Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Worship (04/02/26)
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TITLE: The Type Of Worship And Worshipers God Desires | Previous Challenge Entry
By Doug Laird
04/07/26 -
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I believe that one of the highest forms of true worship, that being the James 1: 22 application of what one should be learning during worship services, takes place outside of the walls of a local assembly during the remaining 167 or so hours each week.
What should and what would not be included in the worship services that take place under the roof of the “Christian” Community has been an ongoing controversy since the very beginning of the Church Age.
According to 1Tim. 4:1, this situation is only going to get worse as the Church Age comes to its end (2), with each “denomination” or group within the Christian Community, believing that they are the ones that have gotten it “all” right, to the exclusion of all others.
While some pulpits are more Biblically consistent in teaching and practices than others, there is not one out there that to some degree has not been negatively influenced by human viewpoint.
In some cases, attendees engage in activities that are spiritually meaningless, as the things they engage in are merely the products and practices that fall under the Matt. 15: 9, “Man-made” category.
Such Man-made traditions are held in high esteem by those who embrace them, but when they contradict Scripture, they become abominations (3) in the eyes of God.
Others identify and engage in the type of worship prescribed in Scripture.
They dot the “I”s and cross the “T”s, but their heart is not in it (4).
This is evidenced by the fact that the things of God are more of a burden than something they look forward to in their heart of hearts.
When such worshipers do attend or otherwise engage in the type of worship that God desires, they are easily distracted and the focus of their attention is miles away. They sit there for an hour, mentally checking off the sequence of events so they can feel free to leave and get on with their own plans for the day, and the remaining 167 hours of each week.
They leave worship services just as spiritually starved as they had been when they had arrived, having gotten nothing out of being there.
Such “worshipers” are no further along the road to spiritual maturity than they were 6 days, 6 months, or 60+ years ago.
For an advancing disciple, worship is not a burden, but it is the highlight of any given day or week, after locating and attending (or otherwise connecting with) a pulpit that feeds his or her edified soul structure (5) with the ongoing, accurate, teaching and application of the Word of God, as he or she continues to be more and more conformed to the likeness of Christ (6).
The celebration of the Lord’s Supper (Communion), when it is done for the stated purpose (7) of bringing into remembrance (not to reproduce) the Person and the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ, is what keeps the believer firmly anchored to the foundational (8) rock of our salvation.
The celebrating of the Lord Supper and the ongoing making of disciples (students and appliers of the word of God) was/is the primary objective and purpose of gathering together for worship services.
Physically meeting together for “worship,” spoken of in Hebrews 10: 25, was the only means to comply at the time this command was given.
This objective can now be accomplished through the modern-day, remote means of communication, as well.
The type of worship and worshipers that God desires requires that the worshiper be in fellowship with God.
Fellowship with God is maintained by making 2Cor. 13:5 and 1Cor. 11:28 examinations, 1JJohn 1: 9 confessions, and by taking John 8: 11 corrective action for the future.
The worship that God desires includes teachings and practices that are in line with the Word of God. Inevitable inconsistencies are detected by comparing what is being taught and promoted by any given pulpit with the Scripture (9).
Pastor-teachers are responsible for all the teaching and practices that come from, or are promoted by, their pulpit (10).
Never-the-less, advancing disciples will develop the discernment to monitor whatever he or she chooses to become a part of his or her edified soul structure.
This collaboration is what produces the type of worship and worshipers that God desires.
(1) John 4: 23 (2) Matt. 24: 14 (3) Luke 16: 15 (4) Matt. 15: 8 (5) Matt. 7: 24-27 (6) Rom. 8: 29 (7) 1Cor, 11: 24, 25 (8) 1Cor, 3: 12 (9) Acts 17: 11 (10) James 3:1
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