Tag: worship

Values and Principles of Worship, revisited

There’s actually more to what we did, and what I believe, than what I put in that last post.  I’ve incorporated those ideas further into this outline, and rearranged some of the old ideas as well. Expanded thoughts are below the cut.

Purpose Statement:
Worship is form of expression and communication to God from believers. It is therefore personal and individualized while remaining solidly truthful and pleasing to God.

Three Principles For Worship:

  1. Worship should be truthful. (Rom 11:33-36, Ex 20:16)
    • Songs should be doctrinally and biblically sound.
    • Lyrical content should be valued over form, but with neither being devalued.
  2. Worship should be God-centered. (Col 3:17, Ps. 95:6, Rev 5:12)
    • Focus of songs should be on God.
      1. Songs should be unique to God’s character
      2. Songs should not focus on the singer or his response – they should be the response.
    • Songs should not be overly controversial, as only the Gospel should be a stumbling block.
  3. Worship should be a personal experience. (various Psalms)
    • Worshippers should feel comfortable to express worship in their own way.
      1. Worship leaders should allow for differing levels of physical response to worship.
    • Worship leaders should strive to provide a worship environment free of distraction.
      1. Songs should be familiar, or made familiar, to the worshippers.
      2. Musical style should be relevant and familiar to the worshippers.
      3. The leaders should be skilled in the role in which they serve.
      4. Worship leaders should not “perform” – it is not a concert.

Continue reading Values and Principles of Worship, revisited

Values and Principles of Worship

Purpose Statement:
Worship is form of expression and communication to God from believers. It is therefore personal and individualized while remaining solidly truthful and pleasing to God.

Four Principles For Worship:

  1. Worship should be God-centered. (Col 3:17, Ps. 95:6, Rev 5:12)
    1. Focus of songs should be on God.
  2. Worship should be truthful. (Rom 11:33-36, Ex 20:16)
    1. Songs should be doctrinally and biblically sound.
    2. Content should be valued over form, though neither can be devalued.
      1. We should avoid seeing a certain style as “better” than others.
      2. Song lyrics and content should be valued above the song’s musicality.
  3. Worship should be a personal experience. (various Psalms)
    1. Worshippers should feel comfortable to express worship in their own way.
    2. Songs should not be overly controversial, as only the Gospel should be a stumbling block.
  4. Worship leaders should strive to provide a worship environment free of distraction.
    1. Songs should be familiar, or made familiar, to the worshippers.
    2. The leaders should be skilled in the role in which they serve.
    3. Musical style should be relevant and familiar to the worshippers.

I wrote this three years ago, as a guideline for our worship team at my old church. I think it’s a rather concise statement of my beliefs on the nature of corporate worship. I thought I’d post it here as an example of what I believe on the subject, as well as to get feedback.