Theses on Worship--Part 8

Continuing my series on Jim Jordan's book on worship, go here for the first post, and go here for the most recent.

Thesis #11
Worship Should Be Dramatic

Jordan is not advocating a skit during the sermon performed by the Drama Team. Instead, Jordan says we should see the "entire liturgy as a dramatic progression from call to absolution to consecration to communion to mission." In addition to this, there are other dramatic aspects of the service: procession of robed clergy and choir, procession of deacons carrying the Scriptures to and from the pulpit, the procession of deacons with the offering and communion, the lifting up of the offering and the communion elements to Him, the procession of people to receive communion, and the recession of clergy and choir.

I am in total agreement with Jordan on this one. We have visited some churches that had a drama team and we've also seen video clips used during a sermon. I don't care for either one in a worship service. I really like Jordan's description of the entire liturgy serving as the dramatic aspect of worship.

Thesis #12
Worship Should Have an Element of Play

Jordan says, "To be sure, God's laughter and ours come in a context of pain and conflict, but laughter is a good medicine. I don't think that the 'Puritan sobriety' that is often found in Reformed worship is entirely wrong, but it becomes a problem when we never get past it...By humor I don't mean jokes or funny stories told at the beginning of the sermon as if the sermon were an after-dinner address..."

Jordan admits, "I'm not sure where the balance lies in this area. I know that some traditions are much too morbid in worship, and I am also convinced that much of modern worship is too light. I believe that the corrective comes (again!) from the psalms. If we make the psalms central to our praise, we shall be steered gradually into a proper balance between mourning and playfulness."