Worship Ministry

 

God Demands Worship

Worship is often confused with “coming to church” or “hearing a sermon” yet God has commanded all of His children to “worship Him in Spirit and in Truth”.  Worshiping God in the manner that He has commanded is much different than simply getting dressed-up and showing up at church, ….or merely sitting in the congregation and listening to a good sermon.  Focusing our “affections” on Christ and His completed sacrifice on our behalf and our “fellowship” with Him in the life He now lives in and through us ...... this  is the essence of  “true worship”!

1John 1:1-4  That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life-- the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us-- that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.  And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
English Standard Version

John 4:23-24…..“We must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth”

This is a conscious decision that every true believer must exercise in obedience, on a daily basis. True worship is evidence of a true believer in ways only revealed through God’s word. It is the purpose and aim of Grace Baptist Church to instruct and demonstrate true life changing worship to the Glory of Almighty God.
As we continue to follow Jesus Christ and recognize our worth in Him, worship begins to fill our hearts through prayer, praise, preaching, teaching, singing, edification of the membership and renewal of the mind in Christ likeness. Everyday becomes purposeful as He gives each of us more accurate understanding of His word, revealing in more clarity the intent of His will.


Worship through Proclamation

Every believer is given the mandate and privilege to worship God by proclaiming His infinite worth (Deut 6:13; Matt 4:10). In fact, the apostle Paul lists worship as one of three characteristics of a believer (Phil 3:3), and Jesus declares that true worshipers worship “in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24). This kind of worship occurs in a heart quickened by the Spirit of God and which understands His truth as revealed in Scripture. True worship involves sincere and genuine affection rooted in biblical truth, as the believer’s whole being joins in joyful praise of God.

God’s Word makes it clear that although the corporate worship of the church is a unique time when believers gather to declare as one body the greatness of the Lord and to offer undistracted devotion and adoration to Him, worship is not to be limited to these times. Rather, grateful corporate worship is to be an overflow of one’s personal life of devotion and adoration of God and is evidence of being filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18-20).


Worship through Presentation

While there is a tendency to view worship as something that takes place only during church services, the apostle Paul calls believers to worship the Lord as a way of life:

 “I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship” (Rom 12:1).

This kind of worship begins with an appropriate appreciation of the mercies of God and expresses itself in the presentation of oneself to God as a living sacrifice. While the Old Testament saint was to come before the Lord with various animal sacrifices, the New Testament believer is called to come and present himself. This involves coming before the Lord and surrendering oneself to Him and understanding oneself to be His possession and to exist for His purposes.  Worship is always focused and expressed to God and exists in no other way!