The Cross: Crucial in Worship
by Ted Slater on 11/29/2007 at 4:06 PM
I love songs about the cross of Christ. There is no greater mystery, nothing that inspires more wonder, than the crucifixion of our Lord. It was the greatest act of both love and hate ever portrayed. It's a manifestation of both the stratospheric height of God's mercy and the grimy depth of our sin.
Paul boasted in but one thing: the cross. The hosts of heaven include Jesus' death in their continuous expression of praise, day and night. My sin, as the old hymn goes, not in part but the whole, is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more. We are reconciled to God through the cross of Christ.
You could ponder the cross for a lifetime and never fully explore its depth and significance. It's both simple and complex. It's seen as both foolishness and the pinnacle of wisdom. It illustrates both divine compassion and divine wrath. Christ the all-powerful was crucified in weakness. It's both glorious and shameful. It shows us both God's fierce anger and His lovingkindness.
So if the cross is central to our faith, and will be throughout eternity, why is it so little referenced in the songs we sing at church?
In fact, as Director of Worship Development for Sovereign Grace Ministries Bob Kauflin writes in one of this week's Boundless articles, the cross is crucial in worship. Jesus' atoning work on the cross is our means of access. It makes our worship acceptable. It's the object of our adoration.
If you're a worship leader, please consider what Bob writes in this article. If you're not a worship leader, please take some time to read through it and wrestle with it. I find my faith fueled when I ponder the points of the article. I think yours will be as well.
1. Anna said the following at 4:44 PM on Nov 29:
What concerns me, I think even more, is when the cross is not mentioned in salvation stories or baptism testimonies. How can that be left out? Instead, the language of "came to God," "surrendered," "gave it up to Him," etc., is used. But where is forgiveness, where is redemption, where is Jesus' death?
2. Rachael said the following at 8:09 PM on Nov 29:
I like that Bob Kauflin points out that "the hosts of heaven don't share that perspective" (of the work on the cross being for new/young believers). I think it can be all too easy to forget His cleansing sacrifice. Remembering what He's done affects our growth. I think of 2 Peter 1:9, which says that those who lack various good qualities (mentioned in vs. 5-7) has "forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins." Not thinking about the cross is essentially 'forgetting'. It would be good to remember the cross in worship music and also in conversations with other believers.
3. cn said the following at 8:22 PM on Nov 29:
I read the article and have been pondering... my conclusion is a bit different. As an artist, I can honestly say that there's a depth of what happened at the cross that can be conveyed strongly with out literally mentioning "the cross." At the cross Yeshua's bride was born, His bridegroom love for us was displayed in the ultimate sacrifice, His desire to gather us into Himself was the forefront reason for why He went to the depths of death... and then he defeated it and set us free. The message of the cross is intimacy and sacrificial love. It is Yeshua giving everything for us to be His. I'm more than convicted that any song of praise that truly expresses the depths of His love, cries out for Him to come, and is birthed out of intimacy between the writer and the Savior is just as powerful as a literal expression of the cross, because this love IS the cross.
Brian and Jenn Johnson have a song that says "I will draw you and me together. In loving kindness, in faithfulness, in grace. No longer your master but your Husband I will be. You have Ravished my heart with one glance of your eyes." That, to me, describes the cross with out saying it... passionate bridegroom love. More than encouraging worship leaders to write literally about the cross, I'd encourage them into the deepened intimacy of daily living in the love that drove Him to the cross, and the kingdom lifestyle of sacrificial love that it is the actual expression of the cross. That's where the anointing on the worship will come from. If that means literally writing about the cross or writing about the intimacy available with out actually saying "the cross" the that's fine by my heart.
4. Arrianna said the following at 12:11 AM on Nov 30:
I have a Q: is the title meant to be a pun?
"cross" "crucial" both come from the same Latin root, right?
I also agree with the concern regarding testimonies that do not mention the cross, Jesus' sacrifice, and it makes me wary. Jesus' ultimate act of love for his church- bride has be left in the wayside of political correctness and "reaching new believers."
5. Ted Slater said the following at 10:15 AM on Nov 30:
cn -- I see your point, and it's valid.
The thing is, I don't think there are "too many" songs that do mention the cross of Christ. I think there should be more. So I wouldn't encourage songwriters to mention it less. In other words, I think it's fine to encourage Christian songwriters to write more songs that reference Christ's work on the cross.
Are you saying that we should not be writing songs that explicitly mention the cross, that we should be more metaphorical? Or are you saying that non-cross songs that point to Christ's sacrificial love are acceptable? Or something else?
Great discussion!
6. cn said the following at 1:09 PM on Nov 30:
I think I'm trying to raise this point: What is writing about "the cross?" I'm on a Brian and Jenn Johnson kick right now so I'll go back to them for a second. On their album "We Believe" they have a song called "Where you Go I'll Go." Part of the song goes like this:
"Though the world sees and soon forgets we will not forget what you've done for us. Where you go I'll go what you'll say I'll say, God, and what you pray I'll pray. How can I suspect to walk with out you when every move Jesus made was in surrender. I will not begin to live with out you for you alone are worthy, you are always good."
Not once do they actually say anything about "the cross," but they are completely writing about the cross... the work of surrender Jesus completed and the life of surrender we should live. The power of the cross is expressed in a very literal way without literally mentioning it. This isn't a "switch God with Baby" kinda of song, either. This is deep heart felt worship.
I don't think there's anything wrong with with writing about the cross literally, or metaphorically. My thought on this is simply that writing about the cross is writing about sacrificial love and surrender. I'm saying that songs that reference His sacrificial love ARE about the cross. I wouldn't discourage writers from writing about the events surrounding the literal cross either, though. My encouragement to writers is simply what I stated before: live in intimacy with the Lord, walk in sacrificial love, and let the anointing of His presence flood over your art. Write in excellence because you are writing for Him. Live the cross and it will show up in your music. Whether or not the literal phrase comes up will be dependent on the writers artistic expression in the leading of the Lord, but if the David's of our generation intentionally live the cross, then it will show up all over their music.... and maybe it already does. ;)
Thanks for engaging in this discussion. :)
7. Bob Kauflin said the following at 1:56 PM on Nov 30:
cn,
As Ted mentions in his post, the cross is both mysterious and wonderful. It is a reality that we will never be able to plumb fully, even in eternity. It certainly displays God's love for us like nothing else (Rom. 5:8). And we can certainly sing about the cross without mentioning the word. But I don't think this is true:
"His desire to gather us into Himself was the forefront reason for why He went to the depths of death."
The forefront reason Jesus went to the cross was not only to display God's love for us, but to satisfy the demands of God's justice against rebellious sinners who deserved his wrath. In other words, if we think the cross is primarily about intimacy and sacrificial love, it's easy for the focus to become us. It's easy for us to lose sight of our need for the substitutionary aspect of Christ's sacrifice. He died the death we deserved. He didn't merely die to demonstrate "bridegroom love." He died so that we could we could stop focusing on ourselves and find our joy in God. That understanding keeps the Gospel from becoming "us-centered," and causes us to be continually lost in wonder, love, and praise that God would have mercy on rebels.
8. Ted Slater said the following at 2:18 PM on Nov 30:
cn -- the song you cite is fine. It's kind of a "response" song, it seems to me. Those singing it are responding to something they've seen the Lord do. But that "something" isn't really explained clearly. That "something" could very well be Christ's offering on the cross. Why not come right out and say that, rather than merely allude to it? To use Paul's term, why not "boast" in the cross?
The thing is, the song you reference doesn't include any strong imagery that I can latch on to. There's nothing in it that I can ponder, that moves me to wonder.
Consider the following song lyrics (the first written by Bob Kauflin, the rest by friends of his), which provoke me, which stimulate my imagination to greater appreciation of what the Lord has done:
The Glory of the Cross
What wisdom once devised the plan
Where all our sin and pride
Was placed upon the perfect Lamb
Who suffered, bled and died
The wisdom of a sovereign God
Whose greatness will be shown
When those who crucified Your Son
Rejoice around Your throne
And oh the glory of the Cross
That You would send Your Son for us
I gladly count my life as loss
That I might come to know
The glory of
The glory of the Cross
What righteousness was there revealed
That sets the guilty free
That justifies ungodly men
And calls the filthy clean
A righteousness that proved to all
Your justice has been met
And holy wrath is satisfied
Through one atoning death
What mercy now has been proclaimed
For those who would believe
A love incomprehensible
Our minds could not conceive
A mercy that forgives my sin
Then makes me like Your Son
And now I’m loved forevermore
Because of what You’ve done
This Fathomless Love
Lord, what moved Your heart to love lowly man
Before any star could herald Your praise?
And why did You come, abasing Yourself
Veiled in a robe of frail human clay?
Why would You, the pure, give Your life for the vile
The innocent seeking the guilty
To be reconciled?
I can’t comprehend this fathomless love
I’m gripped and amazed at what You have done
Why would the adored become the despised
To bear all the furious wrath that was mine?
How awesome this mystery
Of Your fathomless love for me
Why would You adopt and take as Your own
Those who had crushed Your one precious Son?
Why mercy and grace towards Your enemies?
Your name they have cursed and Your throne they have shunned
Oh, how could You choose to show kindness to these?
The ones who would mock You and hate You
The ones just like me?
Only in the Cross
When I look upon the cross
In that spectacle of suffering
I see the power of God
There the Son of God was crushed
And lifted up to die for me
And conquered death forever
So I will glory only in the cross
Yes, I will glory only in the cross
And I will make my boast
In the Lord Jesus Christ
Crucified to ransom us
When I look upon the cross
In what might seem a senseless death
I see the wisdom of God
For there the sinless Holy One
Was made to be sin for me
Then He declared me righteous
Unashamed
You were not ashamed to be
Emptied and poured out to death
Unashamed to give Your dying breath
You were not ashamed to bear
All of my reproach and sin
Jesus, You were such a faithful friend
So I will glory in the cross
And in the blood You shed for us
Glory in the gospel of Your grace
Let me be unashamed
Jesus, to speak Your name
For You were the one who came
The Savior of the world
Let me be unashamed
Jesus, to speak Your name
Let me be bold to claim
You as my Lord
You were not ashamed to give
Your body to a Roman lash
Unashamed to bear God’s holy wrath
You were not ashamed to hang
Naked bleeding on a tree
Gladly You did all of this for me
So I will glory in the cross
And in the blood you shed for us
Glory in the gospel of Your grace
Father’s Heart of Love
What drew You to me when I was filled
With selfishness and sin
Lord what did You see
For there was nothing good
That dwelled within
What appealed to You
When I was given only to rebel
From where did this grace come
That rescued me from an eternal hell
From
Your Father’s heart of love for me
That sent Your only Son
Your Father’s heart that planned the Cross
To save each hopeless one like me
I can see Your heart of love
What drew me to You
No spark of loving interest in my heart
What attracted me
When I could only stumble in the dark
What awakened me and called me
Out of hopelessness and death
What unlocked my heart and
Sent upon my soul the Spirit’s breath
I Love the Cross
All my sins forgiven
Far removed as east from west
Cast into the depths of the ocean
Of grace and redeeming love
I love the place where my Savior died
I love the place where I was justified
I love the place
Where Your blood flowed down
To give me life
I love the Cross
I love the Cross
I love the Cross
The Cross of Christ
All my guilt atoned for
Every debt is paid in full
Though my sins were scarlet
Now I’m clean as a fresh fallen snow
9. Jo said the following at 1:30 AM on Dec 1:
Isn't there a place for all these songs in worship? what Jesus did on the cross is the focus of Christianity, but it doesn't need to be the focus of every single worship song because there is no end to the things we can worship God for. Some songs tell of creation, some tell of His unfailing love, some ask Him to reach the lost, all these are good themes.
A worship song is not the same as an apologetic, or a Gospel sermon. A song contains a small amount of words and usually has one central idea because of this. If all aspects of Christian worship were contained within one song, it would be a very very long song. Hence, some songs are very 'cross-focused', because that is their theme. I absolutely love some of these songs; "In Christ Alone My Hope Is Found" is beautiful, and preaches the whole gospel. But songs that focus on other aspects are just as valid, in my opinion. I would say that in the example cn gave, the focus is on sacrificing everything for God because he sacrificed everything for us. No, it doesn't specifically mention the cross, but it's there in the concept because, as you say, it's the 'hook' that everything else hangs on. What we need in worship is for all these concepts, ideas, themes, thoughts and responses to be expressed. You can't do that in one song, which is why we have so many. I really don't see that that's a problem, God is a big God and his work, while it focused centrally on the cross, didn't begin and end there.
10. Jo said the following at 1:40 AM on Dec 1:
I just read the article and want to point out that I completely agree with Kauflin's reaction to the statement that there are enough songs about the cross. There can never be enough songs sung to describe how great God is. :) The cross IS crucial. I just don't agree that it needs to be the focus of EVERY worship song, or even the majority. It definitely SHOULD play a big part in worship. But a song is rarely able to explain fully the significance of the cross because it is limited by words/syllables etc, and I don't think that explanation is the main aim of worship; worship is our response to God, not as I said earlier, an apologetic. If we want a full description of Jesus' death and what it meant, then we should read scripture. That's what it's there for, and there's nothing to stop us reading Bible passages during worship. Worship is about more than singing.
11. Ted Slater said the following at 8:51 AM on Dec 1:
Jo -- I appreciate your thoughts. I agree with you both that we'd benefit from more songs about the cross and that not every song needs to be about the cross. As you say, it's great to sing songs about creation, about His unfailing love, of our desire to see the lost saved, and so on.
I do think, though, that we need not shy away from doctrinally rich songs, songs that include themes that may be difficult to grasp during their first few singings. I don't think you're saying we should stick with simple songs that don't explore complex themes. I'm just reiterating that the church needs these songs.
FWIW, I don't think the majority of worship songs need to be about our "response" to God. If we sing songs that are rich in doctrine, then our hearts *will* respond.
I wrote a post a year ago called, "What Makes for Good Worship?" In it, I include the following paragraph:
Are the songs instructive? Do they teach us something about God's character, His actions, or His plan of Redemption? According to Colossians 3:16, we are to "Let the word of Christ dwell in (us) richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in (our) hearts to the Lord". So, songs to be sung to the Lord, AND instructive to one another? But aren't these two aims contradictory? Should a song be sung to one another, or to the Lord? According to this verse, it's not "either/or", but "both/and"! The words of a song should inform our understanding of Who God is and what He's done; the awareness of the truths learned should not lead us to cold contemplation, but should result in warm, heartfelt worship.
I'm a big fan of this approach to worship music. Just as a doctrinally rich sermon provokes our hearts to love more deeply, a doctrinally rich song about God (and not about my response to God) provokes my heart to love more deeply. It just does. And isn't resonating in true love with God a central aspect of worship music?
Again, "response" songs are fine. But we shouldn't be singing them at the *expense* of songs about who God is and what He's done, specifically about that single greatest act of love ever expressed, the substitutionary death of Christ on the cross.
12. Ted Slater said the following at 8:54 AM on Dec 1:
Jo -- check out "Worship: What's The Point?" for a more direct exploration of my contention that worship music should primarily be about instilling sound doctrine, rather than guiding us to respond to God.
13. Jo said the following at 5:27 PM on Dec 1:
Ted,
I love the three purposes given in that post:
* We sing to remember God's word.
* We sing to respond to God's grace.
* We sing to reflect God's glory.
I agree completely. The only point where I disagree with you I think is your belief that instilling doctrine is MORE important than the other purposes. I don't think that's the case, but I agree that it's certainly one of the main ones.
I take your point that modern worship songs often tend to be response songs rather than teaching songs, I think that's a shame, I think the nature of music has changed quite a bit and that's possibly restricted more complex messages somewhat. Modern worship songs tend to fit the 'verse chorus verse chorus' format, rather than having several longer verses as in the hymns of old (the older format I think lends itself easier to laying out the whole gospel clearly). These things are really interesting and important to consider. Some of the songs we sing are trite and nothingy. Some are great response songs, some are great teaching songs. We need to choose songs for worship carefully, based on the right criteria.
It's interesting to think about the role the actual music plays as well, something I've been wondering about recently. I've always been wary of powerful music and its ability to evoke emotion without necessarily requiring anything to happen spiritually. I used to find myself resisting the emotional pull of worship music because I wanted to respond to God, not the music. But perhaps the point of using music in worship is that music is by nature both intellectual and emotive, and both are valid and important ways of receiving from God. I think music is both wonderful and dangerous, and these kinds of issues are tricky ones to resolve.
Sorry to go off on a tangent...
14. Leah said the following at 9:36 PM on Dec 2:
I had this exact argument with my Grandpa on Thanksgiving day. He was, before hearing my point, adamantly opposed to any worship music that did not specifically mention Christ, plain and clear. He said that all this modern music has tried to secularize Christianity.
I completely disagree. My relationship with Christ is about more than what He once did for me, no matter it's importance. It is about His present blessings, about my desire to worship Him because he has done so much, more than one giant act of love. He blesses me each day. It is about my passion to be with Him, for Him to teach me and use me. It is realizing that all creation cries "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty who was, and is, and is to come."
Worship through song is about emotion and passion, a passion spurred by sacrificial love, and a passion that is renewed by His daily blessings, by pain that leads to growth and a desire to draw closer to Him. I do not think that "worship" in the musical sense needs to focus on the cross any more than it already does.
By the way, worship is not music. Worship is seeking the glory of Christ in all that we do. That can be in work, play, and sometimes secular music.
15. Cynthia said the following at 1:56 PM on Feb 16:
Ted, do you go to a Sovereign Grace Ministries church, with C. J. Mahaney and Josh Harris? I attended one during my formative teen years and was very influenced by C.J. Mahaney's emphasis on the cross as being central to the church's gatherings, per the Scriptures. I became a Roman Catholic out of response to that because no matter what Catholic Church you go to, the Cross is the central, main part of every single Catholic mass. Think crucifix, eucharist. There is no getting around that. Thanks to C.J. Mahaney and others who so wisely pointed that out to me as I grew in my faith.
16. Ted Slater said the following at 11:24 AM on Feb 17:
Cynthia -- I was part of a Sovereign Grace church for a dozen years back when I lived in Virginia. Now that I live in Colorado Springs, I'm a member of another Evangelical/Reformed church.
I maintain a great deal of respect for Sovereign Grace and their cross-centered doctrine.
This is not the place to elaborate, but let me just say that I don't see myself joining the Roman church any time soon. My preference is that this discussion not get sidetracked by talk of specific "denominations." :-)
17. Cynthia said the following at 9:02 PM on Feb 19:
Reading back on my comments, I don't think what I wrote came across the way I meant it--"the Cross is the central, main part of every single Catholic mass. Think crucifix, eucharist. There is no getting around that."
When I said "there is no getting around it" I did not mean it in a "I'm trying to get in your face and convert you" kind of way, which is how I think it unintentionally sounded--I appologize. What I actually is meant for me personally, I like mass b/c it's so cross centric and there's no way for me to forget about that or ignore it when I go to Church.
I just recognized the songs you were quoting and also how you said the word "provoked" which was a favorite expression of Mr. Mahaney's and was excited to come into contact w/ a fellow old time SGMer.