Worship Matters

I have set aside a couple of hours this morning to read. I am reading an excellent book on worship by a guy called Bob Kauflin. The book is entitled Worship Matters. I am going to blog some quotes from it as I come across interesting stuff.

'If you come into my office today, you'd see old books on my desk. One is a 1798 copy of Discourses on the Love of God by Isaac Watts. I also have a 1721 copy of his sermons. The pile includes hymnals from the nineteenth century and Thomas Gibbon's biography of Watts, published in 1780.

People often ask me why I keep them on my desk, and I always give the same answer: I never want to forget that my generation isn't the first to think about and pursue biblical worship.'

'Imagine the effect if church growth referred to churches growing in their understanding of the gospel, personal godliness, involvement in the church, and their heart for the lost rather than simply numbers. That kind of growth must take precedence over worship that is simply meant to draw crowds. And it will have more impact on the world than anything else we can try or think of.'

'. . . here's what we've seen affects unbelievers most when we gather.

Authentic passion. We have an enthusiastic church. I've read the studies that say you can't sing for any longer than seventeen minutes, that messages shouldn't go longer than twenty, and that people are put off by expressiveness. That hasn't been our experience . . .

Love. One of the most significant ways of impacting non-Christians at our meetings is through the way that we reach out to them . . . We want to overwhelm them with love.

Time and time again visitors have commented not only on the genuine love they've received but on the love they've observed between members of the church . . . As we encourage believers in the church to serve each other in practical ways, not only are we fulfilling biblical worship, but people notice and are drawn to the Saviour.

The gospel. The best way to maintain the healthy tension of building the church and reaching out to unbelievers is by proclaiming and expounding the gospel--Jesus Christ was crucified for our sins to bring us to God. . . .'