Worship & Missions: A New Era of Awaken Generation

Worship Abides Forever

In the last year, Awaken Generation has been going on a journey to understand the integral link between worship and missions. For the longest time, we’ve felt that we as the church have had a very compartmentalised view of each, seeing them as completely separate entities. However, I sense in the coming age, we will see a convergence of the two, and that worship will actually be at the forefront of missions.  I love this quote by John Piper: 

“Missions is not the ultimate goal of the Church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever.” 

In the most traditional view of worship - an activity purely for believers, sometimes seen even as the ‘twenty minute prelude before the Word’ - we’ve prioritised our own ‘consumption’ in a worship service, rather than coming to the altar to bring an offering to the Lord first. 

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” 

(Romans 12:1)

Worship is SO much more than that! Worship does not exist solely as a ministry for congregants but rather, as a ministry to God Himself! That should be the first and foremost priority (read about the Tabernacle of Moses in Exodus 25-31 and the Tabernacle of David in 1 Chronicles 25 to understand more about hosting God’s presence). It is a sacrificial offering of praise and thanksgiving that first starts from the heart, and then overflows into our outward expression of music ministry and obedience to God’s Word. When we as His people minister to the Presence of God first, He is the one that then ministers to His church.  

Worship is Evangelistic

I’d like to propose that worship in itself is evangelistic.  The beautiful thing about authentic worship is when we behold the glory of God, His glorious Presence meets with us in the room (see Psalm 22:3) and He is the One that touches the hearts of those who don’t know Him! I’ve heard endless stories of how people’s hearts were not moved in a message, but immediately encountered the Presence of God during a time of worship and gave their lives to Him!  

“He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
    and put their trust in him.” 

(Psalm 40:3) 

A New Model of Worship & Missions

In the history of the church, missions has always traditionally followed this model: going to a developing nation to share the gospel, plant a church, and serve the poor. All are important, but we need to keep in mind that God is not merely looking for ‘Christian converts’; He is looking for worshippers. 

“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.” 

(John 4:23) 

His desire is to form a people in His likeness, for the nations to sing, and for His church to be prepared as the Bride of Christ. I believe it’s important that our end goal of missions is not merely sharing the knowledge of Christ to people who don’t know Him, but to aid the transformation of people into worshippers.

In other words, worship is the starting point, the fuel and the end goal of missions.

I believe God is and has been raising up a worship movement across the earth in many nations in this hour of history.  When we start with worship, we are inviting the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in our missional activity. It becomes no longer man-made, programme based, but filled with the transforming power of God.

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