It’s been said that worship is not something you do; it’s something you are. Worship is more than just something we do on Sunday. Worship is an every moment of everyday activity. We are always worshipping something whether that is ourselves, our opinions, lifting up some in an ungodly way in our thoughts, or having a poor attitude, or behavior. In his new book, True Worshipers Seeking What Matters To God, Bob Kauflin seeks to help us understand not only that we are all worshipers, but helpfully looks at the question, “What kind of worshiper are you?” This is a significant question because worship is a reflection of our understanding of our doctrine of God, and the gospel.
True Worshipers looks at why worship matters, worship and reality, worship and our inability, worship and humility, worship and community, worship and maturity, worship and music, worship and perseverance, worship and the presence of God, and true worship and eternity.
The past three times that Together for the Gospel has occurred in Louisville, I’ve gone. During these times, Bob Kauflin leads the worship of five thousand or more Christians who come to sing, fellowship, and be fed by the Word of God. One thing that I’ve greatly enjoyed about Bob’s worship leading is how he invites you into the presence of God through his own worship of God. As I read True Worshipers, I felt like I was getting a behind the curtain look at how Bob views the worship of the people of God.
Since worship is more than just what we do on Sunday, we should see as Bob describes in this book, the totality of our lives in light of who and what we are worshipping. Put another way, worship is about connecting our experience of the Lord on Sunday with the rest of our daily lives. Worship is more than an event—it describes who we are in Christ and living our lives in the light of our new identity in Christ.
There isn’t one particular chapter that stood out to me in this book. The entire book is rooted in the gospel of grace and filled with helpful application. Maybe you’re struggling in your walk with God today. Perhaps you see what you do on Sunday as the only time you worship. Reading True Worshipers will help you to see that the entire Christian life is one of worship. Along the way, Kauflin will open your eyes to the massive significance of being the type of worshiper God is seeking.
Reading this book will help you to see that behind the songs we sing is great substance. This excellent book will help worship leaders to lead the people of God closer into the presence of God. This book will help passionate worshipers of God to grow in their knowledge and understanding of God. This helpful book presents a balanced, mature, and biblical understanding of worship. I encourage you to go, pick up this book and like I did, as I read it grow in your knowledge, understanding, and application of the worship of God in every area of your life.
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
