Over the forty-six years of my life, I’ve been a part of a lot of worship services and worship experiences. Growing up in normative-sized Baptist churches, we’ve sung hymns like “The Old Rugged Cross” and “Victory in Jesus” with a piano. I’ve been a part of a cappella renderings of “It Is Well” at my Fruitland Baptist Bible College. On mission trips, I’ve been in Africa where worship gatherings consisted of dancing, chanting, and call and response singing. While a student pastor, I’ve been to youth camps where the praise and worship music is loud and energy is high. On Sundays at Wilkesboro Baptist, gathered worship consists of a worship choir, praise team, congregational singing, prayer, and preaching. The variety of styles, preferences, songs, and experiences in gathered worship has been a joy.
In church life, few things instigate tension like styles of instrumentation and worship. Some prefer to sing only to an organ. Others love the loud crashing of drums. While preference might play a role in what we like in gathered worship, gathered worship is not about our preferences. We don’t worship for ourselves; we worship an audience of One.
Worship, private or corporate, is for God and God alone. If you doubt me, read through the gathered worship pictures in the book of Revelation. Worship in heaven is “throne-centered.” Every creature, every person, and every angel is tuned in posture, declaration, and song to the triune God on his throne. See for example Revelation 4, 5, 7:9-17; 11:15-19; 14:1-5; 15:2-4, and 19:1-9.
Our mission at Wilkesboro Baptist is to lead our neighbors and the nations to follow Jesus by worshiping, learning, serving, and replicating. Two weeks ago, I posted about the first journey outcome that reveals how we’re living up to those mission steps: “Say or Sing Praise Today.” Journey outcome number two is also about worship.
Journey Outcome #2-Engage intentionally in gathered worship.
Christian worship is oriented around the Trinity: God-centered, Christ-focused, and Spirit-filled. We worship God the Father through Christ the Son by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Worship is the first step in following Jesus for good reason. A Christian who is not worshiping is a Christian who is not truly following Jesus. In gathered worship, Wilkesboro Baptist follows a gospel-shaped liturgy: Praise (who God is), Confession (where we fall short), Gospel (how Christ forgives and reconciles us to God), Response (how we turn in heart and obedience to God through Christ). As such, gathered worship is not passive. It is active, engaged, and responsive.
There are many ways to engage in worship intentionally, but let’s unpack just a few.
- Prepare regularly. Years ago, I learned from another pastor about preparing for gathered worship. For each week’s worship we develop a “worship preparation” that we send out in our newsletter (monthly by mail and weekly by email). If you are part of WBC, then use that worship preparation to get ready for gathered worship. I’ve also begun a weekly “What I’m Praying for” post for each upcoming Sunday. I use these prayers as I prepare to preach and worship each week. When we invest in gathered worship, we’ll get more out of gathered worship.
- Gather weekly. Gathered worship should be on our weekly calendar. If you’re anything like me, things that don’t make your calendar are easily forgotten. If God doesn’t have a time on your calendar and can’t inconvenience you enough to gather in worship, then is He Lord of your life? The intentional choice to gather with God’s people for worship reveals whether or not you are following Jesus.
- Sing joyfully. One of the most active parts of gathered worship is singing. The Bible contains hundreds of references to singing with more than 50 direct commands to sing. As noted above, Revelation’s worship includes heavenly singing. If you want something out of gathered worship, then sing joyfully. We were made to worship, and singing is a means of expressing joy and gratitude to Christ who died for your sins.
- Participate appropriately. At WBC, we read a monthly memory verse and invite gatherers to confess privately as elders lead a public prayer of confession. We ask for congregational response at baptism and invite participation when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. In other words, gathered worship invites participation.
- Listen attentively. A significant portion of gathered worship is preaching. Preaching invites understanding of and response to the gospel. My aim in preaching is both to inform the mind and inspire the heart. Doctrinally sound preaching bridges two worlds: the original audience and contemporary hearers. What the text meant to the first readers/hearers (interpretation) underscores meaning and application for hearers today. Our worship guide offers a place for notes. Taking notes imbeds the message in heart and mind and assists with application.
- Give generously. Gathered worship is the most common place for giving though not the only one. We have collection boxes at the entrance of our worship center. Years ago, we stopped passing offering plates. Many of our church members give online or mail their gifts to the church. In any case, giving generously (see 2 Corinthians 8) should be a part of following Jesus. If you think about all that God has done of your eternal life and your church has done for your spiritual journey of following Jesus, giving is an expression of obedience and gratitude.
These worship practices will help us be engaged intentionally. I invite you this week to practice intentional worship.