By Jerrica KF Ching

As many of us know, the pandemic has shifted our understanding of what is “normal” and has without a doubt impacted all areas of our life. Last month, many of my Asian American sisters reflected upon what it means to have faith during these times of uncertainty.  Now we shift to what it means to worship.  While I reflect upon this theme of worship relevancy, what stands out to me the most is that while faith is something intangible that we all possess, worship is a verb that indicates action.  Another way I look at it is, How do I take something intangible such as my faith, and put it into action through worshipping God in spirit and truth?

It is very difficult for me to admit, and to type out on this blog, that it has been a full year since this global pandemic began.  It is very surreal to accept that how we worship looks completely different than it did prior to COVID-19.  When considering which Bible verse falls in line with the theme of worship relevancy, John 4:24 came to mind. God asks his followers to worship in “spirit and truth.” 

There are a plethora of scholarly articles that debate if this verse is meant to indicate that we are to worship in “Spirit” or “spirit” – with the capitalized version indicating that worship should be through the Holy Spirit, and the lowercase version indicating that our motivations should be sincere and from the heart.  For me, it is a both/and perspective, as we can be filled with the Holy Spirit as we worship God, while also worshipping from a place of sincerity in line with God’s teachings. Regardless of which way you look at it, God has tasked his people to worship in S/spirit and truth.  We can worship God through scripture, praises, song, and dance, however regardless of our means, we are asked to do so in a heartfelt manner, and in truthful ways that honor God.

Despite many church services being streamed online, or weekly groups being held through Zoom, we are still given unique opportunities to learn to worship God.  If the past year has taught us anything, it has shown us that we can engage in the act of worship regardless of our physical location.  May we not let physical or technological limitations prevent us from worshipping in spirit and in truth.

Jerrica KF Ching grew up on the island of Oahu, Hawaii and currently lives in the beautiful state of Washington, working as a licensed mental health counselor and Asian/Pacific Islander mental health specialist at Columbia Wellness. She graduated with an MA in Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling from George Fox University, where she is now an adjunct professor and supervisor. She finds joy in sharing her compassion with students on the importance of recognizing and acknowledging racial and cultural differences in others. Her research on racial colorblindness has been published in The International Journal of Social Science Studies.