“Doing God’s Story” is a concept that comes from Robert Webber’s Ancient Future Worship: Proclaiming and Enacting God’s Narrative. For Pastor Ray, this book has been formative in his understanding of Biblical and Ancient Christian worship. Webber constantly reminds his readers that historically, worship is not about us as individuals, it is about proclaiming God’s story through acts of remembrance and anticipation.
Colossians 3:15-17
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
When I first started out as a music minister, I was all about music creating a “great worship experience.” I lamented anything that took time away from real worship: the singing. In my church growing up, the announcements went on and on and on and on and on. They often became a chance for people to stand up in church and sermonize why people who didn’t help with their event or ministry didn’t really love Jesus. Even though I may have had some grounds for feeling frustrated with the announcements getting out of hand, I was really frustrated because they interfered with my “perfect” flow of worship with immaculate transitions, flawless execution of key changes and intricate musical and thematic spiritual flow. My worship was so well structured that Beethoven himself would have been impressed. Okay, that is probably not true, but music was SO important to me that I tried to have some sort of musical sound going through EVERY part of the service to create a “worshipful mood.” To me, music was worship. Everything else just got in the way: and the preaching, well that was just the epilogue.
Now, when I re-evaluate our worship services understanding that worship does God’s story, I see how everything we do in word and deed, even announcements can be viewed as worship. Every Sunday the church assembles to remind each other and the world that God narrates the universe and we get to be a part of His great story of love, redemption and re-creation. The announcements, if done correctly, let the church know what God’s story looks like in our community. God’s story of love, redemption and re-creation is done in Bible studies, in care packages, in fellowships, in zoom meetings, choir rehearsals, birthdays and even committee meetings. There is no reason to list every activity that goes on - we have calendars, e mail, and phones to send out all that information, but it is nice to be reminded during our worship that God’s story continues on between Sundays - whether we choose to participate in it or not!
So, “whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Pastor Ray now teaches a worship class at Stark College and Seminary. He is supposed to be the expert but is constantly humbled by the textbooks and his students in a way that reminds him that only God can make our worship worthy!