When I study Scripture to discern what is Biblical worship, I see a couple of things. When the Word of God is shared it demands a response. When I see, experience and become the beneficiary of God’s goodness, that also demands a response.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” Romans 12:1 NIV
Worship Motives: To honor with extravagant love and extreme submission.
Worship music is only one way we express worship to God. God is looking for worshippers that are convinced in their worship to Him (John 4:23-24). In knowing that worship is not style but a lifestyle, our lives should be completely submitted to God’s will. I believe this kind of worship is pleasing to Him. If we are truly submitted to Him and His ways, then everything we do is an act of worship: our jobs, cleaning our homes, caring for our children, coaching little league, etc. I long to see our corporate worship be the cumulative effect of committed lives that have sought to honor Jesus in all we do throughout our week. Worship is not a spectator sport. Rather, it is important and powerful when we collectively come together to lift every voice and sing. When we are leading worship on the platform, we must be sure that our lives are lived in a way that would bring Jesus honor. We cannot live a double standard. None of us are perfect, obviously, but are we living a life that lines up with the standards that God has set forth in His Word?
Worship Direction
I had the great joy of sharing the vision of multiple worship leaders and teams, which was met with great excitement! While this may seem new, it is actually a very traditional concept. The Levites, for example, served on a rotation basis. By doing this it allowed them to serve in a way that avoided burnout and provided the opportunity for many to be involved in the worship service. Since this vision was shared, we have seen our list of worship leaders increase by 300%. We have quadrupled our instrumentalists and have more than doubled our vocalists! One of the great benefits of having multiple worship leaders and bands is that it provides the opportunity for more of our people to serve on worship teams and in creative arts, and it also allows our church to be led by a dynamic and diverse group of leaders.