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The “Experience Economy” in Worship
Many churches today treat worship like a product designed to deliver a feeling. In this Weekly Watch, Dave Jenkins
contrasts the “experience economy” with biblical worship Word-saturated, Spirit-empowered, Christ-exalting, offered with reverence and awe.
Show Summary
We live in a culture that sells experiences. When churches import that mindset, worship can drift toward hype,
production value, and emotional manipulation. Scripture, however, calls us to worship in spirit and truth
(John 4:24)—with God’s Word central, Christ exalted, and the Spirit applying truth to the heart.
Key Scriptures
- John 4:24; Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 12:28–29
- Romans 12:1; Acts 2:42; Romans 10:17; 1 Timothy 4:13
Outline
- Defining the “experience economy” in worship
- Worship by the Book: Spirit and Truth; Word-filled singing; Reverence and awe
- Four dangers: shallow faith, addiction to hype, glory shift, neglect of the Word
- What true worship produces (Rom 12:1; Acts 2:42)
- Recovering Word-shaped worship: Scripture read, prayed, sung, and preached
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The Weekly Watch
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah, and lives in beautiful Southern Oregon. He is a writer, editor, and speaker who loves Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology.
Dave serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries and the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine. He is the Host and Producer of the Equipping You in Grace Podcast and a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word.
He is the author of The War of Worldviews: Truth, Lies, and the Battle for the Christian Mind (Theology for Life, 2026), Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021).
You can connect with Dave on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, or subscribe to his newsletter.
When he is not engaged in ministry work, Dave enjoys spending time with his wife, going to movies, sharing a meal at a favorite restaurant, or playing a round of golf with friends. He is also a voracious reader, particularly of Reformed theology and the Puritans, and is often found working through a stack of new books from a wide range of Christian publishers.
Dave earned his M.A.R. and M.Div. from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
