Introduction
When the Samaritan woman asked Jesus whether Mount Gerizim or Jerusalem was the right place to worship God, he responded:
Woman, believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth (John 4:21-24).
Liturgy: Work of the People
Proper worship (Greek: latreia; G2999) is always liturgical; that is, a civil "work of the people" (G3009; leitourgia). This word appears six times in the New Testament, especially when Paul of Tarsus wrote, "You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God" (2 Cor. 9:11-12). Therefore, to "worship in the Spirit and in truth" means not only to confess Jesus as Messiah publicly but also to minister for him publicly. To be sure, Jesus himself said, "Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven" (Matt. 10:32-33). The author of Hebrews wrote:
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching (10:23-25).
Simply put, there is no such thing as faith known only to God, nor is there worship concealed alone in one's spirit. Just as our family, marital, or business relationships are public, our belief in God must be. Liturgy is a public service of worship celebrated by and welcomes everyone who comes. Moreover, worship is a positive thing. To "worship in the Spirit and in truth" is to understand that God is not the total of the Law of Moses, nor is he limited to mere religious observance. It is both sacramental and prayerful, realizing that God's ways are higher than our ways and his thoughts than our thoughts (see Isa. 55:8-9). Truthfully, the Father presents his ways in the divine sacraments (Greek: mustēria; G3466, "mysteries") of baptism and communion; he reveals his thoughts in the public reading and teaching of scripture (see 1 Tim. 4:13; 2 Tim. 3:16-17).
For this reason, worship must be liturgical, allowing God to show himself by his sovereign will in an ordered public ministry of scripture and sacrament. Paul said, "What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. . . . But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way" (1 Cor. 14:26, 40). In context, order refers to structured worship based on the worship and glorification of God alone (Latin: soli Deo gloria). The "Common Doxology" by the Anglican hymnist Thomas Ken (1637–1711) is an excellent example of ordered worship: "Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below; praise him above, ye heavenly host; praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."
Ancient vs. Contemporary Worship
Worship is the most divisive topic in the Christian church today. From the 1970s to the early 2000s, many church leaders staged hostile takeovers of congregations with hymnals they deemed "traditional." In their marketing, they openly called hymns "boring" and "outdated" while replacing them with emotionally manipulative songs derived from secular—often licentious—music styles. In other words, contemporary worship focuses on mere spectators' personal feelings and responses rather than glorifying God alone. Many people who attend these churches faithlessly claim they only "get something out of it" with contemporary worship. Not every praise song today is unholy or irreverent, but we must sing them in the spirit of worshiping God alone and not manipulating people's emotions.
Make no mistake: Many contemporary worship leaders attack other churchgoers in bad faith and malice. For example, Rick Warren (b. 1954) equates the rejection of his "Purpose Driven" methods with a denial of Jesus himself: "Am I willing to put up with pain so the people Jesus Christ died for can come to know him? . . . Every church has to make the decision [to be contemporary and "Purpose Driven"] . . . Is it going to live for itself, or is it going to live for the world that Jesus died for?" A quote attributed to the Particular Baptist minister Charles Spurgeon (1834–1892) warns: "A time will come when, instead of shepherds feeding the sheep, the church will have clowns entertaining the goats" (see Matt. 25:32-33). Yes, the clowns are those gatekeepers of contemporary worship, with their celebrity "pastors" dressed in the newest fashion, TED-talk-style lectures, smoke machines, and flashy graphics. Sociologists and theologians refer to contemporary worship's belief system as "moralistic therapeutic deism." It means that God is too far away to know him, so religion must be only for healing but never correction, merely to receive merit as "good people." However, the moralistic therapeutic deist concedes that God is not necessary for healing or being good but merely a motivating factor based on one's feelings that are subject to change. The genuine Christian prays:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is error, truth; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O divine Master, grant that I may not seek so much to be consoled as to console, to be understood, to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.
Conversely, the first-century church was liturgical and ordered. Luke of Antioch even listed its order of worship: "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer" (Acts 2:42). Therefore, liturgical order must include four components in which Christians worship "in the Spirit and in truth:" 1) Teaching that is theologically correct, not twisted or diluted for mass consumption; 2) Authentic relationships between churchgoers based on learning and discipleship; 3) Communion, which was initially an authentic meal shared by continuously repentant Christians (see 1 Cor. 11:17-34); and 4) Common prayer, which meant the ordered blessings and petitions of Jewish liturgy. Paul intended this idea when he wrote, "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thess. 5:16-18). The only way to "rejoice always" without constantly repeating one's self-centered requests, without the ridiculous litany of "we just," is to invoke God liturgically—in the Spirit and in the truth—of common prayer with the universal church. Doctrinally speaking, we call this humble, pious, and sincere action of worship by the term "paleo-orthodoxy." While specific "purpose-driven" narcissists and false teachers spiritually abuse parishioners who refuse to change and "get with the program" (see "Narcissism & False Teachers"), we know that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Heb. 13:8). They divide us while Christ unites us. There is no difference between worship "in the Spirit and in truth" between the first and twenty-first centuries. Jesus does not change, nor does his true church, which is the metaphysical body of Christ (see Eph. 4:1-16).
Conclusion
In conclusion, worship is inherently communal and public. Rooted in the Greek term latreia and the idea of liturgy as a "work of the people," worship involves confession of faith and active ministry to God in the public sphere. It is not a private matter but a visible expression of belief akin to our public relationships and interactions. Scripture highlights the importance of gathering together, encouraging one another, and engaging in structured worship that glorifies God alone. The author of Hebrews wrote, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching" (10:25).
Worship encompasses sacramental acts and the public reading and teaching of scripture, all aimed at revealing God's ways and thoughts to humankind. Central to this understanding is the recognition that worship is ordered, allowing God to manifest himself according to his sovereign will within the framework of communal ministry. As we come together in worship, we contribute our gifts and expressions in a fitting and orderly manner, ultimately building up the church and glorifying God. In essence, worship in the Spirit and in truth involves a holistic engagement of mind, heart, and community, where individuals unite in a shared expression of praise and service to God. Through this communal act of worship, believers are enriched, encouraged, and strengthened in their faith journey.
Prayer
Blessed are you, LORD our God, King of the universe; for you pour out the Spirit of grace and supplication on all who desire it: Deliver us, when we draw near to you, from the coldness of heart and wanderings of mind, that with steadfast thoughts and kindled affections, we may worship you in the Spirit and in truth; through Jesus the Messiah, our Lord. Amen.
Bibliography
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The Book of Common Prayer. Huntington Beach, CA: Anglican Liturgy Press, 2019. p. 76. http://bcp2019.anglicanchurch.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/BCP2019.pdf.
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DeWaay, Bob. Redefining Christianity: Understanding the Purpose Driven Movement. Springfield, MO: 21st Century, 2006.
Rosebrough, Chris. "Special Edition: The Cult-Like Hostile Takeover Tactics of the Purpose-Driven Church Transitioning Seminar." Captain's Log (blog). Pirate Christian Media LLC. February 26, 2010. http://www.piratechristian.com/captains-log/2010/02/26/special-edition-the-cultlike-hostile-takeover-tactics-of-the-purposedriven-church-transtioning-semin.
Ross, Melanie C., and Mark A. Lamport, eds. Historical Foundations of Worship: Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant Perspectives. Worship Foundations. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2022.
Senn, Frank C. Introduction to Christian Liturgy. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2012.
Smith, Christians, and Melinda Lundquist Denton. Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers. New York: Oxford Univ. Press, 2009.
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