We have been discussing the discipline of worship as a method of deeper connection to God. If you missed either of the previous conversation you can find them at

Pastor Wrinkles: Complete Worship Pt. 1

Pastor Wrinkles: Complete Worship Pt. 2

Here are our thoughts for the day:

The Bible teaches us that the nature of worship is two-fold but that the heart of worship is singular.

Worship can be expressed through music but it is not just music. It is about the heart changed in private and expressed publicly.

Some people say worship is everything we do, and I suppose in one sense that is true.

Romans 12:1, 2 does say, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship or service rendered unto God.”

The word used for worship in verse two  is the word “latreia” and it is usually translated as “sacred service.”

The worship we are speaking of here is the discipline of worship. It is the word “proskuneo”- and it means to  kneel or prostrate to do homage (to one) or make obeisance, whether in order to express respect or to make supplication

Worship is a very specific discipline and for it to be complete in our lives it must express itself in two ways out of one particular attitude. Psalm 150 talks to us about the ways we need to express worship.

First, worship must be public. Psalm 150 1 calls us tp ” Praise God in the sanctuary.”

In other words, half of worship is something you do with other people. It is a community activity. You can no more completely worship alone than you can play basketball alone. Further, worship is like a sport in that It is not enough to show up at the game. You aren’t worshipping if you come to church and watch any more than you can say you have played basketball by going to a game and watching from the bleachers. You must participate in the worship.

To participate you must:

Halal (from which we get the word hallelujah. It means to boast loudly about something.

Now, there is a place for quiet introspective worship, but at some point if you are going to praise God you are going to have to make some noise. Some of us have trouble getting into the presence of God simply because we won’t make any noise. We are so dignified in our manner of worship we’ve starched the presence of God right out of our lives. If you want access you are going to have to

“sound  the trumpet,”

“play the harp and lyre,”

“shake the tambourine and dance”

You’ve got to pluck a string or toot a flute or crash a cymbal or at least sing the songs!! Or thank Him audibly for something!

Psalm 150 says, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.” Are you breathing? Then you ought to be making some noise for Jesus.

You say, “I’m too shy Pastor J.”

Then you need a healing.

You say, ” It’s not dignified.”

You are right. It’s not. Praise is not dignified. It’s humbling. Worship involves putting aside your pride and it is admitting you are desperate for God, and frankly sometimes the act of doing that is downright indecorous.

Those who say they can go and worship God alone in the forest show their ignorance of what true worship is because true worship involves public community worship. Those who come to public worship and who do not sing, or shout, or speak, or raise their hands also show that they do not understand what worship is about.

So what does worship look like to you?