Day 5: Becoming A Lifelong Discoverer

Instructor: Dan Wilt

Welcome to Day 5 of 5 – we're coming in for a landing on our 5 Day Worship Theology Tune Up – a journey that has taken us into the very heart of worship theology. Watch today's video here, then, read the following. Video time: 2:40 Reading time (est.): 5:00 "My View Of Worship" One Sheet: 12:00 Day 3 Total Time: 19:40

BECOMING A LIFELONG DISCOVERER

DAY 5: Becoming A Lifelong Learner

Worship is as big as God is. To discover His mysteries is a lifelong call, and it will change the way we lead worship, write songs, pray, teach, and disciple others in what it means to be God's worshippers.

As we begin our last day, a brief summary and synthesis of these 5 days, let me offer this encouragement – take the rest of your life to explore the depths of worship theology. Read books from different traditions, and make sure that what you love about worship has deep roots in Scripture and is empowered by a grace-filled relationship with your Lord.

On God, Humans, and Worship

We have, over the course of a few weeks, reflected on a wide range of foundational theological and worldview topics vital to understanding the contemporary worship experience. We have explored:

God as Creator: the God who creates
God as King: the God who reigns
God as Trinity: the God who relates
God as Savior: the God who saves

Flowing from this grand vision of the Eternal One, cascades our vision of human beings, central to understanding our theology and activity of worship:

Human beings as Sub-Creators: made to create
Human beings as Image Bearers: made to reflect
Human beings as Community Builders: made to relate
Human beings as Salvation Storytellers: made to share a story

If worship is indeed an activity for which human beings are hard-wired, and if we bear the image of God within us, then the activity of worship should bear some resemblance both to the character of God and the nature of human beings who He has made.

Worship is a Creative Act: we respond to our Creator from our role as creative beings
Worship is a Royal Act: we respond to our King from our position as vice-regents
Worship is a Relational Act: we respond to the Trinity in building right-relationships
Worship is a Narrative Act: we respond to our Savior by retelling God's great Story

A Song To Stir Us: Psalm 139:1-18;23-25

I'd like to conclude our time with the worship words of David, pouring from his soul as a worship leader and king who both knew God and knew about God. He expressed both intimate and expansive knowledge of his Creator in a beautiful symphony of poetry we call the Psalms. Feel the worship pouring from David in this elegant prayer rising like incense from his heart:

Psalm 139 For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

1 You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.

4 Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. 5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," 12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. 17 How precious to me are your thoughts,God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.

23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Introducing A Worship Theologian For The Church

How do you feel to know you are now officially one of the Church's theologians in worship? I know how I felt when I first realized that people were learning more theology from the sings we were singing (that I was writing and/or choosing) than from the sermons they were hearing. I felt overwhelmed, humbled, concerned, invigorated, and desperate for help – all at the same time! Like it or not, we who are spiritual leaders in our communities are doing theology all of the time. We are practical theologians. We are also teaching theology through our practical leadership tasks, and teaching others as we ourselves learn at the feet of Jesus (and others who have gleaned insight from that place).

A 12 Minute Exercise To Bring It All Home

Bringing all we've learned together over these past few days to your heart and mind now, let's conclude in a simple exercise.

Take out your journal that you used to take notes during this study.
Write at the top, "My View Of Worship"
Using a paragraph per section, and just 2-3 sentences per paragraph, write your thoughts on the following: .
- Who Is The God We Worship?
- Who Are The Worshippers The Father Seeks?
- What Is Worship All About?

Make each paragraph your own. Use language from the study, draw on the wealth of the Scriptures, or come up with your own words from scratch. Write it in a such a way that you can own it, and that would articulate how you view the heart of worship from the Scriptures. Then, post it on a blog, or on social media, and let others interact with it. This will further hone your vision of worship, and give others a gift of insight from your study.

A Blessing On Your Worship Leadership

I trust these few days were helpful in refreshing, or tuning-up, your thinking about worship theology. I also trust that some of what you discovered as the Spirit spoke to you this week will find its way into your speaking, praying, songwriting, writing, and relational life as a worship leader. I would encourage you to read books on worship theology from time to time, to inspire you in your ongoing thinking as a spiritual leader. Lead from a vibrant, passionate, living relationship with your Lord Jesus, that involves both your heart and mind, and cultivate your love for Jesus through inspiring ideas that move you – and will move your congregation. Blessings as you continue the journey of discovering more and more about the inestimable, infinite, and intimate God we love. With friendship, Dan :: A Word From Dan I hope this course was all you hoped it would be. You have unlimited access to this material, so every once in a while it might be good to revisit it to refresh your thinking about worship theology. If you enjoyed this course, WorshipTraining would like to let you know about other 5 Day Courses I've created that we think would inspire your leadership. Just sing up for a free or paid WorshipTraining account, and WorshipTraining will keep you up to speed. By the way, I'd love to connect with you personally at my blog. If you visit www.DanWilt.com and sign up for my (occasional) email notices, you'll get monthly posts that will encourage you in your life worship, and that you can pass around to your team. Looking forward with you to God's great future unfolding! Peace and Grace, Dan