Worship Engagement: When I watch a sporting event, I get more involved than when I attend a worship event.
May 16, 2023
Katherine Schultz
This post contains a biblical perspective on engagement in worship. I know that’s now what the title seems to indicate, but stick with me. It is from a series of personal perspectives on the individual questions of the 3-D Worldview Survey.
If I’m honest…
If I’m honest, I think I’m in the 4%. A while back, my pastor was preaching on ways to reach out to unbelievers, and one of things he suggested was sports because over 96% of Americans (sorry, I don’t have stats for other countries) either participate in or watch sporting events in a typical week.
So if I’m honest, I’m in the 4%. I don’t personally find sports interesting, and I’m not very good at them. But I can understand how people get interested in basketball, or golf, or soccer, or skiing because I have interests other people don’t enjoy (but that’s another post). But I think all of us should take a step back sometimes and examine how much we arrange our lives around those things like sports, and how much we get engaged with them. When we watch a sporting event, we can get really into it. Cheering. Armchair quarterbacking. Jumping up and down. Dressing in team colors. Painting our faces. Buying expensive snacks or special gear for the event.
The Truth is…
The truth is that we are made to worship, and if we don’t guard our hearts, we can easily slip into worship at the wrong altar. Now I don’t mean we should do the same things in worship time as we do at a sporting event. But are we engaged in the event, eager to see what comes next, seeking to connect with the object of worship, putting on special clothing (not a certain thing, but taking care because we want to “support the team”)?
Do we gather with other “fans” between events and talk about the “game”? Do we sometimes make special “pilgrimages” to the big games, coming together with a crowd of other “fans”? Because the truth is that in heaven, every knee will bow, and every tongue confess, that Jesus is Lord (Philippians 2:10-11). And all God’s creatures will cry “holy, holy, holy” (Revelation 4:8) in worship of him.
What we worship is a very obvious indicator of what we love–of what is in our heart, and what our heart longs for. And our heart-orientation is an essential element of our worldview.
What about you?
What about you? It’s your turn. Will you take time to engage in worship this week, gathering together with other believers, paying attention, listening to God’s Word, looking to connect with Him, and delighting in His church? You don’t need to jump out of your seat and scream for the team–but in the way that your church family gathers and worships, fully join them.
How you respond to and engage in worship is an indicator of your worldview. Interested in more questions you can ask to help understand a person’s worldview? Download the free pdf “10 Questions to Understand Someone’s Worldview” below.
