A Royal Waste of Time: The Splendor of Worshiping God and Being Church for the World

Marva J. Dawn

Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1999 - Religion - 377 pages

Following up on her best selling Reaching Out without Dumbing Down, Marva Dawn offers biblically grounded, experience-based insights to help churches navigate beyond today's destructive worship wars and to stimulate renewal in the worship and life of congregations.

The first major section of the book examines the postmodern, media-saturated, consumerist culture that makes worship difficult yet absolutely essential. The next section focuses on keeping God at the center of worship. Other sections of the book explore issues of taste, forming faith in children, word choices, hospitality in worship, and the challenges of "being church for the world." The book also includes nine Scripture-based sermons and questions for further discussion.

In contrast to writers who advocate worship for utilitarian purposes, Dawn concentrates on worship's royal dimension, its God-ward focus. A Royal "Waste" of Time amplifies Dawn's earlier argument that churches need to wrangle seriously with the true purpose of worship in order to employ the tools and forms that best enfold participants in the splendor of worshiping God. Only worship filled with the splendor of God, Dawn writes, will lead to genuine adoration of God and faithful formation of his people.

What people are saying

User Review  - Larry L. Cawood - Christianbook.com

A tremendous sequal to "Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down." Marva has a great outlook and understanding as to what worship should be and how we can make it better scripturally. Keep up the good work Marva.

LibraryThing Review

User Review  - pastorstevensimpson - LibraryThing

Marva Dawn "gets it." Worship is not for what WE get out of it. It's not even for evangelism. Worship is for GOD.

Contents

• Introduction: 1
• A Royal Waste of Time A Sermon for Church Musicians on Colossians 31217: 12
• FOR THE WORLD CULTURE: 19
• The Needs of Our Being: 21
• Pop Spirituality or Genuine Story? The Churchs Gifts for Postmodern Times: 37
• Worship for Postmodern Times: 58
• Setting Limits on the Media: 70
• The Church as a Colony of the Kingdom in a Consumer Culture: 88
• WORSHIPING GOD THE SPLENDOR OF OUR INFINITE CENTER: 105
• Why Are We Not Astonished? A Sermon: 107
• Dont Let the People Cop Out of Witnessing: 120
• Ah Nadja Passion in Preaching: 135
• Keeping God as the Infinite Center of Our Worship: 149
• Everything Depends on the Resurrection A Sermon: 159
• BEING CHURCH BUILDING COMMUNITY: 167
• What If We All Were an Eye? A Sermon: 169
• Building Community in Worship: 178
• Worship Is Not a Matter of Taste: 186
• The Art of the Chef or Conducting the Symphony In Praise of Authority: 194
• For Those Who Grieve: 203
• BEING CHURCH FORMING CHARACTER: 215
• One Hundred Brakhot A Sermon: 217
• Do They Really Want Such Banality? or Are We Really Hearing the Yearnings?: 224
• Why Is a Catechumenal Process Needed in Contemporary Culture?: 240
• Forming the Character of the Churchs Children by Nurturing Their Minds: 252
• The Importance of the Word Two Childrens Sermons: 258
• BEING CHURCH CHOICES: 263
• Worshiping God and Being Church for the World A Sermon on Revelation 7917: 265
• What Do These Words Mean?: 277
• In Praise of the Harder Way Musings on Continuity Ephemerality Change and Faithfulness: 285
• Criteria by Which to Plan: 296
• Pause to Wonder Choral and Hymn Texts: 314
• FOR THE WORLD CHALLENGES: 323
• The Challenge of Discipleship A Sermon: 325
• Worship to Form a Missional Community: 333
• Always Be Ready to Give an Account: 345
• Asking New and Old Questions as We Remember the Future: 353
• For Further Reading: 371

About the author

Marva J. Dawn is adjunct professor of spiritual theology at Regent College.

Bibliographic information

• Title: A Royal Waste of Time: The Splendor of Worshiping God and Being Church for the World
• Author: Marva J. Dawn
• Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1999
• ISBN: 080284586X, 9780802845863
• Length: 377 pages
• Subjects: Religion / Christian Rituals & Practice / General; Religion / Christian Theology / General