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Christ-Centered Worship
without a focus on the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Author Timothy Ralston is a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary. CHRISTOCENTRIC WORSHIP Without submission to the Lord Jesus Christ, there can be no relationship with the Father and no participation in the covenant. Without the Lord’s presence through the person of God the Holy Spirit in the hearts of his submitted people, a service of worship finds no acceptance with God. Worship must not become enraptured with the worshiper’s ambitions or experience. It must move beyond mere deism or even theism in its statements about God and praises to God. It must not be content with sentimentalism that overemphasizes or misrepresents the fullness of his character. Overall it must see the uniqueness of Jesus Christ and focus on God through the covenant established in the Incarnate Word. In this way, worship that is anything less than Christocentric within the framework of Divine Triunity may be something, but it is certainly not "Christian." —Timothy J. Ralston, from "Scripture in Worship: An Indispensable Symbol of Covenant," chapter eight in AUTHENTIC WORSHIP: HEARING SCRIPTURE’S VOICE, APPLYING ITS TRUTH, Herbert W. Bateman, general editor (Grand Rapids: Hope Kregel Publications, 2002), pp. 208-209. ISBN 0-8254-2092-x [This is a wonderful book. I hope you can find a copy.] Have a great week. Chip Stam Director, Institute for Christian Worship School of Church Music and Worship Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Louisville, Kentucky www.carlstam.org www.sbts.edu/icw |