Our aspirations and motivations in worship:
God-centered Worship
Because our highest delight is to glorify and enjoy God and lead His people to seek Him earnestly, worship will be God-centered. We will avoid distractions which disrupt that focus. We will draw attention to God and not our performance, our appearance, or our intelligence. The content of our worship will make much of Him and not selfish or temporal concerns. We will offer our best to God for His glory and the blessing of His people. The way we prepare for and present the elements of a worship service reflects the importance we place on worship. (Isaiah 42:8; 66:18; Psalm 100:2-4; 148:13; Philippians 2:10-11; Ephesians 1:3-14)
Christ-exalting Worship
Because, in this life, we view the glory of God in the face of Christ only by the eyes of faith, worship will be Christ-exalting. We will proclaim the whole of God's written word so as to reveal the limitless majesty of the Living Word. We will honor and reverently practice the ordinances (baptism and communion) as we proclaim Christ in these visible forms. Our worship will summon all who will hear to come to Christ. We will not invite unbelievers to worship Him until they first are alive in Him. (2 Corinthians 4:6; John 1:14; 1 John 1:1-4 Hebrews 2:9-12; Colossians 2:9; 1 Peter 3:18)
Bible-saturated Worship
Because we see Christ in this life through His reflection in the Scriptures, worship will be Bible-saturated. We will discipline our worship practices according to the Bible's teaching. We will seek to be theologically accurate in all we present and to grow deeper in our understanding and presentation of biblical truth. Our music, prayers, announcements, preaching, and ordinances will overflow with Scripture. (Acts 2:42; 2 Timothy 4:1-4; Matthew 4:4; John 4:24; Colossians 3:16)
Humble Worship
Because worship connects the creature with his Creator and a sinner with his Savior, it will be always done in humility. We will avoid arrogance and model brokenness before the congregation and in our dealings with one another. All kinds of public prayers including confession and repentance will express this humility. (Isaiah 57:15; 66:2; James 4:6-8; 1 Peter 5:5-11; Luke 18:13-14; 1 Timothy 2:1-5)
Simple Worship
Because the New Testament avoids elaborate prescriptions for worship and because of our sinful tendency to pursue other agendas than the glory of God, worship will be simple. While we proclaim the deepest, most beautiful, and most holy truths, we will express them in ways accessible to all who will trust God for the grace to understand. We will value a worshiper's heart-response to God above mere "lip-service." (John 4:21-24; Colossians 2:16-19; 1 Corinthians 14:33-40; Hebrews 13:9-15; Matthew 15:7-9)
Balanced Worship
Because the Creator deserves to receive worship that reflects a breadth of human expression, worship will be balanced. We will give opportunity to express a full spectrum of emotions. We will enjoy music from various points on the continuum between folk and fine art. We will welcome excellence in new forms while honoring the best that past generations have left for our encouragement. (Matthew 13:52; Psalm 96:1; 103:1)
[Adapted from “With One Voice,” Grace Baptist Church, Manhattan, KS ]