Following in the Spirit of God in leading Christian Worship

In the preface of the second edition of his book, In Search for the Origins of Christian Worship, Paul Bradshaw notes, “What we do know about patterns of worship in that primitive period points towards considerable variety more often than towards rigid uniformity” (X). This should not be discouraging to liturgical leaders. Rather, we should be reminded that all worship of God is led by the Holy Spirit, the creative energy who is part of bringing all things into being, and who enlivens all things. To be unable to unlock past worship practices without confidence pushes us in the direction of increased dependence on the present Spirit who first led the early Christians to the worship of God in Christ, and who now leads us. As such, we are not on strange new ground. Rather, we follow the practice of the early Church as we hear and follow the voice of the Spirit. Our prayer should be then, “Allow your Spirit to lead us, O God, teaching us as we follow ever more closely each day in what it means to worship You with all of our lives, as we are being conformed to the image of Your Son, in whose name we pray. Amen.”