Non-Funky Worship

John 4:23-24 “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth: for such doth the Father seek to be his worshippers. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (RSV)


I have already written about Funky Worship elsewhere in this blog. But only telling you what worship isn’t is not real helpful.

Soulish worship only requires that you simply follow along with whatever the worship leader or cd dictates. It doesn’t require anything of you except to keep up with whatever is going on and is predicated on the presence of music. Successful soulish worship requires that your emotions engage with the music. This you can do without ever actually worshipping in spirit or in truth.

So what is worshipping in spirit and truth?

In Matthew 22:36 Jesus was asked by the greatest law-keepers of all, “What is the greatest commandment of all the religious laws we have?” We are all aware of His response. But most miss the whole point of His reply. What Jesus was speaking to was relationship, not response to canned rules and regulations. Can you imagine trying to conduct a marital relationship according to rules? Love demands a sacrifice.

It’s no different with worshipping God. Following a canned, scripted routine each Sunday is not relationship. It’s a lot like law. This is what you will do when we worship; stay in step; stay together; start when I start; stop when I stop; Do what I do! That’s not relationship. That’s cattle –like behavior. Never mind the view, just stay in line.

Relationship requires that we communicate on an intimate level. Intimate worship is no different. Check out the following from The Message;

John 4:23-24 “But the time is coming--it has, in fact, come--when what you're called will not matter and where you go to worship will not matter. "It's who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That's the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. 24 God is sheer being itself--Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration." (MSG)