Biblical Foundations of Corporate Worship

by Scott Aniol

Ever since Cain and Abel, God's people have been asking, "What is the proper way to worship God?" In five compelling chapters, Scott Aniol explains that corporate worship theology and practice must be founded in the Word of God. There we discover that corporate worship's goal is communion with God through regular, weekly covenant renewal, wherein the entire congregation engages in dialogue with God in a meeting structured around the gospel, toward the goal of spiritual fellowship with God through Christ by the Spirit.

Genres: Theology, Christianity

94 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 8, 2022

Reviews

[Travis Johns]

This book is a real challenge for the church that does not use the regulative principle in worship. The basic premise is, if God reveals himself through his Word, then we must worship him according to His Word only. A good challenge for me and my beliefs on congregational worship. A bit Reformed, so I don’t necessarily agree with all of the ritual aspects of corporate worship, but the author makes very valid points.

[Jon Cheek]

Really helpful little book providing a solid biblical foundation for worship.

[Zachary]

This is an excellent little summary of how one can derive the church's practice (on a weekly basis) from Scripture. This definitely articulates a regulative approach to corporate worship, but Aniol does so in a way which cleanly and concisely establishes the scriptural foundation for liturgical elements and then moves quickly into the application of those concepts.

This is a book intended for pastors and lay leaders at church, so I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who wants to explore the biblical foundation for what happens in a church on Sunday morning. I suspect that many may be surprised at what their church may be lacking in its regular practice. Others will find a solid biblical explanation for practices they already utilize.

I absolutely loved the first 4 chapters of the book. The fifth chapter I have a subtle squabble with, but that lies in a nuanced discussion which this review is inappropriate for. On the whole, the fifth chapter is going to be excellent for most readers, and so I recommend the book as a whole without hesitation.

The church needs more books like this, and I encourage worship leaders and pastors alike to read this and discuss their current practices in light of what Aniol discusses.

[Jen]

Short little book packed with the authority of scripture and its commands for the gathering of the church. Many of our modern practices are built on what works rather than what God has prescribed. Excellent bill for church leaders and pastors.

[Kim Arnold]

Aniol is probably the current imminent scholar on Christian worship. In this book, he clearly articulates the basis and need of a regulative principle of worship in our services. Aniol correctly exegetes biblical passages related to worship, and points to important documents from church history that uphold the regulative principle. He helpfully places Old Testament and New Testament passages of worship side-by-side and discusses their relationship in biblical context. This is a brief book, but it is packed with profound truth, and is written in an easy-to-read style.

Quote: “We come to corporate worship not to perform rituals out of duty, not primarily to evangelize unbelievers, not even to express what is already in our hearts. We come to corporate worship to meet with God and renew our communion with him” (45).

[Luke Simmons]

A wonderful starting point for anyone looking to reform their worship services. I'd recommend every worship pastor read this book to see what the Bible says about their role is and to help get rid of any unbiblical traditions that they may hold. This book has encouraged me greatly and helped me to see the faults of myself and my church

[Sheri Ingersoll]

Excellent! In a time of confusion as to what worship is, with the grave possibility that we could be worshiping in vain, it is crucial that we, the Church, grasp a solid understanding of worship according to God's pattern/standards given to us in the Bible. Scott Aniol has given us the tools.

[Jennifer Cannon]

I highly recommend this short book. If you have ever wondered why a church service looks the way it does or what is the biblical way Sunday services are to be conducted this book answers that and more.

[John]

Concise, easy to follow, and very informative.

[Taylor Eaton]

This was a good short read on how to help structure your worship service biblically. If you're in a "nondenominational" church, I especially encourage you to read this.

[Timothy Dehne]

Good.

[Jace]

A good and concise introduction to the topic of corporate worship.

[Cristi Walker]

This was a short, informative, easy to read book on what the Bible says about corporate worship. I learned a ton and everything that was said made so much sense. Makes me wonder why all corporate worship services aren’t structured this way and why I was in my 40s before I knew that God commands us to workshop Him in a specific way.

[Michael]

Great short illustration of what is Biblical worship.

[Patrick]

Excellent, short, pithy book on the authority, goal, structure, participants, and essence of Biblical corporate worship. The first chapter is worth the price of admission by itself.

Update: This is a solid book, but... it is not a comprehensive treatment and the author makes significant leaps in his Scriptural exegesis and reasoning that are not warranted from God's Word. In particular, the ideas of "covenant renewal" and "gospel vows" drive a significant part of his arguments for corporate worship, but I don't see any Biblical support for that framing in the New Covenant.