Worship Rising: A Sunday Worship Primer Designed to Strengthen the Local Church

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. – John 4:23 NIV

Many churchgoers unintentionally frame their worship life around an hour or two on Sunday morning. We gather, sing, listen, and then return to the routines of our lives. While corporate worship is essential, worship itself was never meant to be confined to a single time slot on the calendar. True worship is meant to be a daily posture of the heart.

This raises an important question pastors wrestle with week after week: Why do people come to church? Is it to get something out of the experience? Certainly, God meets us, teaches us, and encourages us when we gather. But the deeper motivation of worship is not consumption—it is devotion. We gather to honor the God who loved us when we were unlovable, who redeemed us through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, and who continues to form us by His Spirit.

Too often, congregations arrive on Sunday morning distracted and unprepared. Coffee cups in hand, minds still racing from the week, hearts dulled by hurry and habit, we hope the music lifts our mood and the sermon fits neatly into our schedule. In subtle ways, worship becomes something we evaluate rather than an encounter that reshapes us.

What if the people in our churches arrived already oriented toward worship? What if they came with hearts attentive to the Spirit and minds anchored in truth? What if Sunday morning worship became not a cold start, but the continuation of a posture already formed?

Those questions live at the heart of a new weekly YouTube channel I am launching called Worship Rising.

I want to be absolutely clear about something from the very beginning: I love the local church. I believe the local church is God’s chosen conduit to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. It is the primary place where disciples are formed, the gospel is proclaimed, and the people of God are sent into the world. Worship Rising is not a replacement for the local church—and it never will be.

Worship Rising exists to serve the local church, not compete with it. It is a Sunday worship primer designed to help people prepare their hearts and minds before they ever walk through the church doors.

After more than four decades in pastoral ministry, I have watched the same scene repeat itself countless times. Faithful pastors pour hours into prayer, sermon preparation, and planning worship gatherings, while congregations arrive spiritually underprepared. The issue is rarely resistance—it is distraction. People are busy, tired, and often unsure how to transition from the noise of the week into the presence of God.

John 4:23 reminds us that God is seeking worshipers who worship in Spirit and in truth. That kind of worship requires intentional preparation. It calls for hearts attuned to the Spirit and minds grounded in Scripture. Worship Rising is designed to help cultivate both.

Each Sunday morning at 7:00 a.m. Eastern Time, Worship Rising offers a short, Scripture-grounded message intended to be watched before attending a local church service. These messages are not sermons. They are not substitutes for gathered worship. They are gentle on-ramps—pastoral reflections that help people slow down, reorient their hearts, and approach worship with expectancy.

For pastors, Worship Rising can become a valuable discipleship tool. By encouraging your congregation to watch before coming to church, you are helping them arrive more engaged, more receptive, and more spiritually attentive. The result is not a distracted audience, but a people prepared to worship Jesus boldly.

This is especially important in a post-pandemic worship landscape. Many churches continue to rebuild rhythms of gathering. Attention spans are shorter. Engagement is harder to sustain. Worship Rising helps bridge the gap between home and sanctuary by forming worship as a habit rather than an event.

I wholeheartedly support pastors and church leaders. I know the pressures you carry and the longing you feel to see your people encounter God in meaningful ways. Worship Rising is one small way I hope to come alongside you in that calling.

I invite you to watch the brief introduction video explaining the heart behind Worship Rising and what viewers can expect each week.

Introduction Video: Worship Rising

If you believe this resource could serve your congregation, I encourage you to promote it. Share the link on social media. Include it in your church bulletin or weekly email. Invite your people to subscribe and watch before coming to worship. Small steps like these can help cultivate a culture of expectancy and attentiveness in corporate worship.

My prayer is simple: that Worship Rising would help believers come to church ready—not just to attend, but to worship. Ready to listen. Ready to respond. Ready to encounter the living God.

If this resonates with you, please subscribe to the Worship Rising YouTube channel and share this announcement with your congregation and ministry networks.

Connect with me online:

Website: https://www.smallchurchcoaching.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ItsTimeSam

Facebook Group: Leadership Edge for Smaller Churches

X (Twitter): @ItsTimeSam