How would you define worship as it relates to a church setting? For me, worship has a lot to do with the music and general atmosphere of the service. Others believe, every part of the service is considered worship. The two seminaries I am familiar with define their "School of Worship" as the place where the music students attend. The churches I have attended also defined their "Worship Pastor" as the man/woman who leads the music. This person is usually in charge of the sound, lighting, interior decorating, and layout of the service as well. They shape the overall tone of the time you spend in your weekly service.
When I reviewed the dictionary for definitions of worship, this is what I found. It can be defined as either a noun or a verb. As a noun, it is "reverence offered a divine being or supernatural power; also; an act of expressing such reverence, a form of religious practice with its creed and ritual, extravagant respect or admiration for or devotion to an object of esteem." As a verb it states essentially the same definition with the addition of saying, "to perform or take part in worship or an act of worship." Under synonyms, worship is associated with "revere" and is described as "implies homage usually expressed in words or ceremony."
To me, this indicates several different ways in which we worship. We worship the Lord as a general attitude of honor and respect, knowing he is the creator of all things, the beginning and the end, and that his hand controls everything. Then we worship the Lord through our actions of prayer, singing and ministry. I asked my husband if he felt preaching was a form of worship. He told me the bible tells us "we are to praise, sing and declare his word" as a part of worship to the Lord. When I looked through some passages, there were an abundance of passages which use the word worship. So many, in fact, I did not read all of them. But as I looked, I didn't see where the passages define worship. Worship was used generally, such as, "they worshipped the Lord" or "they fell down and worshipped."
The bible was originally written in Hebrew (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament). In Hebrew, worship is "shachah" and means "to depress or bow down, crouch, fall down, humbly beseech, do obeisance, do reverence, make to stoop, worship." In Greek, there are three words for worship. The first is "proskuneo" meaning "to kiss, to fawn or crouch to, homage." The second is "sebomai" meaning "to reverence, hold in awe." The third is "latreuo" meaning to render religious service of homage." It went on to discuss worship as an act. That is where is clicked for me.
Worship is the respect and reverence due to God for who he is and what he has done. The act of worship comes in many forms. I must admit, for me, singing is on the top of the list for ways in which I can worship the Lord. There is something about music and how it brings me into an attitude of worship, opens my heart and prepares me to receive the word. I can see how using the word to merely define it as singing would be an incorrect. It is important as followers of Christ that we understand the meaning of words and how they are used throughout the bible. Take some time while you are reading to look up the meaning. The original Hebrew and Greek text was so much more graphic and specific in the words it used.
In His service
Mally
When I reviewed the dictionary for definitions of worship, this is what I found. It can be defined as either a noun or a verb. As a noun, it is "reverence offered a divine being or supernatural power; also; an act of expressing such reverence, a form of religious practice with its creed and ritual, extravagant respect or admiration for or devotion to an object of esteem." As a verb it states essentially the same definition with the addition of saying, "to perform or take part in worship or an act of worship." Under synonyms, worship is associated with "revere" and is described as "implies homage usually expressed in words or ceremony."
To me, this indicates several different ways in which we worship. We worship the Lord as a general attitude of honor and respect, knowing he is the creator of all things, the beginning and the end, and that his hand controls everything. Then we worship the Lord through our actions of prayer, singing and ministry. I asked my husband if he felt preaching was a form of worship. He told me the bible tells us "we are to praise, sing and declare his word" as a part of worship to the Lord. When I looked through some passages, there were an abundance of passages which use the word worship. So many, in fact, I did not read all of them. But as I looked, I didn't see where the passages define worship. Worship was used generally, such as, "they worshipped the Lord" or "they fell down and worshipped."
The bible was originally written in Hebrew (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament). In Hebrew, worship is "shachah" and means "to depress or bow down, crouch, fall down, humbly beseech, do obeisance, do reverence, make to stoop, worship." In Greek, there are three words for worship. The first is "proskuneo" meaning "to kiss, to fawn or crouch to, homage." The second is "sebomai" meaning "to reverence, hold in awe." The third is "latreuo" meaning to render religious service of homage." It went on to discuss worship as an act. That is where is clicked for me.
Worship is the respect and reverence due to God for who he is and what he has done. The act of worship comes in many forms. I must admit, for me, singing is on the top of the list for ways in which I can worship the Lord. There is something about music and how it brings me into an attitude of worship, opens my heart and prepares me to receive the word. I can see how using the word to merely define it as singing would be an incorrect. It is important as followers of Christ that we understand the meaning of words and how they are used throughout the bible. Take some time while you are reading to look up the meaning. The original Hebrew and Greek text was so much more graphic and specific in the words it used.
In His service
Mally
Comments