Setting the Table for Worship

Dinner tables come in many shapes and sizes, whether they happen to be large dining tables or smaller and rounder, but still cozy and comfortable. Beyond the wood grains and evidence of years-long enjoyment lies their true purpose: a place of enjoyed rest, fostered companionship, and contributions to the communal partaking of nourishment.

One of the more fundamental disciplines I remember from childhood was how to set the dinner table. While the food we eat undeniably takes center stage in the mealtime activity, this experience can be wonderfully accentuated by how the food is presented. Carefully deliberated place settings, seasonal greenery, and even the distinctions between differently sized forks help to inform and shape the gathering of hungry stomachs into something altogether more meaningful than a completed task.

It has been said that good liturgy is a wonderful instructor. The word liturgy itself literally means a “work of the people,” or a “public service.” In the context of corporate worship, liturgy simply refers to how we order a corporate worship service, whether that “work” is done casually and poorly, or with great anticipation and excellence. This concept can be particularly clarifying when we consider the New Testament idea of ekklesia, or the “called out” ones:

• "You also are the called of Jesus Christ” (Rom. 1:6).
• “God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son” (1 Cor. 1:9).
• “Walk worthy of the calling with which you have been called” (Eph. 4:1).
• “He called you through our gospel” (2 Thess. 2:14).
• “So that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9).
• “See how great a love the Father has given to us, that we would be called children of God” (1 John 3:1).

Finding ways to coalesce these corresponding themes of gospel calling at the beginning of our services is what has been commonly referred to as a “call to worship.” This moment commences the formal gathering and serves as an excellent way to emphasize the primacy of the Word of God. Not only should we allow God’s Word to have the final say, such as in a benediction, but also the very first say as we enter corporate worship.

Yet the call to worship accomplishes much more than signaling the beginning of the corporate gathering. The call to worship becomes an opportunity to remind the church of who has called us together. Only God can truly call together His people in the nature of spirit and truth (John 4:23-24). In fact, as Bryan Chapell reminds us, the call to worship actually originates with God’s calling of us to worship Him (Christ-Centered Worship, 160). This understanding is transformative and involves the transcendent reality that God calls people out of darkness to worship Him in the light of His own radiance.

The call to worship is also an opportunity to lead and shepherd the people of God in response. Consider utilizing Scriptures that not only exhort us to worship but also give us a reason why we worship. We want to remind the church that we are uniquely called by the Father, uniquely justified by the Son, and uniquely regenerated by the Holy Spirit, and thus uniquely equipped to offer worship in response.

The call to worship is not the time to preach a mini-sermon or exhaust every facet of theological fascination in the text. Instead, we can be direct, clear, concise, and, above all, pastoral. A good rule of thumb in this area is to speak with 250 words or less, including the text you choose to utilize. Additionally, these texts most naturally originate in the psalms, because as Spirit-inspired songs themselves, they present a tremendous amount of brief and immediately understandable statements. Some great examples would be:

• In Psalm 16:8, we find security in our relationship with God: “Because He is at my right hand… therefore my heart is glad.” In King David’s inspired words, we find that they point beyond himself to a greater fulfillment by a greater King.
• In Psalm 24:3, the psalmist asks rhetorically: “Who may ascend into the mountain of Yahweh?” He immediately answers: “He who has innocent hands and a pure heart.” In His active obedience, the perfect Son of God lived a completely innocent and pure life, enabling us to follow His lead in lifting "up a blessing” to the God of our salvation (Ps. 24:5).
• In Psalm 98:4, the psalmist instructs us to: “break forth and sing for joy.” Our God is a righteous King and an impartial Judge. Rather than recoil in dread and fear, we know that it is through Christ Jesus that “Yahweh has made known His salvation; He has revealed His righteousness.”

When the local church gathers to receive the food of the Word each Sunday, this assembly is undeniably more than an act of ritual, or a time that can be completed without regard to form and function. As a forgetful people, we often need to be reminded again that the God who calls us to worship seeks the prayers of needy people (Ps. 86:3), delights in the songs of His righteous ones (Ps. 33:1), and demands the worship of His children (Ex. 20:3-5).

Smooth countdown videos, groovy kick-ins, and dimmed lights are not necessarily the most helpful ways to draw our brothers and sisters together to worship. In our modern era of Solo cups, paper plates, and disposable utensils, we must take care to “set the table” well, so that we can proceed to do the work of informing and shaping this gathering of weary hearts and hungry souls.

COLIN LUNDSTROM
Progressive Covenantalism | Amillennialism
Colin Lundstrom currently holds the role of Deacon for Worship & Administration at Fellowship Church in Lubbock, TX, bringing almost a decade of experience as a music minister in the region. He completed his BA in Pastoral Studies in 2009 and plans to resume his MDiv studies in 2024. In addition to his classical training encompassing piano, clarinet, conducting, and vocal performance, Colin holds various technical degrees and certifications in musicianship. His expertise extends to teaching music and worship for over a decade. Colin and his wife Jessica are parents to six children.