2 Kinds of Worship

Man of God Bonus Lesson

You’ve just completed twelve weeks of A Man of God. We’ve studied how a man of God loves, learns, develops, and practices. But before we close, there’s one more truth I can’t leave out—worship.

This is a bonus lesson, not part of the main set. Why? Because worship is an area where sincere believers sometimes disagree. Some say true worship involves speaking in tongues, others say it doesn’t. Some say hands should be raised, others prefer to remain still. Some worship through tears, some through shouts of joy. I don’t want to dictate those preferences for anyone. Instead, I want to encourage you to search the Scriptures and seek God for yourself.

What we can agree on is this: worship matters. God desires worshipers (John 4:23). He is worthy of all worship (Revelation 4:11). And worship is not just a church activity—it is the defining posture of a man of God’s life.

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Part 1: Expressive Worship

When many people hear the word “worship,” they think of singing. And for good reason—the Bible is full of songs, instruments, shouts, and prayers of praise. Music has always been one of the most powerful ways God’s people have expressed devotion.

For me, worship looks like acapella singing with my Sunday morning family. It looks like live music with my evening church family. Sometimes it’s quiet meditation. Other times it’s screaming praise along with the radio at the top of my lungs. Sometimes I’m standing with tears streaming down my face. Sometimes I’m on my knees with my arms lifted to the heavens.

But let me be clear: I’m not saying “anything goes.” The Bible reminds us that God isn’t pleased with every offering. Cain’s sacrifice was rejected because it wasn’t given in faith (Genesis 4). Nadab and Abihu were consumed because they offered “strange fire” before the Lord (Leviticus 10:1–2). Their examples remind us—worship isn’t about the worship of our choice, but the worship of His choice.

“Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God.” – Psalm 95:6–7

“I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.” – Psalm 104:33

Expressive worship—whether through singing, shouting, kneeling, or lifting hands—matters because it engages our whole being. David danced before the Lord with all his might (2 Samuel 6:14). The psalms call us to clap our hands, shout for joy, and lift up His name. Heaven itself resounds with voices crying “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty” (Revelation 4:8).

Worship is not performance—it’s response. It’s the natural outflow when you see God’s greatness and realize your need. Whether in song or in silence, whether in a congregation or in a quiet car ride, expressive worship is a man of God saying with his whole being: “Lord, You are worthy.”

Part 2: Lifestyle Worship

I rarely dig into the etymology of ancient words, but this one matters. In Scripture, worship shows up in two distinct ways:

• Halleluiah – expressive praise: singing, shouting, bowing, lifting hands.

• Latreia – sacrificial living: Romans 12:1 calls offering our bodies as living sacrifices our “true and proper worship.”

  
  

Both matter. Halleluiah is when you declare God’s greatness with your voice and heart. Latreia is when you declare His greatness with your choices and life. Together they give us the full picture of worship.

Yes, worship can be raising hands and singing songs. But worship is also how you work, how you treat your spouse, how you handle money, how you resist temptation, and how you serve others. Every decision becomes an act of worship when it’s surrendered to God.

Paul said it like this:

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” – Romans 12:1

Lifestyle worship means Monday morning is as important as Sunday morning. It means your character in private is worship just as much as your singing in public. It means worship doesn’t stop when the music fades—it keeps going in the way you live.

Daniel modeled latreia worship. Long after his nation fell and he was carried into exile, he still prayed three times a day toward Jerusalem. His consistency in prayer—even when it meant a lion’s den—was worship.

Jesus showed us the perfect example. Yes, He prayed, sang hymns, and went to the synagogue. But His ultimate act of worship was obedience to the Father, even to death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). That’s latreia—life laid down as an offering.

A man of God must hold both together. If you only have halleluiah, you might sing on Sunday but compromise on Monday. If you only have latreia, you might live with discipline but lose the joy of expressive praise. True worship is both passion and practice, both song and sacrifice.

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Wrap-Up

The twelve-week series stands complete. But worship ties it all together. Because when a man of God loves, learns, develops, and practices, he is ultimately worshiping. His service is worship. His obedience is worship. His discipline is worship. His strength is worship. Every act, every sacrifice, every moment surrendered becomes an offering to the Lord.

Paul summed it up this way:

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” – 1 Corinthians 10:31

That’s worship. Not confined to a service, not limited to a song, but expressed in every aspect of life.

This is the call: to grow, to mature, to resist, to endure, to serve, to love, and to worship—so that the world may see Christ in us.

And as we conclude this series, let’s remember worship isn’t the last step of the journey; it’s the atmosphere in which every step is taken.

“Be watchful; stand firm in the faith; ACT LIKE MEN; be strong. Do everything in love.” – 1 Corinthians 16:13–14