What The Church Must Be, Round 4

Worship and preaching go hand in hand. Worship is for God's pleasure and His people's growth in Christ likeness. Most instinctively agree with this broad statement. But how many of us stop to evaluate whether our worship is man-centered or God-centered? In man-centered worship we worry about whether we like the music, whether the preacher says things we agree with; we are focused on the volume, the song selection, the way people do things – in God-centered worship we are most concerned with where our heart is with God, whether we are worshipping Him with all we have, unconcerned with what people think and what we think of what other people do.

Worship is not based on our own ideas or feelings about God – but specifically on what God has revealed in His word. That is why I am so committed to personally engaging in the 2nd mark of a God-pleasing church: Christ-centered Preaching. The early church devoted themselves (Acts 2:42) to the apostle’s teaching. Those who preach are to "Preach the Word" 2 Tim. 4:2. We are to engage in expositional preaching and teaching that reaches hearts and is used by God to change lives. We begin by reading the text, then explaining it, then illustrating and applying it to life. I am encouraged by the place God's Word is to have among His people: "Until I come give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and to teaching" (1 Tim. 4:13). Steve Lawson, in a sermon entitled “The Passion and Power of Apostolic Preaching” said that preaching needs to be: Bold-Authoritative (Acts 2:14-15); Text-Driven (Acts 2:16ff); Christ-Centered (Acts 2:22ff) and Heart-Piercing (Acts 2:37ff). Why preach the Word of God? Because preaching results in sanctification – true holy living – which leads to believers sharing their faith in Christ and giving glory to God. So as we worship God, make sure it is centered on the Word of God. Read it, explain it, apply it.