As a college student, I had the opportunity to lead worship in a variety of settings. As a freshman, I led our FCA campus ministry in worship with an acoustic guitar and an overhead projector (campfire style). On Wednesday evenings, I would lead a generationally diverse crowd at my church, singing some old hymns and choruses. During the school week, I was involved in multiple choirs and many of our “concerts” were actually leading worship services at liturgical churches, often singing the Latin text. And my weekends were filled participating in 4 high energy services, much like what we do at Church at the Bay.
If you wanted me to rank all of those leading experiences according to my taste, it would be easy. And because of my bias, I would often approach the settings differently—preparing myself for “worship” in some cases, and maybe just preparing vocally for others. Here was the big problem: God was waiting for me every time. Often, despite my lack of spiritual preparation, the Holy Spirit would move in people’s hearts and bless them. When those people would find me and thank me for my ministry, it would hit me like a ton of bricks.
I “knew” that God wasn’t worshipped because of a style. But I didn’t always live like it. While God blessed people around me, my eyes were closed to experiencing Him because I wasn’t trying. I wasn’t thinking. I wasn’t seeking. And that is where I hope you and I can relate. This idea of worship transcending styles is actually a microcosm of the real issue: worship transcends music altogether.
Romans 12:1 declares our spiritual act of worship to be offering our lives as living sacrifices. If we take that verse to heart, the compartmentalizing of our faith that so often happens should seem silly. Our worship cannot be bound to a few minutes during church services or our personal quiet times. Our lives of worship must color every moment, where we literally live to bring glory to God—in the sanctuary, the boardroom, and the living room.
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