Two priorities in Worship
Under every well-built house is a firm foundation, and oftentimes in this foundation are pillars of steel that hold the whole thing up. If there are two pillars or priorities that hold up a philosophy of worship they would be: 1. Glorify God. 2. Edify or build up His body. So often, we want to go right to the shiny parts of leading worship. We want to talk about the latest gear, haze, mix philosophy, song selection, or a multitude of other things that can distract us from having a solid foundation. All of those things are good things. They are things worthy of our attention, but we should have a ‘why’ behind all of why we do what we do or why we don’t do what we don’t. If we want to get it right though, we must have a firm foundation.
Glorify God
Psalm 96:8 tells us to "Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His Name." Our first aim in developing a worship philosophy or a true theology of worship is to have God at the center. He gets to define what is acceptable. When we study the Scriptures, we see over and over again that the glory of God is central. When we sing, we ascribe to God the glory that is due His Name. We see all of the ways that God is infinitely, intrinsically within Himself glorious. We don’t make Him glorious; we see His glory and we respond with awe in worship. Our main audience when we lead worship is God Himself. Here is why that matters: We don’t aim for a really good mix so we sound amazing. We aim for a really good mix so that our church is drawn into the music married to amazing truth and expressed with all of our hearts in worship. We don’t pick a song because it’s in the top 40; we pick songs that are only true about God and that our local church needs to sing out. If our aim is to glorify God, we will start with the pillar foundation of God Himself and build all of our elements on that.
To deepen our understanding, it’s helpful to look at historical perspectives on worship. The Westminster Shorter Catechism begins with the statement, "Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever." This foundational belief underscores every act of worship, driving home the point that worship is about God's glory above all else. Modern worship should align with this timeless truth, ensuring that every song, prayer, and sermon directs the congregation’s focus toward God’s majesty and greatness.
Edify the Body
Colossians 3:16 tells us to "let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly…. Teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs." While our main audience is God Himself and our primary aim is to glorify God and lift up the Name of Jesus, our second pillar is to build up the body. When we sing, we don’t sing to the empty air where the words hit the ceiling and fall back down to the floor. Our heart’s songs go straight to the heart of God. But we also sing to one another. We let the gospel have full residence in our hearts and sing hope to the person two rows in front of us. What hope does a person who just heard they have cancer need? They need you to sing for them and to them. What truth does a mom with a wayward child need? They need you to sing for them and to them. To undergird their faith. To remind them of what is true even if they don’t feel it to be true in the moment. When we edify the body, it’s like bringing our own little pile of kindling with us, and we add to the rest of our church’s kindling, and the Holy Spirit lights that sucker on fire, and a holy glow is seen and felt in the congregation as we rehearse and respond to the glory of God.
Building up the body also means fostering a sense of community and mutual support within the church. In Ephesians 4:12, we are told that the purpose of church leaders is "to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ." This involves creating an environment where believers can grow in their faith, support one another, and serve together. Worship plays a crucial role in this, as it unites the congregation in shared expressions of faith and devotion, reinforcing the truths of Scripture and the bonds of Christian fellowship.
Foundational Focus
So, don’t start with “what song should I sing?” Don’t try to build your ministry on “how many hands are raised?” Try not to focus on “what haze or gear should we use?” Start with “how can I glorify God?” and “How can I build up my church?” Without a foundation, the house of worship will fall. A solid foundation ensures that every element of worship, from the choice of songs to the use of technology, serves the greater purpose of honoring God and edifying His people. When these pillars are in place, everything else in worship ministry will align more naturally and meaningfully.