Psalm 150:2 tells us to “praise Him according to His excellent greatness.” In our church we have found that the excellent greatness of God is most effectively represented in our worship by giving people time to linger and focus on one of His attributes. Too often songs are chosen for worship which have no organic unity or connecting thread; the result is a hodgepodge of favorite selections which may be well received, but miss the opportunity to build upon one another.
Thematic worship involves a singular focus to a service, with all of the songs, readings, anthems, and other elements chosen to reflect and develop that theme. The theme may be an attribute of God (e.g., His power, love, or grace) or another biblical theme (such as the Lamb of God, creation, etc.). Ideally the theme will be drawn from the focus of the pastor’s sermon, thereby preparing hearts along the same lines and hence multiplying its impact; in churches (such as ours) where the pastor’s style of sermon planning does not allow for that kind of advance warning, the first part of the service may develop a separate theme (and often the Holy Spirit will wonderfully dovetail it with the message, we have found).
Two of the greatest advantages of thematic worship:
1. It allows our people an extended time of concentrating, reflecting and meditating on a particular aspect of God’s truth. When we hear and read spiritual truth and allow it to enter our minds, it takes time to work it way down into our hearts; thematic worship allows time for this to happen. As a result, believers can come to the point, not only of being reminded about a particular truth about God, but also of rejoicing in it and making a worship response to truth which we hardly ever get around to in any other context.
2. Thematic worship also gives to blended worship coherence and unity, a higher organizing principle which enables people to focus on the truth they are singing about rather than what style of song they happen to be singing at that particular moment. People can get so caught up into the holiness of God (for instance), that it becomes irrelevant whether the vehicle of the moment happens to be a hymn or chorus—what becomes important is that God is holy.
By explicitly focusing on God and His truth, thematic worship can help our people to become preoccupied with Him rather than with forms or structures— and shouldn’t that be our goal?
Ron Man studied music at the University of Maryland (B.M. in Theory & Composition, 1974; M.M. in Conducting, 1975). After coming to Christ in March 1975, he did an additional year of conducting study at the State Music Academy in Munich, Germany, then attended Dallas Theological Seminary, receiving a Th.M. degree in 1982. From 1983-88 Ron was on the pastoral staff of the International Chapel in Vienna, Austria. Then from 1988-2000 he served as Pastor of Worship and Music at First Evangelical Church in Memphis, Tennessee. From 2000-2003 Ron served with Greater Europe Mission, focusing on itinerant teaching on the biblical foundations of worship schools and churches across Europe; since 2009 he is combining local worship ministry with continued overseas teaching, as he is back on staff at First Evangelical Church as Pastor of Worship/Missionary in Residence. In the last 12 years Ron has taught on worship in 31 countries.
Ron has published both popular and academic articles in such publications as Worship Leader, Creator, Church Musician Today, Reformation and Revival journal, and Bibliotheca Sacra. All of these articles may be accessed at his website.