Ancient-Future Worship

Kenny Benge preached a sermon entitled “Ancient-Future Worship” for the Fourth Sunday of Lent on March 17, 2012. Ancient-future worship is the common tradition of the church’s worship in Word, Table, and song, practiced faithfully and communicated clearly in every context of the world (Robert Webber). What stands at the center of the common tradition of worship is Word and Sacrament—Liturgy of the Word and Liturgy of the Table. What contextualizes worship more than anything else is its music. Hymns and songs help us proclaim God’s story, but nowhere in Scripture or in the history of the church have hymns and songs ever been seen as a replacement for Word and Table.