Thoughts on Essentials Blue Week Two – THE NATURE OF GOD

For: The Institute of Contemporary and Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s University, Essentials Blue Online Worship Theology Course with Dan Wilt

Who we think God is and how we think of the Kingdom of God is so essential to how our theology is formed and should greatly impact us as worship artisans. While reading the written material for this week and watching the videos I felt like I was playing this balancing act of trying not to put God in a box but still put words or definition to what I believe and why I believe it. In Simply Christian it was helpful to me the way that Wright laid out three basic options to look at what people may believe about heaven and earth, how they relate to each other, and where is God and where are we in all of that. He helped me to put words to what I believe. “The place where God’s space and our space overlap and interlock”1.
In Wilt’s Essentials in Worship Theology I connected with his analogy of digital vs analog theology. I guess I connected with it as an electric guitar player having been faced musically with the differences between digital and analog gear. Digital often seems more sterile and lacks the little nuances that analog gear has. I particularly like the description of analog theology as “splashing around in the ungrippable water”. 2 I also liked how Wilt offers four theological ideas, not like four walls of a box, but ideas about God that worship artisans should apply thought to their worship craft. The ideas of God as Creator, God as King, God as Trinity, and God as Savior. As he discussed these in the text he offered three simple ideas of ways to each aspect (four ideas) of God’s character to our daily lives and worship creativity. 2
I enjoyed the three Inside Worship Magazine articles I read this week as well. The one that I connect with the most is “Who is the God We Worship” (Williams and Brown, Inside Worship). As in last week I was awakened to the responsibility that we have as worship leaders in teaching theology, this week I was awakened to the responsibility we have to “honor and experience God’s Trinitarian fullness and more.” 3 I am going to purpose to select songs that address each person of God without overly focusing on one over the other… to bring more balance in how we worship the Trinity.
It has been another great thought provoking week of learning in Essentials Blue… onward to the next week!
[1] Wright, Simply Christian, Pg 63
[2] Wilt, Essentials in Worship Theology, Online Text Pg 10
[3] Williams & Brown, Who is the God We Worship, Inside Worship Article

Thoughts on Essentials Blue Week One – A STORY IN WHICH WE CAN LIVE

For: The Institute of Contemporary and Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s University, Essentials Blue Online Worship Theology Course with Dan Wilt

There is so much information, concepts, ideas, and truths to absorb, digest and synthesize into something meaningful and coherent.  There certainly is more than I can fit in this blog but I will try to hit some high points for me while knowing that I will leave something out to save space. 

My thoughts on theology have deepened.  I think now of how theology  impacts my role as a worship leader as well as how my own theology impacts those that I lead and join together with in worship.  It has made me think of ways we hear God the echoes of God’s voice speaking of justice, the hidden spring of spirituality, human relationships and the beauty of creation.[1]

 Brenton Browns says in talking about the church today “the theology and the way we think about God is shaped more by the songs we sing than the sermons we listen to.  People will remember the songs that you write long after they’ve forgotten the sermons that they’ve heard.”   That sobered me to the responsibility of worship leaders and worship song writers to study theology and get their theology straight.[2]  I learned the contrasts of bad theology and good theology.  That there is embedded theology ingrained in us from youth and deliberative theology, that which I choose to believe.[3]  Don Williams speaks of God being truth and that we don’t want to sing falsehoods so we need to get our theology straight… get the Vineyard Statement of Faith and learn it, memorize it.[4]  My theology must be in line with the Vineyard’s theology if I’m going to lead worship and write songs in the Vineyard.  So how do I do that?  I must explore couple of things that are going to raise lots of questions for me.  I need to determine what my theology is… what was embedded from my youth and what has been deliberative in developing my theology?  Then I can compare that to the Vineyard’s statement of faith.   Where do I miss the mark?  What things have I not even really thought deeply about? 

I’ve read of how important studying the scriptures is for worship leaders and think how often I fall short in that area.  Not to just read but study the scriptures with deep thought and meditation.  Dr Davids lays out some reasons why studying the scriptures is important for modern worship leaders. Knowing what worship is depends on biblical knowledge.  Worship is submission to God and without biblical thorough knowledge we will not know who God is and what pleases Him.  Worship itself is full of scripture so we must have a grasp of the scriptures to understand their images and themes.  The worship leader must cultivate an on-going relationship with God and one often encounters God when he studies the scriptures with a heart intent on knowing God better.[5]

As I read, watch, listen, study, and interact I pray that God will bring or keep my theology in line with His truth and my world view will be transformed to His.

 

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[1] Wright, N.T. Simply Christian. New York: Harper Collins, 2006.

[2] Brown, Brenton. Theology and the Worship Leader. iTunesU Video.

[3] Wilt, Dan. Essentials in Worship Theology. PDF Online Course Text.

[4] Williams, Don. Why Theology. iTunesU Video.

[5] Davids, Peter, Dr. The Importance of Scripture Study for Modern Worship Leaders. Inside Worship Magazine