Worship is the human response to the self-revelation of the triune God, which involves: (1) divine initiation in which God graciously reveals Himself, His purposes, and His will; (2) a spiritual and personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ enabled by the ministry of the Holy Spirit; and (3) a response by the worshiper of joyful adoration, reverence, humility, submission, and obedience. (definition by David Nelson)
Ultimately, worship is a way of life - more than just what happens on Sunday morning. Consider this verse from Paul's letter to the Romans (12:1): "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-- this is your spiritual act of worship." This is all-of-life worship.
However (and I know this may sound odd at first), private worship is not ultimate; corporate worship is. Think about it. Meditate on the heavenly scene as pictured in Revelation 7, for example. The Lamb is at the center. The four living creatures, the 24 elders, the angels, and a countless host of worshipers stand there, worshiping the Father and the Son. The focus of the heavenly scene is not isolated worshipers singing their own songs but rather an innumerable congregation singing the same song, as it were, with one voice!
As Ravi Zacharias aptly put it, "Worship is coextensive with life. The worship service on Sunday morning is the point to which all of my life converges and the fountain from which all of my life emerges." Corporate worship mirrors a present, heavenly reality, and points to future, heavenly joys. Every Sunday, we ascend to the heavenlies and join the innumerable throng of worshipers, the great cloud of witnesses. This is where heaven meets the earth and the Lord inhabits our praises.
In Sunday morning worship we desire to engage with the living God through prayer, praise, and the preaching of the Word. We celebrate the Lord's Supper bimonthly and baptism as the Lord leads. Central to our corporate gatherings is a focus on the triune God Himself: the Father (source of all good gifts), Jesus Christ (who alone makes worship in spirit and truth possible), and the Holy Spirit (who empowers true worship). Therefore, at FBC Durham we desire our corporate worship to be...
- Centered on the one, true, living God and His glory
- Saturated with the grace and the gospel of Jesus Christ
- Joyful, enthusiastic
- Humble, reverent
- Utilizing the individual spiritual giftedness within the body of Christ, for the edification of all
- Achieving the church vision: to delight, to display, and to declare the glory of God - equipping others to spread that delight to all nations through Jesus Christ
- Dialogic, exhibiting a balanced conversation of God speaking to us and our responding to Him
- Hospitable, displaying elements of community
- Accessible to guests (so they are able to follow the service meaningfully)
- Aware of the powerful presence of God, expressive of true fellowship with God
- Free from distractions and things that would quench the Spirit
- Unified in theme (directed by the sermon topic and scripture)
- Guided by the Word of God (every element of worship)
- Life-transforming - strengthening faith and bringing about spiritual growth in believers
- A corporate witness to a watching world, causing unbelievers to fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!" (1 Cor 14:25)
For His glory and our joy,
Eric Campbell
Minister of Worship
PS: For more information on worship at FBC, see FBC Life>Worship.
