What Is Worship & When Does It Happen?

Here is one of my pet peeves, so skip it if you are not into "peeves."

It's interesting that so many Christians think the Bible commands Christians to meet ("meet" or "assemble," not "worship"--see Romans 12:1-2) on the first day of the week. How it irks me to hear "worship leaders," which I know to be Music Directors, say "let's all stand to worship."

Christian can--and do--assemble anytime they want to do so--not just the first day of the week. However, indications are that the early church met on the first day of the week because that was the day of the week that Jesus rose from the dead. Nothing wrong with that! And we do not need an ordained minister in order to meet together although we do need those ordained servants or ministers called by God and set apart to be pastors and teachers. In some circumstances, these ministers are not available every week.

Truth is, whenever we choose to gather in Jesus' Name with the purpose of meeting with Jesus around the Scriptures and prayer--even if the Scripture is memorized if we didn't bring our printed Bible--is when He promises to meet with us. Where "two or more are gathered" in His name, Jesus shows up in a special way beyond His always being in and with us. I know you mentally are aware of this, but tradition is a difficult thing to break.

Christians need each other and we are one with each other and with every believer who has ever lived. Gathering emphasizes this truth, for Jesus indwells the believer even when the believer is alone.

Believers are gifted by the Holy Spirit in different ways in order to emphasize that we need one another and that we are one body. Meeting together allows us to help one another with our gifts, yet some of our gifts are given to help one another during the week, not just when we are assembled.

The Apostle Paul was in prison in Caesarea for two years and did not get out of the cell yet he was allowed to have visitors. So did Paul not "go to church" for two years? Do you see how we have raised a tradition to the level of Holy Scripture?

Therefore, even if we do not have a building that was built in the Western World's traditional shape and form of a "church," with a pulpit or "Holy Desk," we are still "the fellowship or assembly of Christ."

And please be aware that the word "church" is a terrible translation of the Greek perpetuated by the translators of the King James Translation which was translated out of the original ancient Greek, Hebrew, and occasional Aramaic in which the Holy Writings were written. The original word was "assembly" or "get-together."

Whew, I feel better.