5 Marks of the Worship of the Church

After talking with friends around the country, it became clear that there was a longing in the church for theological worshippers, with a blazing passion for truth and the glory of God. Worship should not to be driven by pragmatism, but informed by the Word of God. There must be a marriage between theology and doxology. Worship leaders are called to be men who pursue and practice biblical worship, and call their churches to the same. Or, as Psalm 96 puts it, there are to be five marks of the worship of the church.

The worship of the church is God-centered.
Psalm 96 is a microcosm of some crucial perspectives Scripture gives us. This psalm was originally written for the covenant people of God for the entry of the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem (1 Chron. 16). This psalm shapes doxology, theology, the worship leader, and the mission of the church.

Oh sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth!
Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples! (vv. 1)

We find in these verses six imperatives commanded by God, through the psalmist. There are three calls to "sing to the Lord," and one call each to "bless his name," "tell of his salvation from day to day," and "declare his glory among the nations." The psalm itself is modeling this worshipful response for us as the people of God. In the commands to sing, what kind of singing is called for? Who should be singing? What types of songs are decreed? The church's worship should be marked by a God-centered, Trinitarian, gospel emphasis. Keep reading