A Biblical view of worship

Michael Horton has some wise counsel for us in the area of worship:

"Often our services are attempts at entertainment rather than worship. When the preaching centers on our own happiness rather than the attributes and achievements of God, we attend church to passively enjoy and receive from the professionals---the preacher, the the choir, the soloist, the occasional drama troupe. But I believe this way of coming to public worship is indicative of a human-centered theological orientation. If Jesus Christ entered at the back of our church on Sunday morning, would we all clap our hands and dance and sing, 'Happy Days Are Here Again'? Would we show him our 'God is rad, he's my dad' sweatshirt? Or would the room be filled with awe-stricken silence? Of course, there are different styles of worship, and I am not for one moment suggesting a style better suited to a funeral than to a worship service. Nevertheless, what we believe about God and salvation ultimately determines the object, focus, fervor, and direction of our worship. If we really rediscovered this biblical portrait of God, we would not need entertainment gimmicks; enthusiasm would not be artificially generated. And because our minds would be connected to it all, there would be a lasting impact even when we were not surrounded by choirs, musicians, and a cast of players."