Comments on: Missional and Highly Liturgical: Is that possible?

By: Rev. John J. Bombaro

Rev. John J. Bombaro — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 07:42:05 +0000

Let me recommend a recent article published in Modern Reformation magazine on this very topic. I was given the writing assignment, “Can Orthodoxy Be Missional?” In it, I argue that within the ancient theology-laden liturgy, one finds God’s multifaceted means for efficacious missional enterprise. This is because the liturgy is not a style of worship but a theology of missional worship through which God is present for the sinner in the promise of the Gospel. Here is the link: http://www.modernreformation.org/default.php?page=articledisplay&var1=ArtRead&var2=966&var3=issuedisplay&var4=IssRead&var5=101

By: Stephen Foxx

Stephen Foxx — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 02:58:29 +0000

@ptmccain
Pastor,
We did have a good discussion about liturgical worship at our Bible Study before the Divine Service this morning. I am glad to see the discussion go the way it has because that is exactly what we talked about; for our next subject during our Sunday Morning Bible Studies having a class on the liturgy. For the ones who know it the review would be excellent; for the ones who don’t know it could truly be life changing.

Thank you, by the way for this blog. I follow several (mostly Lutheran, Cranach, Blog my Soul) and they are all super. I usually end up sending many of the posts (the “how to for churches and new pastors” for example) to many of my brothers and sisters at our church.

By: Fr Daniel Hackney

Fr Daniel Hackney — Sun, 31 May 2009 19:29:40 +0000

To be highly liturgical is to be missional! Ita Missa Est.

By: ptmccain

ptmccain — Sun, 31 May 2009 18:49:38 +0000

@Steve from Montana
Hi Steve. I wrote my own materials for the class, but we now have an excellent LifeLight study devoted to the subject of worship: http://www.cph.org/cphstore/product.asp?category=&part_no=203652&find_category=&find_description=&find_part_desc=lifelight+worship

By: Steve from Montana

Steve from Montana — Sun, 31 May 2009 18:42:07 +0000

@ptmccain Do you write your own materials for that class (as I have done is the past) or are there materials that you can recommend? Seems like it would be helpful to have such a class for adults, for catechumens, and even for Sunday School/Youth Groups. If, by asking, I'm revealing my ignorance over materials that CPH offers, please forgive me.

By: ptmccain

ptmccain — Sat, 30 May 2009 13:04:01 +0000

@Stephen Foxx Stephen, thank you for your moving and powerful post. Quite literally, I hear this all the time from converts into Lutheranism. All the time. In my own personal experience whenever I've offered a class on why Lutherans worship the way we do, the class is packed. In one case, literally standing room only with people even standing in a hallway outside the classroom to hear. Why? Because we do not do a good job explaining why we are, what we are, and why we do, what we do, as Lutheran Christians. Many lifelong "cradle" Lutherans do not understand what the liturgy is all about and why we do all the things we do during the worship service. They love learning how everything that is done carries with it a lesson, or a symbol, or a meaning. I will never forget, many years ago now, giving a lecture in a congregation on the Lord's Supper and an elderly gentleman afterwards, came up to me, grabbed my hand in both of his and with tears in his eyes said, simply, "I became a Lutheran because of the Lord's Supper. I used to be a Presbyterian, but when I took instruction classes the pastor so carefully explained from God's Word why the Lord's Supper is such a treasure and gift and that Jesus was truly present under the bread and wine." Wow.

By: Stephen Foxx

Stephen Foxx — Sat, 30 May 2009 10:51:19 +0000

I too am a former “Baptist” that tried a Lutheran church with our liturgy and tenacious belief in the inerrant Scriptures. I can’t tell you how my life with Christ has deepened and grown since I did this. I can’t tell you how much I love our liturgies that are so pregnant with meaning and purpose. I have truly been like a child in a candy store for four years now. It was so meaningful to me to read, ask, and learn what our liturgy means, why do we follow it in the order we do, what significance do the different parts have? I truly wish all of us that just droll our way through it each week with a heart similar to the Israelites when they wanted a king would realize the incredible privilege we have as God’s children to meet together to rejoice in the Gospel and Sacraments each week and then to share our Christ with a lost community.

By: aldenswan.com » Blog Archive » Stability in an unstable world

aldenswan.com » Blog Archive » Stability in an unstable world — Fri, 29 May 2009 17:19:05 +0000

[...] to Paul McCain for [...]

By: An oasis in a wasteland | Esgetology

An oasis in a wasteland | Esgetology — Fri, 29 May 2009 16:02:50 +0000

[...] HT: Cyberbrethren [...]

By: Stephen

Stephen — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:01:46 +0000

I only wish my congregation would realize that we can be missional using the liturgy at every service and that we don’t to “dumb down” the service.

Pr. Beecroft catechized me in 7th Grade when he served ELC in Houston, I am ever thankful to him for teaching us in the manner that he did.
+SOLI DEO GLORIA+