A missiological theology of worship

Abstract

A study of the comprehensive understanding of worship in the New Testament, according to which corporate worship is the center - not less than the center, but also only the center - of the whole worship Christians owe to God, while holiness, love and witness to Christ in all circumstances of life are the context both necessary to and dependent upon that center. This new and greater way of worship, ethical-missionary in character and ruled by the New Testament spirit of conscious and responsible freedom, replaced the cultic worship of the Old Testament law, thus being deprived of holy places, times, intermediating authorities and rites. The logic of service to God through service to people is explored. And a misunderstanding of the role of the old cultic order in God's pedagogy of revelation is alleged to be the reason why this worship pattern has long been ignored by the churches in general.