Lee, Chad Allen. “Fusion Worship: Effectively Combining Songs, Scripture, and Sacrament in Worship Services,” 2024. https://denverseminary.sharepoint.com/:b:/s/OpenAccessRepository/EXauFuHOlN9DugmBX57nim8BN9oYlV7SLbugcet337cQTw?e=48aPxA.
Summary
Do modern worship services reflect ancient worship? The intent of this project was to explore what worship services were like from the beginning, in the early church, and how worship evolved over time. It became evident that ancient worship services included songs, Scripture, and sacrament. However, over the course of centuries, these three emphases became three distinct movements.
That is, over time, churches stopped incorporating all three emphases in their worship services. Many churches began primarily focusing on one of these emphases. Some churches primarily emphasize songs while others primarily emphasize Scripture. Still others primarily emphasize the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. Occasionally churches incorporate two of these emphases. Though it seems rare, some churches incorporate all three emphases.
The following will examine worship with songs, Scripture, and sacrament in the Bible, in church history, and in practice. It is designed to explain how we got where we are today, with contemporary worship services, and how we can recover ancient worship in the 21st century.
Songs, Scripture, and Sacrament in the Bible
This first section will cover the biblical basis for pursuing worship services with songs, Scripture, and sacrament. It is broken into three sections: (1) heartfelt, Spirit-filled singing from Ephesians 5:19-19; (2) expository preaching of Scripture from 2 Timothy 3:16-4:4; and (3) partaking of the Lord's Supper weekly from 1 Corinthians 11:23-27.
The biblical basis for the songs section can be found in Ephesians 5:18-19. In these verses Paul writes, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart” (Eph. 5:18-19 ESV; emphasis mine). This Scripture demonstrates that the outflow of the filling of the Spirit is singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Therefore, Spirit-filled singing should be present in church worship services in three distinct ways (i.e., psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs).
Next, the biblical foundation for the Scripture section is 2 Timothy 3:16-4:4. Writing about the importance of Scripture to Timothy, Paul says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17 ESV; emphasis mine).
A connected Scripture, which is easily overlooked since it is found in the next chapter, is 2 Timothy 4:1-4. After laying the foundation on the importance of the God-breathed Scriptures, Paul comments on the content of preaching with a solemn charge: “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” (2 Tim. 4:1-4 ESV; emphasis mine).
Thus, the content of preaching should be focused upon the God-breathed Scriptures. The expository preaching method is the best application of this passage of Scripture due to its emphasis on discovering the author's intent and preaching it (covered in more detail later).
Finally, the biblical evidence for the sacrament section can be located in 1 Corinthians 11:23-27. Paul states, “For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord” (1 Cor. 11:23-27 ESV; emphasis mine).
Why should churches celebrate the Lord’s Supper weekly? Paul says that as often as churches partake of the Lord’s Supper they are proclaiming the “Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Cor. 11:26). Doesn’t the church want to proclaim the Lord’s death every week until he comes? Most churches throughout church history have incorporated the Lord’s Supper at least weekly in worship services–that is, until the last few hundred years when the Lord’s Supper became more infrequent (the reasons for this will be covered in more detail later).
Therefore, churches should partake of the Lord’s Supper weekly (though it is not a biblical requirement!).
(Click the Section I link below for more on the biblical and theological foundations of worship with songs, Scripture, and sacrament!)
Songs, Scripture, and Sacrament in Church History
The next section will explore the evolution of worship services throughout church history. Four main eras will be reviewed: (1) the early church, (2) the medieval church, (3) the Reformation and Post-Reformation church, and (4) the contemporary church.
The Early Church
Worship gatherings in the early church took place every Sunday, often in homes. They focused on reading and preaching the Scriptures, and by the empowering of the Spirit, they sang, prayed, and exercised spiritual gifts (Acts 2:42-47; 1 Cor. 11-14; Eph. 5:18-19; 2 Tim. 3:16-4:4). They also partook of the Lord’s Supper; this often took place in the context of an agape meal (or love feast), at least initially, before it was brought into a more formal worship gathering context due to abuses (1 Cor. 10:14-22; 11:17-34; cf. Jude 12).[1] However, as time moved forward, worship gatherings got much more complex with the introduction of Roman Catholic liturgy.[2] Significant sources, such as the Didache and the writings of Justin Martyr, were analyzed.
Thus, the early church sought a convergence of songs, Scripture, and sacrament, and they had a basic gospel shape to their liturgy.
The Medieval Church
In the Middle Ages, in addition to the Roman missal, a few other liturgies were introduced such as the Leonine liturgy (probably seventh century), the Gelasian liturgy (late fifth century), and the Gregorian liturgy (a revision to the Gelasian liturgy by Gregory the Great in the late sixth century).[3] The Lord’s Supper increasingly took on a dominant role in worship services.[4] A significant development occurred during the Great Schism of 1054 when the church split into the Eastern Orthodox Church (East) and the Roman Catholic Church (West). The Eastern Church and Western Church both developed distinct liturgies and worship styles.
The church in the Middle Ages was strongly sacramental, as the doctrine of transubstantiation was eventually articulated and solidified. (Click here for more on the doctrine of the Lord's Supper.) Meanwhile, the earlier vision of songs, Scripture, and sacrament in worship services waned. The preaching of Scripture increasingly was displaced by the Lord’s Supper.
The Reformation and Post-Reformation Church
With the focus on transubstantiation, the minimization of preaching Scripture, and the corruption of indulgences, the Roman Catholic Church was ready to be reformed.[5] After breaking away from the Catholic church, Martin Luther and John Calvin developed their own liturgies. A point of contention between the two, concerning worship gatherings, was the regulative principle (Calvin) and the normative principle (Luther). (In other words, should worship services only contain what is prescribed in Scripture [regulative principle] or is there freedom to add elements into worship as long as Scripture does not forbid it [normative principle]?)
Around this time, the Anglican tradition sought a middle way (via media) between Catholics and Protestants, but this also led to the Puritan movement where some stayed to reform the church while others broke away. During this period in the Western Church, the gospel and preaching of the Scriptures was largely hidden underneath the veneer of Latin and theological inventions by the Catholic Church which concealed justification by faith alone. This doctrine was recovered through the Reformers. In doing so, they brought back the strong emphasis on preaching Scripture, which had mostly been lost. However, perhaps overcorrecting, some seemed to pendulum swing away from the Catholic Church by deemphasizing the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. This took place primarily through reducing the frequency in which believers partook of the Lord’s Supper in worship gatherings.
The Contemporary Church
In the contemporary period, particularly in American Protestantism, churches became highly individualistic and “caught up in revivalism.”[6] Baptist churches, building upon the influence of Charles Finney, began incorporating altar calls—invitations to convert to Christ at the end of their services.[7] This led to an emphasis in missions and evangelism, but it diminished the focus upon God in worship services.[8] In many cases, the altar call displaced the Lord’s Supper.[9]
Some movements claimed that the miraculous charismatic gifts did not cease (i.e., continuationists). The main continuationist groups during this time period were Pentecostals, charismatics, and the third wave movement. These movements experienced the manifest presence of the Spirit which dramatically affected worship.
Catholic theology continued to evolve, and so did Evangelical worship gatherings. The contemporary worship movement began including “innovative elements” into worship gatherings which challenged the traditional worship service.[10] Additionally, the seeker-friendly movement and church-growth movement exploded in popularity, which then gave rise to the emergent and emerging church movements. Each of these movements sought to be missional and relevant to their contexts (modern and postmodern). Thus, worship services began to be viewed more as the location where evangelism takes place rather than worship. Undoubtedly, both can be present to some degree, as can be seen in 1 Corinthians 14. However, in its worst expression, this change led to worship services that were much more human-centered than God-centered. Additionally, during this time a greater emphasis was placed on worship through music, rather than preaching Scripture or the sacraments.
As time has progressed a disintegration has taken place. A recovery of ancient worship is needed.[11] Churches must pursue the balanced worship gatherings that are seen in Scripture and the early church–songs, Scripture, and sacrament.
[1]. Gregg Allison, Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011), 660.
[2]. Ibid., 662.
[3]. Ibid., 663-665.
[4]. Ibid., 665.
[5]. Ibid., 665.
[6]. Ibid., 674.
[7]. Ibid., 674.
[8]. Ibid., 674.
[9]. Michael A. G. Haykin, Amidst Us Our Beloved Stands: Recovering Sacrament in the Baptist Tradition (Bellingham, WA: Lexham, 2022), 124.
[10]. Gregg Allison, Historical Theology, 678.
[11]. Gordon T. Smith, Evangelical, Sacramental, & Pentecostal: Why the Church Should be All Three (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press Academic, 2017).
(Click the Section II link below for more on the history of worship with songs, Scripture, and sacrament!)
Songs, Scripture, and Sacrament in Practice
Some forward-thinking churches (who, ironically, are looking backwards to retrieve ancient church practices and values) are attempting to merge all three emphases in worship services once again. They are seeking to combine songs, Scripture, and sacrament in worship services.
To study this subject, I viewed forty-two worship services with a worship service diagnostic tool and interviewed three churches which scored highly. The goal was to extract practical insights for churches who wish to pursue all three emphases in their worship services. The project was successful in achieving practical insights to be implemented in worship.
Some of these practical insights came through biblical study. Ephesians 5 shows that Spirit-filled singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs took place in the early church. In 2 Timothy 3 and 4, Paul shows that the God-breathed Scriptures should be the content of preaching (rather than satisfying ears which itch for something else). Paul charges Timothy before God to preach the word. Expository preaching seems to be the best way to apply this Scripture. Finally, in 1 Corinthians 11, Paul gives instructions about the Lord's Supper and says "as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes" (1 Cor. 11:26 ESV; emphasis mine). Therefore, we have Spirit-filled singing, expository preaching, and weekly Lord's Supper, or in other words, songs, Scripture, and sacrament.
Studying church history provided insight into the different movements which led to worship services being so wildly different for us today, among churches in the 21st century. Catholic and Orthodox worship services are highly liturgical and focused upon the Lord's Supper (sacrament). Many Protestant worship services seem to highly emphasize preaching Scripture (Scripture). Some Protestant worship services are liturgical while others are absent of the historic elements of liturgy. Many contemporary Evangelical worship services are dominated by singing and music (songs). Throughout church history, what is valued is typically indicated by what is in the middle of the stage: a table, a pulpit, or a worship leader.
To integrate the findings into a usable tool, I developed a worship service diagnostic tool (shown below). It can be used to evaluate or to plan and develop a worship service. In my doctoral project, I used this tool to evaluate forty-two worship services from various types of churches. Then, I interviewed leaders from three churches with the highest scores, who are pursuing songs, Scripture, and sacrament, in order to gain more insights. (These insights will be covered in more detail in a subsequent post. See the links at the bottom of the page.)
Churches will find unique ways to incorporate these findings in their own cultures, languages, style, and expressions. Not all churches will, or should, be identical. However, by utilizing the following worship service diagnostic tool, churches can recover ancient worship with songs, Scripture, and sacrament for the 21st century.
Here is the diagnostic tool that I developed and used in the project:
Not very true | Moderately true | Mostly true | Very true | |||
Mark 1 | SET THE TONE: Focusing on God | |||||
1 | Was a call to worship used towards the beginning of the service to take the attention off of self (and anything else) and to focus on God the creator? (Ps. 95:1) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
2 | Was a time of confession (and the assurance of forgiveness) used as the people are made aware of God’s holiness and their sinfulness? (Ps. 51; Jas. 5:16) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
3 | Was there a moment to welcome one another? (John 20:19; Rom. 16:16; 2 Cor. 13:11-14; i.e., passing the peace) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
Mark 2 | SONGS: Spirit-filled Singing | |||||
1 | Was there singing in the worship service? (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; Jas. 5:13) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
2 | Did it seem heartfelt (as if people were filled with the Spirit)? (Psa. 34:1-3; 95:1-2; Phil. 4:4; Eph. 5:18) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
3 | Were the lyrics biblically accurate? (Jhn. 4:23-24) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
4 | Was there variety in songs (i.e., psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs)? (Eph. 5:18-19; Col. 3:16) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
5 | Was the congregation active and involved in singing (perhaps even involved through spiritual gifts)? (Eph. 5:18-19; Col. 3:16; 1 Cor. 12-14; Jas. 5:13-15) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
6 | Was there a time of prayer (i.e., intercession, written prayers, and/or the Lord's Prayer)? (Matt. 6:9-13; Eph. 6:18-19; Jas. 5:13) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
Mark 3 | SCRIPTURE: Expository Preaching | |||||
1 | Was Scripture(s) read and was there preaching in the worship service? (1 Tim. 4:13; 2 Tim. 4:2) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
2 | Was it expository (i.e., reading and focusing upon one primary text)? (2 Tim. 2:15; 4:2; Neh. 8:8) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
3 | Was the explanation accurate and did the applications derive from that text in particular? (2 Tim. 2:15; 4:2; Neh. 8:8) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
4 | Was it authoritative (conveying the idea that God is speaking)? (2 Tim. 3:16-4:5; Psa. 18:30; 119:160) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
5 | If desired and conscience permits, even though it's not Scripture a creed may be used as well (i.e., Apostles' Creed, Nicene Creed). (1 Cor. 15:3-5; Jude 3) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
Mark 4 | SACRAMENT: Weekly Lord's Supper | |||||
1 | Did they partake in the Lord's Supper in the worship service? (1 Cor. 11:26) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
2 | Was it used to verbally preach the gospel? (1 Cor. 11:26) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
3 | Were bread and wine/juice used? (1 Cor. 11:23-24) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
4 | Did the Lord's Supper seem emphasized rather than rushed? (1 Cor. 11:27-32) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
5 | Was there a sense of unity and personal examination? (1 Cor. 11:17-32) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
Mark 5 | SENDING: Living on Mission | |||||
1 | Was an offering taken to put God first, advance the mission of the gospel, and take care of the poor (Matt. 6:1-4; Rom. 15:26; 1 Cor. 16:2; 1 Tim. 6:17-19)? | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
2 | Was a benediction used to conclude the service with a blessing? (2 Cor. 13:14) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
3 | Did it have a sense of image-bearers being sent into the world on mission? (Gen. 1:26-28; Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Here are the interview questions I developed and used:
Objective: Uncover insights from church leaders who scored highly on the diagnostic tool |
Scope: Three Churches |
Questions: |
Central Question - How do you effectively incorporate songs, Scripture, and sacrament in a worship service? |
1. What are your goals and priorities when planning a worship service? |
2. How do you prepare a worship service? |
3. What type of template do you use to plan worship services? (Or, what elements do you seek to include in a worship service?) |
4. What role does historic liturgy play in your service/planning? |
5. How do you prefer to open the worship service? |
6. What are you looking for during the singing portion of worship? |
7. What are you looking for during the preaching portion of worship? |
8. What are you looking for during the Lord's Supper portion of worship? |
9. How do you prefer to end the worship service? |
(Click the Section III link below for more on the practice of worship with songs, Scripture, and sacrament!)
Details (Links Coming Soon!)
Section I - Songs, Scripture, and Sacrament in the Bible
Section II - Songs, Scripture, and Sacrament in Church History
Section III - Songs, Scripture, and Sacrament in Practice