What Is Worship?

What is worship?

Once a week, Christian believers set aside time to gather together and worship the Lord. Yet, what is worship? Why do we worship? What is the point of coming to church on Sunday mornings?

Worship stems from faith. Without God’s action of planting faith in human hearts, worship is not possible. The word worship means “to honor something or someone as divine or supernatural.” In other words, we are saying God is worthy of our praise and adoration. Worship is an act of giving. We give the Lord our praise and thanksgiving for all that he has given us.

The Bible encourages us to “worship the LORD with gladness” (Psalm 100:2), “in the splendor of his holiness” (1 Chronicles 16:29), and “in spirit and truth” (John 4:23). Words of praise and joy are ready to tumble from our lips as we enter the doors of God’s sanctuary. The trend today in public worship is to focus mainly on what we receive rather than on what we give to the Lord—to focus on ourselves rather than on God. An attitude prevails that if we don’t feel emotionally connected to God in worship, then it must not be good. We easily forget who the object of worship is.

Worship is the most visible activity of a congregation. We all come together before God, equal in our depravity and our need for a Savior. The act of worship binds the church together—no longer separated because of age, financial status, or social circumstances. We are brides standing at the altar before our groom, waiting in hope, praising in love. Public worship is not a burden but both a privilege and a responsibility. Worship inevitably sets a pattern and pace for our personal lives and the life of the church.

The theology of our church shapes what we do in worship. For Lutherans, the focus is on the gracious work of the triune God. We remember not only what God promised in the Old Testament and then fulfilled through his Son but also what the Holy Spirit does through the Word and sacraments. Lutherans celebrate God’s mighty works in worship through their use of the liturgy.

Why do we Lutherans worship the way we do? What is the importance of the liturgy in worship? These questions will be addressed in future inserts on the liturgy. The prayerful intent of these inserts is to enrich our understanding of Lutheran worship by imparting a greater appreciation for the deep historical and scriptural content of our Lutheran liturgy. Through a renewed sense of appreciation, we can eagerly and joyfully come together in worship and enthusiastically proclaim that God is worthy.

Worship is the most visible activity of a congregation.