For years, a large burger chain used the slogan, “Have it your way.” This slogan caught the American Consumer mentality that we should get whatever we want, however we want. When I go into a burger restaurant, I should be able to tell them how I want it made. This concept has expanded into other areas of consumerism in that we have the ability to gain designer products for just about anything. We can have it our way from clothing to tools to trips.

Unfortunately, this same consumeristic mentality has trickled into the church. We begin to expect to have church our way. Specifically, we expect to worship our way. But is this the way that worship should operate? Over the past few weeks, we have examined the topic of worship and the church. We have looked at two foundational principles we must understand if we are to accomplish the biblical purpose of the church: Our worship should be to God alone and for God alone, and our worship should be how God requires. With these foundational principles in mind, we will spend the next few weeks examining a few other essential principles that will help explain why we do what we do in worship at Cambria.

First, the Christian should understand that a primary purpose for congregational worship is the edification of fellow believers (Eph 5:18-19; Col 3:16; 1 Cor 14). Why is congregational worship important? We hear people often say that they can worship God without the church. Several Biblical truths render this statement asinine, but in line with our discussion today, this statement reveals a complete misunderstanding of worship.

While worship is all about God, and worship is not primarily about us, Scripture does indicate that a primary purpose for congregational worship is edification. Consider Ephesians 5:18-19 and note that a sign of the indwelling work of the Spirit of God in our hearts is that we sing to one another. Paul states nothing about singing in your car to God or in the quietness of your home to God (although I would hope we do this). Instead, the sign that we are walking in the Spirit of God is that we sing to address one another to God. That word addressing (λαλουντες, from λαλεω) could also be translated as communicating. In this context, Paul states that believers are to use their voices to communicate with one another in song.

In Colossians 3:16, Paul informs us that when the Word richly dwells in us (when we live in line with the Word of God), three things result: teaching, admonishing, and singing. Teaching is the importation of positive truth. Admonishing is the negative side of teaching. It means to warn people of the consequences of their behavior. Further, admonishing has the element of strong encouragement. It is generally practical and moral rather than abstract or theological. Paul’s address here that the Word richly dwelling in us (being people of the Word) results in teaching, instructing, and singing suggests that singing is a means of mutual edification and a vehicle of praise to God.

A primary purpose for congregational worship is the edification of fellow believers. This principle sets corporate worship apart from all-of-life worship. Due to this focus, many activities are appropriate for believers in all-of-life worship but not for corporate worship. As a primary purpose of corporate worship is edification, we can draw out three important principles. We will look at the first today and the other two in the coming weeks.

First, edification is corporate, not individual. The church is not about the individual. The church is about the body (we spent much time discussing this in 2019 in our foundations messages available on our website). As such, the individual should not ask, “What can I get out of this service?” Instead, each individual should ask, “What can I give to the body, and how can I serve the body?”

This principle means that the goal of corporate worship is not individual (or even corporate) entertainment but edification and worship. The church is to sing to one another in Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Col. 3:16). So, all worship ought to lead to the maturing of the body of Christ.

This principle also has some ramifications on our thinking about the purpose of music. It means that every part of our service is a form of worship for the edification of the body. The music, the Bible reading, the praying, the preaching, and the observance of the ordinances are all worship. This means that music should never simply be a lead into the preaching.

But it also holds sway over the purpose of our gathering. So far, we have seen that worship is to God and for God alone accomplished through the edification of the body of Christ. Now notice what is not here, evangelism. The purpose of the church’s corporate worship is not evangelism but edification. Corporate worship is not to bring in unbelievers but to edify believers. So we don’t bring in unbelievers at any cost but worship in truth at any cost.

However, since we are gospel people, and the primary expression of God’s glory is the amazing reality of the impartation and outworking of the Gospel, the Gospel should saturate our services. The message of the Gospel should be all over the worship service. As a result, evangelism should happen in every service. So please understand what I am saying. I am not saying we do not want unbelievers in the service. We desperately want them to hear the Gospel. I am saying that the service is not for them (designed and purposed for them) but for believers. I am saying that evangelism is a byproduct, not a purpose of worship. No music in the Bible is ever characterized as being or intended to be evangelistic. It is always pictured in the context of the body of Christ to the body of Christ. This means that our singing is for the body of Christ.