Worship History for Worship Renewal, Session 3

1. Worship History for Worship Renewal, Session 3 What History Tells Us… …About Our Diet of Prayer in Worship Lester Ruth Research Professor of Christian Worship Duke Divinity School

2. An Overview of the Three Days • Session 1: Basic Standards • Session 2: The Diet of Scripture in Worship • Session 3: The Diet of Prayer in Worship

3. An Overview of the Daily Rhythm • Lecture on standards with reference to historical rooting • [a short break after about an hour] • Application exercises • Discussion and questions

4. What Standards from Earlier are Applicable in this Session? Aiming for a Fuller Diet of Prayer in Worship Can Accomplish Many of the Beatitudes.

5. I. Context and Content: Trinitarian Worship • Blessed and wise is the worshiping congregation that uses Trinitarian naming practices in order to reflect a Trinitarian logic or grammar of worship. • Blessed and wise is the worshiping congregation whose worship content reflects the New Testament tendency to name all three Persons in close proximity. • Blessed and wise is the worshiping congregation that shapes its worship to be a joining in of Jesus Christ’s worship of God his Father. • Blessed and wise is the worshiping congregation that seeks, asks for, and is dependent upon God’s provision of the Holy Spirit.

6. II. Content:The Biblical Story of God • Blessed and wise is the worshiping congregation that remembers God’s activity as essential content of worship. • Blessed and wise is the worshiping congregation that creates some sense of this whole-Bible story in every service; blessed and wise is the worshiping congregation who creates a clear sense of this story over a reasonably short period of time. • Blessed and wise is the worshiping congregation that includes in its remembrance the breadth of God’s activity from cover to cover of the Bible, even that before the coming of Christ.

7. III. Essential Actionsin a Good Order • Blessed and wise is the worshiping congregation that makes praise and thanksgiving a critical and recurring part of its services, a kind of default setting for corporate worship as well as daily discipleship. • Blessed and wise is the worshiping congregation that first remembers God’s activity and then responds appropriately. • Blessed and wise is the worshiping congregation that places passionate bursts of praise within a larger backdrop of biblical remembrance.

8. IV. Perspective and Commitments • Blessed and wise is the worshiping congregation that anticipates our future destiny in worship. • Blessed and wise is the worshiping congregation that has worship content that both expresses the faith of the congregation and also forms the faith of the congregation. • Blessed and wise are worship leaders, whether pastoral or musical, who respect their stewardship, their sacred trust, of speaking the congregation’s faith, the Christian faith, in worship.

9. History: John Wesley, Methodist Foundation Wesley once spoke about early Methodist worship, before Methodists had become a church and while Methodism was still a parachurch movement. He noted the deficiencies in Methodist worship: “It (Methodist worship) pre-supposed public prayer….If it were designed to be instead of the Church Service, it would be essentially defective. For it seldom has the four grand parts of public prayer: deprecation, petition, intercession, and thanksgiving.” Deprecation=to ward off something bad by prayer

10. History: Classifications of Prayer • Broad categories based on considering the basic actions of worship in historical worship • Praising God • Thanking God • Loving God • Confessing sin • Interceding for others • Petitioning for ourselves • Telling the Big Story of God’s creating and redeeming work for the cosmos • Applying that Big Story to us right here and now • Offering ourselves • Unifying ourselves Prayer

11. History: Types of Prayer in the Lord’s Prayer Luke 11:2-4 What kinds of prayer? Father, May your name be hallowed; Let your Kingdom come; Give us each day our daily bread; Forgive us our sins, For indeed we ourselves have forgiven those indebted to us; Lead us not into temptation. Praise Intercession Petition Petition (Implied confession of sin) Commitment Petition with an “edge” (deprecation)

12. Recent History: Classifications of Prayer in Contemporary Worship Songs • Honoring of God prayers: • Thanking God • Praising God • Adoring God • Affirming something good about God • Requesting prayers: • Interceding for others • Petitioning for ourselves • Invoking or requesting God’s presence • Self-referencing prayers: • Lamenting • Confessing sin • Desiring God • Stating something about God’s relationship to us/me • Stating something about our/my relationship to God

13. Recent History: Classifications of Prayer in Contemporary Worship Songs

14. History: Looking at the Service Wesley Intended for Methodist to Use • In 1784 he revised the worship book from his home church (the Church of England) and sent it to the United States for use of the Methodists there. Let us see what kinds of prayers Wesley included in one service, the order for the administration of the Lord’s Supper.

15. History: Looking at the Service Wesley Intended for Methodist to Use Almighty God, unto whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name, through Christ our Lord. Minister to the people: “God spoke these words, and said, I am the Lord your God: you shalt have none other gods but me.” The people’s response: “Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.”

16. History: Looking at the Service Wesley Intended for Methodist to Use Almighty and everlasting God, we are taught by your holy word, that the hearts of the Princes of the earth are in your rule and governance, and that you dost dispose and turn them as it seems best to your godly wisdom; we humbly beseech you so to dispose and govern the hearts of the Supreme Rulers of these United States, our Governors, that in all their thoughts, words, and works, they may ever seek your honor and glory, and study to preserve your people committed to their charge, in wealth, peace, and godliness. Grant this, O merciful Father, for your dear Son’s sake, Jesus Christ our Lord.

17. The Minister says: “Let us pray for the whole state of Christ’s Church militant here on earth.” Almighty and ever living God, who, by your holy Apostle, has taught us to make prayers and supplications, and to give thanks for all people: We humbly beseech you most mercifully to receive these our prayers, which we offer unto your Divine Majesty, beseechingyou to inspire continually the universal Churchwith the spirit of truth, unity, and concord and grant that all they that do confess your holy Name, may agree in the truth of your holy word, and live in unity and godly love. We beseech you also to save and defend all Christian Kings, Princes, and Governors; and especially your Servants the Supreme Rulers of these United States that under them we may be godly and quietly governed and grant unto all that are put in authority under them, that they may truly and indifferently administer justice, to the punishment of wickedness and vice, and to the maintenance of your true religion and virtue. Give grace, O heavenly Father, to all the Ministers of your Gospel, that they may both by their life and doctrine set forth your true and lively word, and rightly and duly administer your holy Sacraments. And to all your people give your heavenly grace; and especially to this Congregation here present; that with meek heart and due reverence they may hear and receive your holy word, truly serving you in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life. And we most humbly beseech you of your goodness, O Lord, to comfort and succor all them, who in this transitory life are in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity. And we also bless your holy Name, for all your servants departed this life in your faith and fear; beseeching you to give us grace so to follow their good examples, that with them we may be partakers of your heavenly kingdom. Grant this, O Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake, our only Mediator and Advocate.

18. History: Looking at the Service Wesley Intended for Methodist to Use Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of all things, Judge of all men; We acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, which we from time to time most grievously have committed, by thought, word, and deed, against your Divine Majesty, provoking most justly your wrath and indignation against us. We do earnestly repent, and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings. The remembrance of them is grievous unto us. Have mercy upon us; have mercy upon us, most merciful Father, for your Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, forgive us all that is past. And grant, that we may ever hereafter serve and please you in newness of like to the honor and glory of your Name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

19. History: Looking at the Service Wesley Intended for Methodist to Use O Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who of your great mercy has promised forgiveness of sins to all them that with hearty repentance and true faith turn to you. Have mercy upon us, pardon and deliver us from all our sins, confirm and strengthen us in all goodness, and bring us to everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

20. History: Looking at the Service Wesley Intended for Methodist to Use O Lord and heavenly Father, we your humble servants desire your Fatherly goodness mercifully to accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, most humbly beseeching you to grant that, by the merits and death of your Son Jesus Christ, and through faith in his blood, we and all your whole Church may obtain remission of our sins, and all other benefits of his passion. And here we offer and present to you, O Lord, ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and lively sacrifice unto you, humbly beseeching you that all we who are partakers of this holy Communion, may be filled with your grace and heavenly benediction. And although we be unworthy, through our manifold sins, to offer to you any sacrifice, yet we beseech you to accept this our bounden duty and service, not weighing our merits, but pardoning our offences, through Jesus Christ our Lord; by whom, and with whom, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, all honor and glory be unto you, O Father Almighty, world without end.

21. History: Looking at the Service Wesley Intended for Methodist to Use Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace, goodwill toward all people. We praise you, we bless you, we worship you, we glorify you, we give thanks to you for your great glory, O Lord God, heavenly king, God the Father Almighty. O Lord, the only begotten Son Jesus Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. You that takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. You that takes away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. You that sits at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us. For you only are holy, you only are the Lord, you only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, are most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

22. History: Prayer Tendencies in Recent Contemporary Worship Songs

25. Application Exercises Let us work on some skills which help facilitate having a fuller diet of prayer in worship.

26. Exercise: Skill 1: Identifying prayers by type • First a refresher on types of prayer: • Praising God • Thanking God • Loving God • Confessing sin • Interceding for others • Petitioning for ourselves • Offering ourselves

27. Exercise: Skill 1: Identifying prayers by type • What kind of prayers are the following? • Risen and ascended Christ, you surround us with witnessesand send us the Counselor who opens our minds to understand your teaching. Bless us with such grace that our lives may become a blessing for the world now, and in the age to come. • We offer our prayers on behalf of our neighbors whose needs are known to us. We pray both for the sisters and brother we know and for those who are strangers. • Our hearts adore you, Lord. • It is good and right, always and everywhere, to give you thanks, Lord God Almighty, for the works you have done with your hands to bring freedom and forgiveness to your people. • In remembrance of your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us.

28. Exercise: Skill 2: Identifying songs by prayer type • What kind of prayer is the following song? • My gracious Master and my God, / assist me to proclaim, / to spread thro' all the earth abroad / the honors of your name. • I exalt thee (you) / I exalt thee (you) / I exalt thee (you), O Lord. / For You, O Lord, are high above all the earth. / You are exalted far above all gods. • You call me out upon the waters/ The great unknown where feet may fail/ And there I find You in the mystery/ In oceans deep my faith will stand. // And I will call upon Your name/ And keep my eyes above the waves/ When oceans rise/ My soul will rest in Your embrace/ For I am Yours and You are mine

29. Questions and Answer Time • Where arethe strengths in the praying in your churches? • Which of the types of praying would you like to see more in your churches? • What are your questions or comments about prayers in worship? (Please ask me later if there is no time now.)