Practical Theology Of Worship Series

In a previous series post we looked at What Is Worship: 3 Organizing Scriptures to organize our understanding.

Today I’d like to feature my friend and fellow IWS alumni JIm Altizer who has a great website and series of teaching videos on worship.

[tentblogger-youtube D5vdFmzfoN8]

VIDEO: Worship Defined

1. Worship derived from old English:

  • Weorth + scipe = refers to something that shows or possesses a state of worth

2. English translation of biblical words from 2 groups of the original Hebrew/Greek:

  • Acts of Reverence, respect, homage – to bow low
    • Shacah (Hebrew)
    • Pruskuneo (Greek)
  • Acts of Service, labor, priestly actions
    •  Abad (Hebrew)
    • Leituorgia (Greek) = Liturgy , “the work of the people”
    • These words refer to what we do when we gather together to wor-ship

3. Worship is “Reflecting back to God His self revealed worth” – Jim Altizer

  • Like the moon reflects light from the sun
  • A dialogical communication cycle of revelation and response
  • God reveals through
    • natural or general revelation (nature, creation)
    •  Special revelation (Word and Spirit)
  • We respond through
    • Prayer
    • Praise

4. Praise often translated from “Halal”

  • Implies a command to boast
  • A sense of abandonment
  • An exclamation
  • To shine forth clamorously

5. Halal + Jah (Yahweh) = Praise directed to Yahweh (God)

  • Hallelujah = Praise the Lord!
  • An exclamation
  • Praise = “active boasting in the acts of God”
  • Praise is active – action words
  • Boasting – Psalm 96 “Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised”
  • God’s acts – acknowledging what he has done and what only He can do
  • Praise is expressive – it is to be seen and heard.

Worship: Formal Definitions

wor·ship defined s a verb:

  1. to treat somebody or something as divine and show respect by
engaging in acts of prayer and devotion
2. to love, admire, or respect somebody or something greatly and perhaps excessively or unquestioningly
3. to take part in a religious service

 wor·ship defined as a noun:

1. the adoration, devotion, and respect given to a deity
2. the rites or services through which people show their adoration, devo-tion, and respect for a deity
3. great or excessive love, admiration, and respect felt for somebody or something

 Question: What’s your working definition of worship? Love to see yours in the comments.

Here’s mine: “Worship is loving God on His terms”

This post is a continuation of the epic Practical Theology Of Worship Series.