Spiritual Transformation and Its Implications for Christian Worship
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SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN WORSHIP A MASTER'S THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE FACULTY LIBERTY UNIVERSITY BY THOMAS WAYNE DOSS IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN MUSIC AND WORSHIP APRIL 20, 2015 ii SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN WORSHIP By Thomas Wayne Doss A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Masters of Arts in Music and Worship Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA April 20, 2015 APPROVED BY: Rodney D. Whaley, D. Min. Committee Chair W. Douglas Crawley, DMA, Committee Member Vernon M. Whaley, PhD. Dean of the School of Music iii Copyright 2014 Thomas Wayne Doss All Rights Reserved iv ABSTRACT The life change that Christ Jesus wants to produce in His children is nothing short of miraculous. His offer of salvation immediately transforms the accepting person, bringing him into a divine relationship with the Heavenly Father, but Christ desires to further transform the new believer into a person who more accurately bears the image of God and declares His greatness and glory to all. This is a progressive and life-long process that calls the Christian to a life that includes sacrificial worship, avoidance of worldly living, and renewing the mind with godly pursuits. Because this is the will of God for the believer, this thesis presents a biblical foundation for transformation and scriptural examples of lives that were transformed by the power of God. Study is dedicated to the development of spiritual disciplines that produce life change in private worship. Attention is also given to corporate or public worship through the analysis of case studies to present identifying qualities of churches that are considered to be transformational. Field research indicating the communicative and emotive power of the arts in sparking transformation during worship is considered. Through comparative analysis of the various forms of data, concepts and principles of spiritual transformation are extrapolated and applied to the practices of private and public worship. Applicable implications are also drawn that are useful for persons responsible for planning and leading congregations in worship. Keywords: Transformational worship, life changing practices of private worship, worship that transforms congregations v DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to my precious wife Joyce who has stood beside me for over 25 years. Her love and commitment is without equal here on earth. She has been an encouragement to me in my own journey of transformation. Sweetheart, I love you dearly. Thank you for your patience, prayers, and countless proof readings. You may indeed know this material better than I. To my sons, Jonathan and Phillip, I thank you for constantly challenging me to relate to you in the same way our Heavenly Father relates to His children. I miss the mark so many times, but I strive to get it right. I love you guys. To Dr. Vernon Whaley and the faculty of Liberty University’s School of Music, thank you for pursuing the mission of not only developing musicians, but also passionate worshipers for the kingdom of God. It has been a blessing to study under you and your staff. A final thanks is offered to Dr. Rodney Whaley, who often refers to himself as “the other Dr. Whaley.” Your insights and encouragement have given me confidence that has brought me to this juncture in my education. You are greatly appreciated. vi CONTENTS ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................... iv DEDICATION ................................................................................................................................ v LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................... viii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 1 Statement of the Problem .................................................................................................... 2 Statement of the Purpose .................................................................................................... 5 Significance of the Study .................................................................................................... 5 Research Questions ............................................................................................................. 6 Definition of Terms............................................................................................................. 6 CHAPTER 2: LITERARY REVIEW ............................................................................................. 9 Biblical Foundations and Examples of Transformation in the Context of Worship......... 10 The Disciplines of Private Worship and Their Transformational Influence..................... 12 The Practices of Public Worship that Demonstrate Transformation ................................ 15 The Convergence of Worship and Transformation .......................................................... 17 Leading Congregational Worship Designed to Encourage Transformation ..................... 21 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND ASSUMPTIONS .................................... 27 Research Methodology ..................................................................................................... 27 Assumptions ...................................................................................................................... 29 CHAPTER 4: A SCRIPTURAL FOUNDATION FOR TRANSFORMATION ......................... 30 A New Creation: The Case for Immediate Transformation.............................................. 30 Shaped by the Creator: Progressive Transformation ........................................................ 31 Future Hope: Completed Transformation ......................................................................... 37 CHAPTER 5: EXPERIENCING TRANSFORMATION IN PRIVATE WORSHIP .................. 39 Portraits of Personal Transformation ................................................................................ 39 The Preparation for Personal Transformation ................................................................... 43 The Process for Personal Transformation ......................................................................... 46 The Proof of Personal Transformation ............................................................................. 52 vii CHAPTER 6: EXPERIENCING TRANSFORMATION IN PUBLIC WORSHIP ..................... 54 The Church of Antioch: A Model for the Transformational Church ................................ 54 The Contemporary Church and Transformation ............................................................... 63 CHAPTER 7: THE CONVERGENCE OF TRANSFORMATION AND WORSHIP ................ 75 Transformational Worship and Theology ......................................................................... 75 The Value of the Arts in Transformational Worship ........................................................ 77 Liturgy and Transformational Worship ............................................................................ 84 Leading and Designing Worship that Encourages Transformation .................................. 88 CHAPTER 8: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION ................................................................... 97 Summary of Study ............................................................................................................ 97 Summary of Procedure ..................................................................................................... 98 Summary of Findings ........................................................................................................ 98 Limitations ...................................................................................................................... 103 Recommendations for Future Study ............................................................................... 104 Implications for Practice: A Model for Transformational Worship .............................. 105 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 114 REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................... 116 APPENDIX I .............................................................................................................................. 121 APPENDIX II ............................................................................................................................. 124 viii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 6.1: Stetzer and Rainier's (2008) Transformational Loop ................................................. 64 Figure 6.2: Five Deliverables of Small Communities .................................................................. 72 Figure 7.1: Witvliet's (2008) Three Forms of Communication Powered by the Holy Spirit ....... 80 Figure 7.2: Aspects of the Agogic Moment .................................................................................. 81 Figure 7.3: Abernethy's (2008) Pathway of a Song ...................................................................... 83 Figure 7.4: Stanley and Jones' (2008) Five Rules of Engagement ............................................... 95 1 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION “Therefore, if anyone is in