I’m a big fan of Harold Best, in large part because of what he says in his book Unceasing Worship: Biblical Perspectives on Worship and the Arts, which he released 2003. Best has some astoundingly relevant viewponits on why we use arts in the church, all based on the thesis that we are never not worshipping. Our lives are a continual outpouring to something that functions as a god. Sometimes its us, another person, a preferred future, success, fame. Sometimes its YHWH. Our role as Worship Leaders is less about getting people to worship and more about getting them to worship the right thing, namely, the Lord — as he is revealed in the Bible.
It has forced me to think about the language of worship. I used to ask myself after a service: “did we worship?” Now I’m realizing that this question isn’t enough because, according to Dr. Best, we’re always worshipping (so the answer is yes!). Maybe a more complete line of questioning would be “Did we worship the Living, True God? Did we enter into the presence of God the Father? Did we follow in the sacrifical footsteps of Jesus? Were we obedient to the Holy Spirit? Did we pour ourselves in Spirit and in Truth? As we sang, listened, watched, prayed, mulled… were we transformed by the arts of Worship?”
I dunno. Maybe that’s obvious to everyone but me. But I’m loving this re-read of Best’s book. It’s developing my theology of worship.
