The most foundational principle of worship, according to the witness of the Scripture, is the centrality of the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus stated, “True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).[1] The attributes and intrinsic worth of the Creator and Redeemer require God’s centrality when developing a theology of worship. The Westminster Shorter Catechism succinctly summarizes, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.”[2] Therefore, worship is the highest expression and duty to God, declaring His glory through word, song, prayer, and obedience that fills all of life.
The worthiness of God confronts humans with their inherent unworthiness. Consequently, as sinners, dependence on God’s mercy and grace is essential for salvation and the ability to approach God acceptably (Heb 4:16).[3] Worship is wholly reliant on Christ’s atoning sacrifice, evident in the tearing of the temple curtain, symbolizing access to God’s presence through the Son (Matt 27:51; Heb 10:19-22). Now the Holy Spirit stirs hearts to believe the gospel and approach God as “Abba, Father” (Rom 8:15; Jude 1:20). The practical aspects of this grace whereby God strengthens faith is through the preaching of the Word and the corporate administration of worship and ordinance (Acts 2:42; Rom 10:17). God meets with his people corporately through these means. Worship services are intended to facilitate Spirit-dependent encounters with God through the proclamation of his Word, the rehearsing of the gospel, and the observance of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.[4]
Simply observing these worship practices with theological precision does not guarantee that God is pleased with the offered worship. Jesus affirmed that true worship has two fundamental aspects: spirit and truth. Therefore, sincerity, authenticity, and genuine expression prompted by the stirring of the Spirit should be the hallmark of a true worshiper. Stanley Grenz defines spirit as more than a substance; it is “an active subject, an activity, or a process.”[5] Combining theological truth and doctrinal substance from the Scripture with a humble expression of joy and reverence is paramount. Emotion without knowledge is shallow sentimentality; knowledge without passion is dead orthodoxy. A genuine worship theology engages both heart and mind.
Similarly, another tension exists within the theological realm of worship. Worship must balance the transcendence and immanence of God. His holiness combined with his intimate nearness.[6] Throughout history, believers have emphasized God’s sovereignty and exposed sin by preaching the law (Rom 3:19,20). Yet, they retained biblical joy and hope woven through the gospel. Worship highlights weighty reverence and wonder of the presence of the Lord of the universe while combining it with the delight of pardoned children adopted into the family of God through Christ (Rom 8:12-17; Heb 12:22-24).[7]
Offering practical guidelines to exercise theological worship principles has historically been challenging. The Word of God allows for diversity among cultural norms while also giving boundaries for guiding corporate worship. These have often been called the Regulative and Normative principles. The Regulative principle only engages in worship practice prescribed or modeled in Scripture.[8] The Normative principle permits any form of worship not strictly forbidden in Scripture.[9]Worship must retain liberty in methodology while requiring the elements necessary to serve biblically defined goals for worshiping God and edifying his people. At its roots, worship is a grace-filled meeting between God and his people, sealed in Christ by the Spirit (Eph 1); this is the governing principle for the shape and content of worship.
To access the ten-week handbook, weekly presentation slides, and discussion questions click here.
[1] Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology, 3rd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2013), 280.
[2] “Shorter Catechism of the Assembly of Divines,” Reformed Theology at A Puritan’s Mind, accessed December 6, 2023, https://www.apuritansmind.com/westminster-standards/shorter-catechism/.
[3] David Petersen, Engaging with God: A Biblical Theology of Worship (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2002), 105.
[4] Erickson, Christian Theology, 1219.
[5] Stanley J. Grenz, Theology for the Community of God (Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans, 2000), 101.
[6] Erickson, Christian Theology, 286.
[7] Daniel I. Block, For the Glory of God: Recovering a Biblical Theology of Worship (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2016), 80.
[8] Block, For the Glory of God, 3.
[9] Ibid.
Josh Cehulik 