Worship without "worship" is still Worship

Most of you know that in October The Pathway began having worship services twice a month. It has been a unique experience and we are learning that worship is not supposed to be about what we "get" from the service but about what we "give" to God. If it's about us, it's not worship. Ask yourself how many times you've left a worship service displeased because you didn't really "get" anything out of the message or you didn't "get" anything out of the music. I am embarrassed and humbled to admit how many times I have said those things.

Well, a good friend has led us in worship through song for the first 3 months of our worship services and has done an excellent job teaching the people of The Pathway how to worship God in song. The one downside to my friend helping us was that he wasn't a part of our church he was simply a part of our worship service. Everything we believe God wants for us comes from being the church instead of going to church so I decided that we would not do worship in song anymore until someone from within our church was ready to lead it. That's a scary thought because what is worship without worship?

Well, let me tell you that yesterday we learned exactly what worship is without "worship." If it's focused on the glorification of God through the power of the Holy Spirit... it's WORSHIP! We spent an hour and a half yesterday, as a church, praying, studying God's word, fellowshipping and sharing honest testimony of what the Lord has been doing in our lives. God was glorified, God was worshipped, and in turn he allowed most of us to "get" something out of it. Ask yourself what you're looking for when you go to worship. When you're honest it is very humbling for most of us but I'm hear to tell you, true worship is in Spirit and in Truth and has nothing to do with music.

Praise Jesus for worship!