The Essentials of Congregational Worship

Matt Smethurst:

What are the non-negotiable elements of gospel-centered congregational worship—regardless of context?

In a new roundtable video, Paul Tripp, Mike Cosper, and Matt Boswell discuss this important question. "Worship is essentially a conversation between the Word of God and the people of God," observes Cosper, a contributor to TGC's Songs for the Book of Luke album. "If that's your core governing principle, it actually takes care of a lot, because when the Word speaks it demands certain responses."

Moreover, it's imperative to make sure our services are "from first to last are shaped by Scripture, therefore pushing us toward the glory of Christ in all things," adds Boswell, editor of the new TGC Worship blog.

"Since the people who come to worship are identity-amnesiacs and God-amnesiacs," Tripp explains, "I want to remind them of who they are—both the scary depth of their need and who they are in Christ—as well as of the grandeur and glory of the God they've been connected to through Christ."

As Cosper contends, "If we truly want to have gospel-centered worship, one thing that must be crystal clear is there's only one mediator—one person who's leading us into the presence of God—and it's not the guy with the guitar. It's Jesus."

Watch the full eight-minute video to hear these men discuss the danger of celebritized mindsets, how the pulpit relates to the guitar, and more.