The document discusses the theme of "Acceptable Worship" for Piney Grove in 2017. It will focus each month on understanding how God wants to be worshipped. This month's focus is the "Call to Worship." God initiates worship through a calling that is an invitation and vocation. Worshippers are expected to respond to God's worthiness, not take it for granted. Acceptable worship is an active response that demonstrates God's worth in accordance with his will.

1. NEW PINEY
GROVE
2017 THEME
ACCEPTABLE
WORSHIP

2. SCRIPTURAL BASIS
AMOS 5:21–22 (GNB) 21 The LORD
says, “I hate your religious festivals;
I cannot stand them! 22 When you
bring me burnt offerings and grain
offerings, I will not accept them; I will
not accept the animals you have
fattened to bring me as offerings.
PSALM 19:14 (ESV) Let the words
of my mouth and the meditation of
my heart be acceptable in your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

3. This year will be devoted to
understanding and learning more
about worship. We will have a
different focus each month, but the
main emphasis will be learning more
about how God wants us to worship
Him. We call this space that we are in
a “Worship Center,” dedicated to
God, but do we really know what
worship implies? This month our
focus will be the “CALL TO
WORSHIP.” When we begin to
understand that we are called to
worship, our perspective changes.

4. A calling is not only an invitation; it is
also a vocation. In the Bible, the word
often has the idea of a formal
invitation. It would not contain a
RSVP (respond if you please); the
invitee is expected to respond based
upon the worthiness of the Inviter.
When used of God, the calling is
always His initiative and prerogative;
everyone is not invited. Thus, it is a
privilege and an honor that God
allows us to come in His presence
and worship Him. We should not take
if for granted.

5. Since it is God who initiates
worship, it is He who dictates how
we should worship Him. Our theme
Scripture lets us know that God
does not accept all acts of worship.
One of the lessons we need to
learn is that worship is an active
response to the character, words
and actions of God. This response
must be in accordance with His will
in order to declare His infinite
worthiness. We are called to
demonstrate God’s worth. This is
the heart of worship!