Worship is a central feature of all religion; religion being both a reaching into the Divine and a social act; i.e. birth, marriage, death.

Worship usually contains the following elements;
     1) Awareness of mystery.
     2) Ritualizing of human life and experience.
     3) The use of symbols and actions that cannot be expressed through words alone.
     4) Relating to the community of which humanity is a part
     5) At the heart - a sacred narrative (a legend, saga, myth or scripture) that explains
     the origins of community and source of its life.

What is Christian Worship?
In the Old Testament
Bowing down before; offering homage and obedience - as to a King
Psalm 95:6 O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!
Psalm 24:10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah

In the New Testament
Beseeching and praying.
Serving/Worshipping  = leitourgeo {leitourge,}
(the root of English Word LITURGY)

Romans 15:27 they were pleased to do it, and indeed they are in debt to them, for if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings.
2 Corinthians 9:12 for the rendering of this service not only supplies the wants of the saints but also overflows in many Thanksgivings to God.
Philippians 2:30 for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete your service to me.
Acts 13:2 While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

Liturgy technically means 'a public work' but has come to describe specific acts or orders of worship.

Old English term "Weorth-Scipe" - developed into "Worth-Ship" meaning 'ascribing worth' to something.

Christian Worship is not centered upon human action, but in Divine activity, upon revelation and redemption. It is the response of humankind to God's revelation of God's Self and the revelation of salvation.

I.) Primary Principle: Divine Revelation and Human Response.
In worship there must always be the proclamation of revelation; i.e. the Reading of Scripture, Preaching, Sacraments. It starts with God. Response comes in the form of prayer and service.

Christian worship 'contemporizes' the Gospel. It re-enacts the sacred story in such a way as to make past events become alive in the present.

We are called to respond in a way that is consistent with the revelation.
The 'Leviticus' response was to appease God, to keep God happy and win God's favor. In the New Testament 'loving obedience' becomes the important thing.

II.) Secondary Principles:
a.) Transcendence and Immanence.
God is 'Wholly Other' yet at the same time - love, mercy and compassion - who sustains humankind. The task of the worship leader is to direct the congregation to the holiness of God, whilst at the same time enabling them to experience God's nearness and Grace.

Rudolf Otto in his work "The Idea of the Holy' speaks of the 'numinous'; the "Mysterium Tremendum et Fascinans", the God who draws and attracts and fascinates.

b.) Word and Action.
God's revelation comes through saving acts and concrete events. Whilst theology could be seen as being primarily concerned with words, worship is focused on both words and actions. The Christian believer is told by Christ to "Go into all the world and preach" and to "Do this in remembrance of me"

c.) 'Freedom in the Spirit' and 'Liturgical Order'.
Worship involves freedom and spontaneity, but no freedom can exist without restraint. God's Spirit is not only a Spirit of Liberty but also of Self-control.