For real... Let Us Worship.

I was working at a coffee shop when someone walked in wearing a t-shirt that said, “LET US WORSHIP” in bold, arched text above a cross. His friend’s shirt said, “Let me guess… you’re from California?”

I rarely talk to strangers in public, but these gentlemen had my attention with their walking-billboard shirts. I was hooked. Luckily, they sat nearby, so I asked the LET US WORSHIP guy what his shirt meant. He told me it was about standing up for religious freedom in America because churches weren’t allowed to gather during COVID. He pulled up the website for me, and I read the shirt’s description:

“Our freedom to worship God is under attack like never before. It’s time for the Church to rise up and declare that we won’t be silenced! Let Us Worship merchandise serves as a bold reminder to stand for religious freedom. Wear your support and join the movement today.”

“Imagine a day when we’re not allowed to worship in public,” he said. “Scary.”

I wanted to ask a million questions. But their drinks were ready, and they headed out.

The more I thought about it, the more I agreed with the LET US WORSHIP sentiment. Except by worship, I don’t mean worship songs. And by “let us,” I don’t mean pushing back against the world or the government or Hollywood so we can sing those songs in public squares.

By worship, I mean Romans 12:

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, on the basis of God’s mercy, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable act of worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

By worship, I mean self-sacrificially loving the world like Jesus loved the world. By worship, I mean not being conformed to the Empire’s way of doing things (domination, manipulation, self-preservation, coercion, violence) but being transformed into the image of Christ (self-sacrificial, enemy-forgiving, non-retaliatory love). By worship, I mean bringing good news to the poor. And by that, I don’t just mean spiritually poor, but literal poor people. By worship, I mean every single church reducing poverty, debt, homelessness, suicide rates, loneliness, addiction, and abuse in their communities. By worship, I mean caring for creation. By worship, I mean ending sex and labor trafficking. By worship, I mean nobody dying alone. By worship, I mean no more school shootings. By worship, I mean nobody going to bed hungry.

So yeah—let us worship in a way that costs something.

Let us worship by turning the other cheek. Let us worship by speaking truth to power. Let us worship by making less money if it means more justice. Let us worship by refusing to dehumanize our neighbor. Let us worship by forgiving, by staying, by showing up again and again when it would be easier to leave.

Let us worship in kitchens and hospitals and prisons and schools and shelters. Let us worship in ways that look foolish to the powerful.

Not just freedom to worship—
but freedom for worship.

For lives that look like Jesus.
For a church that’s actually good news.

Sending love,
Savannah