J. S. Bach once said, "God's gift to His sorrowing creatures is to give them Joy worthy of their destiny." If the Church's worship is faithful, it will challenge the culture surrounding it because God's truth transforms lives. Authentic worship should turn our values, habits, and ideas upside-down as it changes and forms our character. It is only then that we will know a Joy worthy of our destiny.
God reveals Himself through prayer, hymns, spiritual songs and sermons - challenging our illusions about ourselves. He exposes our pride and self-centeredness, in other words our sin. But, also God-revealing worship offers us forgiveness, healing, transformation, and the call and courage to work in our world to reveal God to others and bring them into His presence to worship Him.
There are those who would try techniques to enliven worship or try new things to spice it up with new enthusiasm. The church doesn't need any of those things. The church needs genuine reformation. Genuine worship will teach people the depth of His truth and enable them to experience His presence in life transforming ways. It will allow them to worship with a Joy worthy of their destiny. mjm
