|
Three Fundamentals of Worship
"Waste" of Time. Buy yourself a copy and one for your pastor or worship leader. [If you appreciate what Dr. Dawn says, please see the note below about a recent recorded message, available on the Internet.] THREE FUNDAMENTALS OF WORSHIP Throughout all my work on issues of worship I especially emphasize three fundamental criteria that I believe the biblical canon gives us for assessing what we do in worship and why — that God be the Infinite Center, that worship upbuild the Body, and that believers be nurtured in faith and life. These may lead to myriads of different choices in different parts of the world, but they never mean catering to everyone’s tastes. Instead, if these are our primary guidelines, we will discover God’s authority, under which we then will engage with all the Body in the process of exercising our authority to craft and lead worship according to the gifts given us to be pastors and teachers (and musicians) as gifts to the churches — until the day prophesied in Philippians 2:9-11, when the dominion of Christ is complete, and the medium and the message are finally perfectly one. — Marva J. Dawn, A ROYAL "WASTE" OF TIME: THE SPLENDOR OF WORSHIPING GOD AND BEING CHURCH FOR THE WORLD, Chapter 16, "Being Church: Building Community," Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1999, p. 202. [Marva Dawn’s lecture "Genuine Church: Musician of Integrity" is now available as a RealAudio file at www.ACDAonline.org/R&S;/worship/marvadawn.shtml. This important message to church musicians was delivered on March 17, 2001, in San Antonio, Texas, at the national convention of the American Choral Directors Association. Dr. Dawn spoke to about 350 church musicians at a 7:00am session, hosted by the Carl Stam and the Music and Worship Repertoire & Standards Committee. Marva J. Dawn is a theologian, author, and educator with "Christians Equipped for Ministry" (Vancouver, Washington) and Adjunct Professor of Spiritual Theology at Regent College (Vancouver, BC).] Have a great week, Chip Stam Director, Institute for Christian Worship School of Church Music and Worship Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Louisville, Kentucky carlstam@aol.com www.carlstam.org www.sbts.educ |