This is a new 6 part series looking at the whole subject of worship....
"Christian worship is the most momentous, the most urgent, the most glorious action that can take place in human life."
—Karl Barth
What is ‘real’ worship?
"“Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”" (Jn 4:20, NKJV)
Just under two thousand years have passed since this famous quote (sited above) by the Samaritan women (or woman at the well), however as I began to write this article I realised the heart behind the woman’s question still lingers in the air, like mist on a damp morning. What is ‘real’ worship? The Samaritan woman was concerned with the perceived importance of ‘location’. In a similar way, if you ask the majority of Christians today their answer would reveal a concept of worship, which is heavily influenced by ‘style’ or denominational approach. Both are wrong concepts of worship, because they deal with the peripheral rather than the heart.
The aim of this short article is to untangle the biblical understanding of worship from the many changing stylistic and cultural opinions of what is ‘real’ worship. Part of the problem has been the fact that the Bible itself never categorically defines worship. This then demands the ‘sewing’ together of concepts drawn from various words, which in the English language have been translated worship. This article is split into four major sections: the focus of worship, the heart of worship, the actions of worship, and the lifestyle of worship. Following these sections is a brief conclusion pulling together all that has been highlighted in the different sections, giving the bigger picture, which will hopefully give a balanced understanding of worship.
"Christian worship is the most momentous, the most urgent, the most glorious action that can take place in human life."
—Karl Barth
What is ‘real’ worship?
"“Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”" (Jn 4:20, NKJV)
Just under two thousand years have passed since this famous quote (sited above) by the Samaritan women (or woman at the well), however as I began to write this article I realised the heart behind the woman’s question still lingers in the air, like mist on a damp morning. What is ‘real’ worship? The Samaritan woman was concerned with the perceived importance of ‘location’. In a similar way, if you ask the majority of Christians today their answer would reveal a concept of worship, which is heavily influenced by ‘style’ or denominational approach. Both are wrong concepts of worship, because they deal with the peripheral rather than the heart.
The aim of this short article is to untangle the biblical understanding of worship from the many changing stylistic and cultural opinions of what is ‘real’ worship. Part of the problem has been the fact that the Bible itself never categorically defines worship. This then demands the ‘sewing’ together of concepts drawn from various words, which in the English language have been translated worship. This article is split into four major sections: the focus of worship, the heart of worship, the actions of worship, and the lifestyle of worship. Following these sections is a brief conclusion pulling together all that has been highlighted in the different sections, giving the bigger picture, which will hopefully give a balanced understanding of worship.
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