Six Views on Exploring the Worship Spectrum (Counterpoints)
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Overview
This volume outlines a clear, engaging description of the six most prevalent models of worship in North American churches, presented by advocates for each position. The contributors evaluate each position in order to broaden people’s understanding of diverse models and shed light on an emotive issue.
- Formal-Liturgical, Paul Zahl
- Traditional Hymn-Based, Harold Best
- Contemporary Music-Driven, Joe Horness
- Charismatic, Don Williams
- Blended, Robert Webber
- Emerging, Sally Morgenthaler
Top Highlights
“The fact is, theology has to precede the act of worship. You pray what you believe, not vice versa.” (Page 26)
“lex credendi lex orandi. That means: What we believe determines how we pray.” (Page 25)
“Three primary reasons come to mind. The first is that hymn-based worship, as we know it today, too often leads to complacency and causes us to miss the explosion of God’s creativity and the movement of his Spirit that is ongoing in the world. The second is that it tends to negate those who are writing modern-day hymns, those who are continuing the tradition of giving testimony to what God is doing in their generation. The final reason is that hymn-based worship is often clung to by churches that would rather look inward to the likes and dislikes of the already convinced than to look outward to a world in need.” (Page 80)
“The reality is that all too often the members of the congregation are disengaged and disinterested, lulled by familiarity and repetition into going through the motions while our churches foster and maintain a culture that keeps us distant from a dying world.” (Page 80)
“Second, others choose a worship style that most comports with an already established perceptual need to which they have culturally (instead of ecclesiastically) become accustomed.” (Page 59)
Six different writers each present a chapter on their particular worship—running the gamut from formal liturgical, to charismatic, to emerging worship. Each chapter is followed by short commentaries by the other writers providing a variety of perspectives on each worship style. What emerges is a fascinating conversation that doesn't try to convert you to one particular style of worship, but broadens your mind to the inherent worth of different types of worship. A good read.
—YouthWorker Journal
- Title: Exploring the Worship Spectrum
- Authors: Paul F. M. Zahl, Harold M. Best, Joe Horness, Donald Williams, Robert E. Webber, Sally Morgenthaler
- Series: Zondervan Counterpoints Series
- Publisher: Zondervan
- Print Publication Date: 2004
- Logos Release Date: 2011
- Pages: 272
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subject: Public worship
- ISBNs: 9780310493426, 9780310247593, 9780310861904, 0310493420, 0310247594, 031086190X
- Resource ID: LLS:6VEXPLORWOR
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-28T20:45:18Z
Paul Basden is one of the senior pastors at Preston Trail Community Church in Frisco, Texas. He has also served as pastor of other churches in Alabama and Texas and as an adjunct professor at Beeson Divinity School. He is a graduate of Baylor University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and the author of The Worship Maze.
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