LIFESONG
Bible-centred Worship for the Emerging Congregation
By Oliver Claassen. Christian Focus. 134 pages. £6.99
ISBN 978-1-84550-373-4
The book aims to give a biblical focus to the purpose of the Christian meeting.
Lifesong describes itself on the cover as being a ‘part of a movement of God’s spirit that is leading emerging generations to return to a Christ-centred worship that values beauty and artistry’. On reading the book, it is clear that the author is absolutely committed to Christ-centred worship. This is because he is committed to worship that is centred on God’s Word — ‘Worship is our work of responding to God’s grace to us in Christ Jesus with thankful hearts’. This quote is basically a paraphrase of Romans 12.1, the ‘back-stop’ for all books on worship — God gives mercy to us, we respond in worship.
Now it may just be my reading of it, but that quote slightly clashes with another phrase just two pages earlier: ‘The goal is to give to him in worship and the by-product is the receiving of God’s blessing’. This seems more like, ‘We give to God, he responds’.
Claassen is also concerned that we retain a right reverence in the light of the eternal King whom we worship.
There isn’t much on the ‘value of beauty and artistry’, which disappointed me, because I expected this to be the distinctive element of the book.
In this regard, the book is faithful to the Word, but in my view, Vaughan Roberts covers the same material more clearly and succinctly in True Worship.
Richard Simpkin
lives in Islington, London, and co-ordinates the music at St. Helen’s Bishopsgate,
City of London
