"for: The Institute of Contemporary and Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen's University , Essentials Blue Online Worship Theology Course with Dan Wilt "
The term "worship" in the Christian church has become "overloaded". This means it possesses multiple meanings, each dependent on its context. This week, in my course (essentials*blue - from the Institute of Contemporary and Emerging Worship Studies) I was overloaded with a considerable volume of learning on "worship". In my reading and listening to the content of so many different voices of church leadership this week, I realize that we can easily turn the "worship" word into a ubiquitous (if not useless) term. But I found clarity in seeing worship, perhaps for the first time, as an act that is connective. By this I do NOT mean just in terms of it bringing me to God, as I bow low, in obeisant offering towards him. No, it's more than that.
There was a key phrase that brought it all together for me:
"...we turn our preceding approach to theologically exploring the nature of God and human beings, and apply these categories to the nature of worship."(1)
From there, Dan Wilt describes the manner in which God's nature as Creator, King, Trinity and Savior intersects with our reflected nature of image-bearing human beings as creative, royal, relational, and narrative worshipers. By connecting the nature of God and the nature of man in the act of worship, Wilt helped me realize that those 3 concepts (God, man and worship) have always been somehow part of the same truth.
As we live out our image-bearing humanity here on earth, we do so in tandem with the One True God who is at work on the earth through His Holy Spirit. God is being God, while we are being our called-to, image-bearing humanity. He is the tonal voice in the chord, we are the harmony. He provides everything and even is the base content of everything. He invites us into the song, not because He needs our help, but because He made room for us out of His love. In Christ, the Father opened up the song of the Spirit in order to fit us into the chord of the already-playing, singing Triune harmony.
As I went through the various teachings on worship, I saw these things brim to the top and move through the aspects of all this truth-
- His nature defines our character.
- His love defines our thankfulness.
- His invitation defines our response.
Once I realized that God's nature and mine were connected forever in the flow of worship, the thought of burden and responsibility was lifted off of me. Even in a life of worship, He will provide the strength. Even as a servant, He will carry the yoke. All we need do is follow His lead.
(1)Dan Wilt, essentials blue:Online Studies in Worship Theology and Biblical Worldview (New Brunswick, Canada: Institute of Contemporary and Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephens University, 2008), 43.