When we talk about now-ancient liturgies, etc., what established them in the first place? Did the Scriptures do it, or was it someone’s way of trying to make sure that the Word stayed planted in the common man’s mind? I think it’s probably the latter. And doesn’t that present the same danger to us as it did to the Pharisees? Observing traditions rather than the intent and goal of the law?

Buddy’s note that “church (worship) happens everyday all day, amongst believers and non-believers alike” doesn’t seem to ring quite true unless he means that believers worship God and non-believers worship other things, which, by definition, cannot be God.

My big thing lately has been to remind the Church that they’re the Church. The stuff they do on Tuesday tells people a LOT more about the God they serve than what they do on Sunday. And that is definitely one of the things Buddy was talking about.

Can I do that by using incense? I’ll just BET that I can! Stations of the cross? Probably so… So yes, I think that “history” is wonderful. Most wonderful, though, because most people don’t know it, and that means it’s not history, but it’s a new idea. I mean, haven’t we as worship leaders had to INVESTIGATE what the historical Church did? You think the layperson has done that?

Things like: Stations of the Cross, Chant, Incense, Read/Response Liturgy, Hymns, etc. can all be wonderful, powerful elements when used, not abused…

(couldn’t resist the rhyme)

“I have really been focusing on the holistic approach to worship that you alluded to. That’s the main thrust of the Simple Church movement: church (worship) happens everyday all day, amongst believers and non-believers alike, what happens on Sunday is just the icing.”

This is what worship truly is. There is no other way to see it in scripture under the new covenant. With that said, there is a lot of Old testament scriptural backing to more ritualistic styles of worship that I think can be nicely incorporated into the corporate service. Things like music and prayer. But it is when we take these rituals and make them THE act of worship, that we start to lose site of the the heart and intent and it ceases to be worship.

TheNor: tell me when you write that post.

Alece: MINE TOO!!

Dean: welcome to the party! you know, you’re not the first blog-hijacker to come around here. and i’ve yet to kick one off. so stay. hijack all you want! don’t listen to anything Buddy-O says, unless he’s right.

BO: trying to scare away my new readers??? you should be afraid.

I have really been focusing on the holistic approach to worship that you alluded to. That’s the main thrust of the Simple Church movement: church (worship) happens everyday all day, amongst believers and non-believers alike, what happens on Sunday is just the icing.

Dean… you are in trouble dude… Mandy is pretty harsh with blog-jackers… be very afraid.

I linked to this post from my blog this morning and tried to focus a little more on the last question of the four — http://deanlusk.blogspot.com/2008/07/historical-vs-modern-worship.html.

(Forgive me for potentially not observing blog etiquette on a trackback or what-not. I’m honestly not sure of the correct way to do it; don’t mean to blog-jack by pasting a link to my blog here…)

Brent wrote: “Culture isn’t the issue, our hearts are.”

I agree…to a point.

But that’s a post for another time.