There are only four passages in the entire New Testament which mention singing God’s praises together when we gather as the church.

And in those verses, there is just one reason given for that congregational singing …

And it’s not “worship.”

Rather, it’s to encourage one another.

That’s it.

Nothing else.

In fact, the New Testament never refers to singing or our gatherings as “worship” …

And the Greek words often translated as “worship” have absolutely nothing to do with what we call “worship” these days.

So the popular idea that we go to a “worship service” where we sing and do other things to invoke, experience or encounter God’s presence …

Doesn’t exist in the New Testament.

Nope, not, nada …

Just ain’t there.

Rather, that’s rooted in the Old Testament idea of the temple, where people went to encounter God.

In contrast, under the New Covenant, we have become God’s temple because He now dwells in us and among us.

Thus, we are commanded to sing and participate together for our mutual encouragement – one to another – as we express God’s presence already in us.

Nothing more, nothing less.

So let’s stop distorting Scripture by putting on staged performances designed to make us encounter “God’s presence” …

And calling that “worship.”

It’s not. It’s just carnality masquerading as spirituality to justify the prevailing corrupt practice of turning “church” into a spectator event performed by a few from an elevated stage.

Instead, let’s return to what the New Testament actually commands in our gatherings:

By joyfully participating together as we share and sing God’s praises with each other to express His presence already in us…

For the simple purpose of edifying and mutually building up one another.

Maybe then true worship will start to more fully emerge among us …

As people stop thinking of “worship” as a staged Sunday event and finally start living lives of reverent, sacrificial obedience to Him throughout the rest of the week.