After a service appraisal session at a leadership meeting one day, someone said, “I enjoyed the worship session today. It was a great atmosphere.” I appreciated his comment, but it made me ask myself: Are we supposed to enjoy worship, or is God? Is worship meant for us or for God?
Friend, the object of worship is God, not man (John 12:32). Any worship that shifts focus from God to man is idolatry in another form. This is why worship leaders must be broken people. They must project Jesus, not their singing skills (John 3:30). They should edify the church, not entertain it.
Everything we do in worship must honour God, including our dances. Much of the debate about dances in church today would not arise if we understood the purpose of worship. Any dance, song, or expression that does not point men to Jesus is carnality wrapped in pseudo spirituality (Romans 8:6, Galatians 5:24).
Worshippers must be dead people. They must be dead to the flesh or self-promotion and alive to God (Romans 12:1-2). They must sing to please God, not to impress people. They must live a life acceptable to God if they ever expect their worship or songs to be acceptable (Genesis 4:4, Hebrews 11:4).
Worship is not just what we do on Sunday morning. It is how we live every day (1 Peter 2:5). You cannot be far from God Monday to Saturday and think you will lead people to God on Sunday. You cannot import what you did at a worldly party on Saturday and call it worship.
A worshipper is someone who, by the Holy Spirit, takes people to where he has already been in God (Genesis 22:5, Hebrews 5:1). Good music is important, but it must be because God deserves it, not because we enjoy it. We can enjoy worship while God is starved. God daily seeks worshippers who will give Him what He truly enjoys (John 4:23).
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria
