Another book on worship? Well, yes. Though there seems to be a perennially voluminous output on the topic of worship (at least from among the Reformed and Presbyterian wing of Christendom), nevertheless, debates and disagreements on worship seem to persist. Beyond the debates surrounding musical style (one thinks of the contemporary-vs-traditional “worship wars” of yesteryear, which still endure in some corners), there still seems to exist broad confusion as to what appropriately belongs in public services of Christian worship: Dance? Dramatic presentations? Foot washings? A coffee and donut break somewhere in the middle of the service? Is the singing portion rightly called “worship” in distinction from the preaching portion of the service?
Added to this confusion is the first encounter a non-Reformed Christian might have upon visiting a Reformed church. Often remarkably different from the familiar worship patterns of their youth and markedly dissimilar from the style of the average non-denominational or megachurch in North America, such a visitor might find Reformed worship to be strange, stark, or possibly even unnecessarily bare.
Given such realities, this little volume on Reformed worship is a welcome addition to the literary arsenal of treatments on the subject. While there are numerous veritable treatments on the topic of Christian worship (particularly public or corporate worship), many of these works are written by and for pastors and theologians, arguing the merits of what rightly constitutes biblical worship, tracing out the developments from the early church to the medieval church, to the Reformation and beyond, with lengthy discourses on elements vs. circumstances, and supplying copious biblical rationale for what is done in a service, etc. What is often lacking is a shorter treatment that presents a simple explanation and rationale for why Reformed Christians do what they do in their church services, written, perhaps, for the new Christian or the not-quite-convinced Christian who is still new to Reformed church practice—Reformed Worship is such a work.
Written by Jonty Rhodes, who serves as the minister of Christ Church Central Leeds (International Presbyterian Church) in the United Kingdom, Reformed Worship is part of the “Blessings of the Faith” series from P&R Publishing, a collection of short and accessible treatments on some of the distinctives of Reformed and Presbyterian churches.
In his introduction, Rhodes makes clear that the issue of worship is not a matter of secondary or tertiary consideration for Christians. Christian worship matters immensely because worship is formative for Christian disciples and because “the goal of the gospel is worship” (15). Rhodes notes how none other than John Calvin ranked the issue of how to worship of first importance, with how to be saved coming in second (16). “Thus, the questions of who and how we worship are vital for the life and health of the church” (17).
In his first chapter, “The Promise of Worship,” Rhodes explores the meaning of the word worship. He helpfully distinguishes between what is commonly called “all-of-life” worship versus assembled or corporate worship. He then gives a succinct biblical-theological overview of worship as it unfolds through the Old and New Testament, taking the readers from the Garden of Eden to the Tabernacle to the animal-sacrificial system of the old covenant, and then to the believer’s full restoration to the presence of God through a human sacrifice, namely, the Son of God come in flesh. Rhodes adroitly makes the point that, biblically speaking, the true worship leader in all Christian worship services is Jesus, the Messiah. He also offers a gentle corrective to common thinking, noting that the primary purpose of worship is for the people of God (who Christ calls his brothers [Ps 22:22]) to come together to worship the living God. Though there is certainly an evangelistic vein in Christian worship services, worship services are not primarily evangelistic or primarily for those outside of the church (34).
In his second chapter, “The Purpose of Worship,” Rhodes explains how there is both a duty and a joy that drives God’s people to worship. On one hand, the Lord is a God who needs absolutely nothing and who deserves absolutely everything. “Creatures are made to worship their creator” (38). He cites several passages from Revelation 4–5 and from Psalm 147 as biblical examples of how God’s people, in reflecting on his mercies, are driven to worship. Worship is not a mere duty, but is actually “our greatest privilege and joy” (40). Citing from texts like Psalms 16, 43, and 45, Rhodes notes how the Bible’s understanding of worship is that it is not just a duty but a delight for the Christian believer.
On the other hand, while God deserves everything, that God whom Christians worship needs absolutely nothing. Texts like Romans 11:35–36 and Acts 17:24–25 make this clear. When Christians gather to worship, God is not gaining anything because God needs nothing—he is entirely sufficient in and of himself. Rhodes notes that the “gain” that occurs in worship belongs to his people. “Our ability to come to worship is an act of grace on God’s part” (45). The act of worship is a reflection of the gospel message itself: helpless, forgiven sinners are able to approach the throne of grace on account of what God has done through Jesus Christ.
Derivative from that, Rhodes suggests that the tone of Christian worship ought to be one of both reverence and joy. Citing examples such as Hebrews 12:22–24 and Psalm 2:11, he reminds his readers that Christians are “constantly in the presence of the Lord, but that presence is intensified when we assemble to worship and God draws near through his appointed means” (48). And so, in light of the reality of our being in God’s presence in a spiritual yet real way, the tone of Christian worship ought to be one where forgiven sinners approach their God in a natural combination of both joy and reverent fear.
In the third and fourth chapters, “The Principle of Worship” and “The Power and Pillars of Worship,” Rhodes lays out what is commonly called the “regulative principle of worship” (63), the notion of spiritual worship, and the difference between what are commonly called “elements” and “circumstances” (69). Moving from the why and the who of worship, Rhodes here delves into the how of worship.
Drawing from the Old Testament examples of the “strange fire” offered by Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10 and the instructions appended to the Second Commandment (Deut 4:15–18, 5:8), Rhodes explains that the key idea of worship is that God gets to determine how he is to be worshipped, not us. However noble our intentions may be, it is not appropriate for the creatures to decide how we shall approach God in worship. Rhodes explains that, while worship under the new covenant is certainly simpler and “easier” in many ways, and while there is no “New Testament Leviticus” with painstakingly precise details outlining every contour of our worship services (60), the aforementioned principle still abides. For example, given the copious instructions provided by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 11 and 14 and Colossians 3, it is clear there was still an expectation of a proper orderliness to gathered worship services. There were certain practices and innovations that Paul wanted to disabuse these Christians of allowing into corporate worship. Though New Testament-era worship was simpler, it was still not to be a “free-for-all;” the Old and New Testament Scriptures are the Scriptures together, and therefore the practices of the New Testament church ought to be informed by corollary Old Testament principles, chief among them being the idea that God gets to determine what is acceptable worship. While this attitude might strike readers as unduly restrictive, Rhodes is keen to point out that there is actually great blessing and freedom in adopting this attitude because it takes the guesswork out of worship!
In his fourth chapter, Rhodes explains how Christ is fulfilling his promise of building his church and that he is very much present with his church (Matt 16:18, 28:18–20, Acts 1:1–2). Moreover, Rhodes helpfully gives priority to the corporate dimensions of the Christian life (while in no way denigrating the aspects of personal or family piety), noting that Christ is in the business of building a spiritual household and temple of the Holy Spirit (Eph 2:19–22; 1 Cor 3:16–17, Jas 2:2). “The Spirit does his work by gathering and assembling God’s people. The main tools that Christ uses to bless his people are necessarily corporate. Think of preaching or the Lord’s Supper” (75). Christ, although he has ascended to heaven, is still very much at work in the life of his church through the ministry of his Holy Spirit, and one the main ways he works is by pouring out gifts on his church, namely “people” (77). Noting Ephesians 4:11–13, Rhodes explains how these officers (gifts) of the church are primarily engaged in the ministry of the Word. The way they spiritually strengthen the church is by ministering the Word of God to the people of God. Thus, worship services ought to be shot-through, informed, replete, and governed by the Scripture—“sung, read, preached, and prayed” (82)—because “the Spirit uses the Word to achieve his purposes” (80).
Drawing on the classic description of the means of grace and worship in Westminster Confession of Faith 21.5, Rhodes succinctly explains the distinction between elements of worship (e.g., preaching, prayer, singing, sacraments) and the circumstances of worship (how long the sermon ought to be, how many songs should be sung, how many different Scripture readings to include, where the different songs and prayers are placed in the service, etc.). In all of these seemingly ordinary elements, God is nevertheless supernaturally present with his people, meeting with them and blessing them in exactly the way and manner he has promised to do so.
In his fifth chapter, “The Pattern of Worship,” Rhodes explores the notion of structure in worship. He explains how a formal concept as structure should not scare or surprise us, as God has always been pleased to facilitate his communion with his people through structured arrangements. From the Old Testament pattern of the Sabbath being instituted at creation, to the specific day (the first day of the week) being called “the Lord’s Day” (Rev 1:10) in the New Testament, to the pattern of “atonement, transformation, and fellowship” (98) in the sacrificial system of the Old Testament, Rhodes notes how the Lord has always been pleased to meet with his people through structured systems.
From that pattern of structures, Rhodes (while hardly mandating a one-size-fits-all church liturgy) explains the general structure or pattern traditional Reformed worship down through the centuries: God speaks, and then his people respond (e.g., God speaks in the call to worship; God’s people respond in a prayer of adoration; God’s people respond in confession of sin; God speaks in the reading and preaching of his Word; God’s people respond in the singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs). This is what is sometimes called the “dialogical principle” of worship. Replete with biblical references and examples, this section is particularly helpful to the new-to-Reformed-practice Christian who might wonder why Reformed worship services have all these different elements in their services, what the point of them is, and what the logic is to the order of service. Throughout this chapter, Rhodes is keen to emphasize how the whole service is intended to be informed and shaped by the truth of the gospel.
In the final section (115–142), Rhodes articulates and provides succinct and pastoral answers to many of the most common and even most knotty of questions surrounding worship. All of the book is helpful and instructive, but this section may prove the most useful to readers who are wrestling through their questions and objections to the Reformed paradigm of worship. Common questions are addressed regarding private and family worship vs. corporate worship, gathering on Sunday, how to better prepare for or stay focused in worship, the role of creeds, singing, set prayers, the sacraments, children in worship, etc.
As a brief aside, those hyper-attuned to the Reformed intramural debates regarding exclusive psalmody and the church calendar will note Rhodes’ answers to these pertinent questions. In my judgment, Rhodes provides a very fair (and succinct!) overview of the range of opinions that exists within the Reformed community without prejudicing the reader against one view over the other. Those looking for a vociferous condemnation of any residual aspect of the church calendar or hymnody altogether will be dissatisfied, I suspect.
Nevertheless, Rhodes has provided the church with a clear, succinct, accessible, and pastoral volume that ably outlines the case for the classic Reformed understanding of worship. This little volume provides a lovely introduction for the novice, guest, or unconvinced Christian to begin to understand the Reformed theology of worship. Any pastor or elder who has visitors or even longtime congregants trying to get their head around Reformed Christian worship will be greatly helped by putting this fine resource into their hands.
©Sean Morris. All Rights Reserved.
Jonty Rhodes, Reformed Worship (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2023).
RESOURCES
- Subscribe To The Heidelblog!
- Download the HeidelApp on Apple App Store or Google Play
- Browse the Heidelshop!
- Reviews And Notices
- The Heidelblog Resource Page
- Heidelmedia Resources
- The Ecumenical Creeds
- The Reformed Confessions
- The Heidelberg Catechism
- The Heidelberg Catechism: A Historical, Theological, & Pastoral Commentary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2025)
- Recovering the Reformed Confession (Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 2008)
- Why I Am A Christian
- What Must A Christian Believe?
- Heidelblog Contributors
- Support Heidelmedia: use the donate button or send a check to
Heidelberg Reformation Association
1637 E. Valley Parkway #391
Escondido CA 92027
USA
The HRA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
Sean Morris
Sean was educated at Grove City College, Reformed Theological Seminary (Jackson, MS), and the University of Glasgow (Scotland). He is an ordained teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America, and serves as a minister at the Covenant Presbyterian Church in Oak Ridge, TN. He also serves as the Academic Dean of the Blue Ridge Institute for Theological Education. He is currently pursuing his PhD in Historical Theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Sean lives in Oak Ridge with his wife, Sarah, along with their children and useless beagle.
More by Sean Morris ›