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 Worship as PerformanceThe difference between a biblical and a pagan understanding of worship lies in the difference between a verb and a noun.
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What is worship? Our English word comes from the Anglo-Saxon weorthscipe, which means "to honor" or "to ascribe worth." It is interesting that, in this regard, the Book of Common Prayer, 1662, includes within the vows for the solemnization of matrimony: "with my body I thee worship." That is a fairly succinct statement of the biblical understanding of sexuality. The Old Testament Hebrew word used for worship means "a bowing down." Keep this in mind. For the Hebrews, worship was a verb, something you did. The same idea is behind the New Testament Greek word for worship which means "to serve." In anticipation of what I will be saying later, let me suggest this to you: the difference between a biblical and a pagan understanding of worship lies in the difference between a verb and a noun. For the person of the Bible, worship is something you do. For the pagan, worship is a state of being. What is it, then, we do when we ascribe worth to God and bow down and serve him on Sunday morning? I believe we engage in a ritual drama. By ritual, I mean we use certain fixed forms of words, i.e., sermons, prayers, hymns. By drama, I mean that the telling of a story is woven throughout those rituals: the story of God's mighty acts of salvation in Jesus Christ. Let me give you an example of what I mean from popular culture. When we worship God, we do essentially the same thing I did when I watched on television last month, for the eleventh time, a replay of USC's great 1974 victory over Notre Dame. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this bit of Heilsgechichte (sacred history), that was the game in which USC was down seventeen points at half-time. Anthony Davis of USC received the second half kickoff one yard in his own end zone and ran it back 101 yards for a touchdown. For the rest of the second half USC totally dominated Notre Dame with Davis' runs and Pat Haden's passes to J. K. McKay. The final score: USC 55, Notre Dante 24. "But," you protest, "you know everything that is going to happen. Why have you watched it so many times?" My answer: That is precisely the point. I watch it over and over again because I know what will happen. Certain values I have are confirmed and reaffirmed. Once again, good triumphs over evil, light over darkness. You do the same thing whenever you watch your favorite television program. Dramatized, in story form, will be certain values and beliefs you hold to as an American. They will be about life and what it means, its problems and its solutions. Some social analysts call popular television programs, especially the interminable series variety, ritual drama. That's because they, like my favorite USC/Notre Dame game, reaffirm what we believe. They are like worship services. For many Americans they are worship services in that they are weekly, and sometimes daily, confirmations and reaffirmations of the core of values we hold in common as citizens of this country. |        
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Bruce
Thanks for the great thoughts. I am a Worship Leader in my congregation and these are the very things we are trying to teach to our congretation as well as our worship leaders and artists. Hopefully more people will get this very powerful truth. It would transform their Sunday Morning experience!
RJohn
Ben, you make a valuable point by way of the overall perspective of your article. Generally I agree. However, I was a little bemused by your comment that THE New Testament Greek word for worship means "to serve". I understand that there are at least 3 Greek word groups meaning "to serve"; and that, at least 2 of these, are regarded as bearing the meaning of your sense of "worship". Alison has reminded us of one of these word groups, which appears as a verb [3 times] and as a noun [12 times], and it carries a wider range of meaning in the NT than suggested. Another word group shares this breadth of grammatical variety. The third, is linked closely with the work of the Spirit, and encompasses the living of our daily lives. So, there is a richness to the NT understanding of "worship" that would enrich our "worship" were we to prepare ourselves for "worship", by working on gaining a fuller understanding of the biblical perspective. But that would take our whole lives. So be it!!
Kenny
great article
gaby
"reformation worship assumed its individual members had spent an hour a day through the week in Bible reading and prayer" As a priest, Martin Luther would have worshipped DAILY by celebrating mass DAILY -which of course includes Bible reading. Why not prepare for Sunday worship by worshipping EVERY DAY?!? The Reformation's emphasis on private Bible reading turned worship into a "strictly-for-Sunday" event. Daily worship helps remind us that worship should be an "every-minute-of-every-day" event!
fred ventura
Emotionalism doesn't constitute spiritual wisdom nor having a closer relationship with the Lord. Using secular music with Christian words is old natured not new.
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