Category Archives: Renewing Our Worship

Worship: The Assembly (the Lord’s Supper, Part 2)

We have this tendency to treat the assembly in a pagan way. Rather than seeing the Lord’s Supper as a gift and a blessing to be gratefully received from God, we see it as a magic spell. If we get … Continue reading

Posted in Lord's Supper, Renewing Our Worship, Uncategorized, What Must be Preserved of the Churches of Christ? | 22 Comments

Worship: The Assembly (the Lord’s Supper, Part 1)

In the NT, ekklēsia refers to the people in the church, not the assembly per se.  We are always the church, and so, in a sense, we Christians are always gathered to hear God’s word and to worship. But very occasionally, the … Continue reading

Posted in Lord's Supper, Renewing Our Worship, Uncategorized, What Must be Preserved of the Churches of Christ? | 14 Comments

Worship: The Assembly (the ekklēsia)

The scriptures often speak in term of “types” — antitypes, prototypes, that sort of thing. The idea is that certain NT concepts are often patterned (for want of a better term) on an OT practice or event. There are countless … Continue reading

Posted in Renewing Our Worship, Role of Women, Uncategorized, What Must be Preserved of the Churches of Christ? | 2 Comments

Worship: Baptism and the Church as Temple

So, being a Church of Christ kind of guy, I’ve been thinking about the preceding posts on worship and wondering what the implications of the Creation and the church each being God’s temple would be for baptism. Does seeing things … Continue reading

Posted in Baptism, Real Worship, Renewing Our Worship, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Worship: A Summary

We need to pause a bit to summarize. * God created the heavens and earth as a temple in which to rest. * Adam and Eve were created to be images of God, displaying his nature in the midst of … Continue reading

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Worship: On How to Die for Jesus

We need to return to Rom 12:1 — (Rom 12:1 ESV) I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. … Continue reading

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Worship: The Pattern

Tabernacle imagery appears in several places in the New Testament, with the most prominent place being the book of Hebrews. We need to start in chapter 8 — (Heb 8:5 ESV)  5 The [priests who served at the tabernacle] serve a … Continue reading

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Worship: Worship, with Reverence and Awe

Astonishingly, near the end of Hebrews, the writer makes a contrast between the obsolete, inferior worship at the tabernacle and compares this to the worship of God that takes places in heaven itself. Therefore, he urges us to “offer to God … Continue reading

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Worship: In Spirit and truth

It’s been commonplace for centuries to argue that the Samaritans had the right spirit but lacked the truth — because they insisted on worshiping God on Mt. Gerizim, having been excluded from the Temple by the Jews. (In fact, under … Continue reading

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Worship: What Is “Worship”? Proskuneō

Proskuneō means to prostrate oneself before another, especially a god. The word can be used of bowing before a king or noble, but the Bible usually usually uses the word for prostration before God or an idol. The literal meaning … Continue reading

Posted in Real Worship, Renewing Our Worship, Uncategorized | 2 Comments