THE “WHY” OF WORSHIP
BY
W I L L I A M
DY R N E S S
P
erhaps for many people the most memorable image of the last few months is Andrea Bocelli, standing alone on the steps of a deserted Milan Cathedral on April 19, singing some of his favorite songs, including the simple words of “Amazing Grace,” a performance that has been watched by millions on YouTube. Though it wasn’t formally part of a worship experience, this moving performance struck me, in the light of all the fear and uncertainty of these weeks, as one of the most powerful expressions of what worship does for people. Similarly, when President Barack Obama started singing “Amazing Grace” in Charleston, South Carolina, just after the horrible massacre at a church bible study, the audience joined in singing along. Perhaps, like me, many joined with Andrea Bocelli too.
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We come to worship because we are hurting and broken people, and we come for words of healing—from Scripture, teaching, warm greetings from our friends, but most of all we come to join with them in singing our prayers to God. Why is this? Surely, the truth of Scripture about God’s love for us shown in Christ, the teaching of our pastor and the encouragement of our friends are all important, critical even. But in order for us to be moved and inspired with hope, we need a song. Or, for others of us, we need the beautiful movement of the liturgy or lovely images of saints or biblical scenes—these things wake up our imaginations and move us along what St. Augustine called the journey of our affections leading us to God. This is why of all the things we need to pray for, after these weeks of trauma and pain, is that God would raise up not only prophets to speak the truth, but artists and poets to inspire hope and courage. If you agree with me on the importance of this, I invite you to join me on a suggested journey that your own congregation might take to “release the poets.” For one cannot just snap one’s fingers in order for poets and artists to appear, they must be found, encouraged and nurtured, and that takes a village. Given that after the coronavirus has gone nothing will be the same, the time may be right to decide to examine your congregation and its worship life and make a fresh start. Here is one way a thoughtful process of renewal might happen.
