The Dangerous Act of Worship: Living God's Call to Justice

WARNING: Don't Read This Book If You Like Cozy Church 2008-11-25

Reviewer: Mitali Perkins

Want church growth? Interested in luring in hordes of big givers with the right kind of hip music, catchy sermons, comfy pews, hearty handshakes, and big grins? Then don't read this book.

Like the prophets of old whose hearts burned with love for God and love for God's people, Mark Labberton issues a passionate invitation to enter into life-changing worship. He's talking about "proskuneo," a kiss towards God that thrills God heart, the loosening of chains of injustice, setting the oppressed free, sharing our food with the hungry, clothing the naked, and caring for our own flesh and blood (Isaiah 58:6-7).

Labberton's rich cross-cultural experiences and relationships with the oppressed and suffering are evident throughout, so beware: this isn't a Hallmark Card read to make you feel fuzzy about being a North American Christian. But if you want to step outside the comfort zone in worship and see a bit more clearly, buy this book.

Why, in a world of so little, do I have so much? 2008-09-30

Reviewer: Truth Seeker

This books answers that question..."In order to give what you have away."

Let this book reorder your worship...the way Jesus says to do it! It's well worth the read. A favorite excerpt: "For all our apparent passion about God, in the end much of our worship seems to be mostly about us. We presume we can worship in a way that will find God but lose track of our neighbor."

This book feels like a cold splash of water on your face in the morning...let us wake up to God's call to justice!

Thoughtful 2007-09-06

Reviewer: J. Miller

The strength of Labberton's book is that he touches on the great omission of the American church: that we happily worship God while ignoring the things that God most wants us to do. Perhaps the most representative anecdote in the book is an incident in which Labberton watched a worship lead so ecstatic about his own experience of worship that he ignored the fact that he kept stepping on the toes of everyone standing near him. American Christians of all genres seem to be enjoying their experiences of worship, even fighting about worship styles, while ignoring the toes that are being stepped on.

In this, then, Labberton joins a chorus of modern voices critiquing the movements of church growth and innovation. David Fitch and the emergent groupies criticize them for missing substance. Labberton is doing something similar but not the same, criticizing them for missing the call to justice. What's particularly appealing about this is that Labberton is the Pastor of a dyed-in-the-wool evangelical church, the First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley. This is a church that has historically gathered around biblical preaching and evangelical values. Labberton is further confirming the movement of the evangelical churches into the heretofore taboo world of social justice, a movement pioneered by Ron Sider, Tony Campolo, Gary Haugen and the like.

The strongest chapters are 3 and 4, the "false and true dangers" of worship, the substance of his critique. What is NOT a risk of worship is that it isn't sufficiently entertaining, relevant, or pleasing. What is dangerous is that it puts us in touch with a restless God who is not afraid to rattle us.

The only real weakness of the book is that for a subject matter that has the power to foment revolution, he's awfully calm and circumspect about it. I wouldn't have been offended if Labberton had wanted to yell at me about his content in order to do what he says in chapter one must be done: to wake up the church. Of course to expect yelling from a Presbyterian might be asking much.

It's a worthwhile read with important content.

James W. Miller is the author of God Scent

For any church leader or minister 2007-04-19

Reviewer: Midwest Book Review

The Dangerous Act of Worship: Living God's Call to Justice surveys church practices and how smaller battles often supercede larger issues of justice and mercy within church circles. THE DANGEROUS ACT OF WORSHIP is for any church leader or minister who wants to make a difference in the world: chapters outline differences between false and real dangers, consider the church's role in social issues, and come from a working pastor's experience.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

A sobering call to action 2007-02-11

Reviewer: D. Chiang

What is the connection between religious faith and worship? The author defines worship not in the limited context of a weekly meeting, but as the continuous practice of how people live in response to their beliefs. While differences of opinion on theology, church culture and political positions seem important (especially in grabbing the attention of news media), Labberton indicts many churches for neglecting the more important call to love the poor and the oppressed. He attempts not to take political or moral positions, but simply points out how multiple passages in the Bible call for outward-focused compassion. With numerous anecdotes about Christians who seek to love their neighbors at home and afar, Labberton provides some inspiration for strengthening the connection between faith and worship.

This book presents a Christian perspective on the issue of global justice, though it should also appeal to people of all faiths who strive to "make a difference" in the world. Labberton is mindful of postcolonial critiques of historical missions and proposes a different framework for motivating charity. Questions for reflection at the end of each chapter provide a helpful stimulus for book club discussion. This treatise is meant not only to provide food for thought, but also to spur the reader to action.