Worship with Two Halves

The focus of this book I am writing is worship, specifically a theology of Creative Worship. I am not an expert on liturgy, though I have been engaged in what can be called liturgical practice for thirty years, as I have served as a pastor of worship ministry in local congregations. My observations about developments in worship over these years, as well as my own conclusions, right or wrong, about many current worship practices have drawn me to research and write about a particular form of worship practice, which I think is not only valid but is necessary as we enter what has been called by some a post-modern / enlightenment world.
Some of the conclusions that I have been drawn to are because of recent events in my own life which led me to become deeply enmeshed in providing educational assistance, specifically tutoring, to thousands of children in the United States who are enrolled in underperforming schools, in lower and poverty income cities. From New York to California I have observed these students and found creative ways to help partner them with young college students who are interested in becoming teachers. Even as I did this, I imagined myself in the tradition stream of John Wesley who cared earnestly about children working in mines with little hope of escape without an educational foundation, a foundation that he helped to create and fund.
Along the way, I picked up some new insights about education that have deep resonance with church worship practice. The simple word hands-on became a mantra for me, as I learned about learning and helping children who had lost sight of the purpose and love of learning. Re-engaged and empowered, they began to flow in new ways that not only improved their grades, but I believe is a step in improving their lives. The many young tutors that I recruited and trained came from various universities around the country. They taught me the importance of relational learning, a topic I would one day like to write about, but this book will not provide that opportunity. Key to all of this learning process was a statement made by Chris Widdle (sp?) of Edison schools in the early stages of the development of the nation-wide tutoring service we began. Paraphrasing what he said, I remember “Two things have not changed in the last 400 years: Schools and Churches.” Chris was about changing schools, but it struck me as being very on target about churches. The Reformation provided impetus for vast realignment intended to reach back to the early Church with a view to re-connecting to its purity and ideals. It also created a world view about worship practice in the church. What the Reformation longed for, a more engaged – hands-on—laity became an ordained-minister-led worship practice which changed the Reformed message from a trajectory toward greater involvement by congregational members to one in which church members consider that worship practices are those which the minister does, and does them only when the congregation gathers for worship at the local church.
This has effectively created an environment in which much of what is done in the worship of God is left at the door of the church as the congregation departs to live in the real world. This divorcement of worship and real worlds, I believe, has been caused in part because those charged with worship leadership have ineffectively communicated the relationship between worship practice – the rituals of worship – and daily life. Another part of the reason for this separation within worship life is because when worship does occur in the gathered worship moments of the church, there is little for the congregation to do. In many local churches, congregational participation is left to singing songs – and at times this is half-hearted at best because of wars caused -- in part -- by the introduction of new songs which are often introduced poorly, versus familiar and loved songs that are left behind. The congregation is invited to give money to support the work of the Church, but often this is practiced as more of a utilitarian device rather than the continuation of worship. The actual gathering of the church is often understood as waiting for people to take their seats, or pews as the case may be. Prayer is mostly led by ordained clergy. The absence of Scripture in most congregations is due to the thought that the preaching pastor will present the Scripture – sometimes thought of as the topic of the day— the meaning of which will be explained to the congregation in a lecture format where the preacher stands at a desk and the congregation sits, like students aligned in rows. (Such learning practice is seldom used in effective classrooms these days because it is understood that most students learn by doing rather than solely by hearing.) The heart of early Church practice – the Eucharist or Communion or whatever name you are familiar with – in many churches has been relegated to a monthly observance, rather than what seems to be a New Testament standard being shared every time a congregation gathered. The congregation is sometimes “dismissed” from worship. Nothing should be further from the truth if, as the Scripture calls us, we are to go into the world to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you” (Matt 28:19-20). Rather, as I propose in this book, worship is to be our life lived in the daily routines – or rituals if you will – of our lives, living out the practices that we practice when we come together. When we scatter, are not to be dismissed from worship. We are to be commissioned to go worship with our lives, as living sacrifices holy and acceptable to God which is our spiritual worship (See Romans 12:1).
Reconnecting the gathered worship of the Church with a theology of scattered worship is the goal. Along the way, as these thoughts are developed, we may find new ways to make the gathered moments of worship more hands-on, or at least begin to teach congregations that the worship they enjoin is not dismissed when they leave. Rather, as a good friend, pastor, and boss that I served with liked to say, “We now go to the second half of the service.”