how to be a worship leader – part 4

Worship as Our Purpose

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD. – Psalm 150:6

Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4:23 “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”

This verse clarifies 4 vital questions about worship:
Who worships? The believer
What do we worship? The Father
When to worship? The present
Where to worship? In the spirit of each believer (where the Holy Spirit lives and leads)

I suggest everyone pick up a copy of Rick Muchow’s “The Worship Answer Book.” Gems like the list of 4 things above can be found all throughout this resource. One thing I love about this list is that it clarifies our role, and the object of our worship so clearly. We are to worship in everyday life, all the time, connecting spirit to Spirit. Non-believers cannot worship; it is impossible. Only a person who has given their heart wholly over to Jesus can actually worship Him. Yes, only the believer can experience the passionate joy of knowing a Savior. It’s our cool, not-so-little club that anyone can join. But sadly even though there is no entrance fee, so many decide against it. So rejoice that we get this opportunity to worship. In fact, this is our real and true purpose once we enter into the club of Christ, also known as “the church.”

Understanding Worship as our purpose:

As the church, there is a threefold vision we can claim from scripture as it relates to worship as our purpose.

1. We were created to worship:
“Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” – Isaiah 43:7

In other words, God made us worshipping beings. Webster’s definition of “human” is: of or characteristic of people as opposed to God or animals or machines, esp. in being susceptible to weaknesses. You’ve heard “I’m only human” which is meant to say, “I have obvious faults.” Yet a 5-gallon container can hold 5 gallons of water since that is what it was designed to do. As created beings designed to give God glory, we not only have the capability to worship, but the capacity as well since that is our function; it is why we were made.

2. We are commanded to worship:
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. – Matthew 22:36-38

If you take nothing else from this study, I pray that you walk away with this: giving God glory is our number one function. All worship should be focused in this direction, this being our main prize, and main reward if you will: the incredible gift of true relationship with God.

3. The primary purpose of the church is worship:
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. – 1 Peter 2:9

Can you see? We are a chosen, royal, holy, and a people belonging to God. And for what purpose? “That you may declare the praises…” You see, the only reason we exist as a church, is to glorify God. I do not have space to unpack this truth here but I will say, that if everyone in the church understood this purpose more clearly, we would see an explosion of love and service that no revival or humanitarian movement of the past could ever compare to.

In closing, this seems like a good time to revisit the definition from part 1 of How to be a Worship Leader:

Act out your total love, praise, and thankfulness to God the Father, in every action you take and through this example, you will inspire others to do the same

My prayer is that each of you now knows what it means to be a real Worship Leader and that you feel empowered to act this out – even today.

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