Congregational Worship

“We Evangelicals have come to view the word ‘worship’ as referring to something like God-focused music. And music is inherently emotional. So it follows that our understanding of ‘worship’ could then be reduced to the personal expression of a God-centered, emotional experience.” - CLeaders

“I once paid a visit to one of the most mega of America’s megachurches…. I went into this modern worship situation with as open a mind as I could muster. I left perplexed. I was perplexed not by what was said or done in the service as much as what was left unsaid and undone.” - C.Leaders

“If I were to attend only your church’s main worship service, would I think that your church is a house of prayer?” - Chuck Lawless

“Excellence matters because God deserves our best. Authenticity matters because people can sense when we’re simply going through the motions. When the two are brought together, worship becomes both beautiful and life-changing.” - C.Leaders

“Every Christian knows it is both our duty and our delight to gather with God’s people on each Lord’s Day. But we may have less clarity on why we do this. Why is it so important that we gather specifically to worship?” - Challies

“The engineer-type Christian often sees the sermon as the main event. They’ll tolerate the singing, but it’s the doctrine-rich, cross-referenced, bullet-pointed sermon that truly feeds them. Meanwhile, the artist might feel most alive during the music and quietly wish the sermon would get trimmed to fifteen minutes so they can get back to singing.” - 9 Marks

“I admit that my assessment is entirely subjective, but here’s what makes the worship so strong for me that I can’t wait to preach.” - Chuck Lawless

“I (Billy) had the opportunity to worship in the pews with my kids. As a pastor, my preaching schedule rarely affords me the opportunity to spend the entire service with my family. … What grabbed my attention most was this: at some point, each of my four kids (ages 5.5 through 11.5), took out a pew Bible for personal use.” - Mere Orthodoxy

“Greear’s observation about treating church like a ‘religious show’ hits at the heart of the issue…. When we consistently arrive late to our worship services, what message are we sending about the nature and importance of what we’re gathering to do?” - TGC

“To convey the story, worship leaders ought to aim for songs that convey (1) the glory of God, (2) our need for his grace, (3) his provision of that grace, and (4) our mission in response. Without each of these elements in your regular worship, your church will sing an incomplete gospel.” - TGC