Worship the Lord With Gladness

"Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness, come into his presence with singing . . .For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. " --Psalm 100:1,2,5

"Christian worship is the glad response of total individuals--through heart, soul, strength,and mind--to the saving acts of God in history. It is the communal and personal celebration in the universal church of God's love for creation and for every human being. This divine love is revealed in God's gracious covenant with the people of Israel and in God's coming into the world in Jesus Christ.
Christian worship is more than a passive response of God's revelation. It is in itself a Pentecostal proclamation. It both announces the good news of God's love for all the world and invites all people to share in God's saving embrace. This active response would not be possible without the presence of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who endows the community of faith and individual Christains with the gifts that are necessary for God's service. All that Christians do, together and individually, is worship, liturgy, the work of praise and thanksgiving. The word and acts commonly called worship cannot be separated from Christians' faithful response to God in words and acts of love and justice for all people. This is the transparent meaning of Jesus' liberating command: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."