A Church That Pleases God: A Reverent Church
What Does It Mean to Be a Church That Pleases God?
After 40 years of ministry, what truly matters for a church? While many might focus on size, influence, or impact, there's something far more important: being a church that pleases God. This isn't about loving God—He already loves us unconditionally. But just like parents who always love their children while not always being pleased with their choices, God desires churches and individuals who live in ways that bring Him joy.
The Foundation: A Church That Pleases God
A church that pleases God is made up of people who are pleasing God. It's that simple, yet that profound. This means every member has a role to play in creating a community that honors the Lord through reverent living, faithful obedience, and genuine worship.
Over the coming weeks, we'll explore five key qualities of a church that pleases God: being reverent, faith-filled, bold, unified, and loving. Today, we focus on what it means to be a reverent church.
What Is a Reverent Church?
Understanding Reverent Fear
A reverent church is one that fears the Lord and lives in sincere obedience to Him. The Psalmist captures this beautifully: "'The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love'" - Psalm 147:11 (NIV).
But what does "fear of the Lord" actually mean? It's not being afraid that God will hurt us or being terrified of His presence. The Hebrew word "yare" describes an awe-filled, reverent awareness of God's holiness and authority. Think of it as deep respect—the kind that changes how you act, speak, and live.
Respect That Draws Us Closer
When you truly respect someone, it changes everything about how you interact with them. You speak differently to them and about them. You want to spend time with them. Reverent fear works the same way—it's not fear that drives us away from God, but awe that draws us to Him because we recognize He alone is worthy of our devotion, praise, and honor.
What Does Your Life Say About What You Believe?
The Real Question
Here's the challenging question we must ask ourselves: Not what do you believe about God, but what does your life say that you believe about God? When you look at your actions, spending habits, thought patterns, and priorities, what do they reveal about what you truly value?
This matters because how you view God determines how you live. Your perspective on God is reflected in your daily choices and behaviors.
Signs of a Low View of God
You might have a low view of God if you:
Treat God's word casually, reading it occasionally without letting it impact your life
Ignore conviction and rationalize sin with excuses like "everyone else does it" or "it's not that big of a deal"
Know what God says but choose to do what you want instead
Remain the lord of your own life while conceptually believing in God
Signs of a High View of God
A high view of God looks like:
Taking God's word seriously, allowing it to shape your entire life story
Repenting of sin quickly rather than living in it
Obeying God with reverence, no matter the cost—even if others mock you or relationships suffer
The Danger of Cultural Christianity
Believing Without Revering
Statistics show that 76% of Americans still believe in God. The real concern isn't that people don't believe—it's that many believe in God without revering Him. This creates what we call "cultural Christianity"—a casual faith where Jesus becomes "no big deal."
When faith becomes familiar, we begin treating Jesus casually. We might occasionally read the Bible, sometimes tune into church online, or do good deeds when convenient. But the consuming desire to please God is absent from our hearts.
A Tale of Two Responses: The Pharisee and the Woman
Simon's Casual Treatment
The story from Luke 7 perfectly illustrates this contrast. Jesus was invited to dinner at Simon the Pharisee's house, but Simon failed to observe basic hospitality customs. He didn't wash Jesus' feet, greet Him with a kiss, or provide anointing oil—things he would do for ordinary guests. To Simon, Jesus was no big deal.
The Woman's Reverent Worship
Then came an unnamed woman with a questionable reputation. She had heard about this man who loves and welcomes everyone, who forgives even the worst sinners. She burst into the house uninvited and fell at Jesus' feet, weeping. Her tears washed His feet, she dried them with her hair, and she poured expensive perfume on them—probably the most valuable thing she owned.
The Contrast
Same room, same Jesus, two entirely different responses. The Pharisees treated Jesus as common and ordinary. The woman treated Him as holy, worshiping in reckless abandon, unconcerned about her dignity. They were comfortable in His presence; she was in awe of it.
When God Becomes Casual Instead of Holy
Areas Where We Lose Reverence
Where has God become casual in your life instead of holy? Consider these areas:
Your Words: Does your language reflect that God is holy? Do you use words to gossip, judge, belittle, or curse others?
Your Entertainment: Are you being entertained by sin? Not everything on television honors God—some content celebrates what grieves His heart.
Your Body: Remember, your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. What are you putting in this temple through your actions or what you allow others to do?
Your Time: Are you doom-scrolling, hooked on algorithms that destroy your mind while taking God's word for granted?
The Grind and Lost Awe
Even pastors and long-time believers can fall into this trap. After years of ministry, holy moments can begin to feel familiar. We don't lose our faith, but we lose our awe. When our awe of God fades, our view of God shrinks, and we begin wanting a faith that makes our lives easier rather than one that honors God no matter the cost.
But here's the truth: these moments will either break you or wake you up. When we recommit to the basics—spending time in God's Word for ourselves, dedicated prayer times, and obedience to what we know—passion returns and hope springs up again.
Remembering Who God Is
Our Holy God
When our awe of God rises, everything else shrinks into proper perspective. We serve a God who is surrounded day and night by heavenly hosts crying, "Holy, Holy, Holy" to the One who was, who is, and who is to come.
We have a God big enough to hold the whole world in His hands and loving enough to hold your life in His care. He's powerful enough to raise the dead and personal enough to meet you right where you are. This is our holy God.
Moving Forward: Working Out Our Salvation
Grace and Effort
The Apostle Paul gives us direction in Philippians: "'Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear'" - Philippians 2:12 (NIV). This isn't about working for salvation—that's a gift of grace received by faith. But we work hard to show the results of our salvation through obedience.
Grace isn't opposed to effort, only to earning. We can't earn grace, but faith works. We obey God out of deep reverence because He knows how we're made and how our lives will thrive best. He's not trying to kill our fun; He's trying to expand our life.
God's Part in the Process
The beautiful news is that we don't have to gut it out alone. Paul continues: "'For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose'" - Philippians 2:13 (NIV). God is working in us, giving us both the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.
When you want to do things that please God, that desire comes from Him working in your heart. We have a God who comes to live inside us, transforming us from the inside out.
Life Application
This week, commit to rebuilding reverence in your relationship with God. Choose one area where you've become casual with God and take concrete steps to honor Him there. Whether it's your words, entertainment choices, time management, or approach to His Word, make a specific change that reflects His holiness in your life.
Ask yourself these questions:
In what specific area of my life have I treated God as casual rather than holy?
What would it look like for me to show deep reverence for God in my daily choices this week?
How can I cultivate a sense of awe for God that draws me closer to Him rather than treating faith as merely familiar?
Remember, you can't please everybody, but you can please God. A church's future isn't determined by attendance numbers, budgets, or strategic plans, but by how seriously we take God's word, His spirit, His mission, and how reverently we seek to please the Lord. Let's be a church that pleases God through lives marked by reverent awe and obedient love.