Worship in Spirit and in Truth

Worship

This week I have been thinking with our church's music team about how we will work together in a growing congregation in the coming period. Thinking about this further this week, it occurred to me that it is actually very confusing to have terms like "worship team" and "worship music.

After all, how can you make "worship music" when worship is actually about a lifestyle?

Worship: A lifestyle that is pleasing in God's eyes

Okay, I'll admit it; it's a little brief. Worship is also about who we are in relation to God. Is about expressing our gratitude. It's about proclaiming His truth even when we don't feel that way but know it. It's about our relationship with Him. It's about the Good News. In fact, it's about everything that following Jesus entails.

Still, I think it deeply comes down to your state of heart. Hmm, that does sound soft. And eroded. What does that even mean anymore? In my opinion Worship is an act that comes from an inner attitude to life.

When Jesus is tempted in the desert and the devil wants to tempt him to kneel and worship before him, Jesus answers: 'For it is written : The Lord thy God shalt thou worship and serve Him alone'. (Mat.4:10 / Deut.6:13)

These two things; worship and serve, are closely related. The first commandment: Loving God with all our heart, soul and mind therefore has everything to do with a life of worship.

So it is not that music that worships and leads to worship could not exist, but rather that it comes from a way of life. God seeks the heart. From this life there will be times when we can express this in our words and songs.

An hour is coming, yes it is already here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth: those are the worshipers the Father looks forward to. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth. (John 4: 23-24)

God is spirit. So when we worship Him in spirit, it means that this is done in close communion with Him. He lives in and through us through His spirit. And this is done in "truth" which means in sincerity and with devotion. Do we bow to our King or to the temptations of the world?

Sing for God

Let the word of Christ dwell among you in full richness. Teach and exhort one another with all wisdom. Sing to God with a grateful heart psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Do everything you do in word or deed in the name of the Lord Jesus, thanking God the Father through Him. (Col.3:16-17)

Speak to one another in psalms, hymns and songs, prompted by the Spirit. Sing and play wholeheartedly before the Lord. Give thanks always before all things to God, who is the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Eph.5:19-20)

Worship in the assembly

So when we talk about the worship service in the church we are not primarily talking about the music and the atmosphere, but about a congregation whose church members follow Jesus. Where a life of worship is lived. Then together we can use our voices and instruments to strengthen that with words, music, dance, flags and all that is within us.

What a music team can possibly add is to stucture and bring together the hearts that want to make their King's name great. Then musicality, quality, a nice atmosphere and everything else comes second. This requires a music team, in addition to practicing, to focus on only 1 question: 'What does God want to say, work out, make known through us during the service?' A music team that does not do this can be hindering. After all, God uses leaders to take a direction.

The individual

But whether Sunday morning worship is "fine" or "good" is still most dependent on how the individual churchgoer followed Jesus that week. More than on how 'good' the music is. So does quality play no role at all? I think so; a secondary role. If the quality is not as good it can be distracting. With words or melodies that are not recognizable (e.g. traditionally sung psalms) this can be distracting. But this distraction happens especially when the Spirit is not living powerfully in you and working through you. Surely if your heart is full of Him, your mouth and life overflows with it? A good atmosphere helps in experiencing and reaching out to God. But a powerful life-changing worship service is not where the quality is highest, but where God can be most present through his followers.

  Related links:

• What is worship | www.nieuwlied.nl
• How can I worship in spirit and in truth? | www.oudesporen.nl