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Transformational Worship:  Are We Conductors or Instruments?
Alexis D. Abernethy, Ph.D.
School of Psychology
Brehm Center for Worship, Theology, and the Arts

What Is Worship?

• To bow down and give reverence to God
• A common definition is the adoration of God (Kraeuter, 1996).
• “Worship is our response to the overtures of love from the heart of the Father…We have not worshipped until Spirit touches spirit” (Foster, 2001, p. 6).

Perspectives on Worship

• Some argue that the experience of worship involves change, whereas others do not. 
• Focus on experiences of worship that are perceived as transformational and that result in behavioral change. (Dueck, 2003)
• Experience occurs first and then religious behavior may follow the experience. (Malony, 1973)
• What is our role and God's role in these experiences?
• Are we conductors or instruments?

Goal of Worship

• “Are our worship services inviting people into the practice of the Christian faith or translating the faith into the framework” of our current culture (Dawn, 1999, p. 340)?
• Develop a clear vision of the reign of God so that we might be formed and transformed.
• Worship should be formative of discipleship and community.

Understanding Spiritual Experiences in Worship

• Characteristics of the experiencer
  • Personality
  • Culture
  • Church background and expectations
  • Mood
• The experience
  • Cognitive, emotional, relational, and physical dimensions
• The context
  • Role of music and the arts
  • Role of the worship leader

                        (Kirkpatrick, 1995)

Components of Mystical Experience

• Sense of the presence of the divine
• Feelings of unity and completeness
• Impressions of reverence, sacredness, and holiness
• Awareness of new knowledge and spiritual enlightenment
• Positive emotions of happiness, joy, and peace
• Variety of strong emotional and physical reactions
• Some evidence of extreme sensory stimulation

              (Spilka, Brown & Cassidy, 1992)

Religious Dimensions and Health

• Hill & Pargament (2003) noted four constructs in religion and spirituality that have been functionally related to health:
  • Closeness to God
  • Religion as an orienting and motivating force
  • Religious support
  • Religious and spiritual struggle

What Art Offers in Worship

• Meaning
• Revelation
• Emotion
• Awareness/Conversion
• Memory
• Values

             (Walton, 1991) 

Music as Mystery and Awe

• Music may reflect God's design or the design may be overlooked, shortchanged, corrupted, or rendered incompetently.
• Music - Johansson
• “Explores and celebrates, reveals, probes and illuminates more fully the numinous, and more specific theological frames of reference in the context of worship as it translates them into deeply known and felt qualities.  A music program must incorporate music that can deal effectively with such categories” (p. 101)
• Stale, overly familiar music has lost its capacity to engender a sense of awe.
• “Music should be able to capture and present the truth of the transcendent God.” (p. 101)

Music and Healing

• Scarantino
• Music works. It soothes. It comforts. It reaches deep down and touches us on a biological level, and emotional level, and a spiritual level.  It heals. (p. 73)
• Healing dimensions of music
• Psychophysical properties – e.g., tempo, mood, intensity
• Structural properties – e.g., melody, harmony
• Associational properties
• Awareness of the Holy
• Providence
• Faith
• Grace and repentance
• Socializing properties

Worship Leader

• Attitude
• Acknowledge dependence on God, create in humility
• A theological interpreter of the word - channel for God
• Dangers 
• Arrogance
• Complacency
• Imbalance
• Orientation
• “Church is a place where believers worship corporately, utilizing cultural expressions to show what God has done, what He means, and what He is. (p. 27)  We image God in the music that we do” (p. 28).

God's Activity in Worship (Calvin)

• Worship is directed towards God and God is active in our worship
• Divine agency versus human ability
• God is the prompter, agent, giver, initiator
• The role of Christ and the Holy Spirit in our singing

           Witvliet (2003)

Transformational Worship: Conductors or Instruments: Selected References