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Tom Trinidad
Tom Trinidad loves the sacramental life, seeking and finding God's presence in all things. He's husband to a marketing expert, father to a daughter (7) and son (3), Colorado Springs pastor (but not the stereotypical kind), and vice-moderator of the 220th General Assembly (2012).
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What is Worship? From my days in seminary, through various pastoral settings, and now even following my graduate work in liturgy, a definition of worship I’ve found helpful is “to direct our attention and activity towards God.” Having recently reviewed Hotz and Matthews’ Shaping the Christian Life [“The Shaping of the Liturgy” in Call to Worship 41.1 (2007-2008)], I might alliteratively add “affection” as well, referring to both the more superficial “emotions” and the more formative affections in the sense employed by Hotz and Matthews (who borrow from Edwards). “Directing attention, affection, and activity towards God,” renders another trio (cf. Lester Ruth’s) of helpful questions for planning and evaluating worship. When our people leave worship, have they thought about, felt, and dedicated themselves to God’s interest in the world? Have they been inspired to love God with all their mind, heart, and strength in love for their neighbors? If not, have they worshiped the God of Christ? And if not, haven’t we failed as worship leaders? A further application of this definition extends beyond the ecclesial synaxis. Lending itself to a more sacramental or vocational perspective, we can routinely ask ourselves in our work, play, and leisure whether our attention, affection, or activity are directed towards God. If so, our entire lives are worship in the Romans 12:1 sense.
Toggle Commented Jul 15, 2007 on What is Worship? at WorshipHelps