Markhevans’s Blog

The Languages of Prayer and Scripture in Worship

February 25, 2009 at 10:27 pm | Posted in Essentials Red | 1 Comment

 For: The Institute Of Contemporary And

Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s

University, Essentials Red Online Worship History

Course with Dan Wilt

Having been involved in the contemporary chrisitan church expereince for more years than I care to confess, I was struck by how much we have abandoned from those who have walked these paths ahead of us. We have chosen to ignore the depth, value, and integrity of the words and works of the past in order to partake of the new, the different, and the exciting. And yet, my encounters with the past have usually been edifying, enlightening, and deep.

Many years ago, a Pastor friend of mine loaned me a copy of Stephen Charnock’s “The Existence and Attributes of God”. The messages of this Puritan from the 17th century were alive with relevance for today and showed a depth of understanding that far surpassed many of the contemporary authors I have read. What a shame that we so easily discard the past instead of learning what riches it can impart to the present.

I am so thankful to be involved in this class. It is calling me to rethink who I am and what i believe. Is there any better kind of learning experience? John Wimber would often say, “Isn’t it wonderful that we can change?” I believe that it truly is. The challenge, of course, is in finding how to let the change influence what we are doing without scaring those we lead.

This weeks class brings such a challenge. How do we incorporate Prayer and Scripture Reading into our worship experience so that they can have new meaning and relevance in a way that enhances the music and flow of the Spirit? I’m looking forward to finding the answer.

Blessings,

Mark