Where Should We Worship? Perhaps “How” Is The Better Question


Where should I worship? That’s a logical question if you’re new to faith, or even new to a community. The trouble is some believers never really grow beyond this. Think of it as, “woman at the well,” faith. 

Jesus encountered a Samaritan woman at a well one day. In his conversation with her he told her all about her past, and she was convinced he was no ordinary man. Then her inquiry came;

“Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” John 4:20

She wanted to know where her body should be when she worshipped. Jesus’ answer reveals he was more interested in where her heart was at.

“For God is spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:24

I’m suffering in a hammock on my sister in law’s back porch in San Antonio right now. It’s Saturday morning, and 69 degrees with a light breeze. Sometimes you just have to do what needs to be done whether you like it or not, and someone needed to lay in this hammock. Tomorrow I, like millions of others, will take my “body” to a place to worship. But if all I do is get my body to a good location then I completely miss the point. That’s “woman at the well worship.” Father wants us to worship him in spirit and in truth.

The truth part isn’t too difficult. Like me, you’ll probably end up in a Bible believing church tomorrow. The odds are pretty high that your worship leader isn’t going to lead you in any songs that have lies about God in them. If that’s happening you either need another worship leader, or another church. It’s the spirit part that is more challenging.

If we aren’t careful we get our bodies to the correct location, the songs contain truth, but our spirits can be elsewhere. If I’m not careful my mouth will sing the words, my hands will clap, my body will stand, while my mind is thinking about other things. (But that probably only happens to me) Let’s be sure to do more than get our bodies into God’s presence this week. Let’s get our spirits there as well. Let’s focus our hearts and minds on him. Let’s grow beyond “woman at the well worship,” into those who worship in spirit and in truth.

Following the Son,

James A Williams

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