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Called to Worship: The Biblical Foundations of Our Response to God's Call
IS HOW WE WORSHIP TRULY BIBLICAL? There’s only one way to find out: see what the Bible has to say. And that’s exactly what Called to Worship is all about. From Genesis to Revelation, every book in the Scriptures gives instruction and insight into God’s plan for worship. With this book, you’ll learn from Biblical heroes and ordinary people. Compare Old and New Testament practices. Glean insight from Biblical poetry and the Books of Wisdom. And most important, you’ll see how the life of Christ serves as a living guide to worship.
" A must read book for every student of worship, Vernon M. Whaley has completed a monumental task gathering the principles, processes and practices of worship drawn from scriptural narratives spanning the entire Bible." —Charles E. Fromm, Ph.D., Publisher of Worship Leader Magazine
"Called To Worship is the most comprehensive book on Worship I've ever read. The depth of scriptures on Worship is incredible." — Dr. Ricky Skaggs, Bluegrass Musician and Worshiper of Jesus Christ
" A must read book for every student of worship, Vernon M. Whaley has completed a monumental task gathering the principles, processes and practices of worship drawn from scriptural narratives spanning the entire Bible." —Charles E. Fromm, Ph.D., Publisher of Worship Leader Magazine
"Called To Worship is the most comprehensive book on Worship I've ever read. The depth of scriptures on Worship is incredible." — Dr. Ricky Skaggs, Bluegrass Musician and Worshiper of Jesus Christ
- GenresChristian
384 pages, Paperback
First published February 29, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 27, 2009
Frankly, your time would be better spent in searching the Bible for what it says on worship rather than in reading this book. I've done such a study, and it profoundly changed my life.
My first problem is that Whaley rarely pointed out Scriptures where God tells us how He wants to be worshiped--and there are plenty of them. After all, don't we want to know what GOD wants?
Instead, much of "Called to Worship" was the author's paraphrase of a Bible story (adding in motives that are not in the Bible and I often didn't think correct) with a small section at the end drawing lessons that he felt that Adam & Eve, Cain and Abel, Abram, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Samuel, Saul, David, Solomon, Elijah, Jehoshaphat, and Job demonstrated about worship.
He asks the reader to trust his often very speculative take on how he thinks God wants to be worshiped instead of looking for what God stated on the subject. (For example, the Garden of Eden supposedly demonstrates that perfect worship is that which is done all alone and totally secluded from all distractions.)
Another thing that distressed me were statements Whaley made in chapters 2 and 3 which directly contradict Scripture. For example, his statements strongly imply he thinks God has no control over Satan and that God couldn't protect Adam and Eve from Satan's influence any more than a father can protect his son from hearing a man cussing in public. He also says that Satan always had dominion over the earth (rather than Adam), that Satan existed "before Creation" (so he isn't created?), that suffering and the curse on the earth came from Satan's actions (instead of Adam's), that all of the resulting suffering was outside God's plan and completely harmful (he needs to read "If God Is Good" by Randy Alcorn). And, finally, that God lost to Satan--not the war in heaven, but the war on earth.
The author made some statements throughout the book that he later contradicted with a verse he quoted or a statement he made, and I sometimes was unsure just what he believed. I was very concerned about what someone not firm in Bible knowledge would think he was saying. (And, frankly, if you're familiar with the Bible, you won't learn anything new about worship from this book.)
The later sections of "Called to Worship" looked at books of the Bible (like Psalms, Proverbs, the epistles, etc.) and were better because the author stuck with actual Scripture. The only two chapters of this book that I felt were good were those studying how Jesus worshiped since Jesus is both God and the perfect worshiper.
The book was written in a very conversational style and was like a bunch of mini-sermons loosely focused on worship. While I did agree with some of the points he made, it was because I knew of verses that specifically state the point rather than because of the example he gave.
So, as I said above, your time would be better spent in searching the Bible for what it says on worship rather than in reading this book.
My first problem is that Whaley rarely pointed out Scriptures where God tells us how He wants to be worshiped--and there are plenty of them. After all, don't we want to know what GOD wants?
Instead, much of "Called to Worship" was the author's paraphrase of a Bible story (adding in motives that are not in the Bible and I often didn't think correct) with a small section at the end drawing lessons that he felt that Adam & Eve, Cain and Abel, Abram, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Samuel, Saul, David, Solomon, Elijah, Jehoshaphat, and Job demonstrated about worship.
He asks the reader to trust his often very speculative take on how he thinks God wants to be worshiped instead of looking for what God stated on the subject. (For example, the Garden of Eden supposedly demonstrates that perfect worship is that which is done all alone and totally secluded from all distractions.)
Another thing that distressed me were statements Whaley made in chapters 2 and 3 which directly contradict Scripture. For example, his statements strongly imply he thinks God has no control over Satan and that God couldn't protect Adam and Eve from Satan's influence any more than a father can protect his son from hearing a man cussing in public. He also says that Satan always had dominion over the earth (rather than Adam), that Satan existed "before Creation" (so he isn't created?), that suffering and the curse on the earth came from Satan's actions (instead of Adam's), that all of the resulting suffering was outside God's plan and completely harmful (he needs to read "If God Is Good" by Randy Alcorn). And, finally, that God lost to Satan--not the war in heaven, but the war on earth.
The author made some statements throughout the book that he later contradicted with a verse he quoted or a statement he made, and I sometimes was unsure just what he believed. I was very concerned about what someone not firm in Bible knowledge would think he was saying. (And, frankly, if you're familiar with the Bible, you won't learn anything new about worship from this book.)
The later sections of "Called to Worship" looked at books of the Bible (like Psalms, Proverbs, the epistles, etc.) and were better because the author stuck with actual Scripture. The only two chapters of this book that I felt were good were those studying how Jesus worshiped since Jesus is both God and the perfect worshiper.
The book was written in a very conversational style and was like a bunch of mini-sermons loosely focused on worship. While I did agree with some of the points he made, it was because I knew of verses that specifically state the point rather than because of the example he gave.
So, as I said above, your time would be better spent in searching the Bible for what it says on worship rather than in reading this book.
September 30, 2012
This is an awesome book, It has a lot of info on worship from Genesis to Revelation.
April 19, 2025
Not worth a read. I was really excited about this book because the introduction was great, and it comes on high recommendation from some current LU music professors. Frankly, it was hard to get through.
The theological content isn't the worst that I've read, but not the best by far. There are a few takes that I downright disagree with, e.g. making Solomon the villain in the book of Ecclesiastes, but I don't think this is the worst part of the book. What really bothers me is the amount of times he makes a claim about how we should worship and then backs it up with a portion of scripture that really does not seem to fit. The claim isn't even always terribly wrong, just based on confusing logic connecting to the scripture. For instance, Whaley is huge on having a private place to go and worship, secluded from distractions. I don't think there's anything wrong with this, but he uses Moses on Mt. Sinai as the first prescriptive passage for this. I do not have a doctorate (or really any formal training) in Old Testament interpretation, but if that's the big thing we're getting out of Moses' experience on Sinai, it feels like we're missing the point. Overall it felt like a disorganized jumble of ideas disguised as Biblical theology.
The writing style is also pretty irritating to me, though this is perhaps more preference than anything else. The overwhelming amount of "—," misused italics, beginning sentences with conjunctions, and attempts at dramatic transitions really made this a slog. It seemed like a written out sermon with excessive pastoral inflections that really did not add anything to the power of the text. Again, this is less of a deal than the actual content, but by the end of the book I was really tired of the style.
There were some good takeaways. Every once in a while Whaley would happen upon something impactful or profound, but as another reviewer mentioned, you may be better off just reading the Bible.
The theological content isn't the worst that I've read, but not the best by far. There are a few takes that I downright disagree with, e.g. making Solomon the villain in the book of Ecclesiastes, but I don't think this is the worst part of the book. What really bothers me is the amount of times he makes a claim about how we should worship and then backs it up with a portion of scripture that really does not seem to fit. The claim isn't even always terribly wrong, just based on confusing logic connecting to the scripture. For instance, Whaley is huge on having a private place to go and worship, secluded from distractions. I don't think there's anything wrong with this, but he uses Moses on Mt. Sinai as the first prescriptive passage for this. I do not have a doctorate (or really any formal training) in Old Testament interpretation, but if that's the big thing we're getting out of Moses' experience on Sinai, it feels like we're missing the point. Overall it felt like a disorganized jumble of ideas disguised as Biblical theology.
The writing style is also pretty irritating to me, though this is perhaps more preference than anything else. The overwhelming amount of "—," misused italics, beginning sentences with conjunctions, and attempts at dramatic transitions really made this a slog. It seemed like a written out sermon with excessive pastoral inflections that really did not add anything to the power of the text. Again, this is less of a deal than the actual content, but by the end of the book I was really tired of the style.
There were some good takeaways. Every once in a while Whaley would happen upon something impactful or profound, but as another reviewer mentioned, you may be better off just reading the Bible.
January 31, 2020
This book was a Christmas present from Vernon and I have to say that I appreciated it. The basic idea of this is book is to survey every book of the Bible gleaning principles of worship from each section. If one of the functions of good writing is that the author writes like he speaks, then I would have to say Vernon has achieved that. I intend to personally commend him for this book, even though I would not give it nearly the sort of endorsement that I would give to Warren Wiersbe’s book Real Worship.
It seemed to me that Vernon speaks too broadly in this book about worship. I mean by that he sees anything that is done in the direction of God as worship. What’s more when drawing his principles from the Scripture it doesn’t seem that all of them naturally develop. In other words, I think some of the points are a bit strained. I would also comment that you could find justification for any side in the “worship wars” from this book. That may be something of an indictment of the whole “worship movement;” they seem to be saying do whatever you want. I suppose I would respect someone who stakes out a definite position and defends it.
It seemed to me that Vernon speaks too broadly in this book about worship. I mean by that he sees anything that is done in the direction of God as worship. What’s more when drawing his principles from the Scripture it doesn’t seem that all of them naturally develop. In other words, I think some of the points are a bit strained. I would also comment that you could find justification for any side in the “worship wars” from this book. That may be something of an indictment of the whole “worship movement;” they seem to be saying do whatever you want. I suppose I would respect someone who stakes out a definite position and defends it.
February 5, 2018
A very thorough overview of the Biblical subject of worship. Not as in-depth as I would like a graduate level text book (it was assigned for a graduate level class on worship), but an excellent read nonetheless.
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January 10, 2021This is well researched book on the history and "whys" of worship. Vernon Whaley was the dean of worship at Liberty University. It is a good read for any worship leader. It is a good read for any worshiper.
November 28, 2023
Good insights in this book.
"Obedience is at the heart of worship. It is worship's very foundation."
"Obedience is at the heart of worship. It is worship's very foundation."
January 30, 2019
It is a good book for the target audience Whaley references. It would provides a wide range of theological insight about worship, written at an accessible level.
September 20, 2009
“Called To Worship”, by Vernon M. Whaley, is an essential for any Christian Library. This wonderfully scripted inspirational book is the inspirational book for all inspirational books. Whaley, take Scripture and uses them to explain worship. He breaks down the Bible into easy to understand terms, allowing the reader to understand and gain understanding through God’s Word. God wants us to worship Him through true worship. Whaley uses this knowledge of the Bible to help the reader learn how to effectively and affectively worship.
This book is broken down into three parts: Old Testament Principle of Worship, where we learn from those who lived and loved God with blind faith. We see the errors in our ways through these stories from the Bible, so that we can hopefully not make the same mistakes. We also learn that many in the Bible even seeing the miracles God showed, took Him for granted and fell victim to false worship. God shows that He loves us and wants us to worship Him with all our hearts.
Part II deals with New Testament Principles of Worship, where we see how the Gospels are used to teach us and keep us faithful in our worship. Finally Part III deals with Worship in Heaven, the perfect worship.
As I opened this book and started reading the Forward, I felt a connection and ever holding feeling come over me. I felt this book was going to be somehow different. Called To Worship does just that. It calls us to worship God in its truest form. Only by our use of the Bible can we gain a better understanding of exactly how to worship correctly. His Word is there for us to read and learn from, so let’s make it a point to worship correctly. Whaley uses his experiences along with scripture to captivate the reader and acknowledges that each of us needs to find his or her own personal way to worship fully and wholeheartedly. This book keeps the reader captivated throughout.
I highly recommend this book for inclusion in every library. It’s a wonderful study guide and can and should be used in conjunction with the Bible for any study of worship.
This book is broken down into three parts: Old Testament Principle of Worship, where we learn from those who lived and loved God with blind faith. We see the errors in our ways through these stories from the Bible, so that we can hopefully not make the same mistakes. We also learn that many in the Bible even seeing the miracles God showed, took Him for granted and fell victim to false worship. God shows that He loves us and wants us to worship Him with all our hearts.
Part II deals with New Testament Principles of Worship, where we see how the Gospels are used to teach us and keep us faithful in our worship. Finally Part III deals with Worship in Heaven, the perfect worship.
As I opened this book and started reading the Forward, I felt a connection and ever holding feeling come over me. I felt this book was going to be somehow different. Called To Worship does just that. It calls us to worship God in its truest form. Only by our use of the Bible can we gain a better understanding of exactly how to worship correctly. His Word is there for us to read and learn from, so let’s make it a point to worship correctly. Whaley uses his experiences along with scripture to captivate the reader and acknowledges that each of us needs to find his or her own personal way to worship fully and wholeheartedly. This book keeps the reader captivated throughout.
I highly recommend this book for inclusion in every library. It’s a wonderful study guide and can and should be used in conjunction with the Bible for any study of worship.
September 28, 2009
Called to Worship, by Vernon Whaley, is a book that offers a biblical basis for worship. The book is formatted into three parts: Old Testament Worship, New Testament, and Worship in Heaven. From these, Whaley dives into giving thoughtful examples of worship, frequently siting Scripture and other published works. (The cited works are enough to warrant an Appendix of sorts, including a bibliography and a section of Notes.)
I found this book easy to read, but challenging to apply. To me, the book felt like I was reading a summary of the Bible with worship-tinted glasses on, which is definitely not a bad thing. Whaley starts off the book with a picture of what Eden was like, when life was perfect and worship of God was complete. Sadly, this did not last, and soon the "Worship Wars" began. The rest of the book deals with the aftermath of the Fall and how Man must fight to worship Yahweh. From Genesis to Revelation, familiar Scripture is analyzed and worship is encouraged.
I can easily recommend this book if you are looking to set your heart on worshiping God. Finishing the book left me desiring to serve Christ better, to live a life full of worship and glory to God. Whaley encourages us to read, pray, sing, and give glory to God in all that we do. While Called to Worship is not a substitute for the Bible, it is a great companion to read to get a feel of what worship could be like.
You can find this book on Amazon. I'll end with two of my favorite quotes from the book.
"The worship battles we face today are often driven by self-interest. Unwilling to accept new, exciting venues for the expression of worship, many folks just stir up conflict....Such personal preferences result in disagreement between brothers and sisters, pastor and parishioners, and their differences of opinion prohibit their worship of God."
"Authentic worship requires a regular worship routine. Abraham was a builder of altars...You need to meet with God at a special time in a previously appointed place that is free of distractions from the world around you,...giving him your undivided attention. He deserves no less."
I found this book easy to read, but challenging to apply. To me, the book felt like I was reading a summary of the Bible with worship-tinted glasses on, which is definitely not a bad thing. Whaley starts off the book with a picture of what Eden was like, when life was perfect and worship of God was complete. Sadly, this did not last, and soon the "Worship Wars" began. The rest of the book deals with the aftermath of the Fall and how Man must fight to worship Yahweh. From Genesis to Revelation, familiar Scripture is analyzed and worship is encouraged.
I can easily recommend this book if you are looking to set your heart on worshiping God. Finishing the book left me desiring to serve Christ better, to live a life full of worship and glory to God. Whaley encourages us to read, pray, sing, and give glory to God in all that we do. While Called to Worship is not a substitute for the Bible, it is a great companion to read to get a feel of what worship could be like.
You can find this book on Amazon. I'll end with two of my favorite quotes from the book.
"The worship battles we face today are often driven by self-interest. Unwilling to accept new, exciting venues for the expression of worship, many folks just stir up conflict....Such personal preferences result in disagreement between brothers and sisters, pastor and parishioners, and their differences of opinion prohibit their worship of God."
"Authentic worship requires a regular worship routine. Abraham was a builder of altars...You need to meet with God at a special time in a previously appointed place that is free of distractions from the world around you,...giving him your undivided attention. He deserves no less."
February 3, 2010
It takes you through the entire Bible showing how God intended from the beginning for us to worship Him. I’ve really found this book useful as I prepare for the event. One of the great things is that I can jump around in the book or read it straight through.
When I started Called to Worship, I started at the beginning…which of course meant that I started with what worship is based on how God created worship in Genesis. Worship is defined as “reverence offered a divine being…act of expressing such reverence”. But before we can worship God, He must reveal Himself to us.
“God initiated the task of revealing Himself to man through Creation.”
God “placed within us the desire to know Him, fellowship with Him, love Him supremely – and worship Him.” We were made to worship, God made us to worship Him….we just sometimes turn this desire to worship to something not worthy of our time.
Called to Worship can be read in order, going straight through the Bible showcasing worship through the Old and New Testament, breaking it down by characters of the Bible and seasons of the people of God. It shows how the sins of the people of Isreal caused their worship to be in vain and worthless….just as it can become today. Or it can be used as I am using it tonight to focus on one particular area/character/time frame of worship, the minor prophets, Jonah to be exact.
The book’s goal is to led the reader into a greater love for God, thus causing a deeper worship. It can be used for individual study or as a textbook.
I’m using it tonight to begin my study of Jonah this week and finding it very helpful. This is a great resource to have but not only for the general knowledge it contains, but for the chance to lead your heart to true worship of God.
When I started Called to Worship, I started at the beginning…which of course meant that I started with what worship is based on how God created worship in Genesis. Worship is defined as “reverence offered a divine being…act of expressing such reverence”. But before we can worship God, He must reveal Himself to us.
“God initiated the task of revealing Himself to man through Creation.”
God “placed within us the desire to know Him, fellowship with Him, love Him supremely – and worship Him.” We were made to worship, God made us to worship Him….we just sometimes turn this desire to worship to something not worthy of our time.
Called to Worship can be read in order, going straight through the Bible showcasing worship through the Old and New Testament, breaking it down by characters of the Bible and seasons of the people of God. It shows how the sins of the people of Isreal caused their worship to be in vain and worthless….just as it can become today. Or it can be used as I am using it tonight to focus on one particular area/character/time frame of worship, the minor prophets, Jonah to be exact.
The book’s goal is to led the reader into a greater love for God, thus causing a deeper worship. It can be used for individual study or as a textbook.
I’m using it tonight to begin my study of Jonah this week and finding it very helpful. This is a great resource to have but not only for the general knowledge it contains, but for the chance to lead your heart to true worship of God.
December 7, 2009
While I was very excited to get a copy of this book and after slogging through the first half of the book it (for the most part) lived up to my expectations. The book reads like a survey of the Old and New Testaments with Whaley’s Principles of Worship (summaries at the end of each chapter,) connecting the Biblical stories to the Principles that he wants the readers to take away. These Principles do a good job of reminding the reader the worship is how we act in response to interaction with God.
The full review is posted at my blog, http://ashertopia.blogspot.com. This book was provided free of charge by the publisher as a review copy.
The full review is posted at my blog, http://ashertopia.blogspot.com. This book was provided free of charge by the publisher as a review copy.
May 26, 2011
Highly recommended. I am currently taking his course - Biblical Foundations of Worship. A lot of work!!! But amazingly rewarding!!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews