Worship is something that all of God’s people do at some time or another and in different ways.  We can worship through the sacrifice of our time and financial resources.  Another way we show God that he is deserving of being at the forefront of our attention is through prayer; simply laying out your heart before him and seeking his will in your life is a beautiful form of worship that can be done privately or even with a small group.

But the form of worship that this article focuses on is worship in the context of the modern-day “church service”.  The scene is familiar to many who attend large churches in first world countries.  The lights dim, darkening the congregation’s seating area.  The music starts, you can feel the bass thumping.  It’s loud, but not too loud, and it’s crystal clear.  A familiar song starts up, nearly everybody in the church is singing out and praising God, and half or more of the people are raising their hands.  This weekly ritual is the only version of worship that some people are even aware of.  When done right, it’s a cleansing, wonder-filled, refreshing time to spend in the presence of almighty God.  When done “wrong”, it’s a strained, uncomfortable period of time that can bring dissonance to the body of believers present.

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