Dr. Merril Smoak shares his thoughts on the effects of worship in Christian life and how God engages through music.  He is passionate about leading others to the Lord through worship and singing. Dr. Smoak also serves as an associate pastor of music and worship at Trinity Church in Livermore,CA. 

What Is Worship?
One of my greatest joys is planning and leading Sunday times of worship.  Here are three of my current thoughts about worship.

Worship is all about God and not all about me.  It is very easy to enter a time of worship and begin by thinking, “What Am I going to get out of this worship service?”  “Will I like the music?”  “Will I like the sermon?”  But these questions put the focus on me and my desires instead of on God.  As we enter a corporate time of worship our first thoughts should be about God:

-    Thank God for allowing you to be here today.
-    Thank God for the beauty of His creation.
-    Thank God for His plan of salvation that includes you.
-    Lift your voice in song to God.
-    Pray.
-    Listen to the sermon based upon God’s Word.
These actions place our attention on God and not ourselves. 

What is a “worship” -  “service”?   The coupling of these two words has always struck me as rather odd.  Here is a brief explanation.  The root of the word “service” is obviously the word “serve.”  If you are serving someone you are simply unselfishly doing something for that person.  In a worship service we are serving God.  He is worthy of our praise.  He lovingly demands that we serve Him through public worship.  Why?  Because He is God!

Can worship happen without music?  Yes, of course worship can happen without music.  You could just simply be still and quiet before God.  You could just listen to scripture being read.  You could pray.  But why is music an important part of our worship services?  Because music is a wonderful gift from God.  We accept this gift, rehearse it, and then lift if up to God as our praise and worship.  He is the Originator and Recipient of our music.  Music is an awesome gift that God allows us to use in our service to him.

Come, let us worship and bow down;
Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker
(Psalm 95:6)