Imagination, Ministry & Modern Worship Forms

The Biblical Role of Imagination and Imaginal Intelligence

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Hebrew concept of imagination includes two dynamic applications: 1) with regard to the human capacity to invent or make something, imagination is ‘the capacity to see what could be but is not yet.’ An example of this human capacity is Jer. 18:4, “But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.” And, 2) with regard to the human capacity to interact with transcendence, imagination is ’the capacity to see through what is known into the realities beyond what is known.

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A Biblical Definition of Artist

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The first area of expertise for the “artist” involves craftsmanship. The term craftsman seems the best biblical expression for what people today think of as an artist. Certainly there are numbers of different kinds of crafts, industries, and trades noted in the Scripture. There are at least nineteen different artistic crafts[1] mentioned in the Bible. But craftsman seems to be one of those wide-ranging terms, a class term, that serves as an umbrella under which exist many more specific craft areas. Craftsman is very similar to two other wide-ranging, umbrella class terms: one being musician, where there certainly exist more specific kinds of musicians—for example harp players, flute players, trumpet (shofar) players, and cymbal players—each having a technical name. The other class term is singers. The term craftsman means “someone unusually wise at imaginative design and expression.”

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Biblical Worship Applied

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Biblical worship involves two essential elements: First, worship must be done with reverence. This is a reverence-based approach toward God. Worship is inward God-directed Expressions of the Heart. When God encounters people, the first human worship response one sees Scripture reveal is that people bow in reverence in some way.

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Biblical Worship Described

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The essence of worship is in finding satisfaction in God. Both the Old and New Testaments clearly confirms the essence of worship to be a life centered in and focused on finding one’s greatest satisfaction in God alone, beyond any “thing” or any “one” else.[1] It is a thoroughly personal endeavor. While people may attempt to categorize worship as public or personal (corporate or private), all worship is personal worship. Musicians may lead a congregation in corporate praise but, that which goes on in the heart – communication between God and man – can only be experienced personally. And, every person’s worship experience is different. This is because worship is experienced in the inner heart. The Psalmist of Israel re-enforces this notion:

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Biblical Worship Defined

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Worship leaders should clearly note that New Testament Worship is initiated through the will of the Father, the work of the Son, and the agency of the Spirit. It is the Triune God who energizes the human (and human community of worshipers) to worship. He enables worship through the power His Spirit, through the work of Christ. He receives that worship. He is glorified by that worship. He is the beginning, the means, the object, and the end of all true worship. As Paul writes, “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Let it be!” (Ro 11:36-12:1). True worship is sourced, energized and culminated in the Triune-God revealed through Jesus Christ and the Holy Christian Scriptures.

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The Priority of Worship

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If worship is to be central in all Church life and focus, then the question, “Who is God” must also be addressed. Four major theological realities must be articulated: 1) God is supreme, 2) God is creator, 3) God is holy, and God is hesed-love.

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