The Adventure of Worship
What is Worship?
True worship is when we give our deepest affection and highest praise to the Father. If you asked 10 people, “What is worship?” most of them would probably say something about singing in church. This makes sense given we often split our church services into two parts: worship and sermon. The reality is that worship is far more than just music. Jesus taught us that true worship is when we give our deepest affection and highest praise to the Father. It’s loving Him as Deuteronomy 6:4-5 says: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”
Jesus and Worship
Following Jesus’ example means starting with our hearts. If we don’t actually love God from the inside out, none of the other stuff we do will matter. Worshiping the way Jesus modeled involves every aspect of our gathering—our welcome, our prayers, our kids’ blessing and dismissal, the sermon, and of course, our songs. Truth is what ties it all together, because our worship should be steeped in the richness of biblical truth that grips our hearts. It should make us feel something real. Jesus called out the Pharisees for missing the whole point. In Matthew 15:8-9, He says, “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” Basically, they were crushing the outward performance but neglecting genuine, heartfelt love for God. That’s why He famously labeled them “whitewashed tombs”—they looked good on the outside, but inside it was just emptiness. When we worship—like Jesus showed us—we proclaim that God is prized. He is valued, cherished, and enjoyed. When we lift Him up this way, we’re not just singing songs; we’re stepping into the same mindset Jesus had, loving the Father with everything we’ve got. That’s the kind of worship that connects us with Him and transforms us from the inside out.
Why Worship?
Worship is a key part of our relationship with God - which we can experience because of Jesus Christ. When we worship God, we actively recognize Him as our Creator, Savior, and King. Worship is also how we tell God that we love Him. As believers, Romans 12:1 tells us it is our “reasonable service” to express our gratitude for all God has done for us. Worship is also a way to spread the Gospel to non-believers; when others see us worshipping God, they can see that there is Someone Who deserves our worship.
Ways to Practice Worship:
1. “He who sings, prays twice.” This quote, linked to St. Augustine, signifies the added power of expressing your devotion through music. As a musician on stage, looking out over our congregation and responding to their worship, I’d love to see a joyful manifestation of the Holy Spirit moving. Hands raised, smiles from ear to ear as we experience the communal expression of our praise. However, not everyone worships the same. We worship God through a variety of works— writing, cooking, cleaning, sports, and even resting.
2. In college, I attended a church service where the worship time was spent with the congregation responding to the truth of our faith. Those responses were an acknowledgement of understanding, that there is worth and beauty and greatness and we respond to that with affection. The worship time wasn’t simply song but poetry, art, and dance, and at the time it felt very…awkward. Something that stood out though was that each person worshiping was doing so with their whole heart. No matter which avenue they chose, they were all in.
3. We worship our Father by thanking Him in prayer and through attending church. By remembering and discussing the great things He has done—Jesus left us the memorial of His death and resurrection in the Lord’s Supper. By celebrating His gift of salvation.
This week, choose an intentional way to worship that fits you. Let’s give Him our deepest affection and our highest praise!
Resources for Worship:
Books:
“Worship by the Book” – D.A. Carson
“Engaging with God: A Biblical Theology of Worship” – David Peterson
“The Pursuit of God” – A.W. Tozer
“The Songs of Jesus” – Tim Keller
“You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit” – James K.A. Smith
Podcast:
Doxology & Theology
Playlist:
Deep Worship
True worship is when we give our deepest affection and highest praise to the Father. If you asked 10 people, “What is worship?” most of them would probably say something about singing in church. This makes sense given we often split our church services into two parts: worship and sermon. The reality is that worship is far more than just music. Jesus taught us that true worship is when we give our deepest affection and highest praise to the Father. It’s loving Him as Deuteronomy 6:4-5 says: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”
Jesus and Worship
Following Jesus’ example means starting with our hearts. If we don’t actually love God from the inside out, none of the other stuff we do will matter. Worshiping the way Jesus modeled involves every aspect of our gathering—our welcome, our prayers, our kids’ blessing and dismissal, the sermon, and of course, our songs. Truth is what ties it all together, because our worship should be steeped in the richness of biblical truth that grips our hearts. It should make us feel something real. Jesus called out the Pharisees for missing the whole point. In Matthew 15:8-9, He says, “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” Basically, they were crushing the outward performance but neglecting genuine, heartfelt love for God. That’s why He famously labeled them “whitewashed tombs”—they looked good on the outside, but inside it was just emptiness. When we worship—like Jesus showed us—we proclaim that God is prized. He is valued, cherished, and enjoyed. When we lift Him up this way, we’re not just singing songs; we’re stepping into the same mindset Jesus had, loving the Father with everything we’ve got. That’s the kind of worship that connects us with Him and transforms us from the inside out.
Why Worship?
Worship is a key part of our relationship with God - which we can experience because of Jesus Christ. When we worship God, we actively recognize Him as our Creator, Savior, and King. Worship is also how we tell God that we love Him. As believers, Romans 12:1 tells us it is our “reasonable service” to express our gratitude for all God has done for us. Worship is also a way to spread the Gospel to non-believers; when others see us worshipping God, they can see that there is Someone Who deserves our worship.
Ways to Practice Worship:
1. “He who sings, prays twice.” This quote, linked to St. Augustine, signifies the added power of expressing your devotion through music. As a musician on stage, looking out over our congregation and responding to their worship, I’d love to see a joyful manifestation of the Holy Spirit moving. Hands raised, smiles from ear to ear as we experience the communal expression of our praise. However, not everyone worships the same. We worship God through a variety of works— writing, cooking, cleaning, sports, and even resting.
2. In college, I attended a church service where the worship time was spent with the congregation responding to the truth of our faith. Those responses were an acknowledgement of understanding, that there is worth and beauty and greatness and we respond to that with affection. The worship time wasn’t simply song but poetry, art, and dance, and at the time it felt very…awkward. Something that stood out though was that each person worshiping was doing so with their whole heart. No matter which avenue they chose, they were all in.
3. We worship our Father by thanking Him in prayer and through attending church. By remembering and discussing the great things He has done—Jesus left us the memorial of His death and resurrection in the Lord’s Supper. By celebrating His gift of salvation.
This week, choose an intentional way to worship that fits you. Let’s give Him our deepest affection and our highest praise!
Resources for Worship:
Books:
“Worship by the Book” – D.A. Carson
“Engaging with God: A Biblical Theology of Worship” – David Peterson
“The Pursuit of God” – A.W. Tozer
“The Songs of Jesus” – Tim Keller
“You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit” – James K.A. Smith
Podcast:
Doxology & Theology
Playlist:
Deep Worship