Worship: For God's Pleasure and Our Growth

I have been thinking a lot about worship recently. I desire to be worshipping God with all my life because of how great He is. John Piper's ideas continue to shape and challenge my thinking. I agree wholeheartedly that "worship is a feast of the glorious perfections of God in Christ" (Piper, The Dangerous Duty of Delight, p. 54). When I obey God's instructions to "delight yourself in the Lord" (Ps. 37:4) I worship. When I do not, I slide into the seat reserved for God alone and become the centerpiece, the focal point of a warped presentation. Worship is for God's pleasure and His people's growth in Christ likeness.

I have been thinking a lot about corporate worship services recently as well. How much is Biblically-based, how much is culturally-shaped and how much is preference-driven. I am only scraping the tip of the iceberg and am a long way from "figuring it all out". All I can say is that I am convinced of the following:

1. Worship is to be God-centered. The God of the Bible is to be the focus.
2. God's people benefit from worship in terms of growth as we respond to God's greatness.
3. Worshipping God is an end in and of itself, not a means to getting something else, though there are many benefits that believers enjoy as a result of a life and corporate experience that is God-centered.
4. The gospel changes us from the inside out and as we experience intimacy and joy in God we desire to worship Him.
5. When God's people gather to exalt Him they get a glimpse of His awesome glory and are transformed.
6. Our interactions with the written Word of God lead us to worship, both individually and corporately.
7. In God-honoring, Christ-centered worship gatherings that are built solidly on the truth of God's Word God's people are strengthened to do the will of God.

I am also encouraged by the place God's Word is to have among His people: "Until I come give attentionto the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and to teaching" 1 Timothy 4:13