The Theological Ruminator
Like you said in your comment on your last post, John Mark, worship is an encounter or experience with God. But what kind of experience? Mark 12:30 describes loving God with our heart, soul, mind and strength. I think we do a pretty good job in the west with the mind/intellect but I'm not clear how we do in engaging on the other 3. I know I struggle with engaging emotionally... especially in a spiritual sense.
You have certainly picked a good topic to chew on John Mark!
Dad
Like you said in your comment on your last post, John Mark, worship is an encounter or experience with God. But what kind of experience? Mark 12:30 describes loving God with our heart, soul, mind and strength. I think we do a pretty good job in the west with the mind/intellect but I'm not clear how we do in engaging on the other 3. I know I struggle with engaging emotionally... especially in a spiritual sense.
You have certainly picked a good topic to chew on John Mark!
Dad
Right. But I think the emotional v. mental aspect you bring up is more of a generational thing than a West thing. Probably moderns struggle with what you mention and postmoderns struggle more with the "mind" or "truths" aspect.
Yet I think that the problem here is more overarching than mental v. emotional. Although, as I now think about it, both can contribute to the problem! I think the problem - or one of the problems is "me-ness" v. "God-ness" The problem is a selfish, what do I get approach v. a God-centered, what does He deserve approach. Hence a "mental" approach will merely look to saying right things without true personal participation in worshipping while an "emotional" approach will approach will merely look to feeling good about the worship without concern for worship itself. But the problem is that "worship" for the sake of worship has been neglected.
Right. But I think the emotional v. mental aspect you bring up is more of a generational thing than a West thing. Probably moderns struggle with what you mention and postmoderns struggle more with the "mind" or "truths" aspect.
Yet I think that the problem here is more overarching than mental v. emotional. Although, as I now think about it, both can contribute to the problem! I think the problem - or one of the problems is "me-ness" v. "God-ness" The problem is a selfish, what do I get approach v. a God-centered, what does He deserve approach. Hence a "mental" approach will merely look to saying right things without true personal participation in worshipping while an "emotional" approach will approach will merely look to feeling good about the worship without concern for worship itself. But the problem is that "worship" for the sake of worship has been neglected.
So what? What do we do? How do I help a "mental" person see that worship is not a set of truisms to be stated and the "emotional" person to see that it is not a tingly sensation?
So what? What do we do? How do I help a "mental" person see that worship is not a set of truisms to be stated and the "emotional" person to see that it is not a tingly sensation?
What happens if you substitute "the christian faith" for the word "worship" in these comments? I mean, isn't our worship indicative of our faith?
What happens if you substitute "the christian faith" for the word "worship" in these comments? I mean, isn't our worship indicative of our faith?
I'm not sure what you're getting at Brian. Do you mean that worship is an outward expression of our faith?
I'm not sure what you're getting at Brian. Do you mean that worship is an outward expression of our faith?
John Mark, your comment about "me-ness" is good. It's easy to feel entitled... another version of the prosperity gospel, only instead of prosperity it's "success". Or it's also easy to play "the victim" and demand that God owes me. Luke 5:31 "Healthy people don't need a doctor - sick people do." Most people come to the doctor with a hope and a request (not a demend) to be healed. It seems to come back to the definition of worship (i.e. worth-ship) and where we position ourselves in relation to God.
John Mark, your comment about "me-ness" is good. It's easy to feel entitled... another version of the prosperity gospel, only instead of prosperity it's "success". Or it's also easy to play "the victim" and demand that God owes me. Luke 5:31 "Healthy people don't need a doctor - sick people do." Most people come to the doctor with a hope and a request (not a demend) to be healed. It seems to come back to the definition of worship (i.e. worth-ship) and where we position ourselves in relation to God.
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