The following is part of the president of the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies, Dr. Jim Hart’s letter to the students.

“Today, February 17, the Commission on Accreditation of the Association for Biblical Higher Education passed a motion granting the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies full accreditation!

Here is portion of my comments to the commission:

“As we have journeyed through the accreditation process, the leaders in the IWS community, and especially Bob Webber, have consistently stated that achieving accreditation is one of our highest prioritized goals. Although we had some fear that this process may attempt to change the ethos of IWS, we have discovered instead that ABHE has come alongside us to help us be a better school and to reach toward our greatest potential. Perhaps more importantly, it has supported and even advocated for our mission of forming leaders in worship renewal, so we can maximize our impact for the Kingdom. We have come to the realization that accreditation is really not a goal, but rather a threshold on a trek of ongoing institutional improvement, the relentless pursuit of excellence, and the partnering together with other schools of Biblical higher education with the common purpose of forming our students to impact the world with God’s story of redemption in Jesus Christ. I am deeply thankful for this association, which unites us together under that Kingdom mandate.

“Since the death of Bob Webber two years ago we have honored his legacy by continuing to make significant strides at IWS. . . . Bob’s genius in establishing an educational community that is intentionally simple, servant-oriented, sacrificial, and spiritual, yet committed to excellence, has secured a legacy for worship education and renewal that has exceeded expectations and has shown evidence of the Lord’s leading and blessing.

“Our association with ABHE has helped to make the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies a better school, and for that we are very grateful.”

Dr. Eric Ohlmann, Director of Strategic Planning and Accreditation, Dr. Eric Bolger, Academic Dean, and Dr. Luder Whitlock, Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees attended the meeting with me and helped to field question from the commission. After the questions we were excused while a motion was made, discussed and passed. We were invited back into the commission meeting and were informed that we had been approved for full accreditation.

I want to express my deepest appreciation to Dr. Ohlmann and Dr. Bolger who have both contributed invaluably to the accreditation process, to Dr. Whitlock, Dr. John Lindsell and the entire board of trustees for their support, leadership and hard work in this pursuit, to the superb faculty and staff for their tireless efforts and commitment, and for the prayers, support and input of our stellar alumni and students.

I want also to thank ABHE for their encouragement, support and advice in our pursuit of accreditation. In particular, I want to acknowledge Dr. Ralph Enlow, Dr. Randy Bell , Dr. Larry McKinney and Dr. Tony Buchanan, along with many others in ABHE for starting IWS down this road, for standing alongside us, for encouraging us and advising us, and for partnering with us to advance the Kingdom through worship renewal in the context of Biblical higher education.

Thanks be to God.

The Lord be with you,
James R. Hart, President”

“The church as a living witness to God s narrative became the place where the consumer could buy a product that fulfilled his or her needs. Of course, the church does fulfill needs, but they must be placed within the cosmic narrative, thereby reducing the individual’s focus on self and turning his or her contemplation to God’s saving deeds, whereby the whole world is made right.”
- Robert Webber

This is the weekly Bob Webber quote that IWS sends out to all students. This quote struck me especially hard in congruence with my current reading. Dr. Ralph P. Martin states in his book Worship in The Early Church states,

“Worship which is man-devised and conducted according to human dictates and whims, however impressive and aesthetic it may appear, is not acceptable. The verdict upon Jeroboam’s rival sanctuary at Bethel is a case in point. Worshiping by the Spirit of God entails a rejecting of all ‘confidence in the flesh’ (Philippians 3:3). Our first inquiry must be one which seeks to understand the character of the God whom we worship. The nature of God as He has graciously disclosed it in the pages of the Bible will determine all subsequent consideration of this subject, and will affect every phase of our desired communion with Him. Some of the main facets of God’s self-revelation may be listed.”
- Ralph P. Martin

This is a terrifying reality that plagues Western Christianity. As we have focused more and more on our individual justification and sanctification we have taken steps towards dove into this pit of self-comforting, culturally relevant subjectivism that God seems to warn against in 1 Kings 12 & 13. What are we doing?
“O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.” Psalm 22:2 (ESV)

Sources
____
Ralph P. Martin, Worship in the Early Church. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1964, pg. 13

Robert E. Webber, Who Gets to Narrate the World? Contending for the Christian Story in an Age of Rivals. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2008, pg. 131.

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“The church has become a business that sells Jesus—the culture of consumerism. Theology has become an analytical discipline that scientifically examines propositions—the culture of reason. Worship has become an entertaining program that presents Jesus in a winsome way—the culture of entertainment. Spirituality has become an experience of transcendence achieved through Christian technique—the New Age culture of generic spirituality. The church’s life in the world is to do good so people can see that Jesus is all about being nice and helpful—the culture of humanism.”

Robert E. Webber, Who Gets to Narrate the World? Contending for
the Christian Story in an Age of Rivals (Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity Press, 2008), 123-124.

This is the closing of prayers at the IWS morning worship service which always closes with “The Lords Prayer.”



Blessings!

So today weirded me out because Nathan didn’t let Kellie and I sit together to take notes for each other. Nathan, as Darrell said this morning, sometimes it is good for people to feel our wrath!

Anyway, so to start off this morning, our Chaplain Darrell Harris played the following video (one of my favorite tunes) to set up our morning worship service. If you watch the whole thing you’ll see what was so interesting about it, especially since we saw it at 8:30 in the morning. Hint: Underoath is a hardcore band.

These are few quotes from today’s class:

“Throughout history, Christians have wanted music to move to.” -Lester Ruth

“Its refreshing to see a worship service where the pastors are completely unconcerned with the reaction of the congregation.” -Matt Sigler

“The worship that we do matters not, only the worship that Christ gives to God the Father matters. Our Job is to get caught up in that.”

Worship is the ongoing song and dance of Jesus Christ.

Worship renewal often times has nothing to do with music but with scripture and prayer. There are fewer fights this way. - Lester Ruth

When you are a church under persecution, there can be no denominations. When you are the a church of the empire, you can. -Lester Ruth

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This is a recount of our Sunday. We attended New Grace Anglican Church today and it was a completely different experience than I had anticipated. I expected the use of physical liturgical documents, chant, communion wine, and attention to symbolism. Well we had communion wine…sweet. Let me say the the above picture is not from the church that we attended but this is what I think of when I think Anglican. This church was built within the last year or two and made the shape of the sanctuary was mostly dry wall. There was a bit of an alter but it was merely a white cloth draped over the wall which does correspond with liturgical calendar of course and the priests were wearing vestments. However, the liturgy was followed on the screens that were placed on either side of the front of the sanctuary. The music was a combination of hymns and praise and worship music. In all it was a really interesting experience to see the opposite of what my experience had been thus far with the Anglican church. It was also really interesting being that half of the IWS Chi Class (my class) were in attendance. There is a certain beauty is seeing a more accessible form of Anglican worship. The most beautiful part was the fact that there were four members being baptized during the service including a mother and here infant son at the same time. Praise God!

Following the Worship, the only thing left to do was grab some food with the brothers and sisters. Jun, my classmate from Colorado Springs and his wife Dorthy and Daughter Elizabeth suggested a great seafood joint which the name of escapes me. We took the photo below. From Left to right, Elizabeth, Jun, Dorthy, Dale our infamous Chi T.A. from saskatchewan, David our resident Alabamian, and fellow jazzer Steve from Queens, NY. Thanks again to Steve for twisting my arm to get the pie!

Blessings!

“We often think that Music for the heart, the sermon is for the head. This will work great, but it is so dangerous. People tend to think that God’s presence comes in the music, yet the sermon is only the teaching of men from the scriptures.”
– Dr. Lester Ruth

So there was not much that I felt like really. We had class but really the best part was the fellowship and the hang after class. Mexican food, liters of beer, and football followed by a late night game of Spades really was what this time was all about. It was a manifestation of the Kingdom to come. Brothers and sisters in Christ that had just met. Methodist, Baptist, Anglican, Presbyterian, Pentecostal did not matter we just hung and discussed our own traditions. The body was edified!

We had a late night of Cahds as our resident Bostonian calls them and relaxation. From left to right, Kellie, Tim and John. Never play spades with John but if you do know that he intends to take the first few tricks if at all possible. If you can take one he is ruined! Superman’s Kyrptonite if you will…

So today was a very interesting day. We discussed the contours of biblical thought, Hebrew worldview, structure in worship, symbolism in the Old Testament, Iconography, and Cultural Borrowing which I found most interesting in Job 29:18 as it references a Phoenix, depending on your translation. We defined Cultural Borrowing as the infusion a previously used cultural symbol with new theological meaning and symbolism. Verse 18 reads Then I thought, “I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.” In some translations the word for sand can be loosely changed to either “ashes” or “bird.” Whether or not this is the case really isn’t that important as I see it. What I see is a beautiful metaphor in which the phoenix represents our lives in Christ.

Here’s a picture from a walk we took the other day after 9 hours of sitting. It was a beautiful evening to watch the sun set and my friend David hopped up onto a stump for picture. David is from Alabama and is a worship leader and conductor in the SBC. We stayed up way to late watching the BCS championship last night. Though David is originally from Mississippi and loves Missippis State, he now has been called to Tuscaloosa AL, so he a good night! The most beautiful thing, thus far, about IWS is that despite our various theological differences, we are able to forge meaningful, resourceful relationships through an intense monastic community of study as we pursue our common passion for the renewal of worship in this Day and age.

The Second best part: CRAWDAD BOIL!!!

How man places do you know that serves Crawdads that have been boiled on the sidewalk out front of the cafeteria? We walked into the smell of seafood and Cajun spices. It was amazing. David walks up to me and says “looks like we’re having crayfish.” “Now I hadn’t expected that from an Alabamian, Crayfish? Someone else said something about it though, and he replied, “Oh no, I’m just conforming to the cultural norm.” I laugh just about every minute with that guy!

Yeah, that is Ice…In Florida. It was 26 yesterday morning. Please pray for the Farmers and migrant workers in the fields. The farmers are losing their citrus and strawberry crops this year and there are too many migrant workers and housing is scarce so some are sleeping out in the cold.

Blessings!