tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18950992.post628223148939314666..comments2024-02-13T08:45:20.455-05:00Comments on The Schooley Files: IntentionalityKeith Edwin Schooleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06328169815024415532noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18950992.post-12285081190225996722007-10-20T19:24:00.000-04:002007-10-20T19:24:00.000-04:00Interesting--Curt's "great example" is Bob's beggi...Interesting--Curt's "great example" is Bob's begging of the question! To both--worship is merely one example (unless we take "worship" in a much more expansive sense than we usually do), not the only area in which I see this problem.<BR/><BR/>Curt - first of all, welcome! Second, by "intentionality," I specifically mean trying to produce an effect on others that we think we can control by the methods and styles that we use. Intentionally dropping all that and just focusing on the God that we're worshiping is something different, and something I think I'd agree with.<BR/><BR/>Bob - there's a difference between honest disagreements on what best glorifies God, and conducting our worship in a way that's designed not for the purpose of glorifying God at all (at least not primarily), but rather for a completely different purpose, related to what we think will attract more people (or achieve some other ulterior motive). <BR/><BR/>It's the difference between Larry Norman sincerely trying to write music that was his own expression of faith in the musical language of his generation, and music execs pumping out product that they think will appeal to "the kids of today."Keith Schooleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04078256877683382439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18950992.post-42552083461809828232007-10-20T11:40:00.000-04:002007-10-20T11:40:00.000-04:00It begs the question to say, "Should we perhaps wo...It begs the question to say, "Should we perhaps worship in the way that we feel glorifies God best?" What one person feels would "glorify God best" could (and often is) seem by another to be an improper concession.<BR/><BR/>On the whole I agree with you on this, but 1 Corinthians 14 (for example) argues for some degree of concern for the impact our worship has on others. Certainly the pendulum has swung to far toward "felt needs" in many circles, but I would also be wary of a swing too far to the other extreme.<BR/><BR/>A worship service is not just vertical but horizontal as well, not just about glorifying God but also edifying the Body. We must continually struggle ato find the balance between transcendence and immanence.Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16914401032087512202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18950992.post-15977654229767559332007-10-20T11:38:00.000-04:002007-10-20T11:38:00.000-04:00Hi Keith,I'm not sure I completely get the distinc...Hi Keith,<BR/><BR/>I'm not sure I completely get the distinction that you're making here. Yes, I see real danger in assuming that we can dissect and categorize everything that happens in worship. And I understand how this can be a type of control. But I don't think many who are speaking of intentionality are going to this extreme. <BR/><BR/>You wrote:<BR/><I>Should we perhaps worship in the way that we feel glorifies God best, without worrying about what impact we think we're making on others? Is it perhaps the best way to serve God to focus on Him, and let Him take care of the results?</I> <BR/><BR/>These sound like great examples of being intentional in our worship! If we are not intentional at all in our church practices, that leaves us not having a clue why we're doing whatever it is we're doing. I think the danger of this approach is clear, and I also think there are far too many examples of this lack of intentionality.Curthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16147195839091407203noreply@blogger.com