FOUNDATIONAL pRINCIPLES

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the LORD.” (Col. 3:16)

We desire to sing the Scripture in a way that unfolds its meaning so that we admonish and teach one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs as the Word is sung

antiphonally. We recognize great wisdom in how God set truths together strategically by the Holy Spirit in the Scripture. It is not arbitrary. Thus, we want to bring forth teaching themes resident within a given a passage.

There is one primary governing principle in the Harp and Bowl model. It is the principle of “developing a Biblical passage by antiphonal praying (singing).” The one governing principle incorporates three key values that relate to flowing in one accord as we lead the congregation in worship and prayer. The team ministry (we go farther together in the symphony of God), inclusiveness (everyone can participate even the weak –transferable in an easy way) and the centrality of the Scripture (God’s language unifies ourheart with His and others). We recognize in God’s wisdom the principle of combining structure with spontaneity as seen in our solar system as well as in the human body. For example, precise and predictable scientific order exists in our solar system alongside spontaneous air currents that are unpredictable. Also, human life itself flows in context to our human skeletal structure supporting the spontaneous functions of air and blood flow, etc. In other words, in God’s creative spontaneity is enhanced and benefited by right structure. In developing the governing principle of the Harp and Bowl model, we are seeking a simple structure that facilitates diversity and spontaneity as we flow in team ministry on the platform and in one accord in the congregation in worship and prayer. The challenge is between free expression from the platform leadership and the ability of the congregation to fully participate with engaged hearts.