Congregational worship and Bible engagement …
I can’t imagine not being able to sing to God – it would be like losing a leg, or worse, having a stroke with no promise of recovery! But that isn’t surprising, for praise and worship are woven into the fabric of our Christian faith (cf. Ephesia5:19-20).
Interestingly, while much is written on the subject of congregational worship and the subject of Bible engagement, very little seems to be said about the relationship between Bible engagement and congregational worship.
Bible engagement and worship.
So, what is the relationship between congregational worship and Bible engagement? Here are five suggestions:
- Scripture should inform, equip, and undergird all congregational worship. This is foundational and necessary. Failure to connect worship with the Word distances us from the One whom the Word proclaims – Jesus Christ.
- If worship requires opening our hearts to the love of Christ, submitting our wills to the purpose of Christ, and offering our lives in adoration of Christ, then we need to fill our minds with Christ’s Word and obey Christ’s precepts.
- To wholeheartedly praise and worship Christ, we must experience (taste, see, hear, touch, smell), indwell, engage, receive, get caught up in, and re-enact the Word
- Praise and worship music should serve the lyrics, and the lyrics should feed people, and the food should be the Word of God. If we don’t major in God’s Word, our songs will drift into emotionalism and self-absorption. But when we feed on the Word – we move beyond ourselves – we enter into the presence of God
- Lyrics matter more than music. Tunes should always play second fiddle to the truth. We should sing songs that say something – songs that transform the mind and refresh the spirit. And the best way to do this is to sing God’s Word
Insights from worship leaders, singers and theologians.
While the pickings are slim, there are worship leaders, singers, theologians and others who speak about the correlation between praise/worship/singing and Bible engagement. Consider these five thought-provoking comments:
- “Worship songs can’t just be rooted in culture – they won’t be deep enough. They have to be rooted in scripture.” – Matt Redman.
- “Scriptures direct worship, enhance the depth of worship, and … are the ancient and living Word that the emerging church grapples with and wrestles with and turns to for guidance and light.” – Dan Kimball.
- “It may seem unnecessary to advocate … for the centrality of the Bible … after all, Protestants are supposed to believe in sola scriptura, scripture alone. In fact, there has long been an erosion of the use of scripture in Protestant worship.” – Rob Redman.
- “God must speak to us before we have any liberty to speak to him. He must disclose to us who he is before we can offer him what we are in acceptable worship. The worship of God is always a response to the Word of God. Scripture wonderfully directs and enriches our worship.” – John Stott.
- “A faithful worship leader combines the Word of God with music to magnify the greatness of God in Jesus Christ.” – Bob Kauflin.
And the lyrics from the chorus of Ancient Words:
“Ancient words ever true. Changing me changing you. We have come with open hearts. Oh, let the ancient words impart.”
Have your say. Add your comments below.
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Summary
Congregational worship and Bible engagement are deeply interconnected, with Scripture providing the foundation for meaningful worship. Worship should be informed by the Word, as it aligns our hearts and minds with Christ’s purposes, preventing worship from becoming superficial or self-centred. Praise and worship music should support Biblical truth, using lyrics rooted in Scripture to deepen the worship experience and direct hearts toward God. The best worship leaders and songs combine the Word of God with music, guiding the congregation to a fuller, transformative encounter with Christ.
Recommended Resource
David Peterson, Engaging with God: A Biblical Theology of Worship, IVP, 2002.
© Scripture Union Canada
