Why We Worship

My buddy Brian forwarded a link to a simply amazing video that someone put together explaining why we worship corporately.  Everything I've desired to communicate about why we worship at Grace is wrapped up into this little video.

As I watched it I reflected on the purpose and reason why Grace worships the way it does corporately.  With the colorful lights, with the 95 decibal sound, with the Rock and Roll worship.  It's all about connecting others to the living God.  Worship isn't just about music, it isn't just about coming to church...it's a way of life.  All of those "cool" things are expressions of worship.  With the lights we paint a picture of the glory of our God, with the music we cry out to God prayerfully meeting Him in a relatable musical style that connects people to God, with the amplified sound and video elements we continue to visually and audibly express our love to God. These are just tools to help you, the child of God minister to the Lord in your worship. It's all about your heart meeting His.

Check out the video below...hope you come Sunday with a deeper perspective of what our time together will be.

Comments

[Stephen Barry]

That's a great video. We used it in a service about a month ago that was all about rethinking the idea of "worship." It's incredibly well done. (And I love that Jeremy Riddle song in the background.)

[Daneen]

Amen.

[Lance C.]

"W"orship
"O"ur
"R"isen
"S"avior
"H"e
"I"s
"P"recious

[garywlafreniere]

worship is one of the few times a week when I take down my gaurd, look to God and ponder his glory; Thank Him; Restore my soul; and stand in awe of who God is and how he loves me!

[Phil H]

I'm confused.

Why, when you say worship is lifestyle, do you link to Romans 12:1 (which is about presenting our lives as a sacrifice to God) but then talk about worship being about 'our heart meeting His'? and all of that when talking in the context of expressing ourselves in our meetings?

Surely that's two (or even three)different things altogether?

I'm becoming more convinced that worship is a response, not a lifesytle. It is secondary, not primary.

Following Christ seems a better way of thinking about it (after all, Jesus never asked anyone to Worship Him.)

We Worship God because of who He is and it really doesn't matter how or when, corporate or personally.

Once we get to know who God is, I believe we should be, and need to, realise that God is calling us in to relationship with Him. Yes worship is a part of that, but only one part.

I hate to think how many blog posts there are about 'defining worship' but I pray we can get our definitions back down to the correct proportion and maybe seperate out the other parts of what we whitewash with the word 'worship' so we can understand their importance.

I appolgise if I haven't explained myself very clearly and I'm just getting to grips with it myself.

My conclusion is, and you may well agree, that God has called us back to Him through the cross, to be with Him. That is the primary thing going on here.

As Romans 12 continues, it talks more of how the God/Us relationship should/will work and about transformation. That is what we are called to, not just 'worship'.

[Ben]

Phil - I don't understand your confusion. sorry if it didn't make sense to you. Yes those are three things that are important components in worship at Grace Church. Personal expressions, corporate expressions and life exchange. All three which "yes" I did touch on.

Romans 12:1 is all about worship. I can't think of a greater way of "our heart meeting His" when we present ourselves a "living sacrifice" according to Ro 12:1.

I don't know about the "whitewash" interpretation of what I said worship is about. I think anyone can peel back layers and get even more specific about everything. To say it's a "whitewash" to me implies I don't care about what the Bible says. And that's not so.

In the Old Testament, all of worship involved the sacrifice of life. The first time the word WORSHIP is used in the Bible is in Genesis 22:5. Have a look and maybe do a word study on worship to see what revolved around worship. If you're looking to define it that might be a great place to start. You can't "whitewash" this aspect of worship from your definition.

I think there are some word mincings and if we were to talk we'd probably agree more than disagree.

Thanks for making the comment. It was intriguing.

[Phil H]

Hey,

I think my confusion has a lot to do with the way the word worship blurrs between what we do in our lives and the specific events of our meetings. That's what I mean by whitewash; that it means too many things! not that you don't care. (To me the phrase means to cover over lots of things in to one, not ignore certain things. Maybe a transatlantic thing going on there...!)

So, when phrases like 'worship is a life style' comeup, does it mean that everything we do should be worship, or should be because we worship (but not 'worship' in itself)or 'we're now going to worship' (as I have heard said in many churches)?

There's also a danger in isolating one or more verses without the rest of the passage/context. It would be like reading Amos 5;21-24 and saying we can't sing in church anymore!

As I read it, Romans 12:1 simply tells us that because God is so awesome (Ro 11:33-36) our reaction should be to offer our bodies back to God, and that this wil be our act of 'spiritual worship'.

To me, 'worship as a lifestyle' suggests outward
acts.

My confusion comes back when I ask about our hearts? If we offer our bodies, as Ro 12:1 urges us to, then what about the transforming work of God in my heart and mind (Ro 12:2)?

Paul speaks much more about investing in things that are 'unseen' than presenting our bodies as sacrifices (2 Cor 4.) So when we talk about worship we must surely be careful to include this aspect too?

But then you go and write something like this, which is so much more like where I'm at!

Romans 12:1 is all about worship. I can't think of a greater way of "our heart meeting His" when we present ourselves a "living sacrifice" according to Ro 12:1.

(Maybe I'm starting to answer my own question on this...)

So let me ask a question, having rambled so much,

How equal are God and man in this worship relationship (If I can call it that)?

PS I hope you read this as a discussion, not an accusation btw. I do not pretend to have this all down by along way!

[Ben]

Hey Phil - Thanks for returning the comment. Yes initially I was not exactly sure about how to read into your comment.

My answer to "worship as lifestyle" would be this - the natural result of a heart given to the Lord and being completely "spirit filled" brings fruit which is a life given to Him. That means our desires are His desires. A life completely lived Holy separated from this present world to the purpose of His kingdom. Hopefully this makes some sense.

How equal are God and man in this worship relationship? Interesting question, I'm not sure I quite understand it, but my initial reply would be this - It isn't equal and can't be...we were made to worship Him not vice versa. Maybe I didn't understand the question?

At any rate, I appreciate the conversation and will interpret it as such vs. an accusation. :) Sorry if I appear a little touchy...recently this site received some railing accusations.

Thanks for your patience!
Ben