In "The Dangerous Act of Worship", Labberton states in Chapter 1, pg. 20 "Yes, true worship always questions the dominant paradigms, even those within the church. It asks whether we are bowing before reality or falsehood, before God or idols."
So, I ask, why does he say that true worship always questions dominant paradigms? Where in Scripture is he getting this from? (ie. Christ questioning the Pharisaical way?)
Secondly, as seekers of Christ then, what are the dominant paradigms within our church that we are struggling with--or should be questioning?
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Initially, I thought Labberton was speaking of “questioning paradigms” from the “be prepared” angle, 1Pet 3:15 and its context, but even more specifically in 2Tim 4:1 and following. As a believer I am to worship in spirit and in truth. To me that means being able to test things as either God’s reality or someone else’s version of reality. 2Tim say that some will come and preach not sound doctrine, but that which suits their desires. I am to be aware of that, especially in the church. I want to “be prepared” to give an answer for why I believe what I believe.
The more I think about it, the more something Brian McLaren mentioned in one of his books comes to mind. He says that typically when someone was trying to catch Jesus in a “run down” they would say, “as it relates to this, so and so says ‘A (dominant paradigm A)’, we say ‘B (dominant paradigm B)’.” Jesus more often than not would say, God’s reality is “C,” somewhere not even on the line connecting A and B. For example, the Samaritan woman says, “our fathers worship here, the Jew’s say worship in Jerusalem.” Jesus says, “a time is coming…”
“Dominant paradigms” are those which are widely accepted by some people or group and should immediately and thoroughly be thought through rather than immediately and thoughtlessly accepted as truth, because everyone else (or one person) has suggested or accepted it as gospel. I think of Waco Texas, Jim Jones, that guy that said the aliens were coming, etc., but even things as simple as music being equated with worship in recent years, praying from a stage, bowing to a cross, etc. I want to be able to answer the “why are you doing that?” question from anyone, especially God.
What are our “dominant paradigms?” I am interested in that question very much. I’d like to see what everyone else believes on this one.
I am not writing as someone who knows the answers to these questions, but this is what is going on in my head...
humbly submited,
c
along the lines of what craig said another place i found to be helpful is 1 john 4:1-6,discerning between false prophets and what is truth. i think that we face that today more than ever with people using establashed pardigms to promote a false agenda, a certain church in houston comes to mind, i think false teachers are slick. they use what we are comfortable with and put a subtle twist to it so it becomes self serving rather than God serving.
as far as what we are struggling with this a is a tough one. i know myself i struggle with the order of service (i know it sounds silly) but i think maybe we could shake it up every once in a while. i know for myself it is a struggle sometimes because i find myself looking forward to what comes next rather than paying attention to what is happening then. i think it also makes it easier for people to "do church" there is no requirement to get out of your comfort zone. on the other hand i do appreciate some of the shifts i have seen from leadership ie. baptisms, house churches etc.
i know this response is long and rambling and i aplogize. i ain't no writer. humbly-pat
To me, dominant paradigms might be a few of the following:
1. Order of service
2. Number of songs...before and after the sermon
3. Position in which we worship (standing, sitting, kneeling)
4. Worship as songs vs. silence vs. scripture meditation vs. discussion
I don't think some of these things are bad, but they may lull people to sleep, as Labberton would say, if there's not a variety every once and awhile.
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