Jess appropriately said, “If you get worship wrong then you get discipleship wrong.” Boy is that true! We usually think of worship as what you do before the preacher gets up to speak. It’s preparation for the main event – the Word. Wrong! Maybe that’s why we have discipleship wrong – something the pastors do because we pay them.
A few years ago I asked my worship team “when was the last time you worshipped and how were you doing it?” They invariably gave me the last time they played or sang in church or had their devotions. If the worship team has it wrong, surely most of us sitting in the pew might.
Worship is so much more than singing a song or giving our offering. The Message makes it crystal clear in Romans 12:1 “So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.” Worship is a mindset that shapes our everyday lifestyle.
Worship is how we treat our spouse and others, spend our money, perform at work, honor our body and every other area of our lives. Choosing to control my impulses is an act of worship. Choosing to respond in kindness instead of revenge is an act of worship. Choosing to be on time at work or for an appointment is an act of worship. We compartmentalize our spirituality to the point that we negate its power to change our everyday practices.
Worship is taking who we are, our passion, gifts, talents and interests and offering them as a gift to glorify God instead of ourselves. It’s moment by moment being consciously aware of His presence in us wanting to be expressed through our personality in our everyday activities – not just church activities, devotions, singing.
Being and making disciples are acts of worship. Discipleship is receiving God’s transforming love and then sharing it with others in our community. Discipleship will require time, vulnerability, energy and accountability. But if we are relating with God in worship it should naturally overflow into wanting to disciple.
Remember, Jesus said, “Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” Following Christ is worship; being a fisher of men is discipleship and worship. Worship prepares us to be a disciple maker.
Lord, open up our minds to understand the scope and wonder of worship. Help us to not just love you in word but “with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and your neighbor as yourself."
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