Where to Worship by Larry Perry

John 4:23-24 English Standard Version (ESV)

²³ But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. ²⁴ God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Yesterday we spoke about operations and administrations and the diversities associated with them. So where should we worship? If you do not worship God in spirit and in truth it does not matter. If you do worship God in spirit and in truth then God will lead you where He can use you.

God does everything with purpose. What that means for each of us can only be found in a close personal relationship with God. I cannot tell you that and few can. God does use fellowship to place people but knowing how you fit in is more complicated than just finding nice people.

Ephesians 4:16 English Standard Version (ESV) from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

It is not enough to be accepted, we should bring something to the party that is needed and which supplies a need by virtue of use. Those around us will define where we fit because there is not only a bond but also a need. We do not stop being needy people just because we have joined a church. These things cannot be discovered in isolation. We must join in with their activities and groups.

Discover who they are in Christ and that will help us discover who we are in Christ.

Are they open and transparent? Are we open and transparent? Worshiping God in truth means being real with one another.

Colossians 2:20-23 English Standard Version (ESV)

²⁰ If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— ²¹ “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” ²² (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? ²³ These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

Has anyone approached you by asking “What is your faith?” They are in essence trying to determine your religious affiliations. They will be looking for words like Jewish, Muslim, Catholic, Baptist and of late an ever increasing list of non-denominations. Non-denom is an interesting category as it tries to declassify itself from a long list of perceived violations. It is one way to avoid being attacked by the asking party.

Rather than giving an affiliation, what if we were to reframe the question? “Not what but where is my faith!” Is faith a religion? If we reframe the question the ensuing dialogue changes focus off past grievances, perceived in error or not, and places faith as the foundation for the answer.

When asked, “Then where is your faith?” Answer “I put my faith in Christ.” Then the focus changes from religion to relationship. This is the error of communication common among many today. We do not have a relationship with religion.

1 Corinthians 12:4-6 King James Version (KJV)

⁴ Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

⁵ And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

⁶ And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

Within our cities you will find a large number of “churches” listed in the yellow-pages or within google search results. These listings are the local operations. If within those names you find an affiliation with a national or global group, those are administrations. There have been in the past severe and painful disassociations with administrations. The Lutheran Reformation was not the last one.