This book traces the unfolding story of worship through the lens of biblical theology from Genesis through Revelation. There is discontinuity and contThis book traces the unfolding story of worship through the lens of biblical theology from Genesis through Revelation. There is discontinuity and continuity between the two testaments. In the Old Testament, worship focused around specific times and places. You went to a place to worship – the temple in Jerusalem. On certain times of the month and year, you feasted. Through specific and rigid ways, you approached God. But, when you come to the New Testament, the focus of worship shifts from times and places to all of life. In interacting with Peterson’s work, D.A. Carson in Worship by the Book says, “The church does not gather to worship on Sunday mornings and then engage in something different during the rest of the week. New Testament worship is “constant worship.” This all of life worship should be done through faithful, sacrificial living in accordance with God’s word in the context of a faith community.
What were three (or more) things you learned from reading this book? 1. The priority of service and ministry in NT worship for each believer. Worship isn’t passive. It isn’t about self-gratification, spectating or even intellectually reasoning with concepts about God. It is actively responding to God’s revelation in love for God and others.
2. Sunday worship in my context needs to be connected to God’s total plan of redemption and purpose for His people. There is vitality and significance to be found here.
3. The importance of mutual ministry in gatherings of God’s people with the well-being and strengthening of the whole church being the primary aims of gathering.
Which chapter or section of the book had the greatest impact on you? Why? I was most impacted by chapter 8, “The book of Hebrews and the worship of Jesus,” because of how it relates the sacrifices, altars, priesthood, and covenants of Old Testament worship to the fulfillment of the person and work of Jesus. I felt that it brought together and summarized the points made about both Old and New Testament worship in one chapter.
What is one quote from the book that made an impression on you? “Acceptable worship means approaching or engaging with God on the terms that he proposes and in the manner that he makes possible. It involves honoring, serving and respecting him, abandoning any loyalty or devotion that hinders an exclusive relationship with him. Although some of Scripture's terms for worship may refer to specific gestures of homage, rituals or priestly ministrations, worship is more fundamentally faith expressing itself in obedience and adoration. Consequently, in both Testaments it is often shown to be a personal and moral fellowship with God relevant to every sphere of life.” p.283
What is a disagreement you have with the author? Though he argued his point very well, I wonder about Peterson’s description of the focus of NT gatherings being more for mutual encouragement than for worship of God Himself.
If you could interview the author, what question(s) would you ask? To the above point, can it not be both? Can we not find our reason for gathering in worshiping our God and mutually encouraging one another?
What is your most useful takeaway from this book? The unfolding storyline of worship from Genesis to Revelation and seeing how linked worship is to the other major movements of biblical theology. (17) ...more
This book is a warning to students of theology to be on guard against the temptation of allowing the study of theology to puff you up with pride in a This book is a warning to students of theology to be on guard against the temptation of allowing the study of theology to puff you up with pride in a newfound expertise or to disconnect you from the essential practice of applying what is learned to life. The faith, once for all delivered, is path we walk on and live, not a pedestal to stand on to look down on others from. To that end, theological students must anchor themselves in a consistent and authentic walk with God and engage intentionally with a community of faith. Without this grounding, knowledge gained from theological study can easily become a tool for harm rather than a source of help and healing.
What were three (or more) things you learned from reading this book? The process of growing to spiritual maturity can often include a time of going through spiritual puberty. This analogy feels especially personal to me as my 12 year old son navigates middle school life. I saw myself p. 31 When truth and love are not combined (which can often be the case), a spiritual disease (Thilieke says it is the theological disease) occurs where truth is used as a means to defeat someone and even kill them. p.39-41 Without prayer, theological thought suffocates. A test of that prayerful approach to theology can be how second person rather than third person pronouns are used--more me and we than you--in how we teach and share what we are learning. p. 64, 67
Which chapter or section of the book had the greatest impact on you? Why?
The individual chapters were short, but I was most helped by the last third of the book where he described the marks and practices of a healthy heart in pursuing theology. While I was able to somewhat dodge the extremes of his explanations of the immaturities of theological youth, I was cut deep by his descriptions of humble orthodoxy.
What is one quote from the book that made an impression on you?
I thought this was a helpful summary: How all-important it is that a vigorous spiritual life, in close association with the Holy Scriptures and in the midst of the Christian community, be maintained as a background to theological work, and that the unformed shadows of thought always derive their life-blood from that source - all this becomes impressively clear to me particularly by the way in which historical-critical study of the Bible affects young theologians. p. 69
What is a disagreement you have with the author?
It could have been the translation or the brevity in the writer’s style, but I struggled some in following the stories and analogies. While the writing was punchy, it felt disjointed at times.
I also struggled with what seemed to be broad-brush and extreme caricatures of theological pride.
If you could interview the author, what question(s) would you ask? What means does God use to work humility into a theologians? How did God write your story of growing to see the importance of these things?
What is your most useful takeaway from this book?
I need to be careful not to approach theology with the mindset of "how can this be used in a sermon or conversation?" Instead, I should prioritize allowing the truth to impact and transform me first. Only then can I become an authentic vessel through which this truth can be shared with others. ...more
Good theology is important, because everyone is in fact a theologian. The author’s focus isn’t on convincing the reader to become a theologian, ratherGood theology is important, because everyone is in fact a theologian. The author’s focus isn’t on convincing the reader to become a theologian, rather they focus on arguing for good theological methods and practices. They define theology as “reflecting on and articulating the God-centered life and beliefs that Christians share as followers of Jesus so that God might be glorified in all Christians are and do.” p.69 They argue that arriving at good theology must make use of not just the Biblical message itself, but also the theological heritage of the church, and contemporary culture. This method must be constructed in reference and relationship to a community of people, because good theology must reach the street level of people’s lives.
What were three (or more) things you learned from reading this book? Different types of theology and the importance of moving from folk theology to lay and ministerial theology. p.27-38 Theological triage of ideas through the lens of dogma, doctrine and opinion. p73 What theology does constructively for the Christian in setting a unity and coherence between what the Bible teaches about God and the context of the world we are called to be disciples in. p.77 Understandable language, relevant to problems, interacts with modern education - p.99-100
Which chapter or section of the book had the greatest impact on you? Why? I was most impacted by chapter 7, Constructing Theology in Context, because it helped me see not just how relevant good theology is to everyday life, but also the place that contextualization has in developing a theological system. I appreciated how the authors argued for what they called a trialogue approach. We don’t just start and stop with the Bible, and we don’t just start with culture and work backwards to the Bible, instead, we bring our “understanding of scripture, our cognizance of our heritage, and our reading of our cultural context” together. p.112
What is one quote from the book that made an impression on you?
I thought this summary was very helpful: “Who needs theology? The contemporary church does. Why? So that we can indeed be God's people in our world. What kind of theology do we need? One that is truly scriptural, completely Christian and totally relevant. One that embodies the biblical message as proclaimed by the one people of God in a manner that interfaces with life in our specific context. Only this kind of a theology can provide us the intellectual resources we need to live out our calling as Christ's disciples in our world.” p.102
What is a disagreement you have with the author?
I did pause some when the author was discussing theological triage on the doctrinal level. He described his own suggestion of praying together with Jehovah’s Witnesses.
If you could interview the author, what question(s) would you ask? What has been your story at arriving at your theological method? What are the most valuable tools you’ve found for building your theology? How does an understanding of personality and learning styles play into a person’s quest for good theology?
What is your most useful takeaway from this book?
How to bring together my Biblical knowledge, understanding of tradition in evangelicalism, and what I know about culture into a comprehensible and relevant theology. ...more
Using an analogy of a multi-roomed house with a solid foundation, Cherry describes a biblically-faithful structure for the gathered worship of the chuUsing an analogy of a multi-roomed house with a solid foundation, Cherry describes a biblically-faithful structure for the gathered worship of the church and the role of a worship leader in architecting and then hosting services that reflect that structure. God reveals Himself in His Word (centered on Christ and the plan of salvation) and a congregation responds. This response is curated by a worship leader who reflects that structure with scriptural, theological, communal and contextual intentionality in what she describes as the “rooms” of gathering as a congregation, word, table, and sending. To this four-room structure, Cherry includes what she calls “windows” in the practices and styles and patterns of prayer, the musical aesthetic of style, song selection, culture, and the Christian calendar.
What were three (or more) things you learned from reading this book? The actively relational pattern of revelation and response in Biblical worship. God speaks. His people respond. “True worship is never one-sided…[it] is the experience of encountering God through the means that God usually employs, a conversation built on revelation and response.” p. 20 - See also, p. 208-209 Practical tools for raising up and training future worship leaders with extremely practical do’s and don’ts. As I read through this book with a worship leader that we sent out to one of our plants, he was particularly helped with what could be seen as assumed worship leadership elements. Example on p.78-79 like “Weak ways to begin a gathering…how’s everyone doing? Stronger examples… [quote scripture] Let’s join together in worshiping the great and wonderful God!” These practical helps provide real-life ways to incorporate the theological foundation Cherry lays. I resonate and aim to fulfill a role that she calls the “pastoral musician.” This person has developed a skill and God-given responsibility for selecting and employing music and worship that will serve the actions of the liturgy and reflect on theological contextual and cultural considerations awfully the ultimate purpose of glorifying God. (201-202) This should be done with a philosophy of style and song choice in worship leading called “convergence worship” that combines the historical and the contemporary at every level of worship to create maximum opportunities to engage worshipers with the presence of God. p.263
Which chapter or section of the book had the greatest impact on you? Why? I was most impacted by chapter 11, Encountering God in Music, because song selection has such a significant role in the philosophical, scriptural, and theological movement of our pre-sermon worship. Calls to worship, prayers, and transitions from one part of the service to another are directly from or informed by scripture, but songs (lyrics and style) take up more time and space than those do. Cherry provides helpful questions for choosing and evaluating songs.
What is one quote from the book that made an impression on you? “One must think about not only the selection of proper music, but also how the musical function in the community, where it will be placed in the liturgy, what speak to the cultural context of the church, and so on many layers of reflection must take place for music to play it special dialogical rule between God and people these unique considerations call for remarkable leadership: they require person who can think about music and worship from different advantage points while synthesizing results. They call for a pastoral musician.” (201)
What is a disagreement you have with the author? On the role of the assurance of pardon in the worship service. I would quibble with her word choice of pronouncing here: “The leader looks directly into the faces of the congregation and pronounces them forgiven on the basis of God’s promise.” In an assurance of pardon, the worship leader reminds the congregation of the pronouncement of God’s forgiveness that He has given us in His word.
If you could interview the author, what question(s) would you ask? It seems that Cherry is often writing from a higher church tradition than the one that I serve in. This came out in particular in the chapter on the calendar year. I’d love to attend a service in her context and then discuss how her cultural predispositions informed her writing, especially in reference to style and context.
What is your most useful takeaway from this book? I resonated with many of the theological and scriptural intentionality of the book and found my own practice supported and strengthened. Because I read this with an aspiring worship leader in training, I found a helpful tool to read through with future leaders. ...more
This book is a call to return to the depth and richness that was a part of early Christian worship. Webber argues that modern worship has tended towarThis book is a call to return to the depth and richness that was a part of early Christian worship. Webber argues that modern worship has tended toward superficiality, consumerism, entertainment, and individualization. He argues that the way back is found in proclaiming the biblical narrative in worship and learning from the historic practices of the church. The book focuses more on the content and structure of worship than on its style (90) emphasizing that worship should not merely be an event, but a transformative encounter with God that reflects the grand story of scripture. “Worship does God’s story,” Webber says. He categorizes the narrative of scripture through the acts of creation, incarnation, and recreation with specific attention given to prioritizing the Christus Victor (86) theme of the plan of redemption in worship. In doing this, Webber critiques evangelicals (37) who prioritize the cross over what he calls the full scope of the redemptive work. He presents a form of ancient-future worship by viewing the elements of worship, word, eucharist, and prayer through the lens of the practices and teachings of the early church and ancient church.
What were three (or more) things you learned from reading this book? The danger of fragmentation in worship when one person of the trinity or one aspect of God’s story is emphasized to the neglect of others. This leads to a reduction of the Christian message. (41-42, 83) The importance of intentionally ordering the structure of liturgy under our statement of faith and around the biblical narrative. Lex orandi; Lex credendi. Show me how you worship, and I’ll show you what you believe. The question, “What does our order of worship actually communicate?” was helpful. (104) Rather than resulting in compliments for the performer’s skill or the leader’s planning, the end result of worship that proclaims God’s story is a delight in God’s people that produces participation. (111)
Which chapter or section of the book had the greatest impact on you? Why? Chapter 6 on the Word was most impactful to me. I was especially helped by his call to read the Biblical story as an insider rather than as outsiders more concerned with objective historical critical methods or subjective personal experiences. His four points of application for reading and proclaiming the word were especially helpful: 1) Read with an ancient mindset (embracing mystery and the supernatural), 2) Read passionately and relationally, 3) Read as metaphor (though I’d have concerns about taking this point beyond what he describes), and 4) read so that the Bible reads us and our world.
What is one quote from the book that made an impression on you? His description of “real presence” at the table made me think quite a bit, and I’m still considering its implications for my own view of communion. “Bread and wine disclose the union we have with Jesus, which is not a mere standing, but a true and real participation lived out in this life as we become the story of God in this world individually in all our ways and corporately as the people of God…We take God's whole story into our stomach, let it run through our bloodstream, let it then energize our entire living-our relationships, our work, our pleasure; all of life is now to be lived as Jesus lived his life. As he took into himself the suffering of all humanity, so we are to take into ourselves the suffering of the world and do something about it. As he rose above all that is evil in the world through his resurrection, so we too are to rise to the new life by the Spirit of God. All our death to sin and rising to life finds its true and ultimate meaning in him who lives in us, living in our sufferings, living in our struggles with evil, living in our resurrections to new life.”
What is a disagreement you have with the author? While I see the importance of proclaiming and enacting the whole of the story of redemption, I disagree with Webber’s interpretation of the acts of the story of redemption as simply creation, incarnation, recreation. I think instead that scripture emphasizes four acts--creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. I believe that Christ’s cross and the substitutionary atonement that He accomplished there are at the heart of the Biblical narrative. And, while I followed Webber’s logic throughout the book, his emphasis on Christus Victor (86, 170) and the incarnation seems to reduce the cross (37) to simply a part of God’s plan rather than what J.I. Packer calls the “central reference point.”
If you could interview the author, what question(s) would you ask? How can we incorporate Ancient-Future Worship content and structure in ways that are not as wordy or thick in content as what you’ve referenced from the practices of the ancient church? It seems that the examples from church history, especially the prayers, were quite heavy and would be difficult for modern congregations to follow.
What is your most useful takeaway from this book? Making sure that I take seriously the responsibility or planning services that “do” the grand narrative of scripture in remembering “God’s work in the past, anticipates God’s rule over all creation, and actualizes both past and future in the present to transform persons, communities, and the world.” (43) ...more
Post-enlightenment thinking (and the historical-critical method and naturalism that grew out of it) has influenced Biblical academic scholarship and hPost-enlightenment thinking (and the historical-critical method and naturalism that grew out of it) has influenced Biblical academic scholarship and hermeneutics in significant and destructive ways by disconnecting the study of scripture from the essential dynamics both the supernaturality and Christocentricity inherent in scripture itself. Using the methods and application of the early church Fathers, Carter argues for an exegesis (even a prospological exegesis) where the divine authorial intent and the human authorial intent are in harmony and where the interpreter acknowledges and embraces an emphasis on the spiritual dynamics of their relationship with God. Carter also rescues the early church father’s use of allegory from the caricatures that are often attributed to them by showing their work through what is described as “Christological literalism.” Carter argues that the early Church Fathers were not reading Christ into the text, because He was literally present there.
What were three (or more) things you learned from reading this book? What platonism is and how it wrestled with reality in terms consistent with the theological descriptions of God and the world found in the Bible. (63-91) A way of describing the “several meanings” that are inherent in scripture as “layers of meaning” because of the complexity of God and the Holy Spirit that may or may not have been apparent to human authors. This does not deny historical exegesis, because of the nature of scripture itself as having both the divine author and a human author. Seeing Christ as literally present in the Old Testament. “The spiritual sense thus becomes an aspect of the literal sense, and the literal sense is not detached from history but is grounded in the history of Jesus Christ.” 176
Which chapter or section of the book had the greatest impact on you? Why? Once I was able to reconcile that the beginning of the book was the author arguing for and against positions that I already agreed with and was against (post-enlightenment modernism and naturalism), I was able to engage more freely with the content. I devoured the second half of the book! Thank you for assigning it.
I found Chapter 6, Letting the Literal Sense Control All Meaning most impactful to me, because I found it most practical in summary and application. I have previously found myself tentative when saying I interpret the Bible “literally” knowing that there are often times where I am in fact interpreting spiritually. I was so helped by Carter’s descriptions of how the spiritual is not in conflict with the historical, and in fact must be included as a part of the literal sense.
What is one quote from the book that made an impression on you?
What is happening here is something familiar to many preachers who read the text, study the text, meditate on the text, pray over the text, and then find the veil parts, and the ontological reality of which the text speaks suddenly appears in glory and majesty. When this happens, the preacher is ready to preach the good news! The goal of exegesis in the great tradition is not racking up publications in scholarly journals or getting tenure; the goal is to know God, and to be transformed in the process. The goal is salvation. (182)
What is a disagreement you have with the author? My initial argument was with how strong and alarming the opening paragraphs of the preface were. But, after reading the book and just now rereading that opening paragraph, I now see how my own understanding of scripture interpretation needed sharpened. As for disagreement, I was often lost and struggled to keep up with the history of the early chapters.
If you could interview the author, what question(s) would you ask? I’d love to ask him for a grid of faithful and unfaithful ways of interpreting Christ in the Old Testament. I often have wondered what guardrails people like Edmund Clowney or Tim Keller have when they move from the Old Testament to Christ.
What is your most useful takeaway from this book? The summary of his 10 theses on the science of Biblical Hermeneutics on page 188....more
Covers a vast span of history in a small package. Less than 100 pages to fly over 2000 years of history. The 10 page overview at the beginning of the Covers a vast span of history in a small package. Less than 100 pages to fly over 2000 years of history. The 10 page overview at the beginning of the book is very valuable, but the lack of detail and fast pace does leave the book quite dry....more
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