WORSHIP NOTES Volume 21, No. 2 (February 2026) THE OLD WAY The tabernacle (and later the temple) was the physical and spiritual center of the nation and its worship life. The tabernacle was to stand in the centre of the camp and provide the means by which all of life was to be related to God. . . .In concrete form it expressed the truth that human beings could not […]
WHAT THE LAW COULD NOT DO . . . GOD DID Read More »
WORSHIP NOTES Volume 19, No. 5 (May 2024) This year May 19 is the date of Pentecost (the climax of Eastertide, the “Great Fifty Days”). Following are some rich quotes celebrating the Spirit’s coming. When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you
The Comforter Has Come Read More »
WORSHIP NOTES Volume 18, No. 7 (July 2023) This month I would like to share a number of quotations from authors who can help us to begin to plumb the depths (or, perhaps rather, attain to the heights) of the mystery of the Trinity and the engagement of all three Persons in our worship. The Nature of Trinitarian Worship The Gift of Trinitarian Worship Worship is a gift we are invited
Trinitarian Worship Read More »
WORSHIP NOTES Volume 16, No. 9 (October 2021) “Here is the church, and here is the steeple; open the door and see all the people!” As has often been observed, there is precious little in the New Testament by way of specific instructions about how to practice corporate worship in the church. Of the little that one does find, most of it has to do with Paul correcting abuses or
The Gathering: “Decently and in Order”(1 Corinthians 14) Read More »
WORSHIP NOTES Volume 15, No. 1 (January 2020) Among (undoubtedly) others, the following are some of the key purposes of corporate worship: 1. Worship in the church honors the Father. This is the ultimate purpose of corporate worship, an end in itself. It serves no higher purpose than this; it is a means to no other end. (“Worship is the only Christian activity that is an end in itself,” John
The Importance of Worship in the Church Read More »
WORSHIP NOTES Volume 12, No. 5 (May 2017) Thursday, May 25 is Ascension Day ( and Sunday, May 28, therefore celebrated as Ascension Sunday), commemorating the physical ascent of the risen Christ to the Father’s right hand in heaven, 40 days after Easter. The cosmic significance of the Ascension is often overlooked, after the joyous celebration of the Resurrection dissipates in the weeks following Easter. But the Heidelberg Cathechism (Question 49) highlights some of its consequences
WORSHIP NOTES Volume 10, No. 8 (August 2015) Last month we naturally gave our first and primary focus in our study of congregational readings to “the public reading of Scripture“ (1 Timothy 4:13), and to the priority of letting “the Word of Christ dwell richly among you” (Colossians 3:16). But there are other resources as well (historical and recent) that can be drawn upon and fruitfully used in worship services. 2. CREEDS
SPOKEN WORSHIP: Congregational Readings (part 2) Read More »
WORSHIP NOTES Volume 10, No. 5Â (May 2015) This Sunday, May 24), is Pentecost Sunday, the great culmination of the Easter season (50 days after Easter Sunday), commemorating the events of Acts 2, when the Holy Spirit fell upon the disciples, filling them with boldness to proclaim the message of Christ. The effects of Peter’s sermon that day, the conversion and baptism of 3,000 people, has led to the historical designation
THE COMFORTER HAS COME (Pentecost) Read More »
