I love our contemporary churches. Because they are casual they can often
attract people that enjoy being comfortable in church.
The music and worship is lively and is inviting and written in a way so
that it is easy to sing by most people.
The services are interactive and designed to be not only worshipful but
also informative and entertaining.
I do miss one thing however in our contemporary
churches….I miss the majesty, the splendor and the glory of the doxology. For those of you that don’t know the doxology,
the word is a compound word that combines the words ‘doxa’ and ‘logos’. Doxa refers to the King, particularly God as
our Lord and majestic ruler; logos refers to the word or words. In the
doxology, we use the word of praise that give glory to our King.
So I’m recommending we Re-Dox. We remember to stand, sing and give praise and honor and
glory to the King. A new tradition! The New Testament
is full of doxologies. They are often found in the Apostle Paul’s
writings. For example in 1st Timothy,
Paul writes, “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise
God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen" (1 Tim 1.17).
Yes, to our eternal, immortal, invisible and wise King,
we give honor and glory….
Some of the doxologies that were sung in churches came
from a time when the church leaders believed that only scripture should be sung
in church. The Psalms were collected in a “Psalter’. However, more creative songwriters used
Biblical phrases but reorganized some of the words. At the time, some of the more traditionalists
found it blasphemous however, these innovative doxologies survived and became
the precursor for many of our more popular worship songs today. One of the more famous early worship songs
had an ending verse that was known simply as the “Doxology”. It was written by Ken Thomas back in the 17th
century
Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Yes, to our eternal, immortal, invisible and wise King, we give honor and glory….
