In the introduction of Perspectives on Christian Worship: 5 Views, author J. Matthew Pinson explains how the five most common categories of worship have blended over the twentieth century. These five worship styles include: liturgical, traditional evangelical, contemporary, blended and emerging. Each summary of worship has been contributed by authors Timothy C. J. Quill, Ligon Duncan, Dan Wilt, Michael Lawrence and Mark Dever and Dan Kimball.
At the conclusion of each chapter, four of the authors provide praise or criticism for the worship approach presented. An important point to mention is that all five authors agree on several important foundations for worship. Each author agrees that worship should be based on Scripture and lived out in our daily actions and not just at our weekly church services.
J. Matthew Pinson wrote this book to describe the earliest forms of Christian worship and to show how changing cultural patterns and influences from society have shaped our worship expressions. In writing this in-depth study of emerging worship styles, Pinson stresses the importance of remaining the faithful to the gospel message. He states, “..remain faithful to the gospel and the Christian tradition while at the same time faithfully communicating that Evangel in a changing and complex cultural milieu that presents mammoth challenges to the continued witness of the Christian church.” [1]
- Part 1: Liturgical Worship by Timothy C. J. Quill
In this chapter by Timothy C. J. Quill, he explains that Liturgical worship includes aesthetic elements such as music, art architecture, vestments, and ceremony. [2] While the liturgical worship is based on doctrine, the liturgical practice reflects the belief system of the church and illustrates the doctrine. [3] “The variety of forms making up the historic Liturgy share a common Biblical and theological understanding of how man acts in God’s presence and, more importantly, how God has chosen to be present and how God acts toward those gathered in His name.” [4]
Quill asserts that Liturgy is important because it is necessary to ask doctrinal questions such as: What does a church believe, teach and confess about the Holy Trinity, sin, Jesus Christ, Communion, Baptism (etc)? Liturgy is important because the gospel is important. Gospel worship is bringing our sin to God and Him giving us gifts of grace and mercy. Another important aspect of Liturgy is the knowledge that “…the Liturgy is the bearer of Christ and He comes with grace to forgive His repentant children.” [5]
In response to this chapter, Duncan points out that “Liturgy can create complacency and simply going through the motions in worship. The long time faithful person in the pew can begin to be so familiar with the liturgy that it becomes almost second nature. This can result in an ability to be completely involved in the worship service without ever engaging one’s heart or head into worshiping the living God.” [6]
- Part 2: Traditional Evangelical Worship by Ligon Duncan
In this chapter, written by Ligon Duncan, he begins by explaining what worship is and is not. The chapter focuses less on the form of worship and more on the meaning, elements, goals and qualities of Biblical corporate worship. Duncan’s values are similar to Quill with respect to how we convey the style of worship that we are presenting. “The minute a service is called ‘contemporary’, we have just conveyed whether we like it or not, that the most important thing about it is the featured musical style. Yet what our worshipers ought to be most concerned about is that the service is Biblical in its elements and substance.” [7] Duncan also warns that using music to attract people encourages participants “to view themselves as consumers rather than as worshipers.” [8]
While Wilt and Kimball affirm Duncan’s chapter, they wonder if his practices have been influenced more by his own tradition and experiences than he realizes. Dan Wilt stresses that “cultural accommodation is very different from cultural connection.” [9]
- Part 3: Contemporary Worship by Dan Wilt
In this chapter, Dan Wilt emphasizes the importance of authenticity at the heart of worship. While he is still appreciative of the historic worship traditions, Wilt says that the contemporary worship movement “is a significant force that is shaping the discipleship life of average believers around the globe.” [10] Dan Wilt also stresses the importance of including the values of Biblical worship in the contemporary music format and is passionate about the congregation truly encountering God as they worship.
Lawrence and Denver express their concerns about Wilt’s emphasis on cultural relevance and personal authenticity. They write, “Certainly we must worship our Savior from within our culture. Yet just as certainly, worship must take is cues not from its context, but from its subject, not from our changing culture, but from the unchanging character of God.” [11]
- Part 4: Blended Worship by Michael Lawrence and Mark Dever
Lawrence and Denver begin this chapter by stating what blended worship is not, and define it as “using various forms for invariable elements.” [12] These various forms include mixing traditional hymns with contemporary worship songs, prayers, Scripture and preaching that draws attention to the Word. [13] Lawrence and Denver state that our worship is to be orderly, edifying, unifying and reverent. “To the saved heart, the richness of the gospel will always exceed even the most impoverished music that celebrates it.” [14]
In response, Kimball takes issue with Lawrence and Denver’s understanding of the Word in worship. “As much as there is a desire to protect the church using only ‘Word-focused’ worship, we must remember that the subtle stylistic things we do in additions to words also communicate.” [15] Dan Wilt questions viewing the “Word” simply as preaching and says, “The thought that to preach is to transform is magical and lacks substance.” [16]
- Part 5: Emerging Worship by Dan Kimball
In the final chapter, Dan Kimball explains “Emerging worship” and defines it as “expressions of worship that are relating to how people in today’s culture communicate, learn and express their love to God.” [17] It is evident that Kimball loves the church, the lost and the Lord and is concerned about the criticism that emerging churches have received for not taking the Bible seriously. Kimball offers eight guidelines for emerging worship which he believes should be a part of every worship gathering.
- Did we lift the name of Jesus up as the centerpiece of why we gathered?
- Did we have a time in the Scriptures, learning the story of God and man and inviting and instructing everyone in how we can be part of His story today in Kingdom living?
- Did we pray together and have enough time to slow down and quiet our hearts to hear God’s voice and yield to His Spirit?
- Did we experience the joy, love and encouragement of being together as a church?
- Did we take the Lord’s supper together as a church, whether weekly, monthly or however we do it?
- Did we somehow remind everyone of the mission of the church and why we exist?
- Did we enable people individually to contribute something as part of the body of Christ?
- Do we see and sense the Spirit of God transforming lives as a result of what we put effort into doing each week? [18]
Although these eight points seek to focus the theme of emerging worship, Kimball also refers to a Chinese proverb, nine spiritual temperaments and worship as a “multi-sensory experience.”
In response to Kimball, Dan Wilt comments, “The random and sometimes cavalier use of Scripture must continue to be eradicated from both contemporary and emerging worship patterns.” [19] Lawrence and Denver similarly state, “We are on safer ground Biblically if we assume that culture’s default effect will be to misshape our worship, and that what is needed is to allow the Scriptures to constantly reform and reshape our worship according to the pattern of the Spirit rather than the pattern of the world.” [20]
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[1] J. Matthew Pinson et al., Perspectives on Christian Worship: Five Views (Nashville, TN, Broadman & Holman, 2009), 16.
[2] Timothy C. J. Quill et al., Perspectives on Christian Worship: Five Views (Nashville, TN, Broadman & Holman, 2009), 18.
[3] Timothy C. J. Quill et al., Perspectives on Christian Worship: Five Views (Nashville, TN, Broadman & Holman, 2009), 19.
[4] Timothy C. J. Quill et al., Perspectives on Christian Worship: Five Views (Nashville, TN, Broadman & Holman, 2009), 19.
[5] Timothy C. J. Quillet al., Perspectives on Christian Worship: Five Views (Nashville, TN, Broadman & Holman, 2009), 24.
[6] Ligon Duncan, et al., Perspectives on Christian Worship: Five Views (Nashville, TN, Broadman & Holman, 2009), 83.
[7] Ligon Duncan et al., Perspectives on Christian Worship: Five Views (Nashville, TN, Broadman & Holman, 2009), 111.
[8] Ligon Duncan et al., Perspectives on Christian Worship: Five Views (Nashville, TN, Broadman & Holman, 2009), 113.
[9] Dan Wilt et al., Perspectives on Christian Worship: Five Views (Nashville, TN, Broadman & Holman, 2009), 133.
[10] Dan Wilt et al., Perspectives on Christian Worship: Five Views (Nashville, TN, Broadman & Holman, 2009), 197.
[11] Michael Lawrence and Mark Dever et al., Perspectives on Christian Worship: Five Views (Nashville, TN, Broadman & Holman, 2009), 215.
[12] Michael Lawrence and Mark Dever et al., Perspectives on Christian Worship: Five Views (Nashville, TN, Broadman & Holman, 2009), 223.
[13] Michael Lawrence and Mark Dever et al., Perspectives on Christian Worship: Five Views (Nashville, TN, Broadman & Holman, 2009), 225.
[14] Michael Lawrence and Mark Dever et al., Perspectives on Christian Worship: Five Views (Nashville, TN, Broadman & Holman, 2009), 252.
[15] Dan Kimball et al., Perspectives on Christian Worship: Five Views (Nashville, TN, Broadman & Holman, 2009), 284.
[16] Dan Wilt et al., Perspectives on Christian Worship: Five Views (Nashville, TN, Broadman & Holman, 2009), 278.
[17] Dan Kimball et al., Perspectives on Christian Worship: Five Views (Nashville, TN, Broadman & Holman, 2009), 297.
[18] Dan Kimball et al., Perspectives on Christian Worship: Five Views (Nashville, TN, Broadman & Holman, 2009), 297-298.
[19] Dan Wilt et al., Perspectives on Christian Worship: Five Views (Nashville, TN, Broadman & Holman, 2009), 346.
[20] Michael Lawrence and Mark Denver et al., Perspectives on Christian Worship: Five Views(Nashville, TN, Broadman & Holman, 2009), 351.
Polly Lohrmann
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