Since our journey to becoming True Worshippers must start with us fully understanding worship by God’s definition, let us examine what is worship; for we cannot become what we do not fully understand.
In his article entitled “What is worship?” Dr. Lee Campbell of Dwell Community Church stated that, “As long as we are culturally bound to the unfortunate English word, ‘worship,’ we need to keep our understanding biblical rather than anchored in church traditions. A worshipper must be a humble person who is willing to subordinate their goals to God’s goals by prioritising service toward the Kingdom of God, express gratitude and praise toward God, and tell others about Him, His truths, and the love they have enjoyed as His child.” (dwellcc.org).
My mentor and spiritual father, the late Professor Archbishop Ezekiel Guti, held the same perspective. In his book, Principles and Doctrines of Jesus Christ, he defined worship as the expression of a relationship with God, our natural response to the presence of God, which demands the total yielding of the will of the Believer to the will of God. He not only taught this but lived a life that was totally yielded to God. At the tender age of 15, he had an encounter that set him on a path of daily seeking and surrendering his will to God. This resulted in the birth of a sacred ministry called Forward In Faith, which started under a gum tree in the remote area of Bindura, Zimbabwe, Africa, and has since grown to hundreds of churches planted all over the world, including here in Jamaica. His worship to God was expressed through a life of obedience and sacrifice to His Maker.
Dr. Lee Campbell continues to share that, “Worship is the response of grateful and humble people to the living God, where submission, sacrificial service, praise, profession, testimony, and gratitude are freely expressed in innumerable ways. This is a much richer concept than mere corporate singing and praise once each week for 20 minutes—an event that could occur without any actual worship going on at all.”
A PENTECOSTAL ENCOUNTER
I grew up in a church where the only instruments were a piano and organ, no drums, no bass, or lead guitar! We sang hymns from the hymnal. We did not speak in tongues, nor were there any shouts of “Hallelujah” or “Praise di Lawd.” There was, however, the occasional clapping of hands, which I guess was done in lieu of any outburst of “AMEN!” That was how we expressed ourselves as a church, and for a time I thought that that was all the expressing one could and should do. Then one day, I passed by a ‘Pentecostal’ church. All I can say is that the Pentecostals were ‘pentecostaling.’ Since this encounter, I have learned more ways of expressing myself to God.
In what ways do you express yourself to God? And are these expressions that we make to God during our personal devotions, weekly services, and Christian events right or wrong, or even any less or more important to Him?
The Scriptures describe some expressions made to God:
- Shabach (Psalm 145:4) – Shout praise; expresses confidence in God’s ability.
- Barach (Psalm 95:6) – Kneel, bless the Lord; expresses humility.
- Towdah (Psalm 50:23) – The raised hand; expresses adoration.
- Hallal (Psalm 148-150) – Celebrate extravagantly; root of the word “hallelujah,” which means “praise (halla) to jah (God)”; expresses joy, jubilation, and celebration.
- Tehillah (Psalm 33:1) – Singing Scripture to instruct and encourage.
- Kara (2 Sam 6:14) – Dance. “David danced before the Lord with all his might;” expresses joy and celebration.
- Zamar (Psalm 33:2-3) – Make music by striking the fingers on strings or parts of a musical instrument.
OUR “HEARTITUDE” AS WE WORSHIP
Psalms 22:3 tells us that God is enthroned in our praises to Him. Though our expressions will, at times, convey different feelings, God wants us to come with all of our noise—Psalm 100.
Professor Archbishop Ezekiel Guti succinctly writes this: “Some people accuse us of too much emotionalism. I say we have too little. This is why we are losing church people to other interests. We need not only to capture their minds but also to touch their hearts. We have to make people feel their faith.” (Pathway to Praise and Worship by Ezekiel Guti).
So then, is our singing, dancing, etc., also ways to express our faith in God? I think so, and they allow us to express our other emotions, like pain, joy, sorrow, and fear, to Him. Worship is more than a song. It is the written word/poem, our dance, the playing of instruments. It is our offering, our individual and collective obedience to God.
But more important than our expressions is the attitude of our heart—our “heartitude”—as we worship. Let me share some feedback I received on my podcast called Becoming a True Worshipper.
Becky from the UK described worship as “1% outward expressions, 99% heart.” She said that, “our heart is what moves God, not just our words. Worship is an attitude lived. Praise can be staged, but worship cannot. Anyone can praise, but worship must come from a broken and contrite heart.”
Esther from Zimbabwe says, “Worship is a way of praising, acknowledging, and giving reverence to God. It is recognising everything He has done for me through singing songs, prayer, and through reading the Word of God.”
I liked when she mentioned that worship involves us praying and reading the Word of God, because praying is how we talk with God, and reading the scripture is how God talks to us. Our hearts and minds are transformed and renewed as we pray and read the Word, which then affects and influences our expressions of praise and worship.
Reverend Jasper in Zimbabwe reminds us that: “One of the necessities for those who follow Jesus Christ is worship. Worship is the furnace of the spiritual life; it moves our spiritual life. It is not necessarily what you get out of it, but what God gets out of it – it is all about God. Worship must not be an event but an experience. Not a programme but a way of life!”
I am continuing to learn what is worship, but so far understand that it involves our entire life as followers of Jesus Christ, and is expressed through, but is not limited to the different art forms (music, drama, dance, etcetera). Our obedience and diligence in prayer, reading the Word of God, and even attending church are all acts of worship, too. So, rather than a momentary action, worship is a lifestyle.
I am also learning to not allow religion or even culture to limit or define what is true worship, because only God can determine the worship that is pleasing and acceptable to Him.
Until next time…continue becoming!
Lisa May Dillon, a pastor and worship leader in Montego Bay, Jamaica, is creator of the podcast, Becoming A True Worshipper.