The Conversation of Worship - Conclusion

Summary

The response of the believer should be a glad and necessary response of obedience and submission to the message of God’s word proclaimed. These expressions of worship focus on the nature of worship in the corporate life of the church, but worship must not stop there. The corporate worship should be the natural extension of the life lived in worship of Christ. Corporate worship should, in turn, add fuel to the fire of constant personal worship.

Conclusion

Worship is a two way street, not in terms of the trading of worship, but in terms of the actual process of worship. Worship consists of a conversation between God and his people, where God speaks and the people respond. Worship is therefore first and foremost centered on the God who is being worshipped. It is simply wrong to focus worship on man, no matter how carefully we might disguise our “man-centeredness.” God and the truth about him and from him are to be the center of worship.

However, true worship cannot be inconsiderate of man because it does not simply consist in the speaking of God. It must also include the response of man. One has not truly worshipped until he has listened carefully to God through the reading of his word, the preaching of his word, and the singing of his truth and praise. One has not truly worshipped until he has responded from the heart to these things.

Through this conversation of worship, God can be honored by having his truth publicly and clearly proclaimed and by having people respond in glad submission through the work of Jesus Christ.