The Worship Quote of the Week for (08/03/2004):

Worship and/or Spirituality Look around! Spirituality is the “rage” in the world today. But how does modern culture’s notion of spirituality measure up against biblical worship? Today’s WORSHIP QUOTE suggests that the two are very different. SPIRITUALITY AND/OR WORSHIP The heart of spirituality, for the first Christians, lay in worship. For many of us in Western lands today, rediscovery of spirituality lies in a trip into our interior consciousness. But not for them. Spirituality meant worship, ascribing ultimate worth not to some fashionable idol, but to the Creator of the universe. He was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God who had invaded time and space and come to seek them in the person of Jesus the Messiah. He alone was worthy of worship. —Michael Green and R. Paul Stevens, LIVING THE STORY: BIBLICAL SPIRITUALITY FOR EVERYDAY CHRISTIANS (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2003), p. 3. ISBN 0802860745 [This makes me think of the Savior’s words about worshiping the Father in “spirit and truth” (John 4). It is important to remember, also, that the Apostle Paul cautioned the early church that they could expect to “wrestle against spiritual wickedness” (Eph. 6). The same goes for us. Wrestle on!] 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 =========================== WORSHIP QUOTE OF THE WEEK: To subscribe, unsubscribe, or view a complete index of worship quotes, please visit http://www.wqotw.org ===========================