The songbook of the bible, the Book of Psalms, often has songs with lyrics that call us to glorify God. Psalm 29:2 says, “Ascribe to the Lord the Glory that is due His name.”  Psalm 66:2 says,  “Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious!”  Psalm 86:12 says, “I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.”  Yes, whenever we gather together and make God the subject of our singing, we glorify God. Actually, we are doing exactly what we were made to do. God made us for the community, the church. God made us to glorify His Name: Worship. It’s only in a healthy, loving, learning, and living community that we can truly become all that God intended for us to be. Surely, having personal faith glorifies God. Confession and repenting of our sin glorifies God, but when we gather together to glorify God, something bigger than ourselves takes place when we participate in corporate worship.

Kent Hughes had some interesting comments on this subject. He writes, “…if you absent yourself from church, you will encumber your ability to glorify God in worship. Congregational worship makes possible an intensity of adoration that does not as readily occur in solitude. On the tragic level, a mob tends to descend to a much deeper level of cruelty than individuals. It is also understood that the appreciation and enjoyment of an informed group of music lovers at a symphony is more intense than that of a single listener at home. This holds true for worship as well. Corporate worship provides a context where passion is joyously elevated and God’s Word ministers with unique power.” Martin Luther spoke of this when he confided, “At home in my own house, there is no warmth or vigor in me, but in the church when the multitude is gathered together, a fire is kindled in my heart, and it breaks its way through.” It’s only in a corporate setting that worship can really light my fire and keep my heart burning. We need each other!

During my years attending Seminary, we enjoyed daily chapel services, which always began with worship. We’d sing in a chapel that sat about 500 people. They were mostly men during my days there. When the one hymn that everyone knew was played. The male voices filled that chapel. I always loved participating in that hymn, “All Hail The Power of Jesus’ Name. Let Angels prostrate fall.” I would get goosebumps listening to all those male voices sing together. I expect heaven to be something like that. The Westminster Confession says the purpose of man is “to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” We cannot truly do that alone. We need a corporate setting. We need others to light a fire in our worship.  Alone, we will just go out! We are like the embers in a campfire. As long as we’re together, we keep each other going. When we’re separated and dispersed, our passion soon burns out. We need each other to keep our hearts burning within us as we love, learn, and live out God’s call on our lives.