The 4 Elements of True Worship

You’ve wondered, haven’t you? Wondered if it was really possible to cultivate that one-on-one, deeper-than-deep, BFF-type relationship with God so many leaders, preachers, and authors talk about.

Of course, like me, you’re a follower of Christ. Or maybe not. Maybe you’re not entirely sure. Regardless, you’ve wrestled with this intimacy with God idea. Too many times it hasn’t been a reality in your own life. A real reality. At least not to the degree you desire. Not in the way they talk about it.

If you’re honest, it’s a real battle. Life is hard, and God seems far away. Juggling normal life priorities can be overwhelming. Managing relationships with family and friends seems next to impossible. Let alone maintaining a potent relationship with God. Let’s be real. You’re not even sure you like using the word intimacy in connection with God. And it does occasionally irk you when people say things like, “And the other day God told me….” You wonder if He really told them or if they’re just being, you know, leaderish.Been there.

Then again, maybe you’re different. Maybe those people have something you don’t. Or need something you don’t. Maybe they’re making it up? Or faking it up?

I’ve wondered too. Sure, it’s possible you’ve simply closed yourself off to God in ways that are just too convoluted to reopen. Maybe you’re too deep in sin, or just too busy doing ministry. Come on, let’s face it. You could never really be that close with God. Like Moses—where you walk and talk with Him face to face? That’s for spiritual giants. Truth be told, it feels like your prayers bounce regularly off the ceiling. Unanswered, mostly.

Corporate worship songs are nice, but sometimes they seem to function more as a to-do item in a church service order or perhaps something we do to cultivate “community” instead of something designed to help us nurture our real-time, personal connection with God.

Sometimes church seems to be more about entertainment—listening in on talented speakers and gifted musicians. Or about a social club—where we eat good food, sing nice songs, and hang out in our own little religious bubble. Other times it seems to be mostly about finding ways to reach the marginalized, the lost, and the poor. Which certainly isn’t bad. At all. Yet, you were hoping it was possibly, maybe, hopefully going to involve you growing a little bit—or even a lot a bit—in your life with God? Could be. Not sure. Maybe that’s not the point at all. But, could there be more to church? To God? To singing? To worship? Could I actually come to know God? As a close friend? As a true Father? As a true King? To be with Him every day? In a way that isn’t about crossing off the “religious duty” item on my checklist?

The Fight

I’ve realized it’s a fight. For me, personally. For my family. And for you. That’s why I’m compelled to write about worship. It’s a message that’s been been burning in my heart for 25 years. God has been awakening pure worship in me since my early days in the band, Sonicflood. He took this little conservative, evangelical kid and filled him with a passion for tangible, deeper friendship with his heavenly Father— something many of us desperately hope is possible, yet all too often escapes us.I know if He can do this work in me, He will do it in you. He can rekindle your lost hope once again—the hope and the means—along with every individual on the planet—to entertain an authentic, personal connection with God. A growing connection. A passionate connection. A daily connection.Is it really possible to walk and talk with our Father God in the power of the Holy Spirit? In the supernatural? Overcoming the trials, the troubles, and the temptations of this world? Or is it simply an illusory idea for those who need to feed their crutch or for those who can’t seem to dream of surviving in this ferocious existence called life?

You want to believe God is with you. You want to believe He is as real and as accessible as people say. You want to invite Him into your Sunday services, into your family interactions, into your everyday workday. But how?

It seems like we exist on two different planets. One where we pray and sing and read the Bible—in church. In small groups. Around holidays. And another where we struggle through the challenges of everyday, real life—at work and with our family. These two planets seem worlds apart—that is, except when we manage to put on our religious face and attempt to pray before a meal or at bedtime with our kids. Here’s the thing.

I’m convinced we’ve got a lot of it backwards. Worship is not an obligation. It is an invitation. It’s not a church service. It’s an adventure. Not so much toward God, but with God. Relationship with God doesn’t culminate with Jesus on the cross. Or even with His resurrection. That’s just the beginning. Not the end. It doesn’t end with heaven or with harps in our hands. It ends with concrete, supernatural hang-time with the Creator of the universe. For all eternity. Awakened worship isn’t about songs or goosebumps. It’s not about church growth or Sundays. It’s not about trendy choruses or time-tested hymns. It’s about love. It’s about friendship. With God. You see, there are generally three types of people:

• Those who’ve given up on encountering God. They believe they’ll never be spiritual enough, and they imagine this God-thing is only for special people or big-time Or they’ve decided it’s all a hoax.

• Those who have been deceived into believing they already have an intimate connection with God, yet they don’t. This is scary. Either they’ve danced just outside the circle of relationship with Him, or they’ve unknowingly enjoyed religion, good deeds, atmospheric church services, and charismatic people instead of God Himself.

• Those who have truly encountered God deeply and personally and who are on the fast track toward powerful, daily, ever-more-vibrant relationship with the Lover of their soul.

Where do you sit? Where do I?

The 4 Elements of Worship

Seems to me, the Bible makes it clear that this type of deep, personal, intimate relationship with God is something He desires—and expects—and anticipates. For every person. From every person. But how does it come about? There are four elements of worship, and true relationship with God: the what, why, who, and how.

• What: Sometimes words need a refresher when their meaning gets diluted. What exactly is worship? The few minutes of singing before the sermon? Serving the least of these? Time in the secret place? A combination? Here, we will explore as much of what worship is not— via the story of God awakening pure worship in me—in order to refocus our understanding on what exactly pure worship is.

• Why: What’s the point of worship, anyway? Is it for God? Is it for me? What are the reasons I should engage? How important is it really? What, if any, are the benefits and immediate incentives for us to go beyond a “surface” religion?

• Who: Red flag alert! If we get the what, why, and how parts of worship right, yet fail to get the who part right, we’re in serious Who is the Father? Who is Jesus? Who is the Holy Spirit? Really? Clearly, the other elements we cover become impotent if we apply them to the wrong god. A false god. For this reason, It is vitally important understand who we worship as well as the all-too-prevalent dangers of worshiping a god we’ve created in our image.

• How: How can we can flourish as pure worshipers? What are the characteristics of pure worshipers, and how do they become awakened worshipers? What action steps do they take in moving from wishing they were pure worshipers to actually becoming pure worshipers? It is shocking just how much our modern-day “worshipers” tend to resemble Pharisees rather than true worshipers.

It’s true. God is meant to be our constant companion. The one we speak with in two-way conversation constantly—both in the secret place and throughout the day. His Spirit is actually meant to empower us constantly and involve us continually in supernatural encounters, moment by moment. Our journey with God—this side of heaven— is meant to be a wonderful yet incomplete precursor or teaser for all that we will experience when we finally graduate into literal, face-to-face relationship with God in eternity. All creation is groaning for that great day. But even now the stage is set. For relationship. For friendship. For fellowship. For love. Between a powerful, omnipotent God and His beloved creation.