In the church today many have tried to substitute other things for worship. In a way, any substitute becomes an idol. As I have talked about in previous blogs, we can even make our own idea or way of worship an idol if we are not careful. But let's look at some substitutes we have sometimes created.
Music for some is a substitute for worship. Biblically we have seen that music is a gift God gave to help us worship; it is not be worshipped. Some people worship music and say they are worshipping God. Music is not worthy of worship...God is.
Church Growth has become a substitute for worship for some. Focus on numbers can secularize the church. Relevance is a buzz word for Church Growth folks. Does God want the church to grow? Of course. But the gospel is relevant in any culture, any time. The reason we sometimes don't see growth is because we have lost our first love and are powerless and ill-equiped to carry out the Great Commission. We need to seek Him rather than trusting in our own power to grow the church.
Some have made Preaching their worship. Preaching and teaching God's Word is essential to the health of a church and God's people, but the priority of worship should be for believers to engage and encounter God in worship. Preaching is an important element of worship, but not the only element of worship. When the people of God are seeking Him in worship there is no greater place to preach the Word of God and see Him work, as people seek to know Him with every thing that is in them.
Another substitute for worship in our day is Miracles and the Supernatural. Those who seek these things many times say they are seeking Him, but are really seeking miracles. God is a God of miracles. He can do whatever He wants. But if we only pursue a relationship with Christ in miracles, we are worshipping miracles and supernatural rather than God Himself. God, and God alone, is always to be the goal of our pursuit. We need to be honest with ourselves. What are we substituting for worship? mjm
