This is an excellent book, one I would recommend adding to the library of anyone who considers themselves called to lead worship.

(bolded sections were added for my own study)

The thesis of this book, as one would expect, is the pursuit of defining worship, revealing it’s value in the Christian experience, and the practical application of this discussion in contemporary settings, evidenced by the book’s three primary sections: 1) The Call to Worship, 2) The Power of Worship, and 3) The Pursuit of Worship.

In defining worship, Hayford initially sets forth that:

It isn’t about music.

It isn’t about becoming “contemporary.”

It isn’t about cultural awareness.

It isn’t about being “cool,” “hip or “with it.”

It isn’t about misty-eyed intimacy with God.

It isn’t about theological accuracy about God. But…

It’s about the formation of hearts in the presence of God.

It’s about the shaping of disciples who know Him through being with Him.

It’s about the transforming work of the Holy Spirit achieves when pure worship occurs.

And it’s about preparation for the last battle.

Hayford states that: 1) God is waiting for a human invitation to manifest Himself, and 2) worship is the means for inviting Him to do so. The Bible reveals at least three different dimensions by which God makes His presence known: 1) His Awesome Presence (in which He is omnipresent and all-seeing), 2) His Abiding Presence (“I will never leave you nor forsake you”- Heb. 13:5), and 3) His Amazing Presence (“Oh, that You would rend the Heavens! That You would come down! That the mountains might shake at your presence…to make Your name known to Your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at Your presence!” - Is. 64:1-2).

As to worship’s spiritual importance, Hayford states that worship “invades and drives back the darkness, making way for the advance of God’s Kingdom into the eventual triumph of redemption’s purposes…while satan will always confront you with the ferocity that only hell can muster- beyond it all, Jesus is Lord and He dwells in you. In Him we have the ultimate victory and that victory may be applied here and now by our worship…from God’s viewpoint, worship is a means designed to unlock the human heart that He may answer to human need and serve His own heartfelt interest in the well-being of His most beloved creatures…but once the redemption provided through Jesus’ cross has been received by faith, I want to assert: that the worship God most welcomes is neither essentially nor primarily intellectual (through it is certainly not unintelligent); and that God’s primary focus in giving us access to worship Him is to provide an exposure and experience intended for our benefit, not His (though it is unquestionable He delights in our coming to Him).”

Hayford states that the worship God welcomes and honors is:

Worship that treasures his presence

Worship that humbles the heart

Worship that sacrifices and expects something from God

Worship that extends God’s love by every means.

In asserting the theological importance of worship, Hayford states, “What took place at the Fall of man caused the loss of our relationship with our heavenly Father and our ordained ruler-ship…Worship is essential to God’s plan of redemption and provides a strategic avenue for His entry into an alienated world. It is the means by which God generates the power for His rule to be extended- for evangelism, sacrificial giving, intercession and breaking up the strongholds of hell. Where worship is released, God’s presence comes to dwell, and where God’s presence abides, there will be power…Human worship is man beginning; holiness of worship is man becoming. Through our worship we are transformed from His sons and daughters into His kings and priest (see Revelation 1:6). We become ministering agents of His Kingdom assigned to extend that Kingdom on earth.”

As we grow in a lifestyle of worship, we learn to ‘build and altar’, “The Lord instructed Abraham to sacrifice…the pouring out of blood represents the pouring out of life before God (see Genesis 15:8-10). Of course, central to this lesson is the picture every Old Testament sacrifice provides of Christ, our Savior. In His death, Jesus perfected the Old Testament sacrificial system- His is the blood that was shed once for all on our behalf…In Him, we are summoned to pour out our lives in a bloodless sacrifice of worship- to offer our bodies, as well as our minds and spirits, as a living sacrifice (see Romans 12:1). In that light, we capture the New Testament concept: Worshipping God ultimately calls us to the sacrifice of ourselves.”

As we worship in spirit and truth, “We discover the full blend of our entire human person and being called before Him, enriched in His presence and transformed by our worship of God. Full-orbed worship, then is not just spiritual and from the heart; neither is it just a cerebral pursuit, a mystical consciousness or an emotional binge. But in the light of God’s Word, worship is about the presentation of our total being- that is, body, mind, emotions and spirit- ignited by the Holy Spirit as a living sacrifice.

Hayford, enumerates the various physical expressions of worship seen in the Scriptures:

Kneeling in worship (Phil. 2:9-10)

Bowed heads (Micah 6:6-8)

Raised heads (Ps. 3:3-4; Hebrews 4:16)

Lifted hands (Lam. 3:3-4; Ps. 63:3-4)

Waved praise (Lev. 9:21)

Dancing with joy before the Lord (Ps. 30:11; 149:3; 150:4)

2 Chronicles 20 reveals eleven different verbs that call for our active participation in worship:

Hadad- to bend in deference to

Nafal- to prostrate before

Shakah- to fall before or do homage to royalty

Hallal- to boast in the Lord

Gadul- to call out in a loud voice

Yadah- to hold out the hand

Renah- to chirp of creak or sing

Tehelah- to sing a hymn

Carach- to kneel

Simkah- to be gleeful

Samach- to brighten up

Hayford takes to opportunity to address the ‘clapping of hands’ issue. “Apart from singing, it is likely that today’s second most frequent physical expression of worship in the global Church community is the clapping of hands. Like the upraising of hands, the clapping of hands is an instrument of praise and of spiritual warfare, as well as an appropriate gesture for the welcome of royalty. Psalm 47:1…exhorts us to employ applause to God…Our worship and praise are dynamic, not because of the energy of flesh, but because of the fruit they bear…All this clearly indicates more than the propriety of the clapping of hands among believers as we worship the Living God; it virtually suggests that to do otherwise is improper! We see at least four biblical principles in action when we worship with the clapping of our hands: 1) the declaration of victory and joy, 2) the expression of approval or affirmation, 3) the establishment of covenant or the sealing of an agreement, and 4) the engaging of a powerful instrument of spiritual warfare. I am not proposing formulas or magic exercises. Never! But these are biblically ordered forms of worship which, when applied with biblical wisdom and spiritual understanding, hold great potential as keys to the release of God’s power among and through His people.”

Regarding worship planning, “Attracting larger numbers of people is not an unworthy objective. Outreach calls for strategies designed to do that. But sooner or later, I, as a leader, am called to decide whether I am willing to discern the difference between: a) an event planned for “celebrating God” (with quality music and upbeat praise), and b) a gathering intended for “encountering God” (with effective musical support, praise and worship as an exposure to His Person). Thus, there is an atmosphere to be decided upon. As a leader, I need to answer the question: What degree of worship, or full exposure to the presence and power of God do I want to plan toward leading those I serve?”

“Whatever activity is undertaken in worship, I am always greatly disturbed if it becomes a private clique of the elite- the protected domain of a small group of gifted people who have little patience with less talented, of people other than themselves. True worship leaders- musicians and singers- will cultivate ministry in others as a means of sharing their gifts, not protecting them.”

Regarding unity of worship among believers, Hayford shares, “Indeed the passage (Eph. 4:14-16) warns against deceitful men and tricky winds of doctrinal error. The Scriptures are not neglectful to warn against both. But at some point, honest and humble souls will come to acknowledge that Christ Himself is more important than any of our systems or circles of fellowship…We might be prodded by the wisdom of Elton Trueblood, the beloved Quaker theologian, “He who begins with loving his own view of truth more than the truth itself, will end in loving his own denomination more than Christ, and ultimately in loving himself most of all.”

Conclusion: As always, Hayford has many well-substantiated arguments for his convictions, particularly in his acknowledged strength in teaching on the subject of worship. It is always good to be exposed to varied understandings in this subject. While many good arguments can be made for a variety of expressions, worship ultimately is an expression of community in response to God’s love. A focus on the community and its expressions should, however, never be elevated or given more attention than the One being worshipped. Therein is the difficulty of teaching on the subject of worship.

In this book, I believe Hayford does a good job of expositing the subject, while not allowing it to overshadow its primary goal.

2014-01-28 LH