Integrating Christian Worship’s “Vertical” and “Horizontal” Dimensions
By Nicholas Zork
“Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”
—Isaiah 6:2-3
The Prophet Isaiah’s commission begins with a description of heavenly worship that reflects an essential truth about Christian worship. Like the seraphim, we worship God because God is holy—God is not like us. God exercised the uniquely divine ability to create us, redeem us, and offer us sufficient grace and perfect love. And yet, God’s glory is not revealed through God alone but through human beings made in God’s image and through all creation, filling “the whole earth.”
Like heavenly worship, worship on earth also begins with a vision of God. In worship, we respond by God’s grace to the divine revelation of who God is, what God has done for us in Christ, and the hope of what God will yet do to restore all things. This revelation, however, is mediated through the human senses God gave us—eyes and ears to receive the special revelation of God’s written word as well as the general revelation of all creation. And this divine revelation is mediated to us and through us collectively when we gather in community—not as disconnected appendages but as the united Body of Christ.
It can be helpful to think of corporate Christian worship as having “vertical” (God-oriented) and “horizontal” (community-oriented) dimensions. There are times we address God and times when we address one another. There are songs of praise to God and songs of proclamation to fellow worshipers. Isaiah’s vision of heavenly worship, however, reminds us that ultimately the “vertical” and “horizontal” dimensions of worship are inextricably bound together. Just as the seraphim “were calling out to one another,” we glorify God not only through praise directed toward God but also as we exhort, encourage, and bless one another.
There are many ways to embody a deeper integrity between worship’s “vertical” and “horizontal” dimensions. Here are three illustrative suggestions to consider:
When praying for the needs of worship participants and the world in worship, offer worshipers ways to experience the collective nature of congregational prayer. Leave space during the prayer for the congregation to share a short phrase of petition or thanks aloud. Consider using software that allows participants to text in prayer requests that will appear on the large screen. God always hears our individual and even silent prayers. One of the chief benefits of praying together is to remember we are not praying alone. The “vertical” is also “horizontal.”
Approach preaching not only as a proclamation of the Gospel recorded in the written word but as an opportunity to encounter the Living Word. Explicitly acknowledge that we proclaim a present God. Such a recognition is both humbling and inspiring. Too often, we speak about God as though we are doing so behind God’s back. We talk differently about people when they are in the room. All theological reflection, especially in worship, is a conversation not only about but also with God and one another. The “horizontal” is also “vertical.”
There is perhaps no more “horizontal” element of worship than announcements, which can often feel like a necessary but distracting time to make sure everyone is up to speed on what’s happening in the life of the church community. Consider calling “announcements” something more meaningful, like “community life” or “faith-in-action” to underscore its connection to the rest of worship. More importantly, make the connection explicit. Ensure worshipers understand that church activities beyond Sabbath morning are an opportunity to put into practice what you have just rehearsed. The attitudes and postures of worship shape the way we do life as a community and the way we can continue to experience God’s presence. Invitations to participate in community service are a prime example of how we can live lives of worship by engaging in the practices of Jesus and encountering Christ in “the least of these” with whom He identifies (see Matthew 25). The “vertical” and the “horizontal” can both be acts of worship.
Gathering for worship is an opportunity—at God’s invitation and by God’s grace—to be more fully present to a holy God who is always present to us. May God give us eyes and ears and bodies to perceive that, indeed, “the whole earth is full of his glory.”