Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down: A Theology of Worship for This Urgent Time

Media:	Paperback
Author:	Marva J. Dawn
Publisher:	Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
Release date:	01 September, 1995
List price:	~~$19.00~~
Our price:	$12.92 that is 32% off!

Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down: A Theology of Worship for This Urgent Time

Average rating: Stars

Don't Let Worship Be Flushed Down America's Cultural Toilet

This book, along with Thomas Long's "Beyond the Worship Wars" is a must read for all committed Christians, particularly those who are worried about where both Christ-centered worship and church membership numbers are headed.

Dawn goes into how we got into the current cultural mess in our society, though given the book's age it is a bit dated as it refers primarily to "Boomers" (from what I've gathered in other research, the situation is similar for GenX, just worse). She then critiques the well meaning (I hope) attempts to reach America's dumbed down, short attention span, commitment phobic generation with worship styles that would be attractive to them, no matter the cost to the Gospel.

Dawn critiques not only contemporary worship but traditionalISM as well. She sees the function of worship not as means of attracting numbers, but of having a personal experience with part of God, forming the character of the worshiper, and building community. Both extremes are the antithesis of this.

I have two minor criticisms of this book. Dawn, who I guess has no training in science or technology, tends to present as scientific fact the results of single research studies which appear to be unverified by independent work (to be fair, some are unlikely to be reproduced anytime soon) and might not have had significant peer review. Second she, unlike Long, is a little vague when it comes to solutions, though they seem to be there somewhere. In other words, she can ramble a bit.

Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down: A Theology of Worship for This Urgent Time - Marva J. Dawn

Tough Thoughts

In her book, Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down, Marva Dawn endeavors to help readers clearly understand culture and worship, to give absolutes to help evaluate the influences or worship, and to offer suggestions to help church reach out to their community without dumbing down their message.

Marva Dawn's stance on worship is a bit too conservative and traditional for me. I agree with her that our churches focus way too much on individual people and that we need to focus more or God and our community, but I do not think that we need to be so judgmental in our criticisms of contemporary cultural. I believe that we can keep God the center of our worship and yet package our worship services in a culturally relevant and user-friendly form. Dawn seems to agree and yet at the same time emphasizes the traditional liturgical form of worship. She states, "... the idea that we should change our worship patterns to attract people to Christ is a mistaken notion." I disagree, and I believe that as long as our worship is biblical, Theocentric, Spirit-sensitive, and community-driven, we can package it however seems to best fit our contemporary context.

I must admit that much of my theology of worship has been influenced by my experiences in Pentecostal and Charismatic churches. On the other hand, Marva Dawn's Dawn's theology of worship is based on her Reformed tradition. These presuppositions that we both come to the table with cause most of our disagreement. For example, I appreciate spontaneous worship services, but she urges worshipers towards a more structured service centered on the Eucharist. What is interesting is that neither of our worship traditions nor liturgies are contrary to the Bible because the Bible does not prescribe a certain order or style of worship. There are potential problems with both spontaneous and more liturgical worship models, and we must be aware of these problems. No matter what tradition or model of worship we must keep God the focus of our worship.

Marva J. Dawn - Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down: A Theology of Worship for This Urgent Time

Praise God from whom all blessings flow

Many of the worship wars occur today because people are asking the wrong questions. Marva Dawn poses the essential questions and provides guidelines to help us revitalize our worship. She takes on many of today's popular church-growth strategies, such as seeker-sensitive services and contemporary worship choruses focusing on the worshiper. At the same time, she has no sympathy for dead, boring liturgy. She does, however, make a compelling case for the use of liturgy, whether it be traditional or contemporary.

The book begins with an in-depth analysis of our culture as it impacts and defines our worship, then develops three worship themes: keeping God rightly as the subject and object of worship, forming Christian character, and building community. Areas treated include music, preaching, liturgy, sacraments, silence, gestures and postures, architure, and participation of children.

The book is well-written and thought-provoking, based on considerable third-party research and sound theology. Because each chapter builds on the previous chapter, there is an element of repetition and tedium, but the insights to be gained are more than worth the effort. No one who reads this book will ever enter into worship of our holy God in quite the same way as before.

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