Transformational Worship

By Pastor Chad A. Stafford

       

 In Worship and Witness by David Wheeler and Vernon Whaley, they state that worship is transformational. [1] They argue that “God uses our obedience, repentance, spiritual growth, and relationship with Him to transform us.” [2]  They say further that “one way we experience transformation is through obedience to the Holy Spirit’s direction.” [3]  I too believe that God transforms the worshiper through obedience. King David equated obedience as the highest form of worship. “When our hearts remain attentive to the Spirit’s transformational work, we can experience transformational worship and display the Spirit’s work to the world.” [4] A great example of this can be found in Acts 1 and 2 at Pentecost when the disciples’ tarried in Jerusalem for the fulfilled promise.  Their obedience to the command of Christ was an act of worship that placed them in a position to receive the promise of the Spirit’s power. 

“Sin robs us of our ability to be Great Commission worshippers.” [5] The Bible teaches that sin is enmity to God and thus separates us from Him.  The word enmity literally means to be hostile or opposed to God.  Living a life that is hostile to God is obviously incongruous and antithetical to a life of loving worship and devoted obedience.  It simply is not possible to please God with a divided heart.  Our sin must first be dealt with if we want to commune with our God who is holy. Think Isaiah in Isaiah chapter 6.  Our sin must be remitted or taken away as Isaiah’s was. [6] This happens when our spiritual eyes are opened to behold His glorious splendor and we recognize His true holiness in light of our sinful depravity.  Once we have been enlightened by the Truth, conviction comes to us by the Holy Spirit and we are given an opportunity to repent and be set free.  Repentance involves a change of mind AND direction which leads to life transformation, or transformational worship as the authors’ call it.  In Isaiah 6, God initiates Isaiah’s vision, cleansing, pardon, and calling – and so it is with us.  God initiates the redemptive act and we are saved by grace as we respond in faith, confession, and repentance.  God always takes the initiative in restoring the broken relationship between God and man.  Our humble acknowledgment and repentance from sin leads to transformation and readiness for service.

The authors’ describe spiritual growth as a result of transformational worship.  Just as a flower naturally grows from a seed in the ground or a baby eventually grows to become a toddler, a child, a teenager, and eventually a full grown adult, spiritual growth naturally occurs over time in the life of the healthy believer who is walking with God in obedience to his Word. So, if you are struggling with obedience - don't give up.  He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it, but you also must cooperate with that work of obedience by renouncing sin in your life. This turning from sin and obedience to God’s Word leads to spiritual growth AND transformational worship!  David said in Psalm 1 that the righteous ones who meditate upon God’s Word day and night would be like trees planted by living waters that never stop bearing fruit in its season and whose leaf does not wither.  Jesus also said in John 15 that as we abide in Him multiplication will naturally occur.  Jesus calls us to not only to bear fruit but to bear much fruit.  However, apart from Him we can do nothing!  Therefore, I would argue that Christ-connectedness and dependency upon Him is the key to personal spiritual growth and transformational worship. 

In other words, we need to see transformational worship and spiritual growth as the natural and eventual outflow of a healthy and abiding relationship with Christ. The authors correctly argue in Worship and Witness that God “greatly desires an active and personal relationship with His children.” [7] How did God demonstrate this to us?  By giving His only Son to die in our place while we were still in our sins. [8] What further proof do we need to be convinced of God's love and desire for a restored relationship with mankind?  In John 15 we see that our connection to Christ involves intimacy, communion with, and dependency upon Christ.  Jesus said in verse 4, “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” [9] 

Finally, we were created for relationship with God AND others which is why Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” [10] God desires a love relationship with his children.  In Christ, we are no longer strangers but sons and daughters of our Abba Father.  Living in an intimate love relationship with Jesus Christ wipes away all fear. Fear involves punishment but we have been made friends of God brought near by the blood of Christ.  We have access through Christ to the God who is love and perfect love casts out all fear.  The authors relate our relationship with God to a marriage relationship where a man and woman dedicate themselves to loving and knowing one another intimately.  Building a love relationship takes time, even with our Heavenly Father.  We come to know Him better as we abide in close relationship with Christ who is the image of God.  This is a relationship where love, devotion, communication, and trust can flourish because it is built upon mutual affection, trust, and commitment. As stated earlier, God uses our obedience, repentance, spiritual growth, and relationship with Him to transform us.  Like the metamorphosis of a caterpillar to a butterfly we too are transformed and conformed to the image of Christ through intimate relationship with Him which is the highest purpose of transformational worship. Let us daily aspire to this abiding relationship so that we may experience His transforming power in our own lives!

Mega transformational blessings to you in Christ!!

[1] David Wheeler & Vernon M. Whaley, Worship and Witness: Becoming a Great Commission Worshiper, (Nashville, TN: Lifeway Publishing, 2012), page 38.

[2] Ibid., 61.

[3] Ibid., 41.

[4] Ibid., 40.

[5] Ibid., 45.

[6] Ibid., 42-43.

[7] Ibid., 56.

[8] John 3:16 & Romans 5:8

[9] John 15:4

[10] Matthew 22:37-40