John Robert Stevens
The New Testament does not teach a religion, it creates a relationship of oneness with Christ.†
- John Robert Stevens

The Beliefs of John Robert Stevens

Worship

John Robert Stevens explained worship in this way:

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. We start with this plane of worship. And whatever you do (note: whatever you do) in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father [Colossians 3:16-17]. Our worship must be mingled with everything we do and say. It is all to be done with the giving of thanks through the Lord Jesus to God the Father. Do you see how our first priority, worship, is combined with our work? Everything we do, the full expression of our life, is to come forth based upon a mutual, collective worship.1

Although singing is a common expression of worship, Stevens felt that worship was not just found in singing a few songs in a Sunday morning service, but in maintaining a deep reverence for God and a genuine thankfulness in our hearts for Him in everything we do. This is closely related to the greatest commandment, that we love the Lord our God with all of our being (Matthew 22:37). John wrote: “Prayer is concerned with our needs; praise is concerned with our blessings; worship is concerned with loving and adoring God Himself.”2

As much as Stevens loved congregational worship, he was careful to separate worship from the act of singing. “It is not the sound you make but the spirit behind it that is important.”3 However, singing is an important musical expression of worship. A form of worship that Stevens promoted was “singing in the spirit” (I Corinthians 14:15), which closely resembles the chants of the first-century Church. Singing in the spirit is a way in which we make melody in our hearts to the Lord (Ephesians 5:19).

Stevens emphasized Jesus’ statement in John 4 regarding worship: “The Father seeks those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23). This statement formed the basis of Stevens’ belief that worship is one of the most important Christian expressions.

Citations

1. Stevens, John Robert: “One Answer for a Thousand Problems”, This Week, Vol. XI, No. 41, p. 9: Copyright © 1980 by The Living Word.*

2. Stevens, John Robert: “Lesson 18: Our Worship,” The First Principles, p 45: Copyright © 1999 by The Living Word; © 1958, 1970, 1977 by John Robert Stevens.*

3. Stevens, John Robert: “Make Him a Throne,” Deeper Worship, p. 6: Copyright © 1976 by John Robert Stevens & The Living Word.*

References

Stevens, John Robert: “Seasoned With Salt,” This Week, Vol. XI, No.39: The Living Word, 1980. 80070805R

Stevens, John Robert: “Are You Aware of Him?” This Week, Vol. XIII, No. 9: The Living Word, 1982. L8TW82XIII-09

Stevens, John Robert: “One Answer for a Thousand Problems,” This Week, Vol. XI, No. 41: The Living Word, 1980. 80070809R

Stevens, John Robert: “Now Give Your Best,” This Week, August 8, 1976: John Robert Stevens, 1976. 76070704R

Stevens, John Robert: “Seven Principles of Worship,” Meditations for Worshipers: John Robert Stevens, 1975. 75061704R

The term worship appears 4,115 times in Stevens’ written materials.