**Author:** [[3. Resources/Authors/Bob Sorge|Bob Sorge]] ![[Exploring Worship Workbook Visual.excalidraw]] --- ## Book Overview *Exploring Worship* is a comprehensive guide to the theology and practice of praise and worship in the local church. Originally published in the mid-1980s and revised in 2001, the book addresses the "worship explosion" that swept through charismatic and pentecostal churches during that era. Sorge divides the book into two sections: the first seven chapters lay a theological and devotional foundation for understanding praise and worship, while the final three chapters provide practical guidance for worship leaders, teams, and service planning. With a foreword by Judson Cornwall, the book bridges the gap between worship theology and hands-on leadership, making it useful for both individual worshipers and those who lead congregations. --- ## Chapter/Section Summaries ### Section One: The Heart of Praise and Worship **Chapter 1 -- What Is Praise?** Sorge establishes the biblical foundation for praise, distinguishing it from worship. He traces the word "Judah" (meaning praise) through Scripture and argues that praise is commanded, not optional. The chapter covers why, when, where, and how to praise, detailing specific biblical forms: lifting hands, clapping, playing instruments, standing, kneeling, singing, dancing, shouting, and praying in tongues. Each form is grounded in Scripture and given practical rationale. **Chapter 2 -- Entering the Presence of God** This chapter addresses how believers approach God's presence, the distinction between individual and corporate worship, and each worshiper's personal responsibility. Sorge develops the concept of the "sacrifice of praise" -- that genuine praise costs something and requires initiative regardless of circumstances. **Chapter 3 -- Praise: A Weapon for Spiritual Warfare** Drawing on the story of Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20) and Paul and Silas in prison (Acts 16), Sorge makes the case that praise functions as a weapon in spiritual battle. He discusses "high praise," the "shout," and the "sound of war," arguing that praise releases God to fight on the believer's behalf. The chapter emphasizes that warfare through praise requires a specific word from God, proper preparation, and faith. **Chapter 4 -- What Is Worship?** Sorge collects fourteen definitions of worship, acknowledging that no single definition fully captures it. He distinguishes praise from worship -- praise is something we need to do; worship is something the Father seeks. Key concepts include worship as conversation with God, worship in spirit and truth, the simplicity of worship, and exclusive worship (God alone). The chapter warns against worshiping worship itself rather than God. **Chapter 5 -- Becoming a Worshiper** Using the account of the sinful woman anointing Jesus' feet (Luke 7:36-50), Sorge illustrates what it means to be a true worshiper. Worshipers are givers, broken before God, and willing to endure criticism. The chapter confronts guilt and condemnation as worship barriers, arguing from Romans 8:1 that believers don't get purified in order to worship -- they worship and are consequently purified. Sorge also identifies seven hindering attitudes: pride, reverse hedonism, presumption, spectatorism, sentimentalism, lip service, and fear of manipulation. **Chapter 6 -- The Full Purpose of Congregational Worship** This chapter presents a comprehensive framework for why churches invest time in corporate worship, organized into three dimensions: - **Vertical** (worshiper to God): ministering to the Lord, realizing God's manifest presence, providing atmosphere for spiritual gifts, opening communication channels with God. - **Horizontal** (worshiper to worshiper): enhancing unity, ministering to one another, teaching and reinforcing truth through song, professing faith, declaring God's glory before unbelievers, fostering receptivity for the preached word. - **Inward** (within the worshiper): uninhibited self-expression, verbal expression of the heart, increasing faith, growing in holiness, inspiring a worship lifestyle beyond Sunday, preparing for God's new work. **Chapter 7 -- Moving Prophetically in Praise and Worship** Sorge explores the scriptural link between music and prophecy (1 Chronicles 25, Saul's encounter, Elisha calling for a harpist). He defines prophetic worship broadly as moving with awareness of the Holy Spirit's leading moment by moment. The chapter discusses the "Song of the Lord," distinguishes between psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, and provides 23 practical guidelines for exercising prophecy (things to do) and 9 cautions (things to avoid). ### Section Two: The Leading of Praise and Worship **Chapter 8 -- The Art of Leading Worship** The longest and most practical chapter covers the full scope of worship leadership. Sorge presents nine qualifications for worship leaders (being a worshiper first, proven spiritual walk, familiarity with church style, musical inclination, good reputation, team player, proper attitude, commitment, and enthusiastic personality). He addresses musical expertise (singing, conducting, rhythm, tempo), musical excellence (not for God's sake but for human benefit -- poor music distracts from worship), preparation, general guidelines, and the relationship between worship leader and musician. A key principle: "get control, then lose control" -- the leader establishes direction, then releases the congregation to follow the Spirit. The chapter also covers exhortation, dealing with difficult times, standing in worship, dealing with ruts, and setting goals. **Chapter 9 -- The Worship Leading Team** Sorge advocates for team-based worship ministry rather than a solo leader model. He defines roles within the team: the pastor (key figure who leads by example -- a worshiping pastor births a worshiping church), the worship leader, the chief musician (may be a different person than the worship leader), musicians (not mere "accompanists" but worshipers on their instruments), and singers. The chapter gives extensive attention to the pastor/worship leader relationship, emphasizing respect, consideration, and communication as essential ingredients. **Chapter 10 -- Planning the Worship Service** The final chapter addresses practical service planning: finding balance between spontaneity and structure, using themes, building song lists, maintaining variety, and introducing new songs. Sorge discusses songwriting principles (melody, message, words, repetition, rhythm, key selection) and offers nine suggestions for teaching new songs to a congregation. He closes with enhancing worship through visual elements, signals, volume management, and projection systems. ### Appendices - **Appendix 1:** Sources for new worship music. - **Appendix 2:** Chord progressions in worship using the Roman numeral system and hand signs. - **Appendix 3:** A master song list organized for worship service planning. --- ## Key Themes and Highlights ### Core Distinction: Praise vs. Worship Praise is something we need -- God commands it for our benefit. Worship is something the Father seeks -- he doesn't need our worship, but he seeks worshipers (John 4:23). Praise is often exuberant and outward; worship is intimate and inward. Both can take identical outward forms, making them difficult to separate in practice. ### The Holy Spirit as Worship Leader Throughout the book, Sorge positions the Holy Spirit as the true leader of worship. Human worship leaders serve under the Spirit's direction. The prophetic dimension of worship -- discerning and following the Spirit's movement in real time -- is central to effective worship leadership. ### Worship as Transformation Sorge repeatedly emphasizes that worship changes the worshiper. We become like what we worship (Psalm 115:8; 2 Corinthians 3:18). Worship isn't just an activity -- it's the mechanism by which believers are progressively transformed into Christ's likeness. ### Praise as Spiritual Warfare Praise breaks through spiritual barriers, destroys strongholds, and releases God to fight on behalf of his people. This warfare dimension operates through faith and requires a specific word from God. ### Freedom from Guilt in Worship One of the book's most distinctive teachings: believers don't get purified in order to worship. They worship and are consequently purified. The sinful woman in Luke 7 worshiped first, then received forgiveness. Guilt and condemnation are among the greatest hindrances to worship. ### "Get Control, Then Lose Control" A worship leader's paradoxical task is to establish musical and spiritual direction (get control) and then gradually release the congregation to be led directly by the Holy Spirit (lose control). The best leaders make themselves progressively less necessary during a service. ### The Pastor as Key to Worship The worship ministry of a church will never exceed the pastor's vision for it. A worshiping pastor births a worshiping church; a non-worshiping pastor never will, regardless of how talented the worship leader is. --- ## Analytical Reading ### Central Argument Sorge argues that worship is both a theological imperative and a practical skill that can be cultivated. The book's dual structure -- devotional foundation followed by practical application -- reflects his conviction that right understanding must precede right practice. True worship flows from the heart of a worshiper (not merely someone who likes to worship), and effective worship leadership requires both spiritual sensitivity and musical competence. ### Strengths - The three-dimensional framework for congregational worship (vertical, horizontal, inward) in Chapter 6 is one of the most thorough treatments of "why we worship corporately" available. - The chapter on becoming a worshiper (Chapter 5) confronts guilt and condemnation with pastoral sensitivity, offering genuine freedom rather than formulaic solutions. - Practical sections are genuinely practical -- tempo management, handling wrong keys, dealing with unresponsive congregations, and setting tangible goals. - The pastor/worship leader relationship material in Chapter 9 addresses real tensions with honesty and grace. ### Limitations - The book reflects a specific charismatic/pentecostal tradition. Churches outside that stream may find some expressions (tongues, prophetic song, "high praise") unfamiliar or inapplicable. - Written primarily for a Western, American church context. Cross-cultural worship dynamics receive little attention. - The 2001 revision still reflects a pre-digital worship environment. Technology references (overhead projectors, slide projectors) are dated, though the underlying principles remain sound. - Some sections repeat points across chapters (the importance of being a worshiper, for example, appears in nearly every chapter). ### How This Connects to Other Works Sorge's work complements Judson Cornwall's writings on worship (Cornwall wrote the foreword), A.W. Tozer's emphasis on worship as the missing jewel of the church, and Matt Redman's later work on the heart of worship. The book's practical sections anticipate many themes later developed in worship leadership resources by authors like Tom Kraeuter and Darlene Zschech. --- ## Personal Reflection *Space for personal notes, applications, and reflections after reading.* - What forms of praise am I most comfortable with? Which ones challenge me? - How do I handle seasons when worship feels dry or mechanical? - Do I tend toward being a "connoisseur of worship services" rather than a genuine worshiper? - What would it look like to apply the "get control, then lose control" principle in my own context? - How does the idea of worshiping *before* being purified change my approach to coming before God? --- ## Reading Notes - Foreword by Judson Cornwall (November 1986) endorses the book as a balanced, practical resource. - Preface (June 2001) reflects on the worship movement's growth since the 1980s and the ongoing tension between "old" and "new" worship styles. - The book draws heavily on Psalms, 1-2 Chronicles, and the Davidic tabernacle as a model for worship. - Key Scripture references: Psalm 22:3 (God enthroned in praise), Isaiah 60:18 (gates = praise), John 4:23 (Father seeks worshipers), Romans 8:1 (no condemnation), 2 Corinthians 3:18 (transformed by beholding), 1 Chronicles 25 (prophetic musicians). - Sorge's 14 definitions of worship (Chapter 4) provide a useful reference collection. - The 23 "do's" and 9 "don'ts" for prophetic ministry (Chapter 7) serve as a practical checklist. - Nine qualifications for worship leaders (Chapter 8) can function as an assessment tool. - The three-part framework (vertical, horizontal, inward) from Chapter 6 is worth diagramming for teaching purposes.