As stated in last week’s lesson, the purpose of our worship is to glorify, honor, praise, exalt and please God. In the last several years, many churches are having a difficult time embracing this concept. In the late 1990s, a church in Watford, England had become apathetic to worship. Despite the country’s overall contribution to the current worship revival, the congregation of this church was struggling to find meaning in its musical outpouring.
There was a dynamic missing, so the pastor did a drastic thing and decided to get rid of the sound system and band for a season. The congregation gathered together with just their voices. His point was that they had lost their way in worship, and the way to get back to the heart would be to strip everything away. Reminding his church family to be producers in worship, not just consumers, the pastor asked, “When you come through the doors on a Sunday, what are you bringing as your offering to God?” That question initially led to some embarrassing silence, but eventually people broke into a cappella songs and heartfelt prayers, encountering God in a fresh way.
Before long, the musicians and sound system was reintroduced as they had gained a new perspective that worship is all about Jesus, and He commands a response in the depths of our souls no matter what the circumstance and setting. Shortly, after that, a member of that church, Matt Redman, wrote The Heart of Worship. The lyrics to that song are:
When the music fades, all is stripped away, and I simply come.
Longing just to bring something that’s worth that will bless your heart.
I’m coming back to the heart of worship, and it’s all about You, Jesus.
