The Fundamentals of True Worship

This is how Jesus described the fundamental elements of true worship: “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24.)

Worship in spirit

You can be completely orthodox in your beliefs, yet fail to express your praise toward a God this wonderful. Yes, our worship of God should be based upon truth, and it should engage the mind and intellect. Yet, worship also engages the affections, the heart, and the emotions. That does not mean that worship will always be an emotional experience.

Think about it: people express their emotions at weddings, football and baseball games, and political rallies. But if they do it at church, they are branded as fanatics! Yet, the Bible encourages us to openly express our praise to God.

“Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name” (Psalm 63:3–4).

Worship in truth

Bible study and worship go hand in hand. When the two are separated, problems begin.

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16).

Worshipping in truth means that we will avoid that which is unbiblical. If we cannot say, like Peter, “This is that which is spoken of,” we should not engage in it. We should worship the God of Scripture, the God of holiness, righteousness, love and mercy—not a God of our own making.

God is looking for true worshippers today—

  • True worshippers who will worship God not necessarily because they feel like it, but because God is more than worthy.
  • True worshippers who will sing their songs in the night.
  • True worshippers who will worship in song, service and giving.
  • True worshippers who will worship in spirit and in truth.

May we be those true worshippers today!

Did you pray with Pastor Greg?

To help you get started, we would love to send you a free Bible and other resources to help you grow in your faith.

Get Resources
In thanks for your gift . . .

In thanks for your gift . . .

The Jesus Movement began during a chaotic moment in American history, when thousands of young people searching for truth encountered the life-changing message of the gospel. In Jesus Revolution, Greg Laurie shares the compelling story behind this spiritual awakening—including his own transformation as a teenager coming to faith in Christ.

This book takes readers behind the scenes of a movement that changed lives through the power of God’s Word and the hope of Jesus. It’s a timely reminder that God still works through ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things.

When you give to Harvest Ministries this month, we’ll send you Jesus Revolution as our thank-you. And if your gift is $50 or more, we’ll also send you the Jesus Revolution movie on DVD—an inspiring way to enjoy and share this powerful story of revival.

Support today!