e*r Week 2

Essentials Red Week 2 Discussion Q&A

We are now going to begin to mine the past, very intentionally, for jewels that might enrich our contemporary worship experience.

Reflect on the value of communal public prayer, and the public reading of the Scriptures in worship history. Given the historic importance of these practices and patterns of historic local communities:

"How could we freshly apply the worship languages of public prayer and scripture reading to our contemporary worship expression?"

ANSWER

I am currently teaching a class called, “Simply Worship” which is designed to raise up worship leaders for our cell group ministry. Most of my students are not musicians, but they have a heart to bring a worship expression to their groups.

The final week of the series is specifically designed to stir creative ideas for worship that do not involve music. I am incorporating the historical languages of worship (Time, Space, Prayer, Scripture, Symbolic Actions, Art and Music) as a backdrop to develop this class. As I look at the historical significance of prayer and scripture, I am compelled to place greater focus on these elements.

One of the beautiful blends of prayer and scripture that I will present is “Lectio Divina” or “Divine Reading”. This is a practice of reading of a short passage of Scripture multiple times, weaving directed prayer and listening in response to the passage. (For more information visit: http://www.fisheaters.com/lectiodivina.html)

Another idea I am presenting is using the Christian or liturgical calendar as a guide to choosing passages of scripture to be read aloud or responsively in the group. This will help draw focus to various aspects of the life of Jesus throughout the year and be a powerful step toward our own spirituality as Robert Webber discusses in his book (1).

Although songs are often our default, worship expressions reach far beyond the note sung or the instrument played. The primary goal is to provide a liminal space, a threshold, where people are able to connect and respond to God.

1. Robert E. Webber, Ancient-Future Time, Baker Books, Grand Rapids, 2004)