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One of the common assumptions about the Christian faith is that God commands disciples to gather specifically for the purpose of “worship.” However, as we dig into the language of the New Testament, particularly regarding the Greek words translated as “worship,” we find that the text does not support this assumption. Nowhere does the New Testament instruct Christians to assemble for the purpose of worship or rituals. In fact, the Greek terms (proskuneo, latreuo, leitourgeo, sebomai, threskeia) were all used in connection with Jewish temple activities and rituals which the early church did not adopt.

The New Testament never refers to Christian assemblies as times of worship. Yet, modern church practice makes worship the primary aim of our gatherings. What did the word “worship” mean in the context of the New Testament? Do the original Greek words translated as “worship” align with our modern practices? Dr. Tom Wadsworth’s research challenges our assumptions and shows how key Greek terms convey something deeper.  As in prior posts in this series, we’ll examine another such term, leitourgeo, rendered as “worship” or “serve.” Understanding its biblical connections to the temple reveals a more precise meaning, rooted in priestly service.

We’re continuing our blog series on “worship terms,” drawing from Dr. Tom Wadsworth’s extensive research. His work explores why the New Testament never refers to Christian assemblies as times of worship. When we think of worship, we imagine things like singing hymns, praying, or attending church services. Modern Christians describe these activities as “worship.” But are these ideas what the New Testament conveys? 

What did the Greek terms that our English New Testaments translate as “worship” mean in their original context? In this post, we’ll explore two important Greek words, latreuo and latreia. Our Bibles translate these words as worship or serve. 

No New Testament passage instructs Christians to assemble for the purpose of worship. In fact, many of our modern worship terms, ideas, and practices are not found in the New Testament. First-century Christians gathered for a different purpose, so their gatherings looked different. The New Testament shows that their goal was not worship but mutual edification and discipleship.

What do Christians mean by the word worship? Here’s how different believers might respond if we ask them what worship is:

In the previous article, we observed that no New Testament passage instructs Christians to gather for the purpose of worship. But the issue goes even deeper: the English word “worship” itself fails to accurately capture the original meanings found in the New Testament. I contend that our modern concept of worship rests on assumptions foreign to the New Testament and the early church.

The New Testament portrays Christian assemblies as gatherings for mutual edification, not primarily for worship. Hebrews 10:24-25 emphasizes strengthening each other’s faith, while Paul’s instructions in 1 Corinthians 14 mention “edification” seven times. Paul concludes with the directive “Let all things be done for edification” rather than prescribing worship as the assembly’s purpose.