Horizontal Worship

Sunrise over mountain valley symbolizing horizontal worship and loving neighbors in Christian worship Excerpted from Music for the Soul: Healing from the Heart Part One “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” —Matthew 22:37–39 We live in a world filled with broken and hurting people. That includes all of us. Everyone carries pain of some kind. Even the person whose life you envy the most has experienced—or will experience—deep struggle. In other words, everyone has a story. And one of the ways we tell those stories is through song. The Rise Of Contemporary Worship Over the past few decades, contemporary praise and worship music has dramatically reshaped the musical life of many churches. What began as a movement has become the dominant expression of worship in congregations across the world. There has been no shortage of debate along the way. Some have argued passionately for traditional hymns. Others advocate for modern praise songs and worship bands. Unfortunately, the conversation often turns into a style war—robes versus rock bands, organs versus guitars. But those debates miss the real issue. The deeper question isn’t about musical style. It’s about the story our worship songs are telling. The Strength Of Vertical Worship Most contemporary praise and worship songs do one thing very well. They celebrate the greatness of God. They proclaim the glory of Christ. They remind us that God is powerful, holy, and worthy of praise. These songs lift our eyes upward, directing our attention toward the One we worship. In that sense, they are beautifully vertical. They speak directly to God and declare His majesty. They invite us to adore Him, honor Him, and crown Him Lord of all. There is tremendous value in this. But there is also something missing. Only Half The Story Jesus summarized the heart of God’s law in two inseparable commands: Love God. Love your neighbor. Many of our worship songs do an excellent job expressing the first command. But too often, they leave out the second. If Scripture teaches that we love Christ through how we love one another, then our worship should reflect both realities. Worship should not only reach upward toward God—it should also reach outward toward people. In other words, worship should include both vertical and horizontal themes. The Triangle Of Worship One way to picture this is through a triangle. God’s love flows downward toward us. In response, our praise rises upward toward Him. But the triangle isn’t complete until love also flows between us—from one person to another. When that happens, something powerful takes place. We begin to experience not only worship, but community. And that community becomes a living testimony of the gospel. When Worship Misses The Wounded Imagine two people walking into church. Jane has never attended church before. She carries deep shame from something in her past and quietly wonders if God could ever love someone like her. Jim used to attend church years ago but had a painful experience. Since then, he has drifted away. Now he carries guilt over the life he’s been living and doubts God could forgive him. Both finally gather the courage to walk through the church doors. The service begins with twenty or thirty minutes of praise and worship music. But Jane doesn’t understand the language. When she hears phrases like “Worthy is the Lamb,” the meaning isn’t clear. These songs assume a relationship with God she doesn’t yet have. Jim, meanwhile, listens with skepticism. The lyrics proclaim a loving and powerful God—but that hasn’t been his experience. Instead of hope, the songs feel distant from the reality he has lived. The congregation lifts their hands in praise. Jane and Jim stand quietly. Maybe they sing along. Maybe they don’t. Maybe they stay for the sermon. Maybe they leave early. But something important has been missed. Songs That Reach Out This missed opportunity isn’t only for visitors. Many regular church members carry hidden burdens—abuse, addiction, family struggles, financial stress, illness, guilt, or shame. For someone walking through deep pain, singing triumphant praise can sometimes feel impossible. But imagine if, during worship, one or two songs spoke directly to those struggles. Songs that say: You are not alone. God sees you in your pain. Grace is available here. These are songs that don’t only reach upward to God—they reach outward toward the people standing beside us. The Arms Of The Cross When Jesus hung on the cross in unimaginable suffering, His arms stretched outward. They reached toward the thieves beside Him. And toward us. The cross is the ultimate picture of both vertical and horizontal love—God reconciling us to Himself while also calling us into restored relationships with one another. In the same way, the songs of the church can open their arms wide. Songs that say: God loves you. Grace is here. You belong. Songs that remind the hurting that they are not alone. Songs that help the church embody both parts of the greatest commandment. Because worship that reaches only upward is incomplete. True worship reaches upward to God and outward to people. SHARE DETAILS By Steve Siler March 23, 2026 ADVERTISEMENT WRITTEN BY Steve Siler Steve Siler is an award winning songwriter, video producer, and music producer. He is also a speaker, author, and founder and director of Music for the Soul. Through his work through Music for the Soul he has been called “The father of the healing Christian music movement.” As a songwriter Siler has had over 500 of his songs recorded in the Christian, pop, & country markets. Nominated for multiple Dove Awards, Siler won Inspirational Song of the Year with I Will Follow Christ. Circle of Friends and Not Too Far From Here are the best known of his nine #1 Contemporary Christian songs and forty-five top ten singles. As a speaker Siler has appeared at the The National Center on Sexual Exploitation Summit, the National Right to Life Convention, and The American Association of Christian Counselors among many others. Siler is the author of three books; The Praise & Worship Devotional, Music for the Soul, Healing for the Heart: Lessons from a Life in Song, and Twenty Three: Reflections Inspired by Psalm 23.