One of the things that having kids will do to you is force you to distill complicated things into simple summaries. It seems like I’m having to constantly explain big ideas to my kids in very simple terms. It’s good for them, but it’s even better for me. It makes me think!
This quote from Allen Ross’s book Recalling the Hope of Glory: Biblical Worship From the Garden of Eden to the New Creation provides a similarly simple (yet profound) summary of the basic principle of worship, and how that impacts those of us who wear the title of “worship leader”:
He writes:
…The basic principle in Scripture is that all of God’s creation, everything that has life, must praise Him. But whatever is done must exalt the Lord in the eyes of the people, focus attention on him and not the performers, and communicate truth about the Lord and not conceal or confuse it.
In short, music used in worship must be accurate in its theology, glorifying to God and prepared well, and it must minister to the needs of all the people.
To be properly worshipful, music used in the public assembly of Christian worship must be guided by the theology of praise with its paradigm in Holy Scripture.
I think this is helpful.
So even more basically, according to Ross:
1. All creation must praise God.
2. Whatever is done in the assembly of his people should exalt God.
3. The truth about God should be clear not concealed.
4. So we should prepare well.
5. Good theology keeps us focused on what matters most.
The worship of the church, and the job of worship leaders who serve the church, is all about God, and all for the glory of God.
Let’s not ever take our eyes off of this simple truth!
