Comments on: Ritual and Typology

By: James B Jordan

James B Jordan — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:00:12 +0000

Praying for the city: I think you do both. And for other worship services, yes, I think you follow the same structure, without communion, and perhaps without a confession of sins. But you’d have a call, a time of singing, sermon, prayer, and end with singing.

By: Jason Farley

Jason Farley — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 22:59:28 +0000

So, as we do renew the covenant and make memorial before God each week our church has a point in the service where we confess the sins of our city and ask for God’s mercy upon us. Would you advise having an imprecatory prayer instead?

Also, when we have services besides our Sunday morning service, would you suggest not having the same sort of covenant renewal liturgy, or should that always be what God’s people use to worship whatever the circumstances?

Thanks again

By: James B Jordan

James B Jordan — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:33:25 +0000

Well, I like Theo’s “covenant conversation” for such non-sacramental events. Every Lord’s Day Covenant Renewal should include psalms, and imprecatory psalms, since it is a War Feast, and in these we as the priests of the world make memorial before God asking Him to act on His children’s behalf. I submit that if the Church were actually doing what the Bible teaches, before His face, things would change.

By: » Getting My Head Around Typology Half Past Noon

» Getting My Head Around Typology Half Past Noon — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:47:13 +0000

[...] a Biblical Horizons blog post by James Jordan) [...]

By: Jason Farley

Jason Farley — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 04:24:11 +0000

Where would prayer services and other special services fit? Also, when a church meets to pray and worship while anti-christian events go on (like the gay-pride parade, etc.) to ask for God’s mercy on his church and on our city, would covenant renewal be the most appropriate response?

Thanks

By: James B Jordan

James B Jordan — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 02:46:28 +0000

That’s interesting, Theo. Some have complained here that I reserve “renewal” for when the Supper is done. But “covenant conversation” would work for other kinds of worship. It might be a useful phrase to keep for such meetings. If it’s Word only, it’s “conversation.” If the blood of Christ is brought near, it’s “renewal.”

By: TL

TL — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 02:40:26 +0000

This is all very helpful, Jim. One question I’ve always had is ‘why call it covenant RENEWAL worship?’ In my tradition in the Canadian Reformed Churches, worship is typically described as a covenant conversation between God and his people. I certainly believe this is an important aspect of worship, but I have always found it an unsatisfactory description of the Biblical structure and order of worship. CRW gives a much better rationale. Thanks for sharing the story of your journey to this understanding.