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Something Is Seriously Wrong
PLEASE SEE THE ANNOUNCEMENT BELOW ABOUT DAVID PETERSON’S WORSHIP LECTURES AT SOUTHERN SEMINARY IN LOUISVILLE, APRIL 13-14, 2005. ALL ARE WELCOME. IF POSSIBLE, PLEASE SEND THIS INFORMATION TO A FRIEND IN LOUISVILLE. ========== Sometimes worship experiences make me feel really great; and sometimes it is hard for me to sense any spiritual connection at all. What is going on? The person right next to me may be feeling things quite differently—we sang the same songs, participated in the same prayers, read the same Scripture passages and heard the same sermon—but our responses were so different. How do I judge these feelings or lack of feelings in worship? Today’s WORSHIP QUOTE is from the introduction to David Peterson’s important book on Christian worship, ENGAGING WITH GOD: A BIBLICAL THEOLOGY OF WORSHIP. Read on to learn about the subjective side of worship. SOMETHING IS SERIOUSLY WRONG Is worship, then, essentially an experience or feeling? Is it to be identified with a special sense of the presence of God, or with some kind of religious ecstasy or with expressions of deep humiliation before God? Are there special moments in a Christian meeting when we are truly “worshipping” God? Are church services to be measured by the extent to which they enable the participants to enter into such experiences? Such a subjective approach is often reflected in the comments people make about Christian gatherings, but it has little to do with biblical teaching on the matter. Furthermore, it creates significant problems for relationships amongst Christians, since not all will share in the same experience and some will inevitably be made to feel that their worship is inferior. Worship must involve certain identifiable attitudes, but something is seriously wrong when people equate spiritual self-gratification with worship. — David Peterson, ENGAGING WITH GOD: A BIBLICAL THEOLOGY OF WORSHIP (Leicester: Apollos, 1999), 16-17. ISBN 0-85111-428-8. David Peterson has taught New Testament at Moore College, Sydney, Australia, and currently serves as principal of Oak Hill Theological College, London. He is also the author of HEBREWS AND PERFECTION (Cambridge University Press, 1982) and POSSESSED BY GOD: A BIBLICAL THEOLOGY OF SANTIFICATION AND HOLINESS (Eerdmans, 1996). ======INVITATION==== DR. DAVID PETERSON, GHEENS LECTURES ON WORSHIP APRIL 13-14, 2005, THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY See lecture titles and schedule below. Please call (502) 897-4115 for more information (www.sbts.edu). All lectures will be taped and made available at www.sbts.edu/icw. ===================== 1. “What Really Is Worship? Old Testament Foundations for a Biblical Theology of Worship” — Wednesday, April 13, 12:30 P.M., Heeren Hall 2. “The Worship That Pleases God,” an exposition of Hebrews 12:18-28 Chapel Message, Thursday, April 14, 10:00 A.M. — Alumni Chapel 3. “Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs: Does the Bible Direct Us in the Choice of Musical Styles for Worship?" — Gheens Luncheon, Thursday, April 14, 11:30 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. — Heritage Hall. Ticket required. Call Beth Holmes (502)-897-4897 for reservations. 4. “Meeting God in the Gathering of His People” — Thursday, April 14, 1:30 P.M., Heeren Hall 5. “The Worship that Jesus Makes Possible” — Thursday, April 14, 7:10 P.M., Heeren Hall. (I understand that Dr. Block is asking our guest to take the first two hours of the Biblical Theology of Worship class for this presentation.) BONUS NIGHT: For any of you without church obligations on Wednesday evening, April 13, please know that Dr. Peterson will be speaking at Clifton Baptist Church at 6:30pm. His topic will be “Sanctification.” All are welcome. Please call 502-897-1771 for more information (www.cliftonbaptist.org). 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 =========================== |