For more information on what the Bible says about worship see the “digging deeper” link on worship on this page.
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“Worship” – the English word – comes from Old English and means “to ascribe worth or honor” to something. Worship of God is as old as Cain and Abel in Genesis 4. All mankind worships something or someone and God commands mankind to worship and serve Him only (Matthew 4:10).
The New Testament informs us that God allows us to “ascribe Him worth” by five avenues or through five actions: singing, prayer, Bible study (these three of which can be done at any time), the Lord’s Supper and the contribution (these two being done on the Lord’s Day).
God has so designed worship – all aspects of worship – that it requires the active participation of the worshipers. Most of them are rather obvious. Some may not be.
Singing is active. Paul writes: “addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart” (Ephesians 5:19). Observe that we sing “addressing one another”. That’s primarily what is wrong with choirs and/or solos in worship. Singing is active, not passive. We are to sing concurrently to one another.
Prayer is active. Even prayer in public worship – it is a congregational prayer even as one man leads the congregation in that prayer. Paul, again, writes: “I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying?” (1 Corinthians 14:15-16). When the prayer leader leads the prayer, our hearts are joined to his and our mind with his – thus we can say “Amen” at the end. His prayer becomes our prayer. Pray actively when the leader prays.
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The Lord’s Supper, obviously, is active. “Take, eat; this is my body,” Jesus tells His disciples as He distributes the bread. “And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you” (Matthew 26:26-27). We meditate on His sacrifice as we look inward, upward, backward, and forward.
Giving is active. “On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come” (1 Corinthians 16:2). Each one of us is to put aside our first fruits to the Lord and give sacrificially and cheerfully on the Lord’s Day.
Bible study is active. Even listening to the preacher ought to be an active listening. We preachers have done our congregation a disservice, I believe, if we quote all our verses all the time. We should have God’s children look up passages in God’s Word and listen to God speak directly. The Bereans listened to Paul and Silas preach; they “received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily” (Acts 17:11).
Worship is active. Participate in every aspect of worship.
–Paul Holland
http://www.commentaryonthebible.com/howtobesaved/digging-deeper/
