In this episode of Remnant Radio, Joshua Lewis and Michael Rowntree interview Dr. Tom Wadsworth to explore a controversial question: Is our modern understanding of “worship” truly biblical?
Dr. Wadsworth, a New Testament scholar, argues that what we call “worship services” today is drastically different from the gatherings of the first-century church. Instead of a primarily vertical act of offering praise to God, he proposes that early Christian assemblies focused on mutual edification – building up one another through teaching, encouragement, and the practical application of the “one anothering” commands found throughout the New Testament.
Dr. Wadsworth traces the history of our modern “worship” concept, exploring its roots in the second century and onward, highlighting the influence of Roman Catholic traditions and the evolving understanding of the Lord’s Supper. He also unpacks the crucial distinction between preaching (proclamation to outsiders) and teaching (discipleship within the community), and challenges the assumption that the early church was simply a new version of the Old Testament temple.
0:00 Introduction
7:26 Origin of Worship Language
12:54 Exploring Vertical Lines of Worship in Scripture
18:50 Are We Over-examining the Differences?
26:38 Redefining Worship
33:06 What Did a New Testament Church Look Like?
37:02 A Matter of Purpose?
44:16 Teaching
50:44 Modern Discipleship Practices
53:58 Closing Thoughts
ABOUT THE GUEST:
Dr. Wadsworth is a New Testament scholar with a PhD from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
@tomwadsworth
📖RESEARCH https://www.tomwadsworth.com/the-christian-assembly
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