Worship Styles

Different worship styles...

I recently had the opportunity to see a video from Andy Stanley, a pastor at Northpoint Church in Georgia. The topic was "You've Got Style" the series is described as "Fashion - home decor - accents and attitudes - different ways of expressing ourselves. We call it style and we all have one. Even the way we draw near to God has a style. Quiet - loud - outside - within - in word or deed. Our expressions of worship can be as varied as we are, but which way is the right way? This four-part series by Andy Stanley explores the various styles of drawing near to God. The answers may surprise you!"

Pastor Andy's basis for this study on a book by Gary Thomas called Sacred Pathways, in which this prolific writer identifies and describes 9 specific ways people draw near to God. Mr. Thomas explains:

"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's spiritual walk." Are you envious of the way that some people seem to walk closely with God? Gary Thomas insists that it’s better to discover the path God designed you to take--a path marked by growth and fulfillment, based on your unique temperament. In Sacred Pathways, he strips away the frustration of a one-size-fits-all spirituality and guides you toward a style of relating to God that frees you to be you. If your devotional or worship times have hit a snag, let Gary help you:

• Embrace the unique way that you interact with God.
• Relish your personal time reading the Bible.
• Enjoy deeper community by supporting how others relate to God.
• Turn obligatory devotions into spiritual moments that you savor.

So let me take a moment and review each of the styles identified and see if you can find yourself in this:

1. Naturalists: Loving God Out Of Doors

A naturalist finds God through the beauty of His creation. “Earth’s crammed with heaven and every common bush afire with God. But only he who sees takes off his shoes and the rest sit around it and pick blackberries.” (Elizabeth Barrett Browning).

Famous Naturalists: St. Francis of Assisi, Jonathan Edwards, Bernard of Clairvaux, Charles Haddon Spurgon, Susan Power Bratton, Pamela Reeve

2. Sensates: Loving God With the Senses

Sensates feel connected to God through their senses. They long for traditional symbols of faith: the cross, candles, incense, stained glass, steeples, etc. They feel drawn to Christian artwork, worship music based on scriptures, fictional novels based on biblical precepts.

Famous Sensates: Madeleine L’Engle; Mozart; Handel

3. Traditionalists: Loving God Through Ritual and Symbol

Traditionalists enjoy rituals, symbols, communion, classic hymns, pews, and sacrifice. Those with this style often appear to others as legalistic and "religious". They enjoy observing traditional church holidays; including Passover, Pentecost, Advent.

Famous Traditionalists: Kathleen Norris; Walt Wangerin; Clement of Alexandria; Bonhoeffer

4. Ascetics: Loving God in Solitude and Simplicity

An ascetic may enjoy spending a day of silence at a monestary or other similar location. They prefer to be left alone in prayer apart from the distractions of the outside world. Their relationship with God is one on one. Some common forms of drawing nearer to God in this style include: fasting, strict obedience to the word of God, a simplified lifestyle. If you are an ascetic try to find time early in the morning or late at night to worship, perhaps even create for yourself a tranquil place to go and worship in silence.

Famous Ascetics: Michael Card, John the Baptist, Daniel, Jerome, St. Francis of Assisi

5. Activists: Loving God Through Confrontation

Activists enjoy the biblical account of Jesus cleansing the temple and seek ways to apply this to their own lives. They focus on bringing social change to a lost world. They often find a cause, or many causes, and through themselves in completely. Confrontation brings them spiritual nourishment.

Famous Acivists: Franky Schaeffer, Elizabeth Fry, Lord Shaftesbury, William Wilberforce, John Wesley, Tim and Beverly LaHaye, Charles Colson, Elijah, Peter, Habakkuk; Josh McDowell; Rush Limbaugh; James Dobson; Martin Luther King Jr.; Franklin Graham

6. Caregivers: Loving God by Loving Others

For caregivers, serving others is a form of serving God. They may adopt children, serve with charitable organizations, provide counsel, volunteer to serve needy, or something less formal like pulling over when you see a stranger with car troubles.

Famous Caregivers: Henri Nouwen, Mother Teresa, Mordecai

7. Enthusiasts: Loving God with Mystery and Celebration

An enthusiast can be easy to spot, just look for the members in your church with their hands raised during worship music or shouting amen during the sermon. They enjoy the awesomeness of God and want to show Him how much they appreciate His works.

Famous Enthusiasts: Ann Kiemel Anderson, King David, Graham Kendrick; Zig Ziglar; Barbara Johnson; James Robertson; Swindoll; Hayford

8. Contemplative: Loving God Through Adoration

Contemplatives view God as their father or bridegroom. They may enjoy doing anonymous random acts of kindness in the name of God. Their faith is based on an emotional love of the Lord and personal devotion to him. They may be accused of "mooing", responding to others observations with "hmmms" and "ahhhs".

Famous Contemplatives: Mary of Bethany, Dr. James Houston (professor at Regent College, Vancouver, B.C.); St, Teresa of Avila; Thomas Merton; Thomas Aquinas; Augustine, Julian of Norwich, King David

9. Intellectuals: Loving God with the Mind

If I am being honest, this is where I tend to fit in. I often don't realize that not everyone feels the need to read every book ever written or listen to sermons from 5-6 different churches. Perhaps not everyone wants to watch endless documentaries based on biblical concepts and applications. Intellectuals enjoy studying and discovering new connections and concepts in His Word. They feel nearest to God when he reveals something new to them and tend to become zealous about spreading this news (just ask my husband).

Famous Intellectuals: Dr. J. I. Packer; Dr. R. C. Sproul; C. S. Lewis; Dorothy Sayers, Charles Williams, J.R.R. Tolkein; Elizabeth Elliot; Calvin; Plantinga; Eugene Peterson; Colson; Gary Thomas; Bonhoeffer.


So this wraps up the basics of worship styles. Tomorrow I hope to post more about discovering your style(s), cautions, and additional resources for each style.

Thanks for reading!!