Attentiveness: Worship
I genuinely love to attend worship.
In my position at Gordon-Conwell I have the opportunity to attend many types of Christian worship services. Since we are a multidenominational seminary, when I visit the churches led by our alumni, I experience the worship traditions of committed Baptists, Presbyterians, Anglicans (high and low), Church of God, Assembly of God, Vineyard, Lutheran, Methodist, and most denominations and networks in between.
Last Sunday Nancy and I attended a high church liturgy at a local congregation. It was our first time attending this church, and we knew no one there personally. Even so, we found the service to be refreshing, healing, encouraging, and re-centering. Each of those words could be explored with more specificity, but I’d like to reflect upon the overall experience rather than trying to dissect its differing elements.
During the service I sensed the Spirit of God calling me into the presence of the living Christ, which brought me to a place where I became aware of my need to confess my sin. At the same time, and because of this, I became further aware of his attractive and superabundant love. As I looked at the stained-glass windows and other visual representations of Christ (especially the lamb on the throne), I could see that the loving Lamb had absorbed my messiness with his holiness. I was moved to greater humility and praise of Jesus as Lord!
I was not aware of all of this at the time. In part, these thoughts became clearer as we left the service and after I had had time to sit still with a cup of coffee. I gave thanks to God for the calming and transformative power and love of Christian worship.
I do believe that what makes some worship services so powerful is good theology and careful planning. Of course there is a place for spontaneity in worship, but a thoughtful sermon, good rhythm, interludes of silence, and deliberate celebration of the Eucharist aid in deepening our faith, and even giving us greater courage and humility.
That Sunday, the opening hymn of praise (“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise . . .” based on Psalm 100:4) led quite naturally to confession and repentance. We enter singing about God’s greatness and goodness and then we remember our sinfulness. So, we confess and receive God’s good word of forgiveness or absolution. That Sunday’s confession, both at the beginning of the service and before the Lord’s Supper, highlighted the many ways we as the Church and as families and as communities are divided and how we slander one another. The priest confessed our divisions as a nation and as Christians. He then naturally moved to pray for those still suffering from the effects of two recent hurricanes and for those living in places of conflict.
Thoughtful, deliberate, and biblical, would describe what I saw and experienced at worship last Sunday—all of it focused on the amazing and overflowing love of God in Jesus Christ.
I’ll say it again: I love to attend worship. After a soul-expanding worship service, I have much to meditate on as I “rest” in the love of God for the remaining hours of my Christian Sabbath and on into the coming week.
My heart, O God, is steadfast.
I will sing and make music with all my soul.
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
I will praise you, Lord, among the nations.
I will sing of you among the peoples.
For great is your love, higher than the heavens;
Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
Let your glory be over all the earth!
(Psalm 108:1-5)
Dr. Scott W. Sunquist, president of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, is author of the “Attentiveness” blog. He welcomes comments, responses, and good ideas.