Q: What counts as an idol?

Anything can be an idol. In Psalm 95, the psalmist tells us that The Lord is a "great God, and a great King above all gods." What he's trying to say is there are other gods that we often treat as kings - as one who has authority over our lives. Dr. Tim Keller has done a remarkable job of explaining what an idol is in today's postmodern culture. He writes:

Sin isn’t only doing bad things, it is more fundamentally making good things into ultimate things. Sin is building your life and meaning on anything, even a very good thing, more than on God. Whatever we build our life on will drive us and enslave us. Sin is primarily idolatry. 

Richard Gaffin, in The Pattern of Sound Doctrine, put it this way:

Because we are, each of us, the image of God, we will worship, in fact we must worship, someone or something, either our original, as we should, or, with the illusion that we are the original or our own ultimate point of reference, ourselves. If the latter, we will give ourselves over, with the full, still efficient resources of our imaging capacities, to some figment, some distorted image, focused on ourselves or on some aspect of the world, ultimately seen as an extension of ourselves. What [John] Calvin observed long ago is no less true today: the human heart, our image-bearing and image-fashioning nature, is an idol factory.

Your idol could be your relationships; family; sex; food; a sports team; an experience; career; status; money; possessions, etc.. It's really anything you treasure above God. Even religion can be an idol. If you attend church that doesn't mean you're immune to falling into the trap of idolatry. Keller writes elsewhere:

Truth can be made an idol. Are you resting in the rightness of your doctrine rather than the work of Jesus? If so, the Bible calls you a fool. In Proverbs, "the scoffer" is a person like this. The scoffer is always sure he is right, and always disrespectful, disdainful, and mocking toward his opponents. The internet breeds scoffers, because if you're a scoffer you get more traffic to your blog.


Gifts can be an idol. You can mistake spiritual gifts for spiritual fruit. Especially if you are successful in ministry, you can begin believing in justification by ministry: "I know I'm in God's will because my ministry is going well." Many of us in the Reformed world make an idol out of being a great preacher: "If I could just be a great preacher, then my life would have significance."


Morality can be a religious idol. Holiness is good, but Christians can feel like God loves them and will bless them because of their moral record.

Idolatry is essentially distorted worship (Romans 1:25) - Taking things that are good (friends, food, sex, etc. ) and making them ultimate things. It's saying, "I cannot live without _______." And the result is: We live for them, not for God. Idolatry is really about your identity - what you rest your hope upon. Listen to what Pastor Mark Driscoll says (he sums it up very well, including what happens when you fall into idolatry):

Let me give you a few resources that will help you. I think you've hit on something most people don't think enough about. BUT they need to. Why? Because it ultimately affects your entire life's trajectory.  So thanks for your question.

1. Read Tim Keller's Counterfeit Gods. Be sure to watch his introduction video on the website first!

2. Get a copy of Greg Beale's We Become What We Worship. This is a lengthy read, but it will really help you.

3. Watch this video by Pastor Mark about "American Idolatry."

4. Pray against idolatry. Pray hard. This is something that will destroy your life if you don't put it to death. Rest your hope, joy and satisfaction on Jesus.

[Answered by Pastor HM]

Q: What does this passage mean by worshipping "in spirit and in truth" (John 4:23-24)?

Jesus said that true worship is characterized by two things:

1) It is in spirit or from the heart, in other words it is sincere.

2) It is in truth, that is it is according to the dictates of the Word of God, which is the TRUTH (Jn. 17:17).

The context of this passage was a Samaritan Woman who was asking Jesus basically which location was best to worship God in? Jesus responded by saying that it’s not about a traditional location, but it is about worshipping with the right SPIRIT (check out Romans 12:1) as well as the right UNDERSTANDING (Truth embodied in following Jesus in the Bible).

For more in depth study on this topic please check out this article.

[Answered by Pastor Shu-Ling]

Q: In Romans 12:1, what does Paul mean what he says "in view of God's mercy" and "renewing the mind"?

Also, how do we test & approve what God's will is?

When Paul writes about God’s mercy, he is clearly alluding to the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, on the cross and His saving grace. He is saying that we can only worship God because of His MERCY through Jesus’ saving action in our lives. This is so no one can boast in their own actions but only in God alone.

In the context of this passage, the way we can “test and approve what God’s will is” is through a transformed and renewed mind. Now what does that encompass? It encompasses a mind that is transformed by Christ. When we confess our sins to Jesus, declare Him as Lord, and follow Him, the pattern of our lives will start to change from how society and culture tells us to live. We will start filtering our thoughts and minds through the Word of God and how Jesus would want us to live (hopefully this is not too cheesy, but that is the point of WWJD – what would Jesus do?)

So when we start to follow Christ in all that we do, we will start to understand the good and perfect will of God. We will know what God wants us to do in our lives (our PURPOSE) and how to live with others (showing the grace and mercy He has given us).

[Answered by Pastor Shu-Ling]

Q: How does God want me to see Him?

God has chosen to reveal Himself through His Son Jesus Christ, who is the “image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). Therefore, we are to view Jesus as THE example of who God is. As God has revealed Himself throughout His word, His ultimate revelation is through the life of Jesus Christ His Son. We are to view God through His Word become flesh (a Man) as it says in John 1.

[Answered by Pastor Shu-Ling]

Q: How do you worship God through actions?

Worshipping God through actions, movement or physical expressions are evident all over the bible. Although there is no clear biblical support “mandating” these actions, we can still, however, see that the many people in the bible expressed themselves in outward movements (actions) in responsive worship to God.

Here are some examples (specifically in the book of Psalms) of the actions of people worshiping God:

1. Psalm 95:6 – Come, let us bow down in worship (Symbol of Humility)
2. Psalm 63:4 – In your name I will lift up my hands (Hand gestures for the attitude of the heart)
3. Psalm 33:2-3 - Play skillfully on the lyre (Worshipping through playing music instruments)
4. Psalm 47:1 – Clap your hands, all you people! Shout to God with loud songs of joy! (clap hands while singing songs of joy in God)
5. Psalm 66:1 – Shout to God with joy, sing the glory of his name (Spontaneous joy and gladness because of the Creator and Redeemer)

Lastly, I will leave you with this thought about “movement” from the Global Worship Movement which I have found helpful.

Movement – this word has two implications;

1) Movement in regards to a physical participation in worship --we have a passion to inspire and lead everyday people in the integration of movement into worship and to embody Romans 12:1 


2) Movement in regards to a move of God --we have a passion to be used by God in His acts of redemption and restoration of His creation throughout the world

[Answered by Pastor Shu-Ling, Worship Ministry]

Q: If someone is trying to impersonate God, should I follow along?

"...They aren't insulting Him, but it just doesn't feel right."

Scripture that tells us to "not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain" (Exodus 20:7). This is the 3rd of the Ten Commandments, and it tells us not to take a deceptive oath in God's name; swear using his name or use his name disrespectfully. While your friends may not be explicitly using God's name, when they impersonate God, they are most likely doing so in a disrespectful manner. God's name represents his holy character and attributes, and for this reason, it should never be taken lightly.

So what now? If someone is trying to impersonate God and it doesn't feel right to you, that's a good sign. That's the Holy Spirit at work in your heart, guiding you toward right and away from wrong. I'd recommend that you pray for courage to tell your friends as kindly but firmly as possible that what they are doing is offensive to you and your faith, and for those reasons, they should stop altogether.

For a bit more information on this subject, visit this website.

This is an excerpt from the article you'll find there.

There is a larger sense in which people today take the Lord’s name in vain. Those who name the name of Christ, who pray in His name, and who take His name as part of their identity, but who deliberately and continually disobey His commands, are taking His name in vain. Jesus Christ has been given the name above all names, at which every knee shall bow (Philippians 2:9-10), and when we take the name “Christian” upon ourselves, we must do so with an understanding of all that signifies. If we profess to be Christians, but act, think, and speak in a worldly or profane manner, we take His name in vain. When we misrepresent Christ, either intentionally or through ignorance of the Christian faith as proclaimed in Scripture, we take the Lord’s name in vain. When we say we love Him, but do not do what He commands (Luke 6:46), we take His name in vain and are in danger of hearing Him say to us “I never knew you. Away from me” in the day of judgment (Matthew 7:21-23).

[Answered by Pastor HM]

Q: Singing out loud in worship?

Q: One of my close friends doesn't sing during Sunday worship. They find it awkward to listen to their own voice out loud and have people listen in. Since singing is a form of worship, does that mean that God will look down upon these kinds of people? Is it bad that I have stopped myself from encouraging my friend to sing out loud? Is that not their personal choice, and are there not other ways to worship that does not directly involve your vocal chords?

This is quite an interesting question… with 2 more questions added into it! Haha! Anyways, to answer your question(s), I think it’s important to first look at what “worship” is. In short, Singing out loud on Sunday morning does not necessarily equate to worship. As you said yourself, it is a form of worshipping, but does represent it as a whole. Check out this verse.

Romans 12:1-2 says:

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

To God, our Spiritual service of worship, is what He’s looking for. Sometimes we get caught up just looking at people’s “outer expressions” we do not know what is going on the INSIDE. God does not look at our outer expressions, but to our inner expressions of worship. So to answer the 2^nd part of the question, God doesn’t look down on people who don’t sing, but He does look at whether their heart is set towards Him in repentance, praise and thankfulness.

I’ve been leading worship for Sunday worship services for 13 years and I’ve also had similar questions as to why some people simply choose not to sing out. I’ve realized that some people may not be ready to outwardly express their worship to God or prefer to sing “in their hearts”. I know that sounds like a cop-out answer, but it is true for some people. Learning to worship can be understood in parallel to learning to read your bible!

Anyways, I think the main idea of worshipping together as the Gathered people of God is to remember one part of that verse, “to present your BODIES as A living sacrifice”. Our worship is not only an individual act, but a communal one. We are called to worship God together and that could possibly take some sacrifice and growing pains in the learning process. Maybe someday your friend will realize that by singing in worship to God it is not simply and individualistic thing, but we are singing as God’s gathered people TOGETHER as ONE offering of praise. In the mean time, it’s more important for us to cultivate our inner expressions of worship first and allow the outer expressions to mature with “renewing of the mind”.

[Pastor Shu-Ling, English Congregation Worship]