Hearts Designed for Worship
by Joey Olivier
We were created to worship God. But what do we mean by that? What is worship, and when and how do we do it? Is it more than just the songs we sing before the sermon? Is it everything we do for an hour on Sunday mornings? Is it even more than that?
Heather Perrin, a partner at New City, shared with us at a recent training event that worship is ascribing worth to something. We were made to worship God, but if we do not worship God, our hearts will find or create something else to worship:
“Adam and Eve in the garden give us a picture of what we are created for. We are made in God’s image, we are like Him, and we have work to do that is in some way like his. We rule, subdue, fill, create, design, and work to expand the goodness of God’s creation. We uniquely represent him to the rest of the world. In all of the things God had created thus far, nothing else gets this description. Humanity is uniquely in His image - created to reflect what He is like - and what He is like is glorious.
Reflecting what God is like means reflecting His worth, His goodness, His value. Adam and Eve reflecting the image of God in the garden, working to fill and subdue the earth, is exactly what we define worship to mean - ascribing worth to something.
Worship existed in the garden because Adam and Eve’s very existence (and that of all creation, but especially theirs) pointed to the beauty and worth and value of the Creator.
Because we are created to worship with our lives, like Adam and Eve did in the garden, we will always be worshipping - ascribing worth and value to something in the way we live, work, rest, parent, speak, dress, shop, and play. The problem lies in the fact that because of sin, we are not always worshipping rightly… Our lives are a war of worship. Calvin called human hearts “idol factories,” constantly making something to ascribe worth to.
God is the only one who actually is ultimately valuable... Everything else we value comes from Him - He is the source and origin. Work, family, pleasure - God created it. The things we enjoy are enjoyable because they come from Him. He is more beautiful and valuable than the things He has made.”
Arthur Lin, New City Church’s Worship Director, explained that we worship in two contexts: scattered and gathered. Worship scattered is worship as a way of life. Arthur gave examples:
“Going to MC (Missional Communities, New City’s small groups) isn’t just another Christian thing to do, but an opportunity to join with family to grow in loving and serving, to grow in the mission of God.
Parenting isn’t just this consequential situation we find ourselves in but an opportunity to love and disciple our children to know who Jesus is and what He’s done. Our jobs aren’t just a means to an end but rather where God has sovereignly placed you to share the good news of Jesus with the lost around you. School isn’t just for good grades, it’s an opportunity to share the hope of Jesus that never fails. Even the simple act of stepping outside in the morning becomes a moment to look around and savor the beauty and wonders of God’s creation.
Our failures become an opportunity to confess and repent and run to the Father and appreciate the gift of grace all the more. All of our lives are transformed by the grace of Jesus.”
Each of these examples show how everyday life could (and should) be a part of our worship of God. It is an attitude of the heart.
Arthur then explained that worship gathered, what we as believers do on Sunday mornings, is important for three reasons:
We gather to remember.
We gather to unite the church.
We gather because there is work to do.
“The order of service, the preaching, the words said in between songs and the songs themselves help to walk through the gospel story. Singing these gospel truths helps activate our hearts to engage with our emotions, voice, and hands. As we do this with other brothers and sisters in Christ, our family, we are reminded and UNITED in the foundation of Jesus Christ. This is our WORK toward one another, encouraging and strengthening the body. Work to do not only in the family but to the lost and dying world around us.”
At the end of our Sunday gatherings, we always close with “New City Church…you are SENT!” This is a reminder of the work set before us as a family of missionary servants. Work to be done within the family but also outside of these walls.
The Quarterly Training was a great reminder that only God is truly worthy of our worship, and that He invites us to worship Him with all of our lives. We do this as the church scattered, believers trusting in Jesus and proclaiming His goodness in all that we do. And we do this as the church gathered, believers singing, praying and studying together, encouraging one another, and worshipping God in view of the watching world.
This is what we were designed for!