What is Worship?

Your views on Worship

Here's a starter for you. Which of these best describes "worship" to you and your group?

Worth-ship is simply and only giving Almighty God his worth and value in psalms, hymns and songs of praise

Worship is the grateful expression of the intimacy of our relationship with our heavenly Father

Worship is a powerful witness to unbelievers if God's presence is felt and if the message is understandable

There is no correct style of worship. It's totally up the worshippers to find the style they prefer

Worship is communing in God's presence, offering our gratitude for who he is as well as what he's done

Match your music to the kind of people God wants your church to reach; that way you'll truly worship God

True worship can only happen when the Holy Spirit shows up; after all, we're called to "worship in spirit and truth"

Add your descriptions; you may want to put them all in order - individually and then together.

Here are some other ideas to work through:

Early in the Garden of Eden, worship was a couple of totally free folk playing with their Father, perfectly in tune with his will, his love.

In exile, was worship just a duty?

In the Garden of Gethsemane, the worshippers fell asleep.

In Revelation, worship was inspired by gold on the streets.

Is worship tears of love, joy and peace expressing simple, sweet adoration of Jesus?

Whatever gets your worship decides your destiny (Bryn Haworth). If worship is all about choosing your destiny, which of these would you find easiest to cut out? What would you need to do - to have a totally clean slate?

We've just married, and I really can't devote my love and energy to anything else at the moment §

It isn't a case of compromise nowadays at work - unless I stand up for myself, my career and financial security will fail §

We must move to a better area - for the sake of the children

It's all politics: we must make these difficult choices because of the consequences

There's no point in standing up for what is right, simply because it will rock the boat in our community

It doesn't matter how or what you worship, as long as you're sincere about it

"Can't buy me love" is true, but money helps in everything we do

This is my thing - it's what I do and what I'm known for in church. It's my baby! If I didn't do it, it wouldn't happen!

What I lust after is my business; all this talk of community is just plain selfish

I know my rights - don't tell me about responsibilities

How intimately are we acquainted with these stereotypes? What will be your epitaph?

What you are - or what you do

Which of these is most important to you?

All that I am is seen in what I do - what you see is what you get

The depth of my relationships with God and others permeates everything that I am

When your closest friends unwrap your outer skin - and then look deep within you, do they find someone who has a capacity to love others? How deep is that love?

Worship and Intimacy

The classic description follows; what does this mean to you?

Worship (Greek: proscuneo) means to come towards and kiss. It illustrates an intimacy akin to that of close family - such as Father to child. It involves coming close to God and telling him what you think of him. The exciting thing is that God longs to reply and tell you what he thinks of you!

The Bible describes moments of intimacy with startling effect: the moments in the Garden of Eden - Adam, Eve and God all treading the same soil.... Moses receiving the Ten Commandments.... Jesus' life.... the travels of St Paul....

In the Garden of Eden we hear God calling "Where are you, Adam?"§ What would it take for us to reply "I'm here!"?

Entering the holy of holies

You'll remember the siege of Jericho § and the rending in the veil in the temple at Jesus’ crucifixion. To enter the holy of holies, or to enter the place where God wants us to be, can only be done through the miracle of God’s intervention.

At Jericho the army fulfilled their duty to march around the walls in just the same way that we are to give offerings of praise and thanksgiving; God then intervened by bringing down the walls, opening up the way for the people to enter in to where God wanted them to be.

The opening up of the temple veil § allowed the people to see into the sanctuary of the temple, to then all enjoy the intimacy of closeness with God, just where he wants us to be.

The last time we enjoyed walking with God was in the garden of Eden §. We're home! The walls are down, the veil has been ripped in two, all because of the cross, Jesus' obedience and death, and his resurrection, so now we can enjoy the intimacy of coming forward to kiss in God's presence.

Worship is....

If praise is our sacrificial duty, then worship is our complete and intimate expression of gratitude - the offering, not just the tithe - face-to-face appreciation over writing a simple "thank you" note!