This week, I stood in the middle of a concert venue packed with thousands. Lights flashing. Smoke rising. The sound system was thunderous. And when the artist yelled, “Let me hear you!”—the entire place erupted. Fists in the air.
Phones lit up the room. Every arm lifted. Every voice screamed the lyrics like they had written them themselves.
Then something happened I’ll never forget. Have you ever experienced this?
A woman next to me, eyes full of tears, turned and said,
“This… this is my church.”
And she wasn’t being ironic.
That moment has stayed with me. Not because it was loud or hyped—but because it exposed something deeper: how often we give our hearts to things that feel powerful but aren’t eternal. It made me ask:
What is true worship? And why does true worship matter in a world filled with noise and emotion?
We All Worship Something— But Only True Worship Transforms Us
Worship is inevitable.
It’s not just a Christian thing. It’s a human thing.
You were designed to pour yourself out—to give your time, energy, affection, loyalty, and love to something bigger than you.
The question isn’t “Do you worship?”
It’s “What (or who) do you worship?”
Because here’s the hard truth:
We already worship things that are not worthy.
We raise our hands for sports teams.
We shout for celebrities.
We sacrifice for status, image, influence, relationships, control.
We spend our money, our time, and sometimes even our identity chasing things that can’t actually carry our soul.
And what we worship—even unintentionally—reveals our heart. The difference is that only true worship reveals what our hearts were made for. That’s why worship can’t just stay in our thoughts or feelings—it has to show up in our lives. And yes, that includes how we sing in church. Whether you’re full of faith or barely holding on, lifting your voice is one of the simplest, most powerful ways to express true worship. At the end of the blog I have 5 steps to help you worship through singing, but for now, ask yourself this:
Is all devotion the same as worship? And how can we tell the difference?
Devotion vs. Worship: What’s the Difference?
It’s easy to confuse devotion with worship. Both involve passion, focus, and even affection. But there’s a crucial difference:
Devotion is love expressed. Worship is love surrendered and sacrificed. Worship is surrender embodied.
You can be devoted to many things—your family, your work, your goals. But worship is different. Worship isn’t casual commitment—it’s sacred sacrifice.
Devotion may cost you something.
But true worship demands your entire life—and gives back something far greater.
That’s what makes it so defining.
Whether we realize it or not, we’re constantly placing something at the center of our lives—and that thing is shaping us. That thing is receiving our devotion and even our worship.
And only One is worthy of it.
If you want to dive deeper into what it means to surrender fully to God, especially when you’re holding on to things that divide or distract you, check out Too Full to Be Filled: Surrendering What Divides Us.
If you want to explore what Jesus meant by “true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth,” this powerful article by Bob Kauflin unpacks that conversation with the Samaritan woman—and why it still matters today.
So What Is True Worship? Ask Yourself These 5 Questions:
1. What Moves You Most Deeply?
Take a moment and think—what brings you to tears? What fills you with awe? What stirs your soul without needing permission?
We don’t just feel things randomly. Our emotions often point to what matters most to us.
That’s not wrong—it’s human. But it’s also revealing.
We shout at games.
We cry during films.
We lose ourselves in music or a moment.
These emotional responses are echoes of something deeper: the capacity for worship.
The things that move you most deeply may already be receiving your worship—even if you’ve never named them that way.
True worship isn’t about emotional hype.
It’s about spiritual alignment–where your deepest awe meets the One who’s actually worthy of it.
When you’re moved by the greatness of God—His holiness, His mercy, His presence—you don’t just feel something…you respond.
2. What Gets Your Time, Talent, and Treasure?
Jesus made it painfully clear:
“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” — Matthew 6:21
Worship always costs something. And if you trace what you’re investing your life in—your energy, your resources, your best thinking—you’ll often discover your true altar. This isn’t just about tithing, giving, genorsity or quiet times—it’s about aligning your daily life with the rhythm of true worship.
It’s about what consistently gets your first and your best.
You might say, “I love God,”—but does He get your leftovers, or your devotion?
Ask yourself:
- What do I plan my life around?
- What am I willing to sacrifice comfort for?
- What gets my excellence, not just my obligation?
Because true worship isn’t measured in feelings.
It’s measured in offering.What you bring to God is not just on Sundays, but in every decision, every sacrifice, every surrender.
3. What Do You Turn to in Crisis—or Celebration?
When life hits hard—what do you instinctively run to?
When life feels amazing—who gets the credit?
Whether it’s a heartbreak, a diagnosis, a job loss, or a dream come true—your first reaction reveals your spiritual foundation.
Do you numb out with distractions?
Turn inward in control?
Reach outward for approval?
Or do you turn upward in surrender?
True worship doesn’t require perfect conditions.
It’s a posture we choose—both in the valley and on the mountain.
And that’s where true worship begins—not in perfect conditions, but in honest surrender.
Whether you’re weeping in the valley or rejoicing on the mountain, true worship says, “God, You are still worthy.”
Worship isn’t just about how we celebrate—it’s who we acknowledge as the source of every good and perfect gift.
4. Is It Shaping You—or Are You Shaping It?
This might be one of the most important questions in our culture today.
We live in a world that tells us to customize everything—especially our beliefs.
Even in church culture, it’s tempting to build a version of faith or worship that feels good, but doesn’t transform us.
If your worship never stretches you, challenges you, or calls you to die to self—it may not be worship at all.
True worship always reforms us.
It confronts our idols.
It re-centers our values.
It refuses to be customized—it calls us to be consecrated.
It breaks us—and remakes us.
So ask:
Worship is not a mirror. It’s a window.
Not into ourselves—but into the greatness of God.
- Does this practice of worship change me?
- Does it bring me closer to God’s heart—or just comfort my own?
- Am I letting Him shape me, or trying to reshape Him?
5. What Is It Ultimately Costing You?
This question forces brutal honesty.
Because every object of worship demands sacrifice.
When we worship the wrong things:
- Fame costs peace.
- Control costs relationships.
- Money costs meaning.
- Approval costs authenticity.
- Comfort costs purpose.
You’ll give yourself to something. And if it’s not Christ, it will eventually take more than it gives.
But Jesus—unlike everything else—first gave Himself for us.
He’s the only object of worship who doesn’t use you—He restores you.
He doesn’t exploit your sacrifice—He redeems it.
Worship of anything else will drain you.
Worship of Jesus will transform you.
Only One Is Worthy
At the end of the day, worship isn’t just about what you feel—it’s about who you crown.
Every object of worship makes promises.
Fame promises recognition.
Success promises fulfillment.
People promise love.
Money promises security.
But in the end, they all take more than they give.
There is only One who is truly worthy of your worship—Jesus.
Only He is holy.
Only He is unchanging.
Only He carried the weight of your sin, shame, and story on the cross—and rose again to offer you life that never fades.
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain—to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”— Revelation 5:12
He doesn’t demand your worship to boost His ego.
He invites it to restore your soul.
Worship isn’t about making much of you.
It’s about making much of the One who gave everything for you.
So What Now? Your Next Step
Take a breath. Be honest.
- What are you really worshiping?
- What have you sacrificed for that’s left you empty?
- What’s getting your best energy, focus, and praise?
If the answer isn’t Jesus—you’re not too far gone.
You’re not disqualified. You’re invited.
The altar is open.
Not for performance.
But for true worship—real surrender to the only One who is worthy.
So lift your hands—not for hype, but in humility.
Kneel—not to earn mercy, but because you’ve already received it.
Lift your voice—not to impress, but to declare that only One is worthy.
Because when you lay your life down at the feet of Jesus—that’s true worship.
And true worship doesn’t just cost something—it changes everything.
Stick around to the end to read about how singing in church can become true worship
Want More on This?
Watch the Full Sermon:
This post was inspired by a recent message I preached on Romans 12 and the call to true worship.
If you want to see how this came to life in the room—watch the full sermon here:
Watch: Worship Always Costs Something, But Changes Everything
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Singing in Church: Not Just a Song, But a Sacrifice
In the concert I attended, when the artist shouted, “Let me hear you!”—the crowd roared.
Thousands of voices filled the air. Every lyric shouted. Every hand lifted. Every phone lit up like stars in the dark.
And it hit me later:
If we can sing with that kind of passion for a performer…
Why do we hesitate when it’s time to sing in church?
Let’s be honest.
For many believers, singing has become a warm-up, a mood-setter, or even background noise. We wait for the right song. The right atmosphere. The right emotion.
But true worship was never meant to be passive.
It’s not about how the song makes us feel.
It’s about what the song declares about God.
Singing isn’t filler before the sermon.
It’s not warm-up—it’s warfare.
It’s one of the most powerful ways we express surrender, identity, and truth.
When the early church worshiped, it wasn’t always in a sanctuary. Sometimes it was in chains. In caves. In catacombs.
And still—they sang.
“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess His name.” — Hebrews 13:15
Singing isn’t filler before the sermon.
Singing is defiant hope. It’s the sound of a soul choosing faith over fear, surrender over silence.
It’s one of the most powerful ways we express surrender, identity, and truth.
So what does that look like practically?
Here are 5 ways to turn your voice into an offering—not a performance.
1. Sing even when you don’t feel it.
Let’s say it plainly:
Worship is not a feeling. It’s a choice.
Sometimes you’ll sing because you’re overwhelmed with joy
Other times, you’ll sing through heartbreak, doubt, exhaustion, or numbness.
But that ‘s where true worship begins–when it costs something.
In Scripture, true worship often happened in prison cells (Paul and Silas), in the middle of war (Jehoshaphat), or in caves (David)—not just on mountaintops. They didn’t wait to feel it. They chose to declare God’s worth even when life was hard.
When you lift your voice despite your emotions, you’re telling God:
“I don’t worship You because life is easy—I worship You because You’re worthy.”
That’s faith-filled worship.
That’s honest, real, sacrificial worship.
That’s true worship.
2. Engage your body.
God made your voice. He also made your hands. Your knees. Your posture.
Your body is a tool for worship—so use it.
Raise your hands in surrender.
Kneel in humility.
Open your arms in dependence.
Bow your head in reverence.
True worship involves every part of you—not just your words, but your posture. Your movement reflects your surrender.
Your posture is not for show. It’s for alignment.
Sometimes your heart will follow the lead of your body. When you move in surrender, something shifts in your spirit.
Don’t just be a spectator in worship—show up fully, physically, and intentionally.
3. Focus on the lyrics, not just the melody.
We’ve all been there—singing words we barely notice.
But songs aren’t spells. They’re truth declarations. And true worship is rooted in truth.
So don’t just sing from memory—sing with meaning.
Ask yourself:
“Do I believe what I’m singing?”
“Do I need to?”
“Is this lyric preaching something I’ve forgotten?”
Your worship deepens when your mouth agrees with Scripture—and your heart follows.
Even one lyric can become a weapon of truth against lies, or a reminder of God’s faithfulness in the storm.
4. Remember who you’re singing to.
You’re not performing for the people around you.
You’re not trying to impress God with your range or rhythm.
You’re singing to the King of Kings.
To the One who created your lungs.
To the Savior who laid down His life so you could breathe again.
“This voice, this breath, this moment—it’s Yours, God.”
That’s not poetry. That’s reality.
When you remember who you’re singing to, every song becomes holy ground.
5. Bring your whole self to the altar.
Your voice is just the beginning.
True worship happens when you bring all of yourself:
- Your mind—focused, not distracted.
- Your will—surrendered, not stiff-armed.
- Your plans—open, not guarded.
- Your pain—honest, not hidden.
Don’t just sing about God. Surrender to Him.
Lay down the pride, the pressure, the pretending.
Let worship be where your real life meets God’s unshakable presence.
Final encouragement:
Next time you’re in a worship set at church, remember this:
- Your song is a sacrifice.
- Your posture is a sermon.
- Your voice is a weapon.
Worship always costs something. But when it’s real, it changes everything.
And don’t underestimate what your singing does in the spiritual realm.
When you open your mouth in faith, you’re not just participating in a church tradition— you’re pushing back darkness, strengthening your spirit, and lifting high the name that breaks chains.
Every time you choose to sing, you’re making a declaration:
“Jesus is worthy—even here. Even now.”
So don’t hold back.
Let your worship be louder than your worry.
True worship doesn’t whisper—it roars with faith
Let your praise cost something—and let it mean everything.
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