I have started reading
the book on reformed worship by Hughes Old. These are the chapter headings: 1) Basic principles 2) Baptism 3) The Lord's Day 4) The Ministry of Praise 5) The Ministry of the Word 6) The Ministry of Prayer 7) The Lord's Supper 8) Daily Prayer 9) Alms 10) Tradition and Practice. This list highlights the major elements. Ancillary details such as the 'call to worship' the doxology and the benediction aren't, I am guessing here, even mentioned in the book.

For twenty plus years (since '79) having heard the term "worship leader" refer to the song leader, this list of what worship entails is hard to get used to. In fact, prior to 1979, there was no song leader in my Christian experience either. Even in public 'hymn sings' the only guy leading anything was Norbel Reems on the piano. That guy could play a mean evangelical piano.

So, then in 1979, when I stepped (dived) into evangelicalism, I thought elevating the song leader's title to worship leader was a good thing. The truth is that we knew worship was more than just singing. We also held that worship was more than praising. But in general praising was the real deal - effectively treated as a sacrament and your fervor in its participation was a sign of your spiritual condition. We were taught that there were 9 ways to express praise. E.g. standing, kneeling, clapping, singing, shouting, dancing, bowing, lifting hands and uh, uh, being forgetful.

This list has gone for quite a while without being taught - at least in my recollection, some readers here may correct me on that, since I have been out in left field for a few years. (I may be out of line, but encouraging congregational free form dancing is not on the church growth movement's list of 'ten things that will build your church really big, really fast').

But the idea that baptism of infants is a hugely integral part of worship is plainly foreign to my thinking for the last 25 years. I am excited to begin reading this book. I anticipate a liberating change in my viewpoint toward corporate worship.

I plan to, as I finish each chapter, give you a thumbnail sketch of the salient points. (Be thankful that I don't plan to do this with each book in my class).