was poured out upon men. They knew that the Last Times had overtaken them and that they were caught up in the onward and outward thrust of the resurrection of Christ toward the new creation in which all nations and peoples and all times would be brought to share. The involvement of the Church in the suffering of mankind must never be allowed to stifle that supreme note of resurrection triumph…. (p. 105).

These pictures of our new life in Christ show who we are and what we’re becoming. Happy Easter everyone!

About that painfully embarrassing church

2010-03-22T19:45:00.000-07:00

Ever been embarrassed by your local church? Perhaps it’s small and unimpressive—a tiny group of common, broken people with limited means? The preacher does his/her best, but certainly isn’t a best-selling Christian author or a well-known televangelist. There’s no stellar music either—just a humble little worship service. Small, plain, common. And you wish it were somehow more “spiritually uplifting.”

So why not stay home and avoid the whole messy business? Besides, you might even feel more satisfied and spiritually uplifted by downloading and privately listening to a nourishing sermon from Pastor Big Kahuna, the dynamic speaker at the regional mega-church down the road.

Dr. Julie Canlis touches upon such notions in portions of a public lecture she gave in 2008 at Regent College in Vancouver (click here to listen). She points to common confusion surrounding our expectations of “doing church.” She also describes historical events that may have led Protestants to become susceptible to a non-Trinitarian “virtual spirituality” based primarily around words, knowledge, a good sermon—and without all the messy parts such as “other people.”

Canlis [pictured left, on the occasion of receiving the 2007 Templeton Award for Theological Promise for dissertation and first book] says this incorrect approach places too much pressure on preaching.

“We’ve removed the icons, and yet we’ve put in a new icon—the preacher. With only a pulpit at the front, people assume they go to church to gain more knowledge. And so our church experience becomes a quest for that modern 'holy grail'—a good sermon. Based on how the preacher performs, we feel either satisfied or disappointed spiritually.”

With this emphasis on knowledge, Canlis says we may be guilty of trying to turn the “Word made flesh” back into words—trying to turn Christ and the whole sphere of physical creation into ideas. She reminds us of Calvin’s teaching that the Trinity is to be entered into as a lived experience of the Christian life—including relationship with the community of brothers and sisters in Christ. She adds...

“If doctrine and knowledge are the goal of the Christian life, then there is no need for church except perhaps the church as a lecture hall….and there is certainly no need for ‘others’, especially since they just get in the way of my personal experience of Christ.”

People who claim to be spiritual sometimes say they don’t like institutions. With that usage, says Canlis...

“‘Spiritual’ is...played off against things formal and bounded, like the church, as if they were inherently at odds. It is a spirituality addressed to our minds and to our moral efforts for which we have no need of others or creation or the sacraments or the church….What’s lacking….is an understanding of the person from whom the word spiritual ought to take its cue—how the Holy Spirit’s realm is with physical things and very physical people.

“In the early church there was no term spirituality. There was no adjective ‘spiritual’—there was the Holy Spirit—so to be spiritual so to be taking part in the spirit’s concrete realm, the church, its sacraments its prayer, its unity. There was no playing of the Spirit against the goodness of creation. So it came as no surprise to the early church that he who hovered over the waters of chaos to bring forth life, that he who hovered over Mary’s amniotic waters to bring forth Christ, with a physical body, should also minister to us in very concrete ways.”

Canlis recounts how “spiritual” gradually changed from its original meaning of life lived by and through the Holy Spirit into something that...

“Had nothing to do with the Holy Spirit’s realm, but with the individual’s mental state ascending to God and away from the things of the flesh….[and] into the privatized, unembodied approach to spirituality that we Christians have inherited today….But Trinitarian spirituality on the other hand calls us to engagement. It puts into the world, into our neighbor, into our local church.

“….And as much as we equate the Spirit’s domain with the free, the unexpected, the unknown—so equally (perhaps more so, but I could be wrong) the Spirit’s domain is the known, the physical, the routine, maybe even the boring….Unlike modern definitions of spirituality that highlight the individual and the incorporeal essence of who I really am, Christian spirituality is always painfully—even embarrassingly—concrete….

“Through baptism and in the name of the Father, and in the name of the Son and in the Holy Spirit—the Spirit leads believers simultaneously into a communion both Trinitarian and ecclesial….Every time we go to church we declare that the whole church, not just my individual self, is the Bride of Christ…. The church is a new set of relations with the Father, Son, Spirit and their extended family that (and this is hard to stomach) form part of my new creation self.”

Canlis says the things we do in church such as praying together, receiving Holy Communion, and listening to scriptures (which were addressed to whole communities in the first place), are things that “liberate me from myself.” She asks...

“Are we still coming to church with Gnostic expectations, wanting new information that will change us? Or are we simply repelled by that ‘scandal of particularity’ that God would choose that means, that group of people, that bread and wine to heal us? After all, I always prefer my brand of brokenness to those people’s brokenness. But if it is in this group, this church that I’m participating in—this group of broken people in which I am being remade—in fact into whom I am being rewoven and into whom my identity is being renewed, then perhaps I can come to church with different expectations.

“Perhaps I can go as the broken person that I am, seeking wholeness there in that place, with that group of people, with that particular food set before me by that particular God, who decided to identify himself with a particular people in history at a particular place, and for a particular salvation for us all. That is the scandal of the church. That is why going to church offends our deepest sensibilities. That is why it is a stumbling block for so many of us. That is why it is foolishness to the Greeks, but it is our salvation!”

It’s all so embarrassingly messy and scandalous. And spiritual.

Unity, diversity and “doing church”

2010-03-08T07:49:00.001-08:00

We have been exploring Worshipping Trinity: Coming Back to the Heart of Worship, by Robin Parry, and last time we highlighted quotes in which the author describes our spirituality being shaped in community—especially in the dynamic of congregational worship. Below are more quotes about ‘doing church’ as the ‘living echo’ of the communion of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

“In our lives together we are placed ‘in Christ’ by the Spirit and so relate to God the Father ‘in’ the Son, by the Spirit. We relate to Christ as the head of the body and we know the Spirit’s indwelling, empowering and gifting. Being church is about as Trinitarian as you can get!” (p. 56)

“Many contemporary theologians see the community of the Trinity as a model for God’s community of the church. In God one finds mutual love between persons-in-relationship who recognize the equality and also value the differences of the ‘others’. Although human relationships can never reach the unity of being one finds in God, they can be a dim analogy..... [and] Colin Gunton writes [on p. 98, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, 2003, T&T Clark] that God’s plan was ‘through the work of Christ and the Spirit to create, in time and space, a living echo of the communion God is in eternity’.” (p. 56)

“Churches should seek relational unity but not uniformity. The Trinity provides a model of diversity-in-loving-communion which the church must seek to image, albeit in a dim way, in the world….The Trinitarian model of the church, significantly, leaves room for much flexibility in how we organize our communities – for there is no single right way of ‘doing church’. However, it does provide some limits to legitimate expression of Christian community.” [For example the institutions, rituals, and administrative practices should not foster elitism, discrimination or competition] (p. 57)

“The Spirit generates fellowship, unity and community between Christian and Christian as well as between Christians and Christ when we worship. He does not make us all the same but enables us to love and embrace each other in all our diversity (I Cor. 12). If our communal worship is not like this – if it excludes people from participating or simply draws people as individuals towards God but not towards each other – then we need to start asking hard questions about whether it is as Spirit-ed as we may like to imagine.” (pp. 99-100)

How does the worship life of your congregation seek to draw people toward each other rather than simply drawing people as individuals toward God?

Keeping it practical: It's like riding a bike?

2010-02-23T09:51:00.000-08:00

Last time we began exploring the book Worshipping Trinity: Coming Back to the Heart of Worship, by Robin Parry, and highlighted sections making plain that the primary emphasis in worship should not be on our own faith, decision or response, but rather on the perfect faith, decision and response of Jesus – the Son of God and Son of Man – and that the Holy Spirit enables us to share in the resurrected and ascended Son’s ongoing prayer and worship of the Father. Below are additional quotes as to what that dynamic means for congregational worship.

“Trinity should be related to our other beliefs like hydrogen is related to water. Take the ‘H’ out of H2O and you no longer have water. Take the Trinity out of Christian faith and practice and you no longer have Christian faith and practice.” (p. 5)

“Christian theology is not an interesting exercise in abstract speculation but is intimately connected to Christian living and worship. Good theology matters for good worship.” (p. 6)

“Our spirituality is usually shaped more by the experience of communal worship than it is by preaching and teaching. Please do not think I am running preaching and teaching down – I believe in the importance of both. My point is simply that the way we think about God and related to God is influenced enormously by our experience of God in communal worship….[in public worship] we learn the language of praise and the way to speak of and to God. We may not consciously be copying those around us. Often we simply absorb the pattern of speech, the intonation, the words to use, the appropriate physical gestures and postures and so on just by being immersed in an environment in which others are worshipping. The public worship we experience often sets the limits and possibilities of our worshipping worlds.” (pp. 8-9)

“Songs are especially formative. ‘We are far more likely to find ourselves humming something we sang in church when we go home than we are to find ourselves meditating on a phrase in the sermon’, observes Rosalind Brown….”

“Christian philosopher and scientist Michael Polanyi spoke of knowledge that we simply absorb by a kind of ‘osmosis’ without even realizing that we have done so. This is what he refers to as ‘tacit knowledge’. Most Christians simply imbibe a theology through the way that they worship. The songs, Scripture readings, prayers and rituals (and even the most non-liturgical, charismatic churches have ‘rituals’) form the bricks and mortar of the congregation’s spirituality and faith. The knowledge we gain through worship is not merely information but a practical knowledge.” (pp. 9-10)

“Think about riding a bike. There are some things about riding a bike, such as how to balance on it, that can only be learned by riding it and not by reading the How to Cycle manual….we internalize all that we need to know through participating in the practice of cycling and then intuitively we just know how to do it, even if we would have trouble explaining it. This kind of knowledge could be called participatory knowledge.

"Susan Wood argues that regularly taking part in Christian worship is essential for Christian spiritual formation. We may not pay conscious attention to all the individual elements of the faith that we sing or act out in worship, but we are immersed in the practice of communal devotion to God. We internalize the shape of the faith through the sights, sounds, smells, tastes of the whole experience. Liturgy, says Wood, creates an environment that, when we indwell it, shapes our vision, relations and knowledge of God in Christian ways. The knowledge of God we gain in worship is not the knowledge that one can learn from a book but the participatory knowledge that comes from being involved in a relationship.” (p. 10)

“If we get our Trinitarian worship in order then we will find that our congregations will absorb all the key elements of Trinitarian faith before we even get as far as explaining it. So when we do formally explain the Trinity it will resonate with people and we will simply be helping them clarify what they already believe. However if our worship is disordered then the message from the pulpit that ‘the Trinity matters’ is completely undermined by weekly experience of worship in which it clearly matters very little. The occasional sermon on the Trinity cannot compensate for week after week of communal worship which has had all the Trinitarian life and color washed out of it.” (p. 13)

“I am not arguing that the reason we should get the theology right in our worship is so that we can teach good theology to our churches! That is precisely the wrong way around. What I am suggesting is that we get the theology in our worship right so that we can worship God more appropriately.” (p. 13)

“This view of communal worship calls attention to the crucial importance of the job of the person or people preparing and leading public worship. The songwriters and worship leaders of today play an enormous part in shaping the faith and life of the church tomorrow….Those who shape worship are the de facto theologians of the church, whether they want to be or not….The songs that you choose, the Scriptures that you read, the prayers that you pray and the way you connect them all together make a vast difference. (p. 13)

“There are many illustrations of the Trinity, and all of them have strengths and weaknesses. While no illustration is perfect….they can be helpful. One such illustration was used in the second century by a church leader named Irenaeus (c. AD 130-200). He said that the Word (i.e., the Son) and Spirit were like the two hands of the Father. The weakness of this image is that it depersonalizes the Son and the Spirit (hands are not centers of consciousness and will). The image is still helpful, however, for understanding God’s work in creation and redemption. Everything that God does is the work of the whole Trinity. When the Father acts, he does so through his Son and his Spirit. The Son and the Spirit work together to achieve the Father’s will, just like the hands of a potter work together to shape a sculpture.” (p. 19)

“Christians are increasingly remembering that the Bible is not simply a list of ‘things-to-believe-and-do’ or a collection of timeless blessed thoughts that one can dip into at random. On the contrary, the Bible is a single story that runs from creation to new creation, from Genesis to Revelation. Robert Webber writes that ‘this story is the good news (evangelion). In worship we signify it (leiturgia); in evangelism we proclaim it (kerygma); in fellowship we experience it (koinonia); in our ministry to each other and in our service to each other we live it (diaconia). It is the very heartbeat of who we are.’” (p. 19-20)

Your comments are certainly welcome.

Keeping it practical: So, whose response is it?

2010-02-16T12:06:00.000-08:00

“I doubt that there is any other factor with undermines the mission and worship of the church more tragically than the widespread failure to appreciate the Trinitarian dynamic of worship….”

Those are strong words! They come from Alan J. Torrance in his endorsement of the book Worshipping Trinity: Coming back to the heart of worship, by Robin Parry (2005 Paternoster Press). Alan is Chair of Systematic Theology at St Mary’s College, University of St Andrews (and if his name sounds familiar, he is son of James Torrance and nephew of Thomas Torrance, each a highly respected minister, mentor and Trinitarian theologian).

Certainly none of us want to unknowingly undermine mission and worship in our congregations, so what is this Trinitarian dynamic of worship, and how might we be failing to appreciate it? We already believe in grace, so what’s the big concern?

Robin Parry writes, “(Some) people think that although God has offered us salvation free of charge through grace, worship is still primarily our response. This DIY (Do It Yourself) view of worship is common among Christians….” (p. 100).

“Although it stresses the God-humanward movement in Christ, the human-God ward movement is still [made out to be] ours! It emphasizes our faith, our decision, our response in an event theology which short-circuits the vicarious humanity of Christ and belittles union with Christ…. [It implies] that God throws us back on ourselves to make our response” (pp. 100-1).

“Week after week we have to stir ourselves up and offer God his due…. [however] The Trinitarian view of worship presented by the Bible….does not call people to whip themselves up into a worship frenzy but simply points people to the worship that Christ is currently offering and invites them to join him in it. And even our response to God’s grace is a response that God has provided us with himself as a gift” (pp. 101).

“[What enables us to worship acceptably] is the worship of Jesus, the Word-made-flesh. Jesus, the perfect human, offers perfect human praise to the Father – and it is that worship that we need to understand if we are to have a Christian understanding of what it is that is happening when we worship (pp. 87-8).

And continuing, “The place to begin is with the ancient Christian doxology ‘Glory to the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit’. The roots of this doxology are found in the deep structures of New Testament thought that bubble up in Ephesians 2:18: ‘Through him [the Son] we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.’ There it is in black and white. As Christians, we come first and foremost to the Father. We come to him through the work of the Son, enabled by the Holy Spirit. This insight is key to understanding worship…. [and] can be summed up in the words of a recent Matt Redman song, ‘Gifted Response’ (Matt is pictured right):

This is a gifted response;
Father we cannot come
To you by our own merit;
We will come in the name of Your Son
As He glorifies You,
And in the power of Your Spirit
(2004 Thankyou Music)

Parry feels there have been “blind spots” in the way many churches go about worship, and he encourages us to develop and maintain a clearer picture of the God we worship – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – and attempts to offer practical ways to shape a worship meeting so that the congregation becomes aware of meeting with the Father through the Son in the Spirit.

The author repeatedly stresses that our prayers and worship will be acceptable because Christ’s worship and prayers are acceptable, and it is his worship and prayer in which we are sharing. He lives forever interceding for us (Heb. 6:20; 7:25-28; 8:1-6), and our petition is simply, as Karl Barth puts it, “a repetition of his petition.” So we can be confident God hears us.

In coming days we’ll look at additional quotes from this book as we continue to explore what it means to appreciate the Trinitarian dynamic of worship for our congregations. In the meantime your comments and questions are always welcome, and can help determine which aspects we might examine more in depth.

Mystery and Doxology

2010-02-04T19:03:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite doxologies is Romans 11:33-36. Those verses are also the lyrics to All Things by Joel Hendrickson, Steve Mills and Jeff Crumb (1992 Little Peach Music). For years our praise band Higher Ground has often used this powerful song to place a rousing exclamation mark at the end of worship services. (Pictured below - our guitarist Craig provides the stirring acoustic intro on All Things.)

This doxology (from the Greek doxa – glory) captures the awe and wonder that thankful believers express when confronted with the “deep riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God” revealed in Christ. It also captures some of the mystery that is in the message.

It touches upon several key elements in Christ-centered (Trinitarian) worship and theology – that all things begin and end with God – and that even though his thoughts and ways are completely beyond our ways of knowing, all things (everything in heaven and earth) are accomplished through him and to his glory. And although God does not owe anyone anything – he is freely and graciously doing all these things in Christ. The Word became flesh! And even now we participate in his life!

(As our friend John McKenna is fond of saying of the Son of God and Son of Man, “in his freedom he has chosen to be WITH us and FOR us, and in our being given fellowship, union and communion with the Creator / Redeemer, we get to grasp more than we can say!”)

So God’s love revealed in Jesus will always be a story of both creation and redemption — about New Creation. But Holy Scripture says this story of grace is a mystery hidden in creation, and calls it “the mystery of Christ.”

Robert Farrar Capon writes, “the phrase ‘mystery of Christ’ appears only in the Epistles to the Ephesians and to the Colossians; but the notion of the work of God in the world as a ‘mystery’ – as a reconciling gift hidden throughout creation….can be found in Jesus’ parable of the Yeast Hidden in the Dough (Matt. 13:33), the parable of the Treasure Hidden in a Field (Matt. 13:44)….and also in Romans and 1 Corinthians.”

“This Mystery….is a cosmic dispensation has been present at all times and in all places but ‘kept secret for ages and generations’ (Rom. 16:25) ….(but) that has been hidden ‘from the foundation of the world’ (Eph. 1:4) until it could be finally revealed in Jesus.” (p. 25, The Mystery of Christ….& Why We Don’t Get It)

Capon also walks us through Eph. 1:3-19, showing the all-encompassing plan of God for gathering up all things (including us) in heaven and earth in Christ. We see that in God’s own wisdom he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, and in Christ destined us for adoption to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will that he set forth in Christ, and has marked us with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit.

And having obtained this inheritance according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things (he accomplishes all this – we don’t) according to his counsel and will, we can fully trust and set our hope on Christ and can live to the praise of his glory! But this involves faith and trust, because God has chosen an unfathomable way in which to bring bring this about.

That’s the same mystery the Apostle Paul describes in Romans that is a hidden fact of the universe – that Jesus, the Incarnate Word of God is our life and the whole world’s life! That though none are righteous, we die and rise with Christ. Salvation is for Jew and Gentile. A merciful God loves us, and we die and rise with Christ. The Spirit of Christ dwells in us and we dwell in Christ.

Note that in this Rom. 11:33-36 doxology, Paul is inspired to see the words of Isa. 40:13-14 and Job 35:7; 41:11 in new ways.

So in faith and trust in the completeness of Christ, we humbly glorify God with these inspired words from Paul's letter to the Romans….

Oh how deep are the riches
Of the wisdom and knowledge of God
How unsearchable are his judgments
No one can fathom his ways
Who has known the mind of the Lord
Or offered him any counsel?
Who has given to God that he should repay?

From him and through him and to him
To God be all glory and praise
From him and through him and to him
Are all things; are all things.

From the mouth of babes

2010-01-27T10:21:00.000-08:00

“I’m not really of much use to this church. I’m only a volunteer worship leader, and not a full-time staff member. My role here is so small, and besides, I really need to know a lot more about the theology of worship.”

It was well over a dozen years ago, but still seems like yesterday. I was feeling down and had begun to question my value as a volunteer member of a worship ministry team—wondering if those few hours of ministry each weekend were making any difference to anyone, and also wondering if I was really up to the task.

Part of the problem was that for most of my adult life I’d been employed by a church, but severe budget cuts and large-scale layoffs had put an end to church employment, so it was easy to feel less a part of “real ministry.”

Added to that, at the time I was stuck working as a temp on part-time jobs, and the kind of work wasn’t what I would have preferred as a career. On the bright side, I was taking a few evening classes at a seminary to learn more about worship and theology, but since most of my classmates were employed by churches, they were another reminder of what I was not.

Then at perhaps my lowest point, the Lord brought clarity to the situation from the mouth of a “babe.” As has sometimes happened in this surprising journey with Jesus, a timely reminder and humbling redirection came from one of our children. One of our sons arrived home from kindergarten carrying his gray plastic dinosaur, and began telling my wife and me how his “show and tell” session had gone that afternoon.

“Well, we were supposed to talk about something that started with the letter “D” and I was gonna show everyone my dinosaur, but I decided instead to talk about my Dad—and I said he’s a worship leader! And he sings this song….”

Lord I lift your name on high
Lord I love to sing your praises
I’m so glad you’re in my life
I’m so glad you came to save us
You came from heaven to earth to show the way
From the cross to the grave, my debt to pay
From the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky
Lord I lift your name on high

Our tiny kindergartener had stood in front of teachers and his public school class and had sung in his clear high voice every gospel word—proudly announcing that his Dad was a worship leader that lifts up the name of the Lord and sings the praises of that same Lord that came from heaven to save us!

What a wonderfully gracious reminder from the mouth of a “babe” of the work of the Holy Spirit!

[Two asides: 1. Those who know me well might say my son was still talking about a dinosaur in talking about me! 2. Rick Founds (pictured right) wrote Lord I Lift Your Name on High in 1989, and even in 2010 this catchy gospel-in-a-nutshell song is still one of the most sung praise songs of all time.]

The kids had heard the songs I sang in church, and I had also played guitar and sang some of those same songs at night as the kids were drifting off to sleep. But without his realizing it, my son had spoken directly to my identity and could have said nothing that would have been more encouraging or have touched my heart more deeply at the time. I was his Dad and a worship leader that praised Jesus.

It is easy to forget that being a father is a ministry in itself, and is a full time job, even though there’s no check in the mail for doing it.

Most importantly, in serving as a worship leader (or for that matter, serving in any ministry) the main thing is not whether you are a volunteer or a employee—it is pointing to Jesus—the risen, ascended and glorified Lord that was sent from our loving Heavenly Father to pay our debt and make his life ours. He is the Way the Truth and the Life.

Pictured here is the classic 15th century painting by Grunewald in which Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Jesus, and the disciple John grieve at the crucifixion. To the right is John the Baptist (already having been killed before the death of Jesus) holding the Scriptures (they too point to Jesus) and pointing his finger to Jesus, the Lamb of God. A reminder that we too are to point away from ourselves and instead point to Jesus, and to the love of God that is revealed in the life, work and ongoing ministry of Jesus. (Theologian Elmer Colyer, professor at U. of Dubugue, mentions this meaningful painting in his recent video interview on You're Included. Link is on right side on this page.)

Jesus has chosen to be with us and for us. He draws us to himself and binds us to himself—the Minister of the Sanctuary—by the power of the Holy Spirit. In doing so we are included in his ongoing worship of the Father, and in the joyful loving relationship of the Father, Son and Spirit.

Scripture indicates we are unable to offer fitting worship on our own—so the Father provided the perfect Offering and Response for us—Jesus. He is the one and only perfect worshipper—perfectly knows the Father—perfectly prays and worships—and in making his life ours has freely chosen to include our imperfect prayers and worship in his. The Holy Spirit enables us to respond to the Response and give our “amen” to the one perfect Amen. When we know that, we know a lot about the theology of worship.

Whether we work as a volunteer or work full time, we are joining in the perfect ministry and worship that Jesus does. Otherwise we have no ministry at all. May God bless us all to humbly point to Jesus!

How do we worship in times of suffering?

2010-01-20T17:47:00.000-08:00

“Our small congregation has really been through a lot recently—several deaths, serious illnesses, unemployment, people moving away….we’ve been hit hard.”

My friend was describing what he’s been facing as a ministry team volunteer, and I took no joy in letting him know he had also just described the exact condition of the small congregation I serve on the other side of town. Over coffee we commiserated and talked about worship during times of trial and suffering. Not meaning to sound trite—there seems to be more than enough suffering to go around.

Events of last week brought more suffering into view. I was assisting a local university’s Service Learning Program in Los Angeles consisting of six days of intensive, hands-on education at social service agencies of which just a partial listing includes an adult day care center for those suffering with Alzheimers, a global human rights agency fighting against genocides and caring for refugees, a social/psychiatric treatment center (including a lock-down facility) for teens, a food drive for HIV/AIDS patients, a food pantry for the needy, dance instruction for children with special needs, a world hunger organization, a social club for developmentally and mentally disabled adults, and an addiction rehabilitation and recovery center.

As you all know, during that same week Haiti was hit with a massive earthquake. So the head of the world hunger organization that was giving a presentation to us understandably cut his message short to continue making emergency calls on his cell phone—setting resources into motion in an attempt to alleviate suffering.

Those experiences last week brought into focus serious needs of people often overlooked in our own community, as well as highlighting needs and suffering around the world. At the same time we saw volunteers and professionals coming alongside and serving those in need. But seeing so much need all in six days was somewhat overwhelming.

Arriving home for the weekend I took a call from our dear friends from Sri Lanka and learned of their recent struggles with unemployment, pneumonia, and lack of insurance. A visit was set up.

My wife reminded me it was our family’s turn to serve the next evening with our church volunteer team in helping prepare warm meals and setting up cots and handing out blankets at the cold weather shelter for the homeless. More suffering.

Given the theology that drives this blog about worship, we regularly refer to the risen, ascended Minister of the Sanctuary, the Son of God and Son of Man—that is the person Jesus—as standing in the midst of each congregation as we worship and presenting us to the Father. And if that is so, what is Jesus doing while being surrounded by so much suffering?

If you’ve not already done so, I invite you to visit The Surprising God blog (link is on right side of this page under “resources”) and read Ted Johnston’s January 15 post, “Where is God when the world suffers?” In short, Ted says he believes Holy Scripture indicates that Jesus is present with us in the Spirit and is suffering with us, weeping with us, and is also sharing his love and compassion and reaching out through caring people to comfort and bring aid to those suffering.

Ted reminds us, “There is one God who is Father, Son and Spirit. This one God, in three persons is of one mind; one heart; one will. God, in Christ, loves us, and in the Spirit is fully present with us. In our suffering. And he is now and always at work to bring to us a new heaven and a new earth in which sorrow and suffering is gone. That is the hope for us all. In the meantime, let us embrace and extend to others the compassion of our suffering God. We know him, because we know Jesus.”

So while our worship regularly celebrates Christ’s victory over sin and death, I suggest we ask if the worship services we put together also reflect the caring and compassionate mind, heart and will of God that is present as the Suffering Servant. With the compassionate heart of Jesus for our own congregation and for people around the world (whether or not they are believers), do we sing songs of petition? Songs of confession?

The service needn’t sound like a funeral, but do we sing any laments, or any prayerful or meditative songs that are sensitive to and offer comfort and support for those who suffer, or is the balance weighed almost entirely on the louder voices of victory and triumph? Are we taking time to weep with those who weep?

The inaugural post of this worship blog (9.08.09) quotes T.F. Torrance from Royal Priesthood: A Theology of Ordained Ministry and mentions that although the worship and message of the Church proclaims the mighty acts of him who called us out of darkness into light (1 Peter 2:9), we must also remember that Jesus and the Church are still the Suffering Servant, mercifully ministering to the needs of others, and are in patient endurance fulfilling what the prophets of the Old Testament saw from afar (James 5:10-11).

Scripture assures us that despite any and all appearances to the contrary, God really is with us and for us, even (perhaps especially) in the midst of trials, tragedy and suffering. Please feel free to let us know how Jesus is leading worship in your congregation in ways that share the Suffering Servant’s patient love, great mercy and compassion.

2009—Nothing to brag about?

2010-01-04T19:51:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! However if you are anything like me and a lot of other folks, a big part of the celebration was shouting GOOD RIDDANCE to 2009! What a year! Almost nothing went according to plan, and there was plenty of what felt like failure, and not much to brag about. And when enough things flop altogether or turn out dramatically different than you thought they would, at some point you not only feel a lack of power and wisdom—you wonder if you really know anything at all.

So now its a new year and you definitely feel the need to look beyond yourself.

Help arrives with the inspired words of the Apostle Paul. Throughout the first two chapters of I Corinthians Paul describes God’s faithful love known in fellowship with the Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Paul proclaims the wisdom, power and grace that is Christ crucified—and says we share that wisdom and mind of Christ in our new life in Christ! But he reminds us that although such wisdom transcends worldly knowledge and wisdom, the life of the crucified Servant just looks foolish to the world.

In 1 Cor. 1:30-31 Paul tells us that Christ has become for us “wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. In order, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord’.”

Jeremiah 9:23-24 says “….Do not let the wise boast in their wisdom, do not let the mighty boast in their might, do not let the wealthy boast in their wealth; but let those who boast boast in this, that they understand and know me, that I am the Lord; I act with steadfast love, justice and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight….” And Paul shows that the light of Christ provides new meaning to those words.

Singer/Songwriter Paul Baloche (right) refers to those words of the Apostle Paul and the Prophet Jeremiah in the up-tempo praise chorus I Will Boast (2006 Integrity Music).

Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom
Or the strong man boast in his strength
Let not the rich man boast in his riches
But let the humble come and give thanks
To the one who made us
The one who saved us
I will boast in the Lord my God
I will boast in the one who’s worthy
I will boast in the Lord my God
I will boast in the one who’s worthy
He’s worthy / I will make my boast in Christ alone.

During the recent Advent season we sang about Jesus being our “Wisdom from on high” in the hymn O Come, O Come Emmanuel.

O Come thou Wisdom from on high
And order all things far and nigh
To us the path of knowledge show
And cause us in her ways to go

The Wisdom of Jesus involves a life of love and a journey of faith with Jesus that supersedes lists of rules or directives. Jesus is the Path to true freedom—to be made free from darkness and evil—loosed from the broken systems of this world and unshackled from fear, self-centeredness and resistance to the ways of God. The Father freely chose to send the Son. The Holy Spirit binds us to Jesus, who chose in his freedom to be the perfect offering and servant, and that's the same life of love in which we are included.

The lyrics to another old hymn, Be Thou My Vision testify to the true living Word and Wisdom, and alludes to the Trinitarian life in which by the Holy Spirit we dwell with Christ in heavenly places. And as God’s living Word to man, in the vicarious humanity of Christ, Jesus lovingly ministers to us and shares his unique intimate knowledge of the Father and the love, life and oneness of the Father, Son and Spirit.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word
I ever with Thee and Thou with me Lord
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son,
Thou in me dwelling, and I with The one

Such wisdom and knowledge is still viewed as foolishness to the world, and is far above any human understanding. Jesus is now invisible, except for what Christ reveals as the Spirit opens our eyes. So in this broken world of suffering we pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in the heavenly realm, and we humbly proclaim with our lives of love, service and testimonies of the Gospel, that despite any appearances to the contrary, Jesus is the true Wisdom—the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6).

We boast not in ourselves, but in Christ alone. And if life in 2009 helped remind us of that, it must have been a wonderful year after all!

Memories and music from the mountains

2009-12-24T15:39:00.000-08:00

The last few days we've been confirming logistics and details for tonight’s Christmas Eve service. (Thanks coordinators and team members!) As we’ve done for about ten years, two small congregations from different denominations (but bound to each other and to Jesus by the Holy Spirit) will come together on Christmas Eve to sing, pray, preach and present readings about the Father’s love known in the Savior Jesus and his breaking into his creation as God with us and for us.

Tonight’s plan for music includes traditional carols, contemporary songs, children singing Tommy Walker’s Happy Birthday Jesus, and the service concluding with the singing of Silent Night as we light one another’s candle (originating from the Christ candle) and face one another in song. I’ll be serving in one of my favorite ways—just singing harmony.

Weeks ago I blogged about favorite Christmas CD’s from Chris Tomlin, Third Day and others, but it should also be said that one of the all-time favorites at our house is the Patty Loveless album Bluegrass & White Snow (2002 SONY). Patty’s Appalachian mountain voice is in top form, and guest stars Emmylou Harris, Ricky Skaggs, Vince Gill, Dolly Parton, Trisha Yearwood, Amy Grant, Rebecca Lynn Howard and others each take turns adding their distinctive harmonies atop a foundation of rich acoustic music performed by some of Nashville’s elite session musicians.

Please hold that thought, and we’ll come back to it.

When my brother and I were in our early teens, we happily and frequently took our instruments to jam sessions at our uncle Henry’s house. Henry was a well-known country musician in the area—a huge man with a huge heart—and if he wasn’t at a gig, he was fond of hosting jam sessions—especially for young musicians learning their craft.

But while most of us were just working out the chord changes and patterns on our instruments in the setting of a rhythm section, a 12 year old named Steve Gibson was blowing our doors off with guitar fills and solos that always left us amazed. A prodigy of sorts, Steve was already a top instrumentalist in the region—already sitting in regularly with well-known regional artists and bands, including the band in which uncle Henry played. Steve was incredibly gifted, but he still worked hard on his instruments, and was not in the least bit pretentious. It was a real treat to jam with Steve, and just having him in the room seemed to raise everyone else's level of playing as well.

My own instrumental skills were nowhere near the top of the heap, but when I turned 16 another one of my favorite musical uncles kindly hired me as a weekend warrior to sing harmony and play bass guitar with his well-established band. Still I enjoyed keeping an eye on Steve Gibson and the bands he played with as his young career skyrocketed.

Four years later when I moved to Texas to attend college, none of us were surprised to see Steve move to Nashville and quickly become a highly sought after Music City session musician—playing on thousands of tracks with the likes of George Strait, Hank Williams Jr., George Jones, Willie Nelson, Reba McEntire, Kris Kristofferson, Martina McBride, Randy Travis, England Dan and John Ford Coley, and Patty Loveless among others.

Fast forward three decades to the Patty Loveless album Bluegrass & White Snow, and as Stuart Duncan is working his fiddle magic on these beautiful Christmas tunes, Steve Gibson is among the other "A List" musicians in the credits, playing guitar, mandolin and mandola.

So while each song on this album is a blessing in itself, and the singing and playing couldn't be better, somehow having Steve in the mix brings back fond memories of those jam sessions decades ago when a generous host brought together players of every level to participate for the good of the group—to show up with whatever abilities we had and to give of ourselves in whatever way we could (occasional wrong notes and all) so we could all grow, learn, and build fond memories in the shared experience of the musical journey.

If you are reading this, it is likely that you serve a congregation in some way. Let’s be reminded that whether we are parking cars, working security, ushering, stacking chairs, singing, preaching, doing a drama reading or just showing up to pray and fellowship with everyone else—we are each blessed beyond belief to participate through the Spirit in the Father's love and the ongoing ministry and life of Christ. What a shared experience—what a journey! Merry Christmas everyone!

Pointing to the mystery of Christ

2009-12-14T17:37:00.000-08:00

Christ’s birth into our humanity—the once and for all union of God and man—born of the virgin Mary and conceived by the Holy Spirit—is an awesome mystery and miracle that should drive us to our knees in humble thanks and worship.

Yet we are told that many churches have either unintentionally or by design removed nearly any sense of mystery from weekly worship. With an emphasis on doctrine, well-run family programs, pop bands and dogmatic cause-and-effect sermons on obedience and Christian living—with slick PowerPoint productions and a confident business-like delivery that includes an avalanche of texts and factoids—there is little room left for the appreciation of the mysteries of God and the recognition that we are dealing in faith with things of God that are beyond our comprehension. So observes Eddie Gibbs in ChurchMorph (2009 Baker Academic) and in Emerging Churches (2005 Baker Academic).

Dr. Gibbs then explains that some believers are leaving that worship environment behind in search of one that embraces a sense of awe and wonder for the mysteries of God—looking for a community that acknowledges we do not have all the answers, and never will—a place of honest testimony to not being in control of everything, but to being pilgrims on a mysterious and surprising journey, prayerfully and humbly looking beyond ourselves to an awe inspiring God of love and a final destination to which we have not arrived.

Advent and Christmas offer us opportunity to ponder some of the mystery and miracle we may have lost sight of. In the beginning paragraphs of chapter three of Incarnation: The Person and Life of Christ (2008 IVP Academic) T.F. Torrance wrote about the mystery of the birth of Christ into our humanity and the miracle of our knowing Christ:

“Those who are justified by grace, by faith in Christ, are the only ones who really know that they are lost sinners, apart from Christ….(and) those who have come to know the mystery of Christ as true God and true man are the only ones who really know that they themselves are in ignorance, and that by themselves, by their own capacities cannot know the mystery.”

“Both the sinner who is forgiven by Christ and the man or woman who has come to see the face of God in the face of Christ, know that they can never master or dominate the mystery of Christ in their hearts, but can only acknowledge it gladly with wonder and thankfulness, and seek to understand the mystery of Christ out of itself, that is, seek to let it declare itself to them, seek to let themselves be told by the mystery what it is.”

“They will acknowledge that this is a mystery that is not conceivable in ordinary human thought—it is a miracle. And if they know something of this miracle they will know that even their knowing of it is a very wonderful thing, that it is an act of God. They know the mystery by faith, in the power of the Spirit, but not by themselves alone. It is a gift of God. That belongs to the very content of the virgin birth and its significance for our knowing of Christ.”

Let’s take time to humbly let the Spirit draw us in awe and wonder to the miracle and mystery that is a Savior named Jesus!

God's love revealed in Jesus

2009-12-09T11:55:00.000-08:00

Can you feel the love? In the power of the gospel and the presence of the Holy Spirit the Church proclaims a Jesus that is the love of God made personally known to humanity. The weeks leading up to Christmas are a perfect time to point to this love. But then, that same message of love should be on our hearts and minds every week of the year.

I’m reminded of when my friend said that after much searching he had finally found a congregation that he would call “home.” The clincher for him was finding so much of the love of God there that he truly felt loved and accepted. The pastor and the worship leader began nearly every service with confident and yet humble and gracious reminders of how completely God loves each person gathered there, and how much God loves every man, woman and child in the whole world.

Everything in the service was done under the umbrella of God’s love, and during numerous visits my friend saw and experienced enough to know it was more than just words. Now he serves on a ministry team there and helps share that love with others.

My friend’s story led me to do to some real soul searching as a worship leader. Huge question—is God’s love evident when I lead worship? Big subject. For starters, I soon made a more concerted effort to point to the love of God—sometimes during the welcome and sometimes between one of the first several songs. Recently I said, “Our being here today is not really our own doing. You and I were drawn here because of the unfailing love of God—because the Father’s love is revealed in his Son Jesus, who has gathered us together by the Holy Spirit. One day all people will know that same love, and will see Jesus as he is. That’s the loving God we worship here today!”

The point is that we are all sinners saved by grace—loved and accepted in Christ. We are a people gathered because of God’s great compassion, mercy, patient wisdon and faithfulness—all elements of his incredible unending love for us and all his creation. God wants to be with us, and wants us to share and proclaim that same reality of true acceptance, inclusion and love.

And that leads us right back to Christmas and the mystery of a baby born to a virgin named Mary in Bethlehem.

Christmas Readers Theater

2009-11-30T11:08:00.000-08:00

Special thanks to Rick Shallenberger for providing Christmas Readers Theater dramatic readings. You can download the pdf file from the following link:

http://www.wcg.org/MinDev/Web%20Documents/Christmas_Readers_Theater.pdf

Songs for the coming of Jesus

2009-11-24T19:35:00.000-08:00

A stellar 2009 Christmas album is Glory in the Highest: Christmas Songs, from Chris Tomlin (and friends) – a collection of traditional songs recorded live in a worship setting, along with outstanding new praise and worship material such as Born That We May Have Life, Emmanuel (Hallowed Manger Ground), My Soul Magnifies the Lord, Matt Redman’s Light of the World and several more. Separate accompaniment tracks can be purchased.

Other favorite holiday albums from recent years include Third Day: Christmas Offerings (2006) with the powerful and distinctive southern rock vocal styling of lead singer Mac Powell and the great sound of a band that has been a fan favorite at Christian concerts for years. This Is What Christmas Means to Me (2007) by Tommy Walker and the C.A. Worship Band is described by Tommy as a worship project with Christmas as the theme. Tommy is a prolific songwriter with a unique blend of pop/jazz/R&B and has been a top worship leader in Southern CA for nearly 20 years.

Come Let Us Adore Him (Essential Records 2005) contains a truly creative mix of festive and worshipful sounds from groups and artists including Bebo Norman, Joy Williams, Cindy Morgan, Third Day, Caedmon’s Call and more. It is completely different, and is easily one of my most played holiday albums. You may also want to check out the 2008 Christmas album Casting Crowns: Peace on Earth.

On Christmas Eve our congregation sings a traditional version of Silent Night as one person’s candle is lit by the “Christ candle” from the center of the Advent wreath and is in turn used to light another person’s candle—with each lighting another’s until every flame burns brightly as we sing the final verse proclaiming the Son of God bringing the light of pure love with “the dawn of redeeming grace.”

But Advent speaks to even more than the Bethlehem story of the “Word made flesh” (John 1:4). We are reminded of three comings of Jesus—the miraculous birth (adding humanity to his divinity); the active presence of Jesus now in the Church in the Spirit of Grace; and the future coming of Christ bringing new heavens and new earth (2Pet. 3:13).

The four candles of the Advent wreath (one for each week) each serve to represent an aspect of the active waiting involved in the comings of Jesus. Often the first candle is Hope, Expectation or Prophecy. The three remaining weekends focus on aspects such as 2) Love, 3) Joy and 4) Peace or perhaps 2) Annunciation, 3) Proclamation and 4) Fulfillment, or 2) John the Baptist, 3) Mary and 4) the Magi and so on. So there is a wide variety of hymn/song possibilities.

You soon realize that some of your favorite year-round call-to-worship songs and songs of thanks/praise, petition, response and sending already fit quite well within the overall theme of the ways in which Jesus comes to his creation. You likely already sing songs about the return of the King and also about his presence with us here and now. So you may only need to add several specific Advent songs each week, including some about the birth of Jesus in weeks nearest to Christmas.

Traditional songs for Advent include O Come, O Come Emmanuel; Come Thou Long Expected Jesus; Lo He Comes with Clouds Descending; Angels from the Realms of Glory; and Go Tell It on the Mountain to name only a few.

As readers of this blog know, I lead worship and sing with the praise band Higher Ground. Our favorite traditional carol to lead is O Come, O Come Emmanuel, and we also enjoy O Come All Ye Faithful, Hark the Herald Angels Sing and O Little Town of Bethlehem. Newer songs on our list include the Christmas version of Offering by Paul Baloche; Third Day’s version of Joy to the World and Jesus and Light of the World; Tommy Walker’s Glory to God in the Highest and It’s Your Presence; Geoff Bullock’s Glory and our own version of Angels We Have Heard on High.

You are invited to share what has worked well in your congregations (or what has been a challenge!), and/or feel free to share what you've planned for this year.

From Hope to Joy: Advent and Christmas/Epiphany

2009-11-21T15:00:00.000-08:00

To be sure, the decorations, gifts, candy and cookies were huge hits, but even as a child, church events around Christmastime captured the imagination of this Illinois boy. Powerful stories and songs about the coming of Jesus carried anticipation, drama, miracle, mystery, wonderment, and celebration that brought together God, angels and all people—including a kid like me. From small simple gatherings to elaborate pageants, each created special memories and valuable open-ended questions. And that's one more reason this blog exists about Christ-centered theology that shapes worship.

I’d like to suggest four helpful books—two that address the entire church year, and two that are specific to Advent, Christmas and Epiphany (each book is available at Amazon.com). Even if you normally do no more than light another candle on the Advent wreath and add one more verse of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” each week—these books offer scriptures, readings and thoughtful reflections to help inspire your imagination for more.

My favorite is The Meaning Is in the Waiting: The Spirit of Advent by Dr. Paula Gooder (2009 Paraclete Press). This 144 page paperback is not a “how to” book, but a series of reflections inspired by the Bible that are meant to help us think more about waiting—our own waiting and the waiting in the lives of Abraham and Sarah, the prophets, John the Baptist and Mary. It is about active waiting and changing the focus of our lives from ourselves to God. Gooder (pictured here) reminds us that God is actively waiting as well.

God With Us: Rediscovering the Meaning of Christmas (2007 Paraclete Press, hardcover 185 pages) is a beautiful collection of meditations, Scripture, prayer, history and fine art that point to the mystery and wonder of God made flesh. Edited by Greg Pennoyer and Gregory Wolfe, the authors includes top writers Eugene Peterson, Kathleen Norris, Scott Cairns, Emilie Griffin and Luci Shaw.

Introducing the Lessons of the Church Year, by Frederick Borsch (2009 Morehouse Publishing) contains scriptures for the entire ecumenical lectionary (we are in year C, but the book includes A, B and C) as well as concise introductions that can be used as a few simple words before each reading, or as stepping stones to broader messages.

With Burning Hearts: Welcoming the Word in Year C by Verna Holyhead (2006 Liturgical Press) offers weekly Old and New Testament readings and provides theological context as well tying the scriptures to everyday concerns. John Wesley is to have said that his preaching was successful when he “set himself on fire, and others came to watch him burn.” Holyhead provides thoughtful introductions to each season as well as fresh images in hopes of striking a flame in each of us in the Church’s year of grace.

The Revised Common Lectionary is also offered online as a service of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library at http://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/

In just a couple of days I’ll post favorite hymns, songs and CD’s for the upcoming seasons, but it would be great to hear about your favorites too, as well as whatever things have worked especially well in making Advent or Christmas services special blessings in your congregations.

Elvis has left the building

2009-11-12T13:24:00.000-08:00

Early in the career of Elvis a concert promoter famously announced “Elvis has left the building” in hopes that screaming fans would begin calming down upon learning that Elvis had indeed exited the hall and would not be returning for another encore. The promoter had brought Elvis to the fans in the first place and was now announcing his departure. The phrase about Elvis became a punchline for whenever someone makes a dramatic exit. (Need we note Elvis is pictured below?)

Sometimes a worship service is conducted in a way that implies the pastor or the worship leader is somehow by words or actions bringing the presence of God into the building. I’m sure I’ve done that myself. For example a person might pray for Jesus or the Holy Spirit to come into the room.

The implication is that God has come from far away to meet with us during the worship service and will then leave the building, awaiting the next invitation to come back when we ask again.

A better approach is a prayer for our Lord to continue opening our hearts and minds to the reality that he is already with us—that through the Holy Spirit we are bound in union to the risen and ascended glorified Jesus that goes before us as the Minister of the Sanctuary. (Reminds me of the Paul Baloche song, "Open the Eyes of My Heart.")

We can pray for realization that we are joining in the ongoing worship of Jesus who is both worship leader and worshipper on our behalf—that we are already in heavenly places with Christ—actively participating in Jesus’ worship of the Father in Spirit. The book of Hebrews reminds us of the powerful reality (not just a figure of speech) of our High Priest at the throne of grace.

That word “grace” is key in terms of worship. Worship is a gift of grace. Because of grace (because of the loving Father sent the Son for us) Jesus precedes us and is already in the room, and with the Holy Spirit has actually initiated our being there—has gathered us together in the first place. In his freedom and by his choice he is with us as we pray and worship in the name of Jesus.

We do not cause him to be in the worship service or usher him into the presence of the people. We do not mediate/minister God to ourselves. Instead, we can offer humble prayers asking for forgiveness for losing “sight” of God and for so often going our own way by resisting him and failing to see or take part in what he is already doing. Offer prayers of thanks for the invisible presence of God, and pray for increased awareness of his goodness and love—for his compassion and mercy.

Has Jesus exited the building? The risen Jesus made a dramatic exit from the sight of the disciples and entered the heavenly realm. But he did this in order to send the promised Holy Spirit that actually binds all Christians everywhere to him and his ongoing ministry. Though now invisible, Jesus has firm hold of us and will never leave or forsake us. He takes us with him. Beyond just being in the building, our whole life and worship are in him. Pray for a greater sense of the reality of such healing, freedom and newness of life.

[Sharing in the actuality of Christ’s present life now through union with Christ is the theme of The Crucifixion of Ministry by Andrew Purves (InterVarsity Press, 2007). Many pastors are familiar with this short 150-page book, but I highly recommend it for worship leaders as well.]

Your comments, critiques and recommendations are always welcome.

Pulitzer Prize in worship?

2009-11-04T20:28:00.000-08:00

My journalist friend described his method for writing. After completing research for an article, he quickly writes and reviews the very first sentence he has written. In reading just those first few words it becomes clear to him that the Pulitzer Prize for journalism (pictured left) cannot be won with the article he has just begun. And having rid himself of any notion of attaining journalistic glory, he is then free to simply do his best with the time and resources available, and what he writes is nearly always quite sufficient for his publisher and readership. Being realistic can be enabling. I got a kick out of my friend’s admission, and have tried to take his wisdom to heart.

But it gets more complicated with ministry and worship. While there’s no Pulitzer Prize for a worship service, we tend to set awfully high standards for ourselves. We want powerful life changing worship services that glorify God and minister to brethren with inspiring praise and effective prayers, beautiful songs, powerful and memorable sermons, fitting comments and testimonials—all taking place in beautiful surroundings—with God lifted up and people made ready for mission. (Have we pinched ourselves yet?)

Then as we put together our first thoughts about next week’s service, we are quickly reminded of our limited abilities to speak, sing, pray, lead, encourage, etc., and of our small church with meager resources. We soon realize this service will not be the glorious worship service to end all worship services. In fact what we are cooking up is starting to look very vanilla, and we just hope it won’t be flat as a pancake.

So while my journalist friend finds freedom in ridding himself of visions of grandeur—the opposite may occur in ministry circles. We want so badly to please and glorify God and to serve our brethren that we may get stopped in our tracks while focusing so much on our inadequacies that we feel like giving up before we start. We want to offer a more perfect praise—want to be a living sacrifice—but if we are not careful we may allow ourselves to just feel stuck, empty and discouraged instead.

We need constant reminders that Jesus is our true Minister and Lead Worshipper. He is not only the Lamb of God, the perfect Offering that God has already mercifully provided for us that is worthy of worship, he is also the Minister of the Sanctuary. But he’s not a zillion miles away either. The Son of God and Son of Mary, born in a humble stable, is still Immanuel—still God with us—here sharing in our own circumstances as we share in his. Having already offered a perfect life of worship, and now ascended and glorified, he is still fully God and fully man, and through the Holy Spirit is in the midst of all those he has gathered together (even in the smallest and most humble gatherings).

Despite all appearances to the contrary, Jesus is in our midst praying perfect prayers and offering perfect praise to the Father on our behalf (Heb 2:11-13). That’s part of what is meant when we speak of the ongoing vicarious humanity of Christ. As our incomplete, fractured, inaccurate and weak offerings of praise and prayer (even our very lives) are gathered up in Jesus through the Spirit and delivered as whole, perfect and complete responses to the Father, his response becomes ours. And our humble participation in Christ’s present ministry and worship brings with it the surprising and healing joy of the Lord.

In Jesus we are taking part in the ministry of the Author and Finisher of our faith. He exceeds all expectations. Every minister and worship team member can find great peace and comfort in the realization that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit is with us as we worship (2 Cor 13:13). A Pulitzer is terribly small by comparison.

N.T. Wright on "me and Jesus being in love"

2009-10-21T08:37:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year, renowned New Testament theologian N.T. Wright (Bishop in the Church of England, author of over 40 books) spoke at a public lecture at Lake Avenue Church in Pasadena CA while in town to teach a DMin class at nearby Fuller Seminary.

During the Q&A session following his lecture, Wright (pictured left) made the following insightful comments on what he refers to as the type of worship song that is basically about “me and Jesus being in love.”

Romance is wonderful, but a steady worked out relationship is better. Striking a match is very exciting, but its not going to last long. Use the match to light a candle and it will give a steady beautiful light to the room. You might say, let’s have more matches and sparklers too! But you can’t live on that. I really do worry about that. In my Diocese some of the young people sing those romantic songs all the time, and I don’t want to tell them to stop singing them and go back to singing “All People That On Earth Do Dwell” (though I would prefer they did), because if that’s where these young people are, then that’s fine.

But God takes us as we are in order to transform us and move us on. ….I agree that the language of romance is Biblical (with rabbinic traditions of interpreting the Song of Songs as romance between God and Israel, and the great patristic and medieval traditions of interpreting the Song of Songs as the romance between Jesus and the Soul) and not just late modern…..But mostly the Church speaks of marriage (of Christ and the Church), not the romance of Christ and the Church.

While N.T. Wright has said much more about worship elsewhere (for example see chapter eleven of his recent book “Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense”, 2006, HarperOne), I do appreciate the wisdom in his above comments.

We don’t know what specific songs N.T. Wright is referring to, but note that he says these songs about “me and Jesus being in love” are (1) biblical (2) and that although he would prefer that some young people in his church did not sing them “all the time”, he does not tell them to stop, because (3) those people are in a particular place in life in which those songs fit. (4) Wright goes on to imply that it could be better if those songs were part of a larger mix of songs expressing a variety of messages, experiences and feelings (including highs and lows) as part of an ongoing life-long relationship.

Of course it is not only young people that might like some of those songs. Regardless of age, we are all different, and some folks are just more passionate than others, and as Wright points out, people are in different places in their life’s journey with Jesus, and that’s fine. We should be graciously respectful of that fact. For that matter, later in life we occasionally need to revive and rekindle those fires of our “first love” as Christians.

Also at least some “me and Jesus in love” songs touch upon a lot more of the gospel story than might be indicated in the song’s title. For example we occasionally sing “My Beloved” by Chris Tomlin (pictured left). While the theme is that Jesus is my Beloved, and I am His, the song also testifies that because His precious blood was spilled, this Beloved has raised my life up from the dead, and that my eyes will see His face. It proclaims this Beloved as the Mighty God, Faithful One, Lamb of God and the Holy One. So while it’s a love song, the larger story of redemption is also touched upon. The full lyrics are:

My Beloved mine, I His, my Beloved mine, I His
My Beloved mine, I His, my Beloved mine, I His

His precious blood was spilled. His precious blood was spilled
His precious blood was spilled. My Beloved mine, I His

He raised my life up from the dead. He raised my life up from the dead
He raised my life up from the dead. My Beloved mine, I His

When my eyes shall see His face, when my eyes shall see His face
When my eyes shall see His face, my beloved mine, I His

Bridge:
Mighty God, Faithful One, my Beloved, my Beloved
You're the Lamb of God, You're the Holy One
My Beloved, my Beloved, my Beloved

My Beloved mine, I His, my Beloved mine, I His
My Beloved mine, I His, my Beloved mine, I His

We haven’t done the song often, but it adds variety in the midst of songs of praise and songs that speak of personal and collective needs, or that testify of God’s grace and mercy for all people—not just me, and not just our congregation.

I’d appreciate hearing your comments as well.

Praise God for His New Creation

2009-10-09T10:34:00.000-07:00

What songs do you use at the end of a service to send the congregation on its way? Often our “song of sending” will be one of re-dedication to serving with Jesus. But on some occasions when the scriptures, prayers, and sermon or testimonies speak powerfully of the grace and mercy of God, there may be no more fitting conclusion than to offer up pure praise (a doxology)—giving all glory to God.

Because we were crucified with Jesus and now have new life in the risen and ascended Jesus (Eph. 2:4-10, Gal. 2:20), we are new people of the new creation. And just as the angels sang for joy at the original creation (a universe meant to glorify God), today by the Holy Spirit we join with Jesus (the new Adam) in singing praise and giving glory to God as part of the new creation.

One such doxology of praise is 1 Tim. 1:17. Paul has just described having once been a violent, persecuting, blasphemous, unbelieving creature, and feeling like the worst of sinners (we even learn elsewhere that he had once been involved in putting Christians to death). But then Paul testifies that Jesus came into the world to mercifully save sinners, including Paul, and that God even patiently uses such redeemed sinners in the service of the Gospel, in proclaiming the grace, faith and love of Christ Jesus in their lives so that others can know and experience the same miraculous inclusion in this new life.

In view of Paul’s testimony of God’s love known in Jesus (though we no longer see Jesus), it was altogether fitting to stop and insert a doxology (offer up pure praise), to give honor and glory forever and ever to the eternal, immortal, invisible King that is God.

The version of 1 Tim. 1:17 used in our congregation is Joey Holder’s “Now Unto the King Eternal”. (See song 227 in what is commonly called the Maranatha! Music “Green Book”.) We’ve changed it up a bit with several repeats of the verse and chorus, and also modulate a full step midway through the song, adding to the intensity. By the final chorus the congregation sings to the top of their lungs, and it is a powerful way to be sent—with nothing ringing in our ears but the marvelous truth that all glory and honor forever and ever belongs to our King that is God.

Verse:
Now unto the King eternal
Unto the King immortal
Unto the King invisible
The only wise God
The only wise God

Chorus:
Oh, unto the King be glory and honor
Unto the King forever
Unto the King be glory and honor forever and ever
Amen, Amen

Worship, Community & the Triune God of Grace

2009-10-02T02:26:00.000-07:00

When the Rev Professor James B. Torrance died at the age of 80 in 2003, Christianity Today magazine chose to highlight three areas of his life of service – 1) he was Professor Emeritus of Systematic Theology at University of Aberdeen in Scotland, 2) he was known as a mentor to other Christian leaders, and 3) he wrote “Worship, Community, and the Triune God of Grace” (IVP, 1997).

He had also been a family man and a pastor, and whether serving in pastoral ministry, teaching theology, writing, or in mentoring others, Torrance was keen on worship and on discussing in simple but profound language the relationship of grace and the continuing priesthood of Jesus in Trinitarian worship.

It is interesting to note that “Worship, Community, and the Triune God of Grace” [WCTGG] contains a mere 130 pages, and yet it has gained wide influence in denominations around the globe, as in it Torrance offers a brief but profound discussion of prayer and worship that is Christ-centered, incarnational and Trinitarian. The book is an expanded form of lectures on the theology of worship he gave in Manchester in 1994, and is also from articles he wrote or lectures he gave in different countries in the 70’s and 80’s. It has been pointed out that these themes have struck more of a chord in the last decade or so than they did in some theological circles in the earlier years. With this easy-to-read book Torrance is still helping “mentor” those of us serving in ministries today. Here are some excepts from WCTGG:

There is no more urgent need in our churches today than to recover the Trinitarian nature of grace—that it is by grace alone, through the gift of Jesus Christ in the Spirit that we can enter into and live a life of communion with God our Father.

Worship is the gift of participating through the Spirit in the incarnate Son’s communion with the Father.

The Father has given to us the Son and the Spirit to draw us into a life of shared communion—of participating through the Spirit in the Son’s communion with the Father—that we might be drawn in love into the very Trinitarian life of God himself.

Whatever else our faith is, it is a response to a response already made for us and continually being made for us in Christ, the pioneer of our faith.

In worship we offer ourselves to the Father ‘in the name of Christ’ because he has already in our name made the one true offering to the Father, the offering by which he has sanctified for all time those who come to God by him (Heb 10:10, 14) and because he ever lives to intercede for us in our name.

(Trinitarian worship) means participating in union with Christ, in what he has done for us once and for all, in his self-offering to the Father, in his life and death on the cross. It also means participating in what he is continuing to do for us in the presence of the Father and in his mission from the Father to the world. When we see that ….. (and) that the unique center of the Bible is Jesus Christ, ‘the apostle and high priest whom we confess [Heb 3:1], then the doctrines of the Trinity, the incarnation, the atonement, the ministry of the Spirit, Church and sacraments, our understanding of the kingdom….all unfold from that center.

We are baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit into the community, the one body of Christ, which confesses faith the in the one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and which worships the Father through the Son in the Spirit. We are baptized into a life of communion. The Christian doctrine of the Trinity is the grammar of this participatory understanding of worship and prayer.

(We need to) return to the ‘forgotten Trinity’ – to an understanding of the Holy Spirit, who delivers us from a narcissistic preoccupation with the self to find our true being in loving communion with God and one another—to hear God’s call to us, in our day, to participate through the Spirit in Christ’s communion with the Father and his mission from the Father to the world—to create in our day a new humanity of persons who find true fulfillment in other-centered communion and service in the kingdom of God.

The first real step on the road to prayer is to recognize that none of us knows how to pray as we ought to. But as we bring our desires to God, we find that we have someone who is praying for us, with us, and in us. Thereby he teaches us to pray and motivate us to pray and to pray in peace to the Lord. Jesus takes our prayers—our feeble, selfish, inarticulate prayers—he cleanses them, makes them his prayers, and in a ‘wonderful exchange’ he makes his prayers our prayers and presents us to the Father as his dear children, crying ‘Abba Father’.

launching the trinitarian worship blog

2009-09-08T19:35:00.079-07:00

Over the last several years, Grace Communion International (GCI) has travelled a journey of reformation that has led us to embrace a biblically-based theology that is Christ-centered, incarnational and trinitarian (in this blog we refer to it as trinitarian theology). With this post, GCI launches this blog as a place to discuss how this theology undergirds and shapes the worship ministries of the church - thus this blog's name is trinitarian worship.

My name is Mike Hale (fifth from left in the picture of Higher Ground, the worship band of which I am a part). I will be serving as the primary moderator for this blog, working in conjuction with others in G CI-USA ministry development. I invite your participation in this discussion as we seek to follow the Spirit in our continuing journey. Our discussion will be of particular interest to worship directors, pastors, worship leaders, musicians, technicians, small group leaders, etc. Note instructions posted in the right-hand column of the main page concerning how to send in new posts and comment on existing posts. I hope to hear from you.

Now let me share some details of my personal journey and some concepts about trinitarian worship to jump-start our discussion.

GCI's journey of reformation began in 1995-96, with massive doctrinal changes that spawned many changes in the denomination's practices. One such change involved moving from song-leading in what we called church services, to worship-leading in what we now view as worship services. As I had been a church soloist for many years and also a lead singer with several pop bands, I was commissioned to serve as a worship leader in our denomination's headquarters congregation, and also to help launch an alternative evening worship service using praise bands. I was lead singer for the praise band Higher Ground, and we were asked to lead worship at several church festivals. Additionally I was asked to help launch a mid-week employee chapel service. Before long I was also asked to lead worship at an evening prayer and praise service for a small mainline church plant.

While I was excited about these ministry opportunities, the challenges were daunting - in part because while the switch from song leading to worship leading sounds simple, it was a more significant change than I first imagined. For one thing, we had made the switch from primarily singing songs that were about God, and had begun singing more “vertical” worship songs that were both intimate and prayerful. I welcomed that change, but it still had to be worked through with the congregations. Then there was the matter of our fellowship placing new emphasis on the Trinity. So besides wanting to find out all I could about leading worship, I also yearned for a better understanding of the nature of the Trinity and of our intimate relationship to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and the implications for worship.

I began by reading a tall stack of books on worship (a really tall stack) and began attending worship conferences, seminars, and worship workshops. I sought out magazine articles about worship, watched instructional videos and listened to instructional tapes and CDs, and visited churches in the area known for outstanding worship programs.

But while all this was helpful to some degree, I had encountered a dizzying array of different and sometimes contradictory approaches to worship, and there was far less consensus than I imagined there might be. Some authors and speakers concentrated on musicianship, smoothly managed transitions and better equipment. Some focused on liturgies or traditions. Some had views on “authentic” worship or “appropriate” worship or “empowered” worship. Many were locked in discussions (and arguments) about trends, music styles and cultures. Others presented sets of scriptures “proving” their own particular Biblical views of worship.

It was my sense, however, that something was missing - something that spoke more to the core issue of the nature of God, and what God is doing in worship, and how we each individually and collectively as the people of God fit into that dynamic and relationship. Not having the answers, I soldiered on, yet still yearning for better understanding. Then in 1997 Dr. John McKenna was brought in as a doctrinal advisor to our fellowship. Having been mentored by Thomas F. Torrance, Dr. McKenna brought with him a rich and rare understanding of Christ-centered, trinitarian theology (of course I knew nothing of this at the time, and didn’t know Torrance from Adam).

One day I struck up a conversation with Dr. McKenna, and eventually described my worship leader predicament to him. At the same time I mentioned that some of us were beginning to experience the touch of God during worship, but that while such experiences were indeed encouraging, I was somewhat at a loss to explain what was happening. Dr. McKenna suggested that I begin reading the theology of T.F. Torrance, and he recommended Royal Priesthood: A Theology of Ordained Ministry, and The Mediation of Christ. Soon I also read Worship, Community and the Triune God of Grace, by James B. Torrance, the brother of T.F.

For me, the introduction to this theology was a Godsend. Instead of studying worship as a separate and compartmentalized matter, a far better starting place was Torrance’s holistic Christ-centered, trinitarian approach that provides an in-depth discussion of Jesus as the Revelation of God, and the Church’s relationship to Divine Reality. Worship is a gift (of grace) of participating through the Spirit in the incarnate Son’s communion with the Father. The bodily-risen Son of God/Son of Man is our Mediator – as God’s Word to us and our word to God in one person.

This was all somewhat overwhelming at first, but by the grace of God my eyes were gradually being opened, and there was a real sense of joy and freedom in reflecting on Torrance’s descriptions of Divine Light and Life, rather than my focusing on the surface-level issues contained in most books on the subject of worship. I was hooked, and through the years have continued reading books by Torrance or by students of Torrance, and Dr. McKenna has been gracious in meeting with me to discuss what was being read.

Like we all are, I’m a work in progress, but there has been much joy in the journey for this worship leader.

While Royal Priesthood was my starting place, it is not one of the better known books by Torrance, and there are probably better places to start, such as with Alister McGrath’s T.F. Torrance, An Intellectual Biography, Elmer Colyer’s How to Read T.F. Torrance, or A Passion For Christ: The Vision That Ignites Ministry, essays by T.F. Torrance and his brothers James and David, edited by Gerrit Dawson and Jock Stein. More comprehensive (and extremely readable) is the 2008 release, Incarnation: The Person and Life of Christ, edited by Robert T. Walker.

Still, in Royal Priesthood, Torrance provided an important holistic view of worship, and of the Church’s role in relations to the Suffering Servant. And while we often think of celebrating mighty triumphs of God in worship (the book title comes from 1 Peter 2:9, in which mighty acts are mentioned - “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” NRSV), we do well to remember contrition, humility and service. Torrance writes:

The pattern for the Church’s worship and its relation to the heavenly worship is to be discerned in the Suffering Servant (Jas. 5:10). The way in which the Church draws near to God is the way of the Son of Man . . . we may observe that while the New Testament uses priestly language to speak of the Royal Priesthood of Christ in His Word and Action, it also applies priestly language to the Church, showing that the Church is given to participate in His ministry, in word, deed, and life; in word, by proclaiming the Gospel to the nations, and deed, by self-sacrifice, by ministering humbly to the needs of others, and by presenting our bodies in worship to God. In this unity of word and deed, of worship and mission, in the life of the Church as the Israel of God under the rubric of the Suffering Servant, we have the fulfillment of what the prophets of the Old Testament saw from afar.

The Word must be done into the flesh, the priestly liturgy must be enacted in life and obedience...described as circumcision of the heart... Likewise the Christian liturgy, the Church’s priestly ministry, divorced from the life of the whole Body, is ‘of the flesh’. Christian liturgy and priesthood derives from the Suffering Servant and is to be enacted in the Body. That is our rational worship.