The Lord wants us to discover and, for some, rediscover the powerful simplicity of worship. We need that simplicity to release the concept of worship to a wider audience than just those who attend our primary worship service.

After the fall into sin of Adam and Eve in Eden, they were cast out of the Garden.  Both Adam and Eve were given new assignments for their lives. Soon, Cain and Abel were born. It was after the birth of their two sons that Cain killed Abel. The Lord gave Eve a new son to replace Abel. His name was Seth. Something new and unfamiliar happened among his tribe: “At that time people first began to worship the Lord by name” (Genesis 4:26).

I wonder what their worship looked and sounded like? We don’t know. We can guess. In each translation of verse 26, the only defining words that indicate how they worshipped the Lord was “by name.” Their act of worship was to call upon the Lord and proclaim something about Him. It would have addressed the Lord by name, revealing a part of His nature. That original first form of worship did not include music or singing. 

That ancient expression of worship was not like the expanded version of worship we know today. It was speaking the name of God and declaring His attributes. It was pure and simple, not requiring professionals with stage lights, smoke, and a well-crafted worship set.

That simple kind of worship is still available for us today. While we love and honor those who currently lead us in worship, we don’t need a professional worship team to accompany us in our worship when we are alone. It can be done anywhere and at any time. There is something very powerful that’s released into our lives and the surrounding atmosphere when we verbally acknowledge God by name drawing our attention to His nature and faithfulness. That is what the purest forms of worship have looked like from the beginning of time and across all expressions of the Church.