Worship has taken center stage in the Christian church world. Sometimes churches divide over it. In fact this happened so often the the term "worship wars" was coined. Other peaceful resolutions have been made to create additional service times to accommodate different worship styles and preferences.
Lots of questions get asked about worship...
When should worship begin?
What can we or can't we do in the worship service?
This branding of worship has hurt the church and it hurts Christians.
Every Word Counts
As a bit of a word-nerd I can appreciate some of what has happened in the church world over the past several years. We figured out that you cannot really say that you are "going to church" because the church is not a place, it is the people of God. Many have begun restating in attempts to fix this. It is important because we believe what we say and if 90% of your congregation starts saying they are going to church, then where are they when they are not at your church's building? Who are they at home and work and school?
They are still the church, but our false labeling supports the concept and consequent behaviors that imply that when my Sunday, spiritual activities are done, I have done what is required of me.
The Wrong Answer
Too many of us (yes, I have been guilty of the crime I am writing about today) have dropped the term "church" for the Sunday gathering of the saints and have latched on to "worship" or "worship service." It is now my opinion that using these terms muddies the waters even more and should be avoided and replaced.
What is worship? There is a bit of mystery already surrounding worship. The dictionary is pretty simple in its definition. It says that worship is a feeling or expression of reverence or adoration for a deity. My Vine's Dictionary tells me that the Greek word for worship is Proskuneo, and comes from the words that mean "towards" and "to kiss."
So what happens on Sunday when the church meets? Is everything we do a kiss or act of reverence toward God? Probably not. Do I stop expressing my adoration toward God when I hop in my car to head home? I certainly hope not!
Two Paths
Many, not all, but many Christians unconsciously believe that "worship" is a special thing that happens on Sunday. They need the church to be able to worship. In other words, if you asked people how they worship through the week, you'd get a lot of confused looks.
Other people have come to be disappointed with the worship of the church. It is too drab, not sincere, "it doesn't move me," is their attitude. And that has led to them ceasing their participation. That's right. Many have chosen to stay home to have a meaningful worship experience on their own rather than to be bogged down by the apathetic church.
The Right Answer?
Will redefining worship fix everything? I'll leave people's hearts and mending them to Jesus. But if we use the right words for the right things, that could help, right?
If you say of a teenager regarding someone they idolize, "She worships the ground they walk on." What do you mean? Do you mean that on Sunday mornings she gets her friends together and in an orderly and specific manner they pay tribute to their idol? Probably not, you probably mean that in many ways and on many occasions they show their hero reverence and love and adoration.
That is how we need to be thinking about what it means to worship God.
Worship God all the time. Deuteronomy 6:4-9
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Worship God Everywhere! John 4:21-24
21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
The Word-Nerd Conclusion
Perhaps I am being finicky. Maybe I am making a mountain out of a molehill. But why don't you join me in this new quest? Stop going to church. Stop going to worship.
Why don't you start meeting with the church or go to the church's building? Maybe you can go to the assembly? or the meeting? Just make sure what you say you are doing is what you will be doing. Mislabeling our Christian activities has stunted the growth and understanding of too many and for what reason?
A decision to come into the presence of God - seems to fit with the "towards" and "kiss" meanings. I appreciate your thoughtful post.
ReplyDeleteHow about "going to worship with the church"?
ReplyDelete