The Biblical reason the church gathers week by week is to worship the Living God! To render to Him the glory that He alone is worthy of!

All other aspects of the proper Christian life will come from a body that strives to rightly worship God!

Over and over in Scripture we read that God desires those who will worship Him with their hearts… not merely their lips!

In John 4:23 Jesus declares:

“But an hour is coming and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship Him.”

What an amazing verse! It tells us exactly what God the Father is seeking... exactly what pleases Him! And, what is the Father seeking? Who is it that pleases Him? Evangelizers? Fellowshipers? Encouraged or happy multitudes? NO! According to His own word... He is seeking:

True Worshipers!

Now, who are these “true worshipers?” Who would they be?

The language suggests that they would be none other than... True Christians!

And, we all know that true Christians make up the... True Church!

 

The Purpose of Worship

Ask 12 Christians why the church (God’s people) meets on Sunday,

and you’ll likely get 12 different responses. You'd hear such answers as:

 

“The church meets to give sin weary Christians an opportunity to re-charge their spiritual batteries every week.”

"The church meets to be encouraged from God's Word."

“The church meets to give an opportunity to fellowship with the saints…”

“The church meets to receive a blessing from God. To hear great spiritual music, to partake in Christian dramas, to hear an uplifting or instructional message  on how to live the Christian life…”

One main answer would be:

 

“The reason that the church meets is to evangelize the lost.”

In fact, a popular televangelist from San Antonio not long ago declared: “The only purpose of the church is to save the lost… that is the only purpose of the church” (John Hagee, from message: “Are you Saved?” Broadcast June 12th, 2005.)

 

Really? Is that the only reason?

Is that even the main reason for the church to meet every Sunday?

Is that all we’re supposed to be doing every Lord’s Day, trying to work the work of salvation upon those unsuspecting visitors to our congregations?

 

Perhaps this is why so many congregations have long, drawn out, manipulative invitations… since after all, that is the purpose for which they meet.

 

And, no doubt, this is the reason so many churches have changed to “Sunday morning seeker services” since the purpose of the church is only to get all those lost people to come in... and maybe we can "get em' saved."

 

The reality is, so many Christians don’t understand why the body of Christ gathers together week by week because they don’t know Biblical Soteriology (the doctrine of salvation) and they don’t understand what pleases GOD and what HE desires. Instead, in so many cases, the church is more interested in...

WHAT WORKS, WHAT MAKES THEM LOOK GOOD...

in other words: WHAT PLEASE THEMSELVES!

 

Regarding that Soteriology, what does the Word of God say?!

 

First of all, the “church” can’t save anyone!

Only God saves the lost! Consider what Jesus says in Luke 19:10:

“For, the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Why? Because, as the Apostle Paul says in Eph. 2:1:

"...you were dead in your trespasses and sins..."

That's why Paul also says in Rom. 3:11:

“…there is none who seeks for God.”

How can dead men seek God?!

 

Churches who believe that they can "get people saved" or that this is the purpose for which they meet...  are wrong! Churches don't save people!

No matter how hard they preach,  no matter how slick the show...  only the Sovereign God of heaven and earth saves men!

"And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved." Acts 2:47b

 

(Doesn't God use the church as it meets to save the lost? Of course! The question is... how? More under "The Principles of Worship.")

 

So much for the wrong reasons... Why does the church meet?

 

The Biblical reason the church gathers week by week is

to worship the Living God!

To render to Him the glory that He alone is worthy of!

 

All other aspects of the proper Christian life will come from a body that strives to rightly worship God!

 

Over and over in Scripture we read that God desires those who will worship Him with their hearts… not merely their lips!

 

In John 4:23 Jesus declares:

“But an hour is coming and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship Him.”

 

What an amazing verse! It tells us exactly what God the Father is seeking... exactly what pleases Him! And, what is the Father seeking? Who is it that pleases Him? Evangelizers? Fellowshipers? Encouraged or happy multitudes? NO! According to His own word... He is seeking:

 True Worshipers!

 

Now, who are these “true worshipers?” Who would they be?  The language suggests that they would be none other than...

True Christians!

And, we all know that true Christians make up the... True Church!

So, what would (should) God’s true people, His true church want to be? True Worshipers!

Why? Because that is what our God desires! That is: Who He Seeks!

 

THOSE WHO GOD DESIRES TO

GATHER IN HIS NAME EVERY WEEK…

ARE TO BE TRUE WOSHIPERS!

TRUE CHRISTIANS! THE TRUE CHURCH!

 

AND SO...

 

THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH

GATHERED EACH LORD’S DAY…

IS TO DO WHAT GOD DESIRES... TO WORSHIP HIM!

 

NOW... WHAT HAPPENS IF THIS IS NOT THE FOCUS OF A CHURCH?

 

If the purpose that the church meets is to please the seekers,” what if the seekers are not pleased? What do you do?

 

You do whatever you can, whatever it takes to please THEM!

 

Thus, the focus of the church then becomes an attempt to please MAN… NOT GOD!

 

GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH

 

GATHERS EACH LORD’S DAY WITH ONE DESIRE IN MIND... ONE PURPOSE THAT WE CONSTANTLY PRAY FOR... TO BRING TRUE WORSHIP TO THE LIVING GOD! WORSHHIP THAT THE GOD OF THE BIBLE IS WORTHY OF! (Isa. 48:11)

 

ALL ELSE THAT A CHURCH DOES... EVANGELISM, FELLOWSHIP, EDUCATION... STEMS FROM... AND FLOWS OUT OF WORSHIP TO THE LIVING GOD!

 

THAT IS WHY WE SAY...

 

WE STRIVE TO PLEASE GOD…

NOT ENTERTAIN MAN!

The Principles of Worship

Worshiping... In Spirit and In Truth

 

If it is true that whatever a church uses to attract visitors, whatever it promotes to lure people to their services and whatever it does to get families to come or to join as members... is what they will have to keep doing in order to retain them and to maintain their contentment...

 

Then, wouldn't it be wise to do what would be Biblically right?! Wouldn't it be good to do what God tells us to do?! Wouldn't it be right to do what God desires?!

 

In other words: to be pleasing to God,

worship must be as HE desires!

Not as WE desire or what pleases US

or what WE think will work.

 

SO… WHAT WOULD GOD HAVE HIS CHURCH DO?

 

Would He have His people falling down on the floor in the front of the church building as worship?

Would He have His preachers engage in “tricks” or money making schemes as worship?

Would He have churches de-emphasize His Word, His doctrine and replace it with entertainment or a show?

Would He be pleased with His people merely going through rituals?

Many churches today have not only lost sight of the PURPOSE of worship… but they have also lost concern for what pleases God in worship... The PRINCIPLES of Worship according to God’s Word.

They have turned to doing what pleases man.

What man wants. What will draw man, excite man,

captivate man, appease man...

What will get men to come to our church

and thus make it bigger!

 

ALL WITH LITTLE OR NO THOUGHT AS TO WHETHER

WHAT THEY’RE DOING PLEASES OR HONORS GOD!

 

SO HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT PLEASES GOD? HOW DO

WE KNOW WHAT HE WANTS US TO DO IN WORSHIP?

 

SIMPLE... OUR LORD TELLS US:

 

“…True worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and Truth.”

Jn. 4:23-24

 

SO, not only does God tell us who He is seeking... “True Worshipers” But He also tells us WHAT “true worshipers” MUST DO!

 

NOTICE HE SAYS: MUST WORSHIP THIS WAY! IT IS NOT OPTIONAL... THIS IS WHAT GOD DESIRES. WORSHIP TO GOD MUST BE IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH!

 

Lets consider the first element of worship... Jesus commands: Worship in “Spirit.”

 

What do people think of when someone speaks of Worshiping God in Spirit today?

 

Speaking in gibberish... they’re spirit filled because you can’t understand them?

People waving their hands in the air or dancing uncontrollably, they're worshiping in the spirit because they wave their hands?

Going through a ritualistic service based on traditions and being able to stay awake?

Having slick entertainment, using a multi-media extravaganza to entice and pump up a congregation into a frenzy... you're worshiping in the spirit because the music is loud and upbeat? (Could it be... the music just pleases you?)

Or, just repeating the same seven words over and over eleven times as they're flashed on a wall? (Known as: 7/11 choruses.)

What about a congregation just "sitting on their hands” for 30 minutes displaying no emotion whatsoever?

Or, Worshiping God in the spirit... just isn't important, it doesn't matter.

MEASURING THE SPIRITUALITY OF WORSHIP BY THESE STANDARDS IS NOT ONLY UNBIBLICAL... ITS RIDICULOUS!

 

So, what does God mean when He says in: Jn. 4

He seeks worshipers who will worship Him in Spirit?

 

The opposite of what God accused Israel of over and over...

It is the opposite of what Jesus accused them of as well...

“These people worship Me with their lips,

but their hearts are far from Me…”

 

GOD WANTS HIS PEOPLE TO WORSHIP HIM FROM RIGHT HEARTS!

A PURE HEART! A HEART OF FLESH THAT HAS BEEN PLACED THERE BY HIM!

A HEART THAT IS ALIVE TO THE THINGS OF GOD!

 

“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” Ez. 36:26

 

Worshiping God in Spirit has little to do with outward appearances and everything to do with inward realities!

 

It does not come from external manipulation… but from a work of God to take out a dead cold heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh! One that is alive to God... which causes His people to WANT to give true worship to the God who did it!

 

Spiritual worship is the opposite of phony worship! It is the opposite of just putting in the time... just going through the motions... just going to church to be seen... to network... or just going to church for what you can get out of it!

 

True praise to God, comes from those who have true hearts for God! Living hearts to God! When your heart is right with God... then and only then is your praise going to be genuine! Not contrived! Not coerced! Not just going through the motions... Not looking for what you can get out of it… But rather seeking for what you can give to God in worship!

 

This will carry over to every aspect of worship!

 

The prayers of the church will be real communion with their God.

The giving will be cheerful because they know all that God has done for them.

The true believer’s praise will not be contrived, it will be exciting and real... because it is to the object of their love: THEIR SAVIOR!

The hearts and minds of the congregation will be attentive to His Word, because they know... that in His Word their God is revealed! His ways are explained!

The true believer will want to hear from their God in the proclamation of His Word in worship.

When your heart is right...

your worship will reflect that you are alive in Christ!

 

This is the understanding that the Reformers, Protestants of old

and even the founders of the Southern Baptist Convention held...

regarding the worship of God in spirit!

 

And this is what we hold to at Grace Baptist Church!

 

This leads to the second element of worship... according to our Lord: worship in “Truth.”

 

Again, what do people think of today when someone speaks of worshiping God in Truth?

 

It means the preacher mentions something about the Bible and then places it on the side of the pulpit, maybe with an occasional quote of a verse from Scripture here and there?

Its following the official denominational dogma?

It means that you hear what you’ve always been told?

Its reading from a liturgical missal or prayer book?

It means rushing through Sunday School Quarterlies on time?

It means never offending anyone with negative or hard thoughts

or doctrine, only speaking of the positive things to enrich life?

Does it mean hearing testimonies from celebrities and athletes?

Is it hearing songs that have a Christian message?

Does worshiping God in Truth mean that everyone has the right to believe whatever they want and still be considered a Christian as long as they say or think they are?

Once again, although common practices

not what God demands!

 

Here too, Grace Baptist Church believes with the Reformers, with Protestants of old and the founders of the Southern Baptist Convention that...

 

Worshiping God in Truth, has to do with the bold proclamation of God’s Word... All of God's Word! Not just the portions that are easy, or verses people like... or are familiar with. As Paul said in Acts 20:27: “The whole counsel (purpose) of the Word of God.”

 

By “Worshiping God in Truth” we look to the Scriptures that teach the importance of doctrine and knowing God’s Word. Jesus said: “You Shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your MIND.” Matt. 22:37

 

It seems that many churches today have forgotten all about the “mind.” Churches today seem more concerned with the "emotion." Sermons have become a series of stories, illustrations, anecdotes or jokes... with little or no exposition of God’s Word... that is: comparing Scripture with Scripture.

 

The thought today is: “No doctrine is good doctrine!” “Just tell us about Jesus... that’s all we need!” The writer to the Hebrews chided them for similar thinking when he said... "For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the Word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil." Heb. 5:13-14

 

God wants His people to know Him...

and He has only revealed Himself through His Word.

Thus, knowing God must come from knowing His Word!

 

So worshiping God in Truth consists of the passionate, careful exposition of His Word to His people.

 

Additionally: This is also the way that God declares He will save the lost!

 

In Jn. 8:32 Jesus says: It is Truth that sets men free.

 

The Practice of Worship

How we apply the Principles of Worship.

 

Why do so many churches pattern their worship services after the things of the "world?" When God tells us...

"Do not love the world, nor the things of the world. If anyone loves the world the love of the Father is not in him." 1 Jn. 2:15

 

At GBC Our worship services are simple...

 

As we have pointed to under "The Principles of Worship," we take seriously what Jesus said in Jn. 4:23-24:

"...true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

 

Therefore, we strive to implement these principles at every worship service.

 

We seek to come before God with the reverence and awe that He is worthy of! The world and most churches have lost the fear of God! We strive not to.

We also come before Him with great joy! We're not sullen... we have no desire to be the: "frozen chosen."

We rejoice to be in the presence of our God and His people! Here's what you won't find at GBC:

 

We do not entertain our congregation with various "special music" programs or musical extravaganzas...

We do not try to impress or awe people with "drama shows." We do not attempt to artificially "pump up" the congregation to get everyone to sing loudly.

Here's what we do:

 

We pray and read Scripture!

We actually sing God honoring hymns from Hymnals.

Each member of the congregation seeks to offer sincere praise to the Living God from that new living heart which He has given us!

We offer to God from our "firstfruits."

That is... Worship in Spirit

 

Again... here's what we don't do:

 

We do not replace the preaching of God's Word with entertainment.

Our pastor does not sit on a stool and tell stories, attempting to "relate" to every young person and make them think he's "cool."

Nor does he give 15 minute homilies telling jokes, stories, lofty thoughts, how-to steps, or life applications.

Rather... here is what we offer:

 

Expositional messages that come from God's Word!

 

In his preaching, Pastor Hildebrandt compares Scripture with Scripture utilizing Systematic and Biblical Theology to bring to the congregation the teaching of God's Word. Then, that teaching is applied to the hearts of God's people.

 

That is... Worship in Truth

 

Bring your Bibles... and your brains!