Worship.
It's a word that pervades our Christian culture. Flyers proclaim "Worship Service" times, websites promote powerful "Praise and Worship" and sermons present the need to worship. However, Dr. Dave Hardy, a former pastor now serving as evangelist, has pulled from his nearly fifty years of experience in full-time ministry to argue that Christians, even dedicated and conservative Independent Baptists, have missed something very important about worship.
This book is a quick read, acting far more as an appetizer than a main course. Excluding the indexes in the back, the text only covers a mere 70 pages. Yet, like a good appetizer, the book does an excellent job of whetting the appetite for so much more.
Dr. Hardy begins the book with a fond memory, that of watching his son first set eyes on his grandchild. (The author's great-grandchild.) This touching, emotional scene sets the tone for Dr. Hardy's presentation of worship; also an emotional event that seeks to enjoy the presence of another. However, it is not until the third chapter that he presents his definition of worship: "Worship is the voluntary humbling of one person, physically and spiritually, in order to exalt another."
In chapter 5 "Elements and Uniqueness of Worship" he contrasts worship with both praise and prayer. With each of those three concepts he provides defining words: Prayer-Asking, Praise-Thanksgiving, Worship-Adoration and Awe. These do a marvelous job making clear the distinctions he draws between them.
In Chapter 6 he reaches a point that marks his work as more unique among the papers I've read on the subject. He argues that the normal form of worship is, as very briefly illustrated by the dictionary definition of the Greek and Hebrew words behind it, bowing. This physical prostration, he argues, is vitally important, as it is explicitly modeled in the Bible far more often and clearly than even the physical dunking of baptism. (A submerging act that Baptists are literally named after for taking so literally and being so defensive of)
Chapter 11 continues to examine the idea of bowing by taking a look at the image of dedication it presents to outsiders. Comparing a Baptist church's refusal or neglect of bowing with the commonly seen image of Islamic worshipers all bowing is especially powerful.
In the end, the fifteen chapters do a wonderful job of briefly introducing the biblical idea of physically bowing in worship, as well as the purpose and distinctiveness of worship. Throughout the book, illustrations, stories, and quotations bring life and passion to the text, while frequent references to his own church experiences ground the concepts to tangible applications and results.
By his own admission, this is not an exhaustive work. However, while Chapter 1 explicitly says "there are a number of good works, more exhaustive, from which to draw." Not one is given a reference, nor is there a "recommended reading" or "For continued study" booklist to be found. This sadly leaves readers with a taste for more without clear direction on where to find it.
As for the binding, the book pages feel very thick and study, as does the softcover. While the cover does not feel as smooth and glossy as most of my other softcover books, this actually seems to be a better quality binding. The unique weight and quality elevate it to a more "premium" presentation than most, even if the thicker pages cause it to be nearly the physical thickness of books with twice as many pages.
I have personally benefited much from the preaching, teaching, and now writing, of Dr. Dave Hardy. I highly recommend buying this book and beginning a personal study into worship, using this as the launching pad that focuses and ignites a passion for deeper study.
Notable Quotables:
Page 13: "However, how can we bemoan the "seeker-sensitive" entertainment emphasis in other churches, when we are reluctant to suggest a genuine Saviour-sensitive atmosphere in our own churches?"
Page 43: (In describing the positive effect adding a worship time to the service has made) "The emphasis on worship, kneeling, and humility has generated a keen interest in the work of God's grace that has come with it."
4.5/5
Buy it here on Amazon.com.