WHAT IS WORSHIP?
The first thing the first Christians did together was worship. They did so formally (in prayer and Sabbath services with Jews, until the fall of Jerusalem) and informally (in each others' homes and other gathering places). Many of the earliest non-Testamental records of the Church are about the Church in worship. They were full of fruit, especially the Spirit's fruit of joy. (Others kinda thought them to be a bit fruity, too...) Even today, the Holy Spirit shapes us into being a people of worship, in which they experience God - God's works, God's words, God's presence, God's power. For those who take part in this, worship becomes a way of life, and life becomes a way of worship. This is a way of being close with God. Whenever Christians worship, it is, more than at any other time, the time to depend on the Holy Spirit.
THE SACRAMENTS IN WORSHIP
In St. Basil's *Anaphora* (Eucharist prayer), he specifically speaks of Jesus' having "sanctified us with the Holy Spirit". Also John Chrysostom, in his *Liturgy*, links together the Eucharist and the Spirit's work: "Make this bread the precious body of thy Christ, and what is in this cup the precious blood of thy Christ, changing them by thy Holy Spirit, so that it may be to those who partake of it for sobriety, the remission of sins, the communication of the Holy Spirit, the fullness of the kingdom of heaven; for confidence in thee and not for judgement or condemnation." The above prayer is part of the 'Eucharistic' (thanks-giving) prayer. In it, the presiding minister asks the Holy Spirit to come upon the bread and wine. Another early church liturgist, Hippolytus, wrote this prayer : "And we pray that you would send your Holy Spirit upon the offerings of your holy church, that, gathering them into one, you would grant to all your saints who partake of them to be filled with the Holy Spirit."
THE WORD IN WORSHIP
Through the proclaimed Word in sermons, God's judgments and promises actually come into the midst of the gathering. What is proclaimed is more than just an idea : When the Word is communicated, situations change, attitudes change, lives change. It is God's word in our worship, not our worship itself, that does this; it is an act of God, a work of the Spirit. The main point of having a sermon in a worship service isn't to teach doctrine or practice, nor to rally them around a cause, nor to get their attention to whatever the preacher is saying that week. The reason there is a sermon in worship services is that the Gospel must be proclaimed and taught so that we can live in it, and that attention must be paid to Christ.
PRAYER IN WORSHIP
In worship, Christians pray for forgiveness, for oneself and one's own, for the world and its leaders and sins and momentous happenings and disasters; for the sermon, for an open mind in listening to it; for a spirit of fellowship and friendship; for our learning, discerning, and witness; for church events; for vision and renewed energy. Prayer just to thank God. Or, just silence for quieting ourselves enough so we can pay attention to God's presence. These are all a part of prayer in worship. It cannot at all be said that most Christians believe in the effectiveness and power of prayer; most Christians pray, but expect that nothing will happen. But the Christian faith itself is one in which one prays expecting that some way, somehow, something will happen because of faithful prayers. In worship, the pastor or worship leader often speaks a prayer on behalf of all of those gathered. But the worship leader is not to do this alone. Those gathered are to pray along with their leader, so that all are joined together in prayer. In the less liturgical churches, the prayers are often printed beforehand in the bulletin each person receives when they arrive. This way, the prayer can be spoken out loud by all, and a stronger sense of being joined together can develop.
MUSIC IN WORSHIP
The Bible is brimming with music, song, chant, refrains, and commemoration. The Hebrew poetry of the Prophets and Writings lends itself to being sung. The Psalms are really worship lyrics. Embedded in the histories are several songs, including those of Miriam and Hannah. One of the great heroes of the Jewish tradition is David, who was not only a King, but a good musician and songwriter (something said of no other ancient Jewish hero). The most natural setting for most of these Biblical lyrics is in worship. Also, Paul's letters have several small liturgical verses in them, which may have been chanted. The Bible records that God's worshippers stood up in song (2 Chr 20:19), clapped their hands (Ps 47:1), lifted or raised their hands (Ps 63:4; 134:2; 1 Tm 2:8), and spoke and sung loud praises (Ps 34:1; 103:1; Ac 4:24). There were many different kinds of songs, used for many different worship purposes (Ep 5:18:19; Col 3:16). A wide array of musical instruments were used (Ps 150:3-5; Rv 14:2). Indeed, it appears that Jewish worship in ancient times, and Christian worship to this day, has been a prime generator of musical styles and forms and instruments. These new kinds of music worked their way into the world at large, giving it great joy, expressing deep sadness, touching people in a way that can only be described as 'spiritual'. The most common Christian statement of praise is "hallelujah!". It translates roughly to 'Praise YHWH'. Its Hebrew root word halal is best caught as 'to resound' or 'to make noise'. A Hebrew word which more precisely means 'praise' is zamar , which according to the Writings includes the playing of instruments. Not all Christians have supported the use of instruments. The early church leader Clement, in his *Protreptikos*, argued against instruments and in favor of the use of the human voice, and for the mystical music of the art of one's living. Philip Pfatteicher paraphrases Clement, in *The School Of the Church*, p.61 : "The Lord made humanity a beautiful breathing instrument after his own image, God's harp by reason of the music, God's pipe by reason of the breath of the Spirit, God's temple by reason of the Word, so that the music should resound, the Spirit inspire, and the temple receive its Lord." In the Reconstructionist tradition of the Churches of Christ, and in parts of other Southern US traditions, many congregations forbid the use of instruments and 'fancy' choirs, favoring simplicity and directness in worship. White Baptist churches often come down harshly on anything that smacks of a dance rhythm.
I very much love to see instruments in worship music, as a way to express some things that words don't, to help us remember praises for God throughout the week, and as a way for artists to offer their arts before the Lord. But then again, I am a big fan of acappella singing of all kinds. Clement's approach led in its way to the great Gregorian Chants, which have a kind of aural purity that even the totally worldly can get swept into. Some of the non-instrumental and no-dance churches were big supporters of sacred small group singing, which itself led to so many of the sacred and popular music singing groups that nearly all people have come to enjoy. Some (including myself) would argue that restrictions on musical styles in worship are wrong. However, the Spirit has never let these rules stop the music; creative musical or related dramatic forms of expressing faith in Christ will develop around the edges. In a way, that's the best proof of all that the Spirit is at work in music to bear witness to Christ. Christians can worship using any style of music, but there are still some limits. Good worship music is not about the worshipper, but about the Worshipped One. Thus, it is wrong for the music to be done mostly to entertain those present, or to be saying all the right and expected things that allow people to stay in spiritual slumber, or to be tricked-up love songs done in karioke. The lyrics matter, because the words are the Spirit's normal means of striking that special chord within us, or teaching us the lesson we need to repeat till it sinks in.
DELIVERANCE IN WORSHIP
The part of liturgical worship that has the order of general confession and forgiveness can be the occasion for people to be freed from various bondages (evils that are especially hard to stop or prevent). But churches very rarely use that time to confess about specific bondages that have made the local Body sick -- bondages such as cliquism, racism, anger, rampant sexual immorality, infighting, collective greed, and "things we have left undone", as many of those confession liturgies put it. Why not use that time to ask God to deliver them all from a specific bondage? When the evil itself is named and treated as evil, then it can be taken to the Lord before whom it stands no chance. But when we're too timid or too foolish to even call evil as evil, God will let us keep what we so obviously still want.
LAYING ON OF HANDS
The laying on of hands is a liturgical act that appears in the New Testament. The Spirit is given through
it (Ac 8:17), especially for bestowing an office or special ministry (Ac 6:6; 13:3). Other charisms (specialized gifts) were given through it (1 Tm 4:14; 2 Tm 1:6-7). Through it, the Holy Spirit acts to heal (Mt 9:18; Mk 6:5; Ac 9:12, 28:8, 5:12, 9:11-12), and there is even a promise attached to such use (Mk 16:18). It is also used for blessing children (Mt 19:13-15). Charismatics view the laying on of hands as a form of prayer and an act of faith, seen in the light of Mt 18:19-20. There are no rules, and God is perfectly free to act without our laying of hands. There is a caution, though: "Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands." (1 Tm 5:22). A common practice is that, either during communion or at the end of a service or cell meeting, they gather around a certain member to lay hands and pray, for the kinds of things mentioned above. It's an expression of solidarity and love for the person on whom the hands are laid, someone who has a burden and is taking it to his/her Christian community, and they take the burden together to God. It sounds like they're formalizing an informal moment, but they're really giving it a form
or shape of activity so that when it is done, they all can have the sense of what was done and why it was done and even that it was done. It makes what would otherwise be a bewildering moment into a defining moment. The comfort it gives is great, but it goes far beyond the comfort, all the way to God's own heart for us.
ANOINTMENT WITH OIL
The letter of James speaks of the use of anointing oils for healing: Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. (James 5:14-16a, RSV). In this passage, the anointing with oil is done with prayer and is linked to the power of faithful people bringing a concern before God. It is an action done in the name of the Lord, and an occasion for sins to be forgiven. Anointment for healings is also found in Mark 6:13, as part of the task of the disciples when Jesus sent them out on missions shortly after choosing them. Far from being something done only by weird spiritualists and superstitious ceremony freaks, anointment of the sick is something that has been an honored part of churchly action since the beginning. While anointments of the sick can be done in private ceremonies (including at the homes of shut-ins and at hospitals), its most proper context is within worship services. It can be part of the scheduled Sunday services, either every week or upon request (often, in liturgical churches, as one goes forward for communion, before receiving the bread and wine). But the usual use is within special worship services for healing, and on certain commemorative services such as those for St. Luke the Physician. Healing is not the only purpose for anointment. The main ancient use of anointment was to signify the sending of the Spirit into one who was chosen and commissioned for a specific task. Anointment marked the start of being a king or a priest. It is this use that lies behind the Hebrew term 'Messiah' and its Greek cognate, 'Christ'; both terms mean 'the Anointed One', the One chosen to rescue God's people and restore the relationship with God. Thus, this type of anointment is a core symbol of the Christian faith. New Testament examples of anointment's use in 'sealing with the Spirit' or commissioning include 2 Cor 1:22 and Ep 1:13, 4:30. This commissioning is normally a public matter, done in the context of a ceremony, even as part of the Sunday worship service, in combination with the laying on of hands. Some congregations use anointment as part of the section of the worship service where they commission their Sunday School chief, elders, hospital visitation staff, youth ministry leaders, and others who make long-term commitments to a specific ministry of the church. Liturgical church bodies anoint their bishops in special worship services. (Here's what a Healing Service is like - with rubrics.) (Here's an example of
a Brief Order of Worship for commissioning lay health ministers.) In a sense, all baptized Christians are called for witness and are given the Spirit for bearing that witness. Thus, anointing oils are sometimes used after a baptism, and are also used in Catholic and Orthodox confirmation services.
CELEBRATION
In worship there is prayer, repentance, forgiveness, education, sacrament, and sharing. But there is also "Holy, Holy, Holy", "Amen!", "Hallelujah!" and "Maranatha!". There is sorrow for sin and for the plight of others, but there is also celebration for what God has done and is doing. A congregation that doesn't rejoice in praise is simply not worshipping. The power and presence of the Spirit can be found during worship with God's people: song and prayer, confession and celebration, praising, thanking, and hearing.
WHEN YOU'RE REALLY FEELING THE WORSHIP
Sometimes, the Spirit acts while you're worshipping to reveal that which is holding out, blocking the Spirit from bringing about spiritual growth. The act of directing yourself away from yourself and toward another who is greater than you can be very revealing about what we're trying to hold on to. Praise becomes a call to let it go. In letting it go, the feeling can be like a fresh, cool stream flowing over you, as if bathing in God's love. Sometimes, the simple act of cutting loose in joy over God does wonders to strengthen one's faith. It does the same kind of thing that the shared good times do for lovers -- clearing away the weeds we let grow in the relationship, and tiding us over thereafter when times get rough. Cutting loose can refresh us, restoking the fires of our commitment and healing our exhaustion. (Indeed, this seems to be the primary effect of the recent outbreaks of signs, such as those from Toronto and Pensacola). Sometimes, getting lost in worship opens the door for the Spirit to break down certain fears. Like, the fear of being seen by others. Am I doing it right? Are they laughing at me? Or are they figuring out how to squash me for not keeping in place? Or maybe I'm afraid of other people knowing that I'm no longer content to be a pew sitter, that this Christ has my commitment for life. Christ says, "Fear not!" The Spirit is working on the others, too. And while some of them may really be thinking what you think they're thinking, some of them are actually thinking what you're thinking. In any event, God's bigger than they are, so let them think whatever they think! Praise God! The Spirit gives gifts. The Spirit leads us to worship. Yet we'd dare use the concern for "right order" as a way to stop the gifts as they show up when we worship? The key here is what the gift at hand does. If it is in use for building up another person or the whole worshipping body, or addresses someone else's practical needs, the wisest response is to give it room and handle the more stuck-up members after the service. If it's not used that way, then it is a self-oriented thing which disrupts worship, sows dissension, and draws attention away from God. Well, that is what ushers are for; take them out of the worship hall, into a hallway or chapel or room, and let it take place there. And let there be no shame on people who find they have to do so - what is happening to them may well be one of the high points of their life.
THE IMPACT OF CHARISMATICS
One of the things that immediately makes an impact about worship among charismatic is that there's a sense that God's there, in you, with you, and around you. So much so that even writers with little or no religious interest take note of charismatic worship. Charismatics see themselves as a sharp reminder
to the rest of the church. When they look at most congregations, they see a dedicated handful of pray-ers, while everyone else either does not pray or limits themselves to polite formal prayer at tightly specified times. This chokes off the power of not just the individual, but of the congregation, and of the denomination, and of the Body of Christ as a whole. Mainline and evangelical Christians use much of their worship services to inform and teach. This is in line with the earliest tradition of the Church and with the need to make sure that the Gospel is heard among us, lest we forget what it is. The main Charismatic critiques of this are: 1. that it sets up the form or structure of the worship service as a new sort of Law, straightjacketing the Holy Spirit; 2. that it makes it hard for the worshipping Christian to concentrate on being intimate with God in ways other than with their logical processes. This critique is often taken to an extreme, but its point is well-taken. Sometimes (especially in some churches of the Reformed and Baptist traditions), the sermon overwhelms worship, and the service becomes a gussied-up classroom session. The members try to make up for this by having more private devotional time, but by itself that leads to a more private and self-oriented view of God, and the community-ness of the faith fades away.
In other traditions, the problem becomes how culture and congregational activities overwhelm worship. Announcements or special music become the centerpiece, the preaching is for reinforcing the old verities rather than speaking the Gospel message, and the whole enterprise suffers from a detached, isolated niceness. The liturgical churches have known about their form of the problem for a thousand years : the worship service becomes a museum for symbols they didn't bother teaching people about, and for actions run and done by the clergy while everyone else sits as an audience often falling asleep as they would at a boring movie. Such things are not the Bride in love with Christ. Luther knew this : that's why he put the traditional service in the common language of the people, stripped down the absurdly long prayers to what was core to their purpose, and introduced vigorous hymns for everyone to sing with the kind of abandon they used to reserve for their local pub. Charismatics get their bodies involved in it, through lifting hands, bowing heads, swaying, linking hands, dancing, kneeling, and even lying prostrate at the altar (yes, that's quite Biblical and traditional, but try that in most churches, and see what happens!) And they often get caught up in singing, immersing themselves in chorus after chorus of what one critic called a 'praise-dump'. So be it; the church is there to heap praises on God, knowing the pile can't get big enough to match what God is worth. Right from its beginnings at Azusa, the Pentecostal movement has stressed freedom from form, in the belief that any human planning would just get in the way of the Spirit. Yet, there's a growing awareness among Pentecostal and Charismatic churches that being 'new' or 'now' is no good without being Godly. They are fast becoming more aware of why the liturgy developed the way it did. It was not just culture, theology, or happenstance, but it was also the Spirit working through those things. They are discovering that the liturgy can teach and reinforce, and it uses symbols that can bear real meaning and power. They're also discovering that when the form of the liturgy is treated as worship and not Law, there's so much room for movement, change, and difference of emphasis that when done with a whole heart, the liturgical forms can (and sometimes should) go off in an unexpected direction, not in lockstep accord with the bulletin or Missal, swimming in the current of the Spirit. The freedom is needed, but so is the structure. It takes a lot of thinking and planning to worship charismatically through the liturgical tradition. It does no good to just drop a charismatic element into a worship service willy-nilly to jolt the pews; it wouldn't fit right, and it may counter-act whatever else is going on in the worship service. The liturgical service is a whole thing, and to do it right the people involved need to understand what it is they are doing and why they are doing it. When the parts of worship are in meaningless clash or are trivialized, it takes away from the worshipful-ness of the service, and thus defeats the purpose. The congregation's leaders will have to lead the way, by learning about worship, both in their own tradition and in others. Then, they will have to teach the congregation -- a very slow process -- before making any changes and as the changes are being made. And they have to take heed when the congregation as a whole is telling them 'NO'; it may be a message from Beyond.
