Worship

About 25 years ago, I went to look at what biblical "worship" is, doing my best to avoid the "popular" definitions and look strictly at what scripture says. I've returned often to that.

More precisely, I initially looked at what just the New Testament said what our 'corporate' worship was, understanding that Jesus death, burial and resurrection was the fulfillment of the old covenant and the introduction of the new (read Galatians and Hebrews for a full explanation of that).

Interestingly, the New Testament says nothing about corporate worship short of what is in Revelation (!). Worship is rarely used in the letters of the apostles, appearing most often in the gospels and in its appearances in Acts, only in the context of an apostle or two being mistaken for a living god.

[note - some will reply no doubt with examples trying to counter this claim. Most will be from translations done through the bias of modern understanding = paraphrased translations and such. Others are legit - but use words often translated in different contexts into different words - words that mean "serving" in other context]

In the New Testament outside of book of Revelation, the mention of gathering never specifically mentions worship as a reason for the gathering. The closest exception occurs in Acts 2 - among the many activities mentioned is "praising God" - but look closer there. That was mentioned in the context of the disciples, in modern terminology, "living life together" - they were together daily. And it was the second to the last activity the writer mentions. First up was devoting to the apostles teaching and activities of life together, including eating together.

Paul writes instructions in the Corinthian letters about gatherings, and there it is about "encouraging and exhorting one another", not worship. The oft cited Hebrews 10:25 about not neglecting gathering together - look at 10:24. The context is clear that we don't neglect gathering together as it gives an environment for us to "spur one another on toward love and good deeds". In Ephesians 4, the roles of pastors (along with apostles, evangelists, prophets and teachers) is clearly to equip the saints for works for service (v12), not to conduct or lead worship services.

And what does worship entail in the age we live? Only one passage seems to address that for the new covenant age we live in - Romans 12. Sadly, modern translations cut that off with the added "headers" so we are mislead to break Paul's thought:

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

In short, our worship is - transform your mind, to use our gifting and give room to others to use their gifting, to love and abhor evil, to honor others, rejoice, practice patience, pray, help others, practice hospitality, bless others and not curse others, empathize with others, live in harmony, practice humility, practice kindness to your enemies.

In short, Jesus introduced worship as a lifestyle, not a meeting. The writers of the New Testament never referred to the gatherings of the disciples as "worship service", nor ever even implied that the gatherings were anything other than to encourage and exhort one another to works of service. The "roles" defined within the church were there to aid the equipping of the disciples for works of service, not facilitate "worship" in the modern sense - though if we accept worship as a lifestyle, we could say in that sense they facilitated worship by equipping the saints for works of service.