How Do You Know If Passionate Worship Is Genuine?

We all want to see passionate worship in our churches.

No worship leader wakes up on Sunday and thinks, “I hope I receive thousands of blank stares in worship today. I pray that no one connects with the songs today.”

No pastor wants a lifeless, disengaged, bored congregation.

But as leaders, we need to ask the hard question: how do we know if our passionate worship is really genuine? How do we know that God is pleased and glorified?

What is the foundation of our excitement, celebration, singing, dancing, and shouting?

Those of us who create experiences for people to encounter Jesus have a huge responsibility.

We can steer people towards Christ or away. We can hype up emotion or we can present the cross.

When I interviewed Bob Sorge last year, something jumped out at me that I haven’t been able to shake. I asked him about the current state of modern worship and what we worship leaders could do better. He said this:

“We don’t want to produce a bonfire on stage…but a bonfire in the congregation.”

Wow.

That’s what I would want my church to be known for. That’s what I would want my “worship culture” to represent.

With all of our advances in modern worship – the songs, sounds, lights, and production – are we producing a room of spectators or inviting an army of active participants to burn with passion for the Son of God?

If you’re waiting for me to bash the sound and lights, you won’t find that here. Worship is an internal work. But here are some thoughts as to what we could do to stoke the flames a little more.

What is Your Church Known For?

I would rather my church be known for the passion and fire of its worshipers than the creativity of its musicians.

I know, it’s not so black and white. And creativity and worship don’t have to be at odds all the time.

Just because you’re an uber creative church doesn’t automatically mean your people are a bunch of spectators. And just because you don’t have massive talent and resources doesn’t mean your church isn’t distracted and completely focused on Christ.

So the bigger question needs to be asked: how do we focus not just on externals – a great band, original music, stellar production, and even visibly expressive worshipers? How do we ensure we’re getting the heart stuff right?

I like how Mike Cosper puts it in Rhythms of Grace:

“It’s not that technology, culture and emotions are evil. In fact, a faithful presentation of the gospel and the God of the Scriptures should result in an emotionally charged response. The Spirit of God has a tendency to do powerful things when Jesus is on display and when God’s people gather. That’s a powerful recipe for life-changing worship: gather the people of God, display the glories of Jesus, and invite the church to respond. We have to see that there’s a difference between a service that’s compelled by a hunger to display the gospel and a service that’s compelled by a desire to stir emotions through other means.”

I love this. External, engaged worship could be genuine and it could be fake.

How To Know If Worship Is Genuine

Leaders, we need to know the difference between hyping up a crowd and displaying the glories of Jesus. Both will ignite a response.

Songwriters, we need to know the difference between hyped up words and displaying the glories of Jesus in our lyrics. Both will ignite a response.

I don’t know about you but I’m interested in the response that comes from seeing the cross clearly. I’m all about the worship that results when the empty tomb is on full display. I want to see a church engaged because the Spirit of God is present.

In a sense, present Jesus and watch what happens.

That’s how you know if worship is genuine. What is it in response to? Leaders, let’s be careful to not present ourselves on full display for people to enjoy our gifts.

Let’s be careful to present Jesus and watch what happens.

Simple, beautiful, real: present Jesus. Such is life: presenting Jesus to a broken world.

To close, let me just challenge you with some questions that you could use in your own worship team conversation:

• Is our church known for great worship or engaged worshipers?
• Is our worship team known for their passionate pursuit of Christ?
• Are we seeking first the kingdom of God personally and corporately?
• Are we engaged by Jesus or making music?
• Are the songs we’re writing presenting Jesus?
• Are the songlists we’re compiling presenting Jesus?
• Are the services we’re planning presenting Jesus?

I’d love to hear from you too. How do you know if the excitement and engagement of your church is genuine, rooted in the Gospel?

Let’s talk through this tension as leaders. You can leave a comment by clicking here.

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