Is worship meant to be a performance?

No. Worship is not entertainment or performance. According to Scripture, true worship is Spirit and truth, centered on Christ and God’s Word.

What is the danger of performance-driven worship?

It shifts the focus from God’s glory to man’s applause, creating celebrity culture, passive congregations, and idolatry.

From Stage to Superstar: Why Worship Isn’t a Performance

Name: True Worship in an Age of Counterfeits
Author: Dave Jenkins

⏱️ Estimated Reading Time: 1 min read

From Stage to Superstar, Why Worship Isn’t a Performance

Show: Contending for the Word — Weekly Watch
Date: September 27, 2025
Theme: True Worship in an Age of Counterfeits

Show Summary

All month we have examined true worship in an age of counterfeits. Today Dave Jenkins addresses how worship in many churches has shifted from reverence to performance. Worship is not entertainment, not a show. It is the response of God’s people to the greatness of God, revealed in Scripture and centered on the finished work of Jesus Christ.

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Dave Jenkins( Executive Director )

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 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.

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