Growing as Worshipers

Growing As Worshipers

​[This week’s “Pastor’s Corner” is written by our Worship Director, Kevin Rietema.]

I was in a meeting recently where a question was posed that nearly silenced the room. The question was, “Are we growing as worshipers?” This is a profound question and worth reflecting on given how often we engage in worship, not just corporately, but hopefully personally too.

Can we grow as worshipers? If so, how do we even measure this? Is it measured by how frequently we
attend corporate worship gatherings? By how often we raise or clap our hands while singing? By how
much money we give to the budget? I’m not suggesting these things aren’t important. Weekly church
attendance is more vital than we think it is. Physical expression in worship is a worthwhile conversationand private worship during the week is just as important as corporate worship on Sundays. In the end though, these things aren’t the main thing. How then, do we ultimately measure growth and ensure that it happens?

A helpful starting point may be to realize how great our need for Christian worship actually is. Though we often say that worship is “all for you Jesus,” worship is actually for us. I’m not talking in the consumeristic sense where we simply come for an emotional boost after a rough week. Rather, worship is about the misaligned affections of our hearts being realigned as we remember the story of God and find our place in that larger story. Be assured. Worship is still very much about God, but it is largely for us. Though God delights in our worship of Him, we are the ones who benefit! In a lot of ways, the practice of worship is a discipline in the same way that working out or eating healthy is. You can only get out of it what you put into it.

So, is it possible to grow as a worshiper? Yes. Engaging in worship is a learned skill that takes practice.
How can we grow as worshipers? We must start by seeing it as an investment. Are we coming only
hoping to consume, or are we willing to engage in the discipline of this beautiful, formational practice?
Bethel, I’m grateful to be on this journey of growing as a worshiper with you!

Kevin Rietema

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