The Worship of God

This is a print on demand book and is therefore non- returnable. While most Christians today value worship and regard it as a vital part of the church''s life and witness there is also a wistful yearning that contemporary worship be vastly improved and given a more satisfying rationale. Calling his book a compact guide to some of the main themes of the worship of God and believing that the agenda of worship needs a serious overhaul in our churches well-known theologian Ralph P. Martin here reexamines the concept of worship recasting . . . its meaning in such a way as will express its essentially theological dimension and yet will relate its practice to the concerns interests and needs of men and women in our world. To that end then Martin discusses several elements of worship: praise prayer hymns the offering the creeds and confessions the sermon baptism the Lord''s Supper and the role of the Holy Spirit. The main thrust of Martin''s discussion it to consider in the light of Scripture and history the theological rationale for the practice of each element. A final chapter summarizes the author''s definition of worship and diagrams a service of worship that involves all the aspects of worship he has discussed. Both theologically adequate and pastorally helpful the book is designed for ministers and theological students as well as lay leaders in the churches.