Philosophy of Worship

“If you wish to be pointed in the direction of God, then sit with Watson and Becky and let them paint for you a musical picture of God’s mercy and tender love.”

A.W. Tozer (1897-1963), a Christian and Missionary alliance pastor and devotional writer, wrote a book entitled Worship, the Missing Jewel of the Evangelical Church. In it he says:

“I think we ought not to talk too much about Jesus just as Jesus. I think we ought to remember who He is…though He comes down to the lowest point of our need and makes Himself accessible to us as tenderly as a mother to her child, still don’t forget that when John saw Him (that John who had lain on His bosom) he fell at His feet as dead (Rev. 1:12-18)…

I believe we ought to have again the old biblical concept of God which makes God awful and makes men lie face down and cry, ‘Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty.’ That would do more for the Church than everything else.

‘In our astonished reverence we confess Thine uncreated loveliness,’ said the hymn-writer…The God of the modern evangelical rarely astonishes anybody…He’s a very well-behaved God…very much one of us. [He] isn’t a God I could have much respect for. But when the Holy Ghost shows us God as He is, we admire Him to the point of wonder and delight.”

In an interview with Missions Frontier Bulletin (Jan/Feb 1998), John Piper was asked what he feels is missing from the typical worship services today. He responded, “…what I miss most is seriousness. What you see in many churches today is what I would call ‘worship light’…where to be friendly, happy, breezy, smiley is the goal…Words like intensity, authenticity, earnestness, seriousness, those are the things I miss in a lot of services. This is a deadly serious joy we are after here. I think it all comes from radical God-centeredness. If you are radically God-centered, if He is big enough, you just can’t be trivial about Him.”

Charles Spurgeon urges in The Power of Prayer in a Believer’s Life, “I am afraid we do not bow as we should before the Eternal Majesty. Let us ask the Spirit of God to put us in a right frame…”

How amazing that the One who alone dwells in inapproachable light enjoys time spent with us alone and in corporate worship. He rejoices over us as a bridegroom over His bride and states that His delight is in us, poor, fallen creatures now saved and exalted by His grace. Oh, that our worship of Him was filled with more reverence and a more intimate sense of mutual delight!

Testimonials

“Your songs are a rare combination of devotion and theological substance.”

~ George Levesque, PCA

“…the music of angels…”

~ Dr. Dan Struble
Former President, Montreat College