Dr. Tom Wadsworth, a New Testament scholar, digs deep into the evolution of worship practices in the church. He challenges the notion that modern worship reflects biblical principles, arguing that early Christian gatherings were primarily about community and mutual edification. Wadsworth traces how the concept of worship shifted post-second century, influenced by Roman Catholic traditions. He emphasizes the vital role of teaching over mere preaching, urging listeners to rethink their understanding of church gatherings as opportunities for spiritual growth and support.
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Wadsworth's Worship Journey
Tom Wadsworth shares his journey from Lutheran to Church of Christ and then seminary, which shaped his research on worship.
His sermon on 1 Corinthians 14 sparked his discovery that early church gatherings weren't for worship as we know it today.
insights INSIGHT
Assembly Focused on Edification
The first century church gatherings focused on mutual edification rather than worship.
The Greek word "edification" appears repeatedly in 1 Corinthians 14, emphasizing building each other up.
insights INSIGHT
Origins of Modern Worship Language
Worship language in modern Christianity largely evolved from second-century Catholic ideas involving the Lord's Supper as sacrifice.
The altar, priest, and church buildings as holy places were concepts foreign to the first century church.
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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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