Asking Christians to define corporate worship is a fascinating exercise in diversity. Some respond that worship is focusing one's attention on God. Others claim that worship is coming into contact with God through music. For some, worship is hearing the Word of God; being inspired by a message - whether spoken or sung. For many, worship must be accompanied by appropriate emotional stimulation. How they "feel" is paramount to these folks. There are more ways that people define worship - too numerous to recount here. Suffice it to say that most of the answers reveal an "individualistic" and subjective approach.
While almost all of these answers contain some element of truth, few people have a Scriptural definition of corporate worship in mind when answering this question. As we suggested in a previous article, the Scriptural defintion of corporate worship is based on the establishment and renewal of a covenant relationship with God. Through the salvific work of His Son, God has offered us a covenant relationship with Him as His family. Covenants have two components - Word and Sign. As we have outlined, worship is a revisiting of the Word (or stipulations) and Sign (sacrifice or meal) which ratifies or renews the covenant. Acts 2:42 reveals that the early Church followed this pattern in their gatherings. "They devoted themselves to the Apostles' teaching, to fellowship, the breaking of bread and the prayers." For centuries, Christian worship has been defined and shaped in terms of covenant. Twin peaks are evident: Hearing God's Word, and participating in the body and blood of Christ through bread and cup (1 Corinthians 10:16). This is Scriptural worship - the sacred assembly of God's family engaging in covenant renewal.
If worship is defined correctly as "covenant renewal," how many churches really engage in Scriptural worship? While most churches include some form of preaching, few of them share the Table of the Lord every Sunday. I believe this is worship gone awry.
Allow me to illustrate. Suppose a couple is preparing for their wedding. They have decorated the church with beautiful flowers and candles, arranged for the music and musicians, and invited all of their friends and family. The big day arrives and everything proceeds "without a hitch". Everyone arrives at the gathering. The music begins right on time. With candles burning, mothers and grandmothers in place, the bride processes down the aisle and the bride and groom stand together before the minister. When the music finally ends, the minister proceeds to share some Scripture passages and his homily on the meaning of marriage. Then, there is a recessional and everyone goes home.
Consider this scenario for a moment. Was this really a wedding? What seems to be missing? The vows are missing. There is the Word, but there is no sign to ratify the covenant. Typically, weddings include sacred vows and several signs (including spoken vows, rings, the kiss and the consumation later on).
Many churches approach worship like the unfinished wedding above. Their worship is incomplete. Sure, they have a gathering with copious amounts of music, and a dominant message. But they do not include the second peak - the Table of the Lord. At the Table, we renew our covenant vow with the Lord. In Hebrew this term means to "seven yourself." The number seven stands for completion or perfection. In Greek, taking an oath is related to "binding Satan." In Latin, the word for oath is "sacramentum" and speaks of loyalty. Worship without this component is unfinished and is akin to the non-wedding, and synagogue assemblies which have the Word of God, but no sacrifice/sign.
Jesus held out the cup to His disciples and said, "This is the New Covenant in my blood...do this..." The New Testament Church did. So should we!
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Thanks for all of the e-mail comments. I will attempt to answer the great questions you all are posing. It would be nice to have them posted here so we could all discuss them.
Please see comments on your "A Scriptural Definition of Worship" article.
If I read you right, you're saying that worship that doesn't include observance of the Lord's supper isn't completed. I don't know whether I'd completely agree with that, but I certainly wouldn't object to observing that ordinance each time we gather for worship, either.
Thanks for your response, Mark. How would you answer the question about the wedding without vows? Is it a wedding? Is corporate worship (covenant renewal) authentic if there is no covenant vow or oath? I appreciate your time and effort. Take care and we'll hope to see you soon.
Question: Even if churches starting having The Table every Sunday, would it really be true Spiritual Worship if the participants/partakers do not recognize the food being fed to them?
Please see additional material on your "A Scriptural Definition of Worship" article.
Hey Listening, thanks for a great question. Paul answers your question in 1 Corinthians 11:27-29 when he says,
"Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself."
What does Paul mean when he admonishes the Corinthians to "recognize the body of the Lord"? Further, what does it mean that the one who does not recognize the Body of the Lord "eats and drinks judgement on himself." Is Paul saying that we should recognize the congregation gathered for the meal as the Body of Christ? This may merit some attention given the struggle for unity revealed a few verses earlier. But, I believe Paul has already stated his intent in chapter 10:16. Paul says that the bread and cup are a "participation" in the Body and blood of Christ. If the bread and cup were a participation in the Body only, then the horizontal, family of God understanding would seem more likely. But, Paul says "Body" and "Blood" in verse 16. This points to His Real Presence at the Table which, according to verse 17, creates our unity (one loaf - one body).
When we come to the Table it is vital for us to realize the Presence of Christ. There are curses indicated for those who do not. Chapter 11:30 says concerning those not realizing the Body of Blood of the Lord, "That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep."
Discerning Christ in the elements (Body and Blood/bread and cup) is vital to Paul. Memorialism, the approach taken by many evangelicals in which the elements are merely symbolic and the remembrance merely cognitive, would seem to be in violation of Paul's teaching here. What do you think?
Hey, Carl.
In the sense you're reaching for, of course that would not be a spiritual AND carnal "wedding." It would be a wedding, but in the more conventional, civil sense, binding under civil law and complete in the cultural sense.
But you're laying out the connection between the altar and corporate worship, and you've made it just as obvious you're defining true worship as the body of Christ coming before the throne of God through the body and blood of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, to the exclusion of other cognitive, cultural and carnal expressions of "worship." At least that's the way I read your premise.
Granted, the carnal, cultural and cognitive must also come together in true worship, since we obviously cannot leave them in the cloak room with our hats & gloves. Also, carnal, cultural or cognitive "worship" sessions may incorporate some bread & wine in their rituals - to their peril, according to Paul in the scripture you cited here earlier.
The element - more than what we incorporate into our worship - that makes a worship service genuine is what the Holy Spirit accomplishes. We show up, warts, unrepented sin and all, at the altar. We present ourselves to Him, surrender all and, by Faith in the Power of the cross and the cleansing He performed there, rise to worship. In true worship, He brings us - the whole Body of Christ, crucified with and resurrected spotless in Him - before the Throne of God for worship and fellowship with the Father, Son & Holy Spirit to the Glory of God in the fulfillment of our divine nature and purpose.
Wish it happened every time two or more of us got together, instead of the typical "us & them," "Not-Our-Kind" or compulsory appearances we frequently have before the altar of God. Denominationalism, Humanism, Selfism strive to wrest hearts from the altar. That's where, I believe, the strength of His grip on our souls ultimately matters more than our carnal strength of grasping His Holiness. But I digress...
Hey Mark, thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. In his conferences on worship, my friend Chris Alford likes to discuss the dialogue between God and the worshipers. God always initiates these encounters. If worship is covenant renewal, it stands to reason that two distinct parties (God and Man) are involved. God invites us, through Jesus, to be united to Him - in a covenant relationship. In worship, we gather as God's family to restore and realign that relationship. We do this through retelling the Gospel and sharing the Lord's Supper - "The New Covenant in His blood." In these "twin peaks," we have Word and Sign - the two essential components for a covenant.
Hey Mark...one more thought. Worship described as covenant renewal, complete with Word and Table, is Scriptural and objective. Many churches use the word "worship" to describe almost every meeting they have. This general use of the word is not the "Qahal Yahweh" or Sacred Assembly that we find in the Scriptures. My article on "Finding Wiser Words for Worship" tries to get at this issue.
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