Based on the reading from Noel Due’s Created for Worship and a careful study of the
presentations by Dr. David Manner, Pastor Rob Morgan, and Dr. Lavon Gray, present a biblical
rationale for planning worship, preparing sermons, and presenting the Lord’s Supper. Make sure
to fully document your findings according to the current Turabian style.
Based on the reading from Noel Due’s Created for Worship and a careful study of the
presentations by Dr. David Manner, Pastor Rob Morgan, and Dr. Lavon Gray, here is a biblical
rationale for planning worship preparing sermons and presenting the Lord's supper.
Planning Worship.
God is a God of planning and organization and according to Morgan, we can see this
through the works of His creation1 (Genesis chapter 1). Everything God created was well
designed and thought through and if the God that created us is a planner, He expects His creation
to be the same in paying attention to details. Also, in the Old Testament, (Exodus 40, Leviticus)
we see the elaborate nature of the tabernacle as the rituals, sacrifices, and worship that went on
were well organized and in great detail. With this been said, our worship must be planned and
executed with excellence if it is being presented to the Almighty God. Morgan says, “Worship
planning reflects the character, the dignity, and the reverence of the God we worship and serve.”2
Concerning the music aspect, a huge deal is making sure that the lyrics of the song we
sing are biblically accurate theology. As elaborated by Dr. Wyrtzen, Paul urges us to present
worship to God that is full of truth, honorable, pure, lovely, commendable, and just (Philippians
4:8).3 It is a worship leaders’ responsibility to present and infuse these principles in the heart of
1. Morgan, Robert.The Theology of Worship Planning, Part 1, Class presentation, Accessed on
July 10, 2020. https://learn.liberty.edu/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?
course_id=_635643_1&content_id=_41326585_1.
2. Ibid.
3. Wyrtzen, Don. Principles of Worship Music and Theology, Part 2, Class presentation,
Accessed on July 10, 2020. https://learn.liberty.edu/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?
course_id=_6356
the congregation. When this is our primary focus, our worship will not be based on taste or
preferences rather, we will seek to find the voice of our congregation 4 by total dependence on
the Holy Spirit and planning.
The sermon is another aspect that has to be planned with intentionality. This cannot be
taken for granted because a lot of people walk into church waiting to hear a word that has the
potential to change their lives forever. Only a word of truth can change lives and this is purely
the Word of God and not that of a mere mortal. There must be a place of preparation (prayer,
fasting, research, and reliance on the Holy Spirit) before a sermon is conveyed to God’s people.
Lives depend on this as this is one of the ways that people can grow deeper in their knowledge of
God.
Lastly, concerning the Lord’s Supper Morgan in his presentation says, “The early church
practiced the Lord’s Supper in response to the resurrection as much as the crucifixion.”5 Christ
asks us to do it in remembrance of Him therefore, we must evaluate the method by which we
encounter or partake of the Lord's table. It holds such great spiritual significance “a reflection on
both the resurrection and the crucifixion, setting our minds to reflect on all of Christ’s
accomplished work of redemption”6 this is why it must be prayerfully planned.
Due, using the story of Cain and Able to describe acceptable and unacceptable worship,
explained how Cain offered God worship that was displeasing because he did it on his terms and
Abel on the other hand, planned his worship by selecting the best of his livestock and produce to
4. Manner, David. Planning Worship for God’s People, Class presentation, Accessed on July 10,
2020 at https://learn.liberty.edu/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?
course_id=_635643_1&content_id=_41326585_1,
5. Morgan, “The Theology of Worship Planning” Accessed on July 10, 2020.
6. Ibid.
