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The Adventure of Worship

Gerrit Gustafson. The Adventure of Worship. Chosen. 2006.

You were made to be a worshiper—not just a religious person, or even just a believer, but someone who actually worships, someone whose life is a daily sacrifice in the hands of an unseen Priest. You were made to be a fragrant offering presented with joyful abandon to serve a history-changing purpose much greater than that of your own well-being. [Page 12]

Wow, we are to worship God in all we do. The above quotation really startled me when I first read it. I had to read it a few times and think on it for a few days before even sitting down to write this review. My next question, and I hope yours, is what is real worship? Gustafson states, on page 28, that “Worship is the act and attitude of wholeheartedly giving yourself to God-spirit, and mind and body.” He says this definition is based on Romans 12 and Mark 12. The remainder of chapter 1 fully explains worship. The next chapter shows that Christians (believers in Jesus Christ) have been called to worship. Before teaching you the 12 marks of true worship, the author shares stories about the singing stars that surrounded God as HE created the earth and the universe as we know it. He talks about events in the history of early man (Cain and Able for example) and shows how they play into God’s ultimate plan that we were made to worship him. Thirteen chapters teach Gustafson’s twelve convictions of true worship. These chapters are challenging to read. In fact, I am struggling with wanting to learn to become a true worshipper of God. The twelve convictions let me know that I am not always worshipping in truth and in spirit as God demands of us. This book isn’t easy to read if you have tended towards being a pew warmer.

Twelve Convictions

  1. Worship is a response to God’s great love.
  2. Acceptable worship springs out of life in the Spirit and love for truth and reality.
  3. A true worshipper engages the totality of his being in worship.
  4. Practicing songs, hymns and spiritual songs enlarges our worship.
  5. Our praise opens the gates into God’s presence.
  6. Entering God’s presence in worship, we can extend His purpose in prayer.
  7. We must carefully guard against all forms of idolatry.
  8. A true worshipper must become a warrior.
  9. Sacrificial service to others is fundamental to a life of worship.
  10. True worshippers will be built together with other worshipers.
  11. A true worshiper sings songs in the night.
  12. Up-reach in worship leads to outreach to others.

A chapter is dedicated to explaining each of these worship convictions. They convicted me in many aspects and I am sure other believers will likewise be convicted. The authors carefully explain how to work out the conviction being discussed and back it up with scripture.

Recommendation

This book is well written, illustrated, and easy to read. It is NOT easy to apply. It is definitely a challenge to read. It should make you want to become a total worshiper of God as demonstrated through the physical and through your spiritual lives. Bible study groups, men’s study groups and women’s study group will deepen their Christian walk by studying and applying the ideas taught in this book.

Copyrighted by Diana Pederson, 2005-2009