What Is Worship?
The Bible says much about worship. Worship is mentioned or alluded to 8,629 times in the Bible. It tells us when (anytime), why (to respond to God), and where (anywhere) to worship. No wonder there is so much confusion about this topic. But we do know that it is important to God. In one sense, we can be aware of worship when we see it or participate in it. Supreme Court Potter Stewart famously responded to a case regarding obscenity. Stewart said he could not intelligibly define it but “I know it when I see it.” The same could be said for worship. But that statement leaves us lacking. If we are worshipping the Almighty God of the Universe, we need to know moreso we may offer better worship to our God.
Worship is a topic in the Christian world that:
- Is misunderstood.
- Is the subject of often bitter discussion.
- Will happen even if we don’t worship. In Luke 19:40 Jesus spoke ““I tell you, if these [people] stop speaking, the stones will cry out!”
- Must be done in spirit and in truth (John 4:24)
- Is commanded. Psalm 150:6 “Everything that has breath shall praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!”
There are five elements to worship. Some can be done alone, others are more appropriate in a corporate setting. First, and probably the most prevalent is singing.
There are ample references to singing in the Bible, indeed Psalms is the hymnbook of ancient Israel. The Levites were appointed by David to minister with singing and musical instruments. The New Testament is filled with references to singing. Singing serves as a means to glorify
God, to proclaim spiritual truth, to unite believers in communal praise. Those leading the church as a part of the worship team should not be performing, but leading the church in worship through song. As members of the congregation, we should be participants, not just listeners. Whether you have a beautiful singing voice or just have a monotone “chant,” you should be singing. I often leave the worship service with a song in my head that I will sing to myself all week. Singing keeps us worshipping.
The second element in worship is prayer. Paul exhorts us to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing” (I 
Thesselonians 5:16-17). When we pray we are brought into God’s presence, into the Heavenly throne room. Of course, God is omnipresent so He is always with us. But in prayer, we have an audience with our creator. With the recent passing of Pope Francis, I have heard stories about the profound effect it had on individuals who received an audience with the Pope. How much more should an audience with Almighty God have upon us?
The third element of worship is an offering. This should include monetary gifts as well as giving of our time and talents. Offerings symbolize our relationship with God. They are an expression of our faith, obedience, and gratitude. Attitude is important here, as we are told in 2 Corinthians 9:7 that “God Love a cheerful giver.”. “I Surrender All” is an old hymn expressing the thought that anything and everything we have should be given to God. Two stanzas in this hymn express this surrender.
All to Jesus I surrender,
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power,
Let Thy blessing fall on me.
All to Jesus I surrender,
Now I feel the sacred flame;
Oh, the joy of full salvation!
Glory, glory, to His Name!
The fourth element of worship is communion. At the Last Supper, Jesus “had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body, which is being given for you; do
this in remembrance of Me.’” Our taking of communion is a remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice and the new covenant; a proclamation of His death until He returns; an expression of fellowship among believers; and an anticipation of His return. Some churches celebrate communion weekly, others do it less often. Regardless of the frequency, it should be a tremendous act of worship for all He has done and continues to do.
The fifth, and final, element of worship is teaching or preaching. This is a vital part of the Christian faith, as it instructs and equips believers. As we learn we are lifted up for service to our God. We mature, making us and the church more effective in carrying out our mission.
Worship is not easy. It is not entered casually. But it is commanded by God. Acts 2:43-47 describes the believers after Pentecost. “Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all the believers were together and had all things in common; and they would sell their property and possessions and share them with all, to the extent that anyone had need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.” How does your worship measure up?
All scripture is from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise noted.
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