A Peck of Gold

I see you've gotten no takers on this one. As you well know, in the Southern Baptist church, confessions and creeds are not permanent fixtures in weekly worship services. Every now and again, a S. B. C. church may recite The Lord's Prayer; but in my experience that's about the extent of any confessions or creeds.

Many S. B. C. churches, though, use responsive readings, most often those found in the back of whatever hymnal is being used. However, every responsive text I've ever lead or read has been, in its entirety, scripture. (And let's not forget that I've been in the worship leadership position three times, so mine isn't exactly a lay perspective.)

I think that responsive readings or recitations or confessions can, most certainly, be expressions of worship. I know that wasn't your point, but it's the one I want to make. (Perhaps I can tie my point into yours. Let's see.) Worship doesn't have to be set to music, and God's praises don't have to be sung. So, reading scripture corporately or confessing our faith in Him are certainly ways to worship God. What I fear about using something like the Apostles' Creed weekly in a worship service is staleness.

It is a challenge to avoid staleness when planning a worship service. When I have been in the leadership role, my goal has always been to keep worship fresh and new. Why? Because God makes all things new and fresh, and...why not? Who would intentionally plan a boring, dull worship service?

I've spent time around you and Patrick, and I've not seen you recite the Apostles' Creed at home. I've not heard you pray The Lord's Prayer with Wrenn. So, where, then, are such confessions and recitations primarily used? I would dare venture to guess that those things aren't used in Sunday school classes. I've been in a Presbyterian service or two (as well as Methodist and Episcopalian and even Catholic services), and confessions and creeds are used as part of the corporate worship. Again, if someone can recite the Apostles' Creed (or anything like that) week in and week out and truly worship the Lord while saying it, then that's great. I wonder, though, how many people recite something like that just because they've reached that point in the service and that's what's supposed to be said there. Hmm...

I wasn't specifically making a point, just posting a link about Reformed Baptists that I found interesting due to my background.

I love the creeds- we use them in worship every Sunday, and to me, it's very meaningful. I can't speak for everyone else, but they aren't dull or stale to me. I think they are a respectful, unifying, and clarifying way to worship God.

Joey,
It sounds as if you are implying that we are not giving Wrenn the proper spiritual guidance, but I know this cannot be the case as you have not spent that much time with us as a family to make such an uneducated statement. I could easily say that I have only heard you pray over meals but that I don't think that would mean that is the only time you pray.

Um...no. The point I was attempting to make is that one doesn't normally use confessions or creeds or recitations anywhere but in a corporate worship setting. I see that I failed in that attempt.

I have nothing but admiration and respect for the parenting skills of Patrick and Shannon Trisler, for the record.