When Is It Worship?

Help me with a major project. I've been invited to teach a 4-week class at the Baptist Seminary in Zambia. My subject: worship. My question to you: When it's "worship" that you're doing, what are you doing?

I was excited for the invitation to teach in Zambia, but initially reluctant to take on the topic they gave me because worship is so culturally contextual. But I'm into this thing heart-and-soul now, and for two reasons. One, I'm looking forward to what I'm going to learn, and, two, I'm looking forward to what I'm going to teach.

The part about "what I'm going to teach" is where you come in.

First, I'm looking forward to what I'm going to learn. I expect to learn a lot as I put the lesson plans together (I always do). But I'm going to learn a lot in Zambia, too. Since worship expression is so culturally conditioned, I've asked for a Zambian national at the seminary to help me teach the class. In addition to his comments, I'm looking forward to what the students will tell me about worship expressions in Zambia. When I taught a one-day leadership seminar at the Zambian seminary back in 1996, the guys I was teaching taught me so much.

Second, I'm looking forward to what I'm going to teach. I think we can distinguish between the expression of worship and the definition of worship. Surely there is a definition of worship that transcends one's culture?

Now, that's where you come in, dear reader. No matter what culture you visit or live in--in Honduras, Cuba, Los Angeles, Cayman, Lusaka (Zambia), Austin, Toronto, etc.--if you concluded that "worship" had taken place, what would you point to?

Comments for this blog are disabled since most of you tend to reply via Facebook or my email, anyway. So reply through these means and tell me what you think. When is it worship? What portions of the Bible have helped you understand worship? And what other books have taught you the most about worship?

Make a link to this post on your own blog or in a Facebook note and let's get a real conversation going. You can write me at this address or locate me on Facebook here.