Quotes: "Unceasing Worship" Herald Best

From Herald Best's "Unceasing Worship":

It is not enough for the church to applaud cultural diversity, link arms every so often and sing about Jesus loves all the children of the world -- not when a local congregation get agitated over something as integrative as a hymn book and a projection screen or a praise band and a pipe organ. How can the body of Christ ever like up with the interliguistic mystery of Pentecost, and the sovereignly aggressive work of the Holy Spirit, when we set our separated worship tables ever so blandly and monochromatically? (pg 175)

...There are only two ways Christians can make art. The first is in the context of corporate worship. Here the arts are to be sworn to humble service. They are to be hidden behind the Word and the sacraments and are to be dedicated to function on behalf of their increase (Jn 3:30) . . . This principle of submission and self-emptying must likewise mark all artistic action in corporate worship. To be sure, there may be times in the life of the local assembly when the arts can be celebrated more noticeably and separately, but these are the exception, not the rule. Christians artists in direct service to the corporate assembly must understand from the start that the arts must function differently here than in any other circumstance, and this takes an enormous amount of creative humility, skill and wisdom. (pg. 179)