A session exploring what worship is, why we should worship and ways which we can worship God

Suitable For Ages 11 upwards

Required: lego, pens, paper, flip-chart, ‘worship as a lifestyle’ cartoon from cartoonchurch.com,

Extra Files Needed (i.e. worksheets etc): Worship Worksheets – click to download

Session Plan

Explain: Tonight we will be looking at worship, what it is, what it means and what the bible says about it, plus some ways to help us with worship!

Brainstorm: What do you think worship is?

Activity: Split the group into 2 teams and give each a selection of Lego, give them 5 minutes to make the most creative thing they can with the Lego, it could be a person, car, monster, anything!

At the end of the activity get the groups to show each other their creations and explain what they are and why they made them.

Explain: In that exercise you could make whatever you like using lots of different ways, worship is like that, there is no set way to do it, but many different ways! Usually when we think of worship we think of music or prayer but it can be anything we do that glorifies God and shows our love and adoration of him.

Cartoon: ‘Worship as a lifestyle’ – Cartoonchurch.com

Explain: It is just a silly cartoon but much of the time we associate worship with songs, yet actually a song is merely a form of worship!

Ask: Have you ever heard the phrase ‘worship as a lifestyle’? What do you think it means?

Explain: Worship as a lifestyle is about living for God, it is about making God the number one thing in our lives. In the Old Testament when they built idols to worship these idols were designed to be the centre of attention, when Nebechudnezzer commanded everyone would focus completely on the statue and worship it. When we apply the same thing to God it means being focused on God all the time.

Ask: Ask the group to think of different ways they can worship
Of course absolutely anything can be an answer here, be prepared to explain how things can be worship.

Activity: Before you explore the answers they have given split them into groups and hand out the worksheets (downloadable) which get them to think about the different ways you can worship and the good things and band things about them.

Leaders Notes For Worship Styles
Song – The bible mentions worshipping God through song in numerous passages, Psalm 150 talks about playing music to God. Psalm 96 says ‘1 Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. ‘ However songs are only good if you mean the words you sing.
Prayer – When we pray we really focus on God, a lot of the time we pray we are saying to God how amazing he is, and we thank him, this is adoration which is part of worship!
Liturgy – Much like songs it can be a good way to connect with God by having words there in front of you but you need to mean them!
Through Actions – One of Jesus’ commands was to love your neighbour and help those less than yourselves, however you can sometimes get so caught up in deeds that you forget why you’re doing them – Ephesians 2:8s

Back to the session plan…
Once the activity is done bring the groups back together and invite them to feedback and discuss.

Why Do We Worship?
So far we’ve looked at the different ways people worship and what it means to worship as a lifestyle but why do we worship?

Ask: Can anyone think of reasons we should worship?

1 – The Bible Says So

Ask: Can anyone think where in the bible it says that we should worship God?
(The ten commandments!)

Explain: One of the things Jesus says in Luke 4:8 is ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only’, he is quoting the ten commandments, he also says the most important commandment is to ‘Worship the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind’

Revelation also talks about worshipping God

Read: Revelation 4: 1-11

Explain: Worship happens in the bible – Matthew 2:2 says that the wise men came and worshipped Jesus, and they went well out of their way to do so, they could have took up to 2 years to arrive.

When the women left the tomb and saw Jesus they fell at his feet and worshipped him.

Ask: Can anyone think of any other places or stories where God is worshipped?

Conclusion

Worship as a lifestyle isn’t about singing constantly or standing at a bus stop with hands raise, worship as a lifestyle is about having God as number one in your lives, it’s about showing God that he is the most important thing to you.

Read: Romans 1: 24- 32

Explain: The passage shows what can happen when we don’t worship God and put him first.

A personal testimony of not putting God first could be effective here
Prayer Invite the group to go into their groups again and talk about areas where they find God isn’t first, or indeed if they want God to be first, get them to pray in their groups – for some groups this may not be appropriate so doing it as a whole group might be better or even having the option for people to come forward.