Kauflin on Expressiveness in Worship

Guest post by Scott Sterner

Does God care what we do with our bodies in worship? According to Bob Kauflin in this afternoon’s session at the Worship God 09 conference, He does. Here’s a couple of highlights from the session:

In his introduction he appealed that we shouldn’t have to make the choice between a physically expressive worship service filled with man-centered songs and a quietly subdued worship service with doctrinally rich music that has no physical expression. The Biblical model of worship is both doctrinally rich and physically expressive. Bob suggested that the Gnostic mindset fuels the idea that the spiritual is good and physical is bad in the context of our community worship gatherings. Based on passages like Romans 12:1-2 Bob argued that the offering of our bodies in worship upholds this picture that our worship is both spiritual and physical. The following are a few passages he sighted that reference physical movement in worship.

In the New Testament we see physical expression modeled in the following passages:

• 1 Cor 14:25 (falling down)
• Eph 3:14 (kneeling)
• Rev 1:17 (falling down)

The scriptures actually command physical expression in worship in the following passages:

• Ps 47:6 (singing)
• Ps 95:6 (kneeling)
• Ps 134:2 (lifting hands to bless)
• 1 Tim 2:8 (lifting hands in prayer)
• Ps 95:6 (bowing)
• Ps 47:1 (clapping)
• Ps 33:1 (shouting)
• Ps 150:3-5 (playing instruments)
• Ps 149:3 (dancing)
• Ps 33:8 (standing in awe)

Bob took a few moments during the session to make an argument against the cessationist view that physical movement in OT worship no longer applies to worship practices under the new covenant. During the rest of the time he gave many qualifying remarks regarding the benefits and dangers of physical expression in worship. One of the more memorable quotes he shared was from John Calvin in his commentary on Acts 20:36.

The inward attitude certainly holds first place in prayer, but outward signs, kneeling, uncovering the head, lifting up the hands, have a twofold use. The first is that we may employ all our members for the glory and worship of God; secondly, that we are, so to speak, jolted out of our laziness by this help. There is also a third use in solemn and public prayer, because in this way the sons of God profess their piety, and they inflame each other with reverence of God. But just as the lifting up of the hands is a symbol of confidence and longing, so in order to show our humility, we fall down on our knees.

Bob concluded the session giving some practical examples of how we can model and teach a healthy expression of physical worship for the people in our churches.

My reflection on our session is that Bob did a good job making a Biblical argument for the benefits and appropriateness of physical expressiveness in worship. Though we must make room for the diversity of personalities in our worship services, for us to impress upon our people a standard of physical expression on either side of the spectrum would be unhealthy. In the same regard, we must give our people Biblical instruction that encourages them toward a healthy view that allows for the use of their bodies in the physical expression of worship.

Be sure to check out the Worship God 09 website following the conference. My understanding is that the audio for all the sessions will be available soon after the conclusion of the conference.