Worship in Spirit and Truth

Having been a worship leader for 15+ years within the church I have seen a lot of shifts in strategy and philosophy. Within these shifts it is easy to loose our purpose and clarity regarding what we are to be about. It is for this reason that we need to go to the scriptures to regain a Biblical understanding of corporate worship. This really has nothing to do with a style or strategy, but is simply a call to be what God has prescribed for us to be within His Word. Our faithfulness to become a Christ (and cross) centered worshiping church will, by God’s grace, result in what the church in Acts experienced as daily God added to the numbers those who were being saved. Here are a few important reminders for us from a book I am a reading called “Worship in Spirit and Truth” by John M. Frame.

Worship Should be God Centered…

Worship is homage, adoration. It is not primarily for ourselves, but for the one we seek to honor. We worship for his pleasure foremost and find our greatest pleasure in pleasing him. Worship must therefore be always be God-centered and Christ-centered. It must be focused on the covenant Lord.

Worship Should be Gospel Centered…

As in Eden, God’s people hear his word in worship. But now it is somewhat different, for God’s word now tells us of our sin and God’s provision for our forgiveness. Again, we fellowship with God by eating and drinking with him, but that eating and drinking sets for the Lord’s death until he comes. Everything we do in worship, therefore, now speaks of sin and forgiveness, of Jesus’ atonement and resurrection for us. Worship following the fall of Adam should not only be God-centered, but also Christ-centered and gospel-centered. In all our worship the good news that Jesus has died for our sins and is risen gloriously from the dead should be central.

The Importance of Worship…

Redemption is the means; worship is the goal. In one sense, worship is the whole point of everything. It is the purpose of history, the goal of the whole Christian story. Worship is not one segment of the Christian life among others. Worship is the entire Christian life, seen as a priestly offering to God. And when we meet together as a church, our time of worship is not merely a preliminary to something else; rather, it is the whole point of our existence as the body of Christ.