Recently, in a week leading to a night set aside for worship, one of our worship team members sent to me a devotional thought from The One Year Devotions for Men by Stuart Briscoe and is titled “Attention to Attendance.” The Scripture reading comes from Psalm 15. In this Psalm we find the questions:

“Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord?

Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?” (Ps. 15:1).

In the formalized worship of the Jerusalem sanctuary, worshipers would ask that question at the entrance to the temple, and the priest would reply with a list of ten qualifying requirements which can be summarized as follows:

1. Taking God’s law seriously

2. Ordering their lives accordingly

3. Engaging in practical good works

4. Being known for integrity of speech

5. Having warm neighborliness and helpfulness that is well attested

6. Avoiding being entrapped in ungodly liaisons

7. Supporting those who serve the Lord

8. Saying what they mean and meaning what they say

9. Fulfilling “their best promises even when it hurts”

10. Having business dealings that are beyond reproach

There are thousands of places of worship in our country, each with its own unique style. But no matter the style, the purpose of these places of worship is worship…meeting God in a conversation where we hear from Him and then respond. No matter the style, all who enter should prepare to meet God in the conversation of worship, and the questions outlined in Psalm 15 and paraphrased by Stuart Biscoe are a great place to start.