We recently talked about “worship in the broad sense,” which is often called “whole life worship.” Theologians like David Peterson and Harold Best have done solid work in helping the church to see that worship is not just what we do as a congregation on Sundays. But of course, what we do on Sundays is worship, too. Whether we call it “corporate worship,” “gathered worship” or “congregational worship,” there is no doubt that the Bible calls us to assemble together.
In Sojourn’s membership class section on worship, taught by pastor Mike Cosper, we call this Worship in the Narrow Sense: Occasions of Public and Private Adoration of God. Here is some material that Mike uses in teaching what God requires of us in this regard:
__________________________________________________________________________“The church is what it is because of a meeting with God. Its continuing meetings recall that original meeting and renew the covenant God has made with us. In worship, the church celebrates God’s nature and His blessings to us in creation and redemption (redemption from Egypt: Exodus 19-20, Psalms, and redemption from sin in Christ, especially His resurrection)”
John Frame, “Theology of Worship”
Group worship (Genesis 1-2, 4, Exodus 4:31, 15:1-21)
Family worship (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)
Private worship (Daniel 6:10, Matthew 6:6)
Outbursts of personal praise (Romans 9:5, 11:33-36, Ephesians 1:15-23, 3:14-21)

God’s people were “called out” (ecclesia) to worship the Lord on the “day of assembly” (Deuteronomy 4:10, 9:10, 10:4, 18:16). In that assembly, “Israel was constituted the covenant people of God.” - Edmund Clowney, “The Church”

We are today the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16) so we bear the titles of the Israelite assembly (Exodus 19:6, 1 Peter 2:9-10)

Jesus fulfills the elements of Old Covenant worship: The Sinai Assembly (Hebrews 12:22-24), the tabernacle and temple, (John 1:14, 2:19-22, Revelation 21:22), The tabernacle furniture (Hebrews 9:1-5), The sacrifices (Hebrews 10:1-18, Ephesians 5:2, Mark 10:45), The priesthood (1 Timothy 2:5, Hebrews 6:13-8:13) and the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8).

In the New Covenant, we now meet with God every week on Mount Zion (Hebrews 12:22-24) without all the barriers, through the curtain of Jesus’ body (Hebrews 10:19ff).

The early church met in the temple (Acts 2:42, 5:42) and in houses (Acts 1:13, 5:42, 12:12, Romans 16:5, 1 Corinthians 16:19)

God’s people set aside regular times to meet together with God (Hebrews 10:25)

• description: Why Christians come together and worship as a congregation of believers in one building.
• keywords: David Peterson, Harold Best, John Frame, theology of worship, corporate worship theology, congregational worship, Mike Cosper, Edmund Clowney, Old Covenant worship, New Covenant worship
• title: Worship in the Narrow Sense

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