I feel that worship is really hard to define; I’ve had a hard time processing in my mind, what a good definition of worship is. My professor loves the quote by wiersbe as well you Bob. I might agree with both of you in thinking that, but I haven’t studied the Bible at all, so I don’t feel like making an assertion as to what I think the Bible says about worship. I would agree with you Bob about how silly it can be when people try to define a complex term such as worship, so I made my own definition of worship.

Worship – it is complicated.

This quote said by Wiersbe really hit me this semester in school. In my worship class we have explored this vast topic and I believe that this is the best working definition. It reminds us that worship is and never will be about us. It is about God. And what we can do for Him. It is a great reminder of what Jesus says in the Gospels about coming after him, they must deny themselves himself and take up their cross daily and follow Him.

I must also say that I really appreciated Cathy’s comments on how she explains worship to the children she teaches, one I think that it is wonderful that children are learning all the aspects to worship instead of just singing, and two i can relate to what she says about the fact that when you simplify something to explain it to children it really does help you to clarify it in your own mind.

When working with children I have used the definition I came across in “Teaching Kids Authentic Worship” by Kathleen Chapman. It is simply: “Worship is all our attention focused on God”. I call it “God-Gazing”. Even in it’s simplicity, I found I needed to break it down even more than that for my 4 year old Sunday School class. When we are sitting together in our “worship circle” on Sunday mornings we say, “Worship happens when what I think, say and do is all about Jesus”, and that “Worship can happen any time, any where and in many ways”. As ways to express our worship, we speak words of worship, move, play instruments, use flags & banners, write letters, and draw pictures. We are working our way through a “Jesus alphabet train” in which we ascribe an attribute of Jesus for each letter of the alphabet (A-Almighty, B-the Beginning, C-Creator, etc.), because I believe that as we begin to identify the character of Jesus we come face to face with who He is and we can not help but worship Him. Also, as Hebrews 1:3Hebrews 1:3
[3]He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact
imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the
word of his power. After making purification for sins, he
sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, (ESV)

tells us, “everything about Him represents God exactly”, so when we look at Jesus, we see God.

Sometimes struggling through the challenge of putting things into language a child can understand has been helpful for me.

A fellow God-gazer,
Cathy

Great to hear from you. Please send me your address, as I’d like to send you some materials.

Bob

I am so glad to write after passing through your web . It is really interesting to see some of the important spiritual insights . It really shows that you are serious for his sake . In the past , I was the preacher of the Church of Christ having studied and obtain Bachelor of Biblical Studies . But because the writer in Psalms 119:96Psalm 119:96
[96]I have seen a limit to all perfection,
but your commandment is exceedingly broad.

says that God’s word is wider enough ,we ( I and my wife ) started to re-read our Bibles and seen that some of the things which I received were not so . For example Instrumental music and judging others e.t.c . For that reason we decided to leave the Church and just worship at home up to the moment . We will still be here up until God tells us what to do in the future . We are so much eager to start another Congregation in our local area .

Therefore brothers , I would like to welcome you in our Country , if you feel like and assist us in evangelism and seminars so as to grow up his Kingdom . I really know that we need other brothers and sisters in performing his will . I will also be glad to work with you in any capacity . May you pray for us and we will do the same . Lastly , I hope to hear from you soon .

In Him ,

Rev. ALLEN MKITA
TANZANIA E.A