Today I began reading "A Better Way," by Michael Horton for a class that he is teaching this summer at RTS-Charlotte called Ministry in a Postmodern Context. I am really excited about this class and am really looking forward to reading this book. I'll provide thoughts, comments, smart remarks, etc. here as I progress.

Dr. Horton introduces his subject well when he states that "the goal of this book...is to recover the sense of redemptive drama that we not only see illustrated in Scripture but that the Word and Spirit actually bring into our communal gathering." (p. 13-14). It's clear that he wants to move beyond the typical vernacular present in current worship wars and literally bore to the center of the issue and thoughtfully consider not only the nature and purpose of Biblical worship but the reality of the believers' position and response in worship services as well. The intro worked: I'm interested.

Chapter one is designed to set the stage and right of the bat, he mentions a subject near and dear to me: the covenant renewal ceremony. He doesn't necessarily fully unpack this important concept as much as I would like in this chapter, but I hope he does so in the ones to come. He does, however, spend quite of few pages taking us on a grand and sweeping overview of the basis of covenant in the Bible (taking into account both the covenant of works and the covenant of grace). How he manages to do this so well with brevity and precision is beyond me; it truly is impressive.

From here Dr. Horton proceeds by making his case very clear: we gather as God's people on the Lord's Day not just out of habit, etc. but to receive God's gifts. Worship has unfortunately become identified only with what and how we sing on Sunday mornings and too often the church has neglected to see that worship goes beyond just that: it includes all that is done in service. Worship is not merely subjective experience. Worship is objective response; response to the redemptive work of God. "The triumphant indicative concerning God's action in Christ establishes a safe foundation on which to stand as we seek to obey the divine imperatives. That's why worship is dialogical: God speaks and we respond." (p. 26) Clearly, praise is one way that we respond to God, but how does he speak to us? Dr. Horton contends that the ordinary way that God does this is through the preaching of the Word and the administration of the sacraments (i.e. baptism and the Lord's Supper). "As in the vision of the smoking firepot with a blazing torch [in reference to Genesis 15], God walks down the middle of the aisle in our worship service, assuming the judgment that his own justice requires and his own mercy satisfies. He circumcises our hearts." (p. 25)

The stage is now set. Chapter two will focus on the Ministry of the Word. Should be good...