The Worship Quote of the Week for (08/14/2001):

Confession and Cleansing Today's WORSHIP QUOTE is a word about confession from the quill of a fifth-century sinner, a forgiven sinner. CONFESSION AND CLEANSING By humble devotion return is made to you, and you cleanse us from our evil ways, and are merciful to the sins of those who confess to you, and graciously hear the groans of those shackled by sin, and you free them from the chains that we have made for ourselves. This you do, if we do not raise up against you the horns of a false liberty, in avarice of having more and in danger of losing everything, and in putting more love upon our own personal good than upon you, the good of all that is. — Augustine of Hippo (354-430) from THE CONFESSIONS OF ST. AUGUSTINE, translated by John K. Ryan. Garden City, New York: Image Books, 1960, p. 89. [Take a look at Jesus’ words about confession and forgiveness: Luke 18: 9-14 in his story about the Pharisee and the Publican, "God, be merciful to me, the sinner!" Matthew 6:12 in the model prayer — "And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors."] 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.edu