You don’t have to look far to find conflict and turmoil. In fact, most reported news is good supporting evidence for the need for diversity and tolerance. But among these ideologies’ great hope for peace and acceptance, diversity and tolerance are failing in schools, places of employment, cities and governments and religious organizations. God seems to have a different idea for humanity’s peace… it is worship.

Helen H. Lemmel, in 1922, must have had this in mind when she penned “…the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.” This revelation holds something that evades today’s top thinkers; conflicts are trivialized when we focus on God’s supremacy and divine law.

There are three times in the Bible when humanity is united. The first was that short time Adam and Eve lived in the garden. Another was during the construction of a tower to access heaven (Gen 11:1-9). The last will come when all of humanity joins the 4 living creatures, the twenty-four elders and the angels in unison worship around the throne (Rev 4 & 5).

Among the many reasons for humanity’s peace will be the “face to face” (1 Cor 13) encounter with Jesus. It will profoundly change our values and perceptions whereby peace will be attainable because we will have inner peace in God’s presence. In worship, we experience a foretaste of this “face to face” encounter. We also experience a foretaste of the inner transformation necessary for peace because, as is said, “We become like what we worship.”

Our congregants have a broad theological range as a result of their histories and moments with eternal preeminent God. Our theological perspectives of God change and adjust throughout our spiritual journey. Knowing this urges worship leaders to allow people to worship the God they know and let the power of their encounters with God shape their theology. To facilitate these personal transformations we must present a balanced Biblical revelation of Christ.

Worship leaders sometimes overlook the power of Biblical worship to evangelize and teach theology and doctrine. Let me put this practically: If all my songs have “I’s” and “me’s”, chances are some aspects of Christ’s Biblical character are concealed… like His judgment and sovereignty. Similarly, my worship set obscures Christ’s character when I don’t include love songs. Balance and moderation are necessary for worship that evangelizes, teaches and draws all to Christ.

Rev 22:2 talks about the leaves of the tree of life bringing healing to the nations. In the midst of political and church conflict, school shootings, increasing nuclear weaponry, drought, genocide, economic failures; the news that iterates the brokenness of the world, worship might be God’s salve. Entering God’s presence through the Biblical revelation and exaltation of Jesus is God’s way to heal the nations and might be the only peaceful reprieve for the members of our congregations. Let’s heal intolerance, hatred, conflict and violence; let’s worship Him!

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