How can any Christ-follower not be passionate about worshiping God? You and I are made to worship. Our corporate expressions of worship need to truly allow our spirits to touch and be transformed by the Holy Spirit. I deeply appreciate the incredible significance and impact of each time I get to participate in congregational worship.
I hope that you will take a moment to consider FIVE GOALS of congregational worship!
#1 WE ENCOUNTER GOD’S PRESENCE!
We want to draw closer to God EVERY time we congregate. We should never lose sight of this goal. God’s presence should be the hallmark of every meeting.
Why is this goal so important? We encounter God’s Presence:
- To prepare (cleanse and focus) people to encounter God. Congregational worship awakens people to yield their total person to a place of TOTAL worship.
- To bring people into the presence of the Lord. God’s manifest presence is our priority. “Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing.” (Psalm 100:2 NASB)
- To reveal the character and deeds of God. We gather to exalt the Lord. “Sing praises to the Lord, Who dwells in Zion! Declare among the peoples His doings!” (Psalm 9:11 AMP) When people see you worship, they should know that God is great by the way you praise.
- To build a throne for the Lord’s rulership. We invite God to move among those worshiping Him. “Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.” (Psalm 22:3 NASB)
- To make every person God-conscious. Yes, God is really alive – transcendent, yet immanent.
- To receive direction, change, enjoyment, and encouragement. We celebrate! Commission, direction, and edification occurs.
- To become more like Christ and to bring people into right relationship with Christ. Worship draws individuals to Christ (evangelism). Lives are changed in God’s presence.
# 2 WE RELEASE THE HOLY SPIRIT’S CONTINUING WORK.
Congregational worship should be an open opportunity for the Holy Spirit to do what He desires today. Hundreds of millions of Spirit-baptized believers on earth today (October 2013) testify: “It is not strange to experience the work of the Holy Spirit today!” Holy Spirit did not end His ministry in 100 AD. The Holy Spirit’s continued work through two thousand years of church history is not strange fire; it is holy fire.
Our corporate worship releases:
- Charismatic expression (Gifts of the Spirit including tongues),
- Prophetic flow (Consider how Elisha calls for musician in 2 Kings 3:15),
- Conviction, comfort, and guidance,
- Unity in the Body of Christ, and
- God’s miraculous power and anointing that breaks yokes (healing, salvation, deliverance, etc.).
#3 WE ENGAGE IN SPIRITUAL WARFARE AGAINST THE ENEMY.
“Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand, To execute vengeance on the nations, And punishments on the peoples; To bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute on them the written judgment — This honor have all His saints. Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 149:6-9 NKJV)
#4 WE OFFER SPIRITUAL SACRIFICES TO GOD.
We serve God as priests – glorifying Him and pleasing Him. We come to the sanctuary with a focus to GIVE (not to GET). Our sacrifice of worship is an offering of something meaningful and valuable (consider the costs of our time, talent, treasure, energy).
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9 NIV)
#5 WE COMMUNICATE GOD’S WORD.
Congregational worship imparts truth, sound theology, strengthening, faith. Worship prepares people to receive God’s Word into their mind, into their hearts, and into their actual lives. Worship that touches heaven also inspires application and practice of the message.
Wow, have I see this! As a pastor called to teach and preach the Bible, I am still amazed by the impact of worship upon sermons. Congregational worship that really encounters God’s presence opens the way for the sermon and makes the delivery soooooooo much easier and much more effective.
“Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16 NASB)
“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:18-19 NASB)
I gave you five goals; I will conclude with five things that congregational worship is not. Congregational worship is:
- NOT Christian karaoke,
- NOT a platform concert,
- NOT a spectator sport,
- NOT shallow or superficial,
- NOT just music we play and songs we sing (no matter how long we have practiced or how much expression we put into it).
Worship is more than just words and music; actual communion with God is necessary. Worship doesn’t occur until spirit touches Spirit.
