For: The Institute Of Contemporary And Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s University, Essentials Blue Online Worship Theology Course with Dan Wilt (ICEWS, eb 08)

What is worship?

Worship is our response to God. God is the Creator, the God who creates. God is the King, the God who reigns. God is the Trinity, the God who relates. God is  the Savior, the God who saves.

Worship is a response to who we truly are. We are subcreators, made to create. We are imagebeares, made to reflect. We are community builders, made to relate. We are salvific storytellers, made to share a story.

Worship is a response to the reality of interaction of heaven and earth. As we create, reflect, relate and tell the story we are bringing the reality of the Kingdom (heaven) to the reality of mankind (earth).

Worship is a response to the echoes of God’s voice. He is telling us that something is wrong with beauty, justice, relationship and  spirituality. He is showing us who He is and who we are. He is calling us to bring heaven to the earth. He is calling us to worship him and spirit and in truth.

What does music and creativity have to do with it?

Music and creativity are the tools of our community of worship artisans.

Leading creative worship is giving language and expression of true beauty.

Leading creative worship we are calling people to value and act in justice.

Leading creative worship we are gathering and connecting the Body of Christ with God but also with each other.

Leading creative worship we are teaching and proclaiming Salvation.

How does worship further the Kingdom Story in the world?

Worship is also an invitation. The beauty of our expression connects and build bridges with our world and society. Our acts of justice our directly pointed to the ones in need and are in essence of manifestation of the Kingdom here and now. The communal nature of worship invites, includes and embraces the broken hearted. Worship expressed in songs, acts or relationships is taking the Kingdom History to the streets. As we worship we are calling people to the Kingdom and to the King.

How should all of the above affect how we lead worship as worship leaders?

As worship leaders understand the concepts above worship leading will never be the same. In one hand the selection of songs, rehearsal, singing and playing and all the specific steps of their regular role will make much more sense. But they will also understand that worship goes far beyond our services and songs.

As worship leaders understand the concepts above worship in our churches will not be the same. They will see themselves as equippers of a congregation of worship leaders on their own context. We will see our people making a real difference through their lives.

As worship leaders understand the concepts above the world and society around us will not be the same.

N.T. Wright, Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense

Dan Wilt, Essentials in Worship Theology: The Nature of Human Beings

For: The Institute Of Contemporary And Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s University, Essentials Blue Online Worship Theology Course with Dan Wilt (ICEWS, eb 08)

ECHOES OF BEAUTY call us to God as Creator, the God who creates. Sin manifests as degeneration and we human beings, as SubCreators, are called to re-create. Our lives becomes a creative act overlapping  heaven to earth until the day of new heaven and new earth arrives with Jesus return.

ECHOES OF JUSTICE calls us to God as King, the God who reigns. Sin manifests as a distortion and we human beings, as ImageBearers, are called to reflect. Our lives becomes a royal act overlapping  heaven to earth until the day every tongue confess and every knee bows down with Jesus return.

ECHOES OF RELATIONSHIP calls us to God as Trinity, the God who relates. Sin manifests as independence and we human beings, as Community Builders, are called back to relationship. Our lives becomes a communal act overlapping heaven to earth until the day we will be face to face with God in eternal fellowship with people from every tongue, tribe and nation with Jesus return.

ECHOES OF SPIRITUALITY calls us to God as Savior, the God who saves. Sin manifests as death and we human beings, as Salvific Storytellers, are called to to share the Story. Our lives becomes a narrative act overlapping  heaven to earth until the day we will enjoy real and eternal life with Jesus return.

N.T. Wright, Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense

Dan Wilt, Essentials in Worship Theology: The Nature of Human Beings