Worship is . . . Transformational
In my last post I talked about the key component of Spiritual Formation being Accountable Relationships.
In his book, Liturgical Spirituality, Philip Pfatteicher identifies
5 Characteristics of Spirituality:
- always a Response to what God has done
- is essentially God Dwelling within us
- is Cultivated within the church, the community of believers . . . intensely personal, but not individual” and is social.
- marked by Growth and Development as the normal state of a healthy life in Christ
- the goal is nothing less than the Total Transformation of the human person
Do you think worship should be Transformational? And, why?
The Bible talks alot about obedience. Note John 15.
What does obedience have to do with worship? And,
What does worship have to do with transformation?
posted by Phil English at 10:08 PM
2 Comments:
Yes, worship must lead to transformation. In human relationships, sometimes people adopt in one way or another, the values, attitudes, styles, et cetera of their significant others. I listened to a fascinating radio show sometime in 2005/2006, in which the producer noted that when President Bush started using the phrase “make no mistake” following 911, many leaders around the world (including former Canadian Premier) were quoted numerous times using the same as they delivered their stance on some policy issues. That’s a simple example of how transformation can take place, unconsciously, sometimes.
When we interact with Christ, we start adopting His character more and more. Our talk, thoughts, priorities, and overall character become Christ-like. John 15: 3 & 4 show just how we can’t be transformed if we do not engage with Christ in our everyday being. I don’t see how one can be a true worshipper without achieving personal transformation.
Why should one be obedient? The first step to non-transformational worship is disobedience. My NIV records 11 times that Jesus told his disciples to “remain” in Him in order to excel, and 5 times that He reminded them of the “command” to love. I believe that complying with our loved ones’ expectations is one of the ways that we display accountability and love, which can be important ingredients for transformation. Being obedient is sort of a spiritual audit, I think.
Make no mistake, true worship transforms!
should worship be transformational? I would say "absolutely", worship is our expression of intimate love and adoration for Jesus. In worship we are supposed to encounter Him, and as we catch a glimpse of who He is we will never be the same again. therefore worship is absolutely supposed to be transformational.
Now sometimes we might not feel like worshipping God and telling Him how awesome He is. Maybe we have a difficult day, or we feel miserable. That's when obedience comes in place. Scripture says clearly that we were made to be in communion with the Trinity, so were made to worship. God isn't good because of the things He has done for us, He is good - period.
He derserves our worship - no matter how we feel. We owe Him the sacrifice of worship for the rest of our lives - that's sometimes a step of obedience.
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