Worship as a Way of Life: How I’m Learning to Worship Beyond Sundays

When you hear the word “worship” what do you think of? Do you think of standing in

church singing hymns or dancing before the Lord? Do you think of hands raised in the air,

the clapping of hands, and singing to the heart of Christ? Do you think of preaching the

gospel overseas? While all these things are certainly considered worship, that isn’t the full

picture. Worship is a way of life.

My perspective of worship has drastically evolved over the past couple years through diving into campus ministry, serving in the local church, partaking in the Pittsburgh Fellows program, and reading through the book, “How to Worship a King” by Zach Neese. It presents worship not as a single moment, but as a heart posture. Worship is how we live our lives, transforming more and more into the image of Christ. We worship through loving others, how we serve people, how we work with excellence, and the daily choice of faithfulness we see displayed in Matthew 16:24 -“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.” This is a captivating statement displaying true worship.

Being a part of Pittsburgh Fellows has made this revelation even more substantial. While submerging myself into this community, I have seen that worship happens in the workplace, in the church, in our house, and beyond. In my workplace, Light of Life, I have learned that worship looks like staying faithful in the highs and the lows, the mundane and the meaningful parts of the day. With Light of Life, I serve in the Women & Children’s Program and on the development team. Both of these spaces, while wildly different, have taught me that worship is not determined by how exciting or visible the task is, but by the heart with which it is done. Choosing patience, excellence, and compassion in each moment and space has shown me that even ordinary, daily responsibilities can glorify God. Work becomes more meaningful when you see it in this way. Furthermore, it reinforces the verse, Colossians 3:23: Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. It is all for God, no one else, and that is an awesome purpose to hold.

All in all, I am actively growing in my understanding that worship is not confined to a

moment, a song, or a place; it is a daily surrender of our lives to Christ. I’ll leave you with this.

Romans 12:1 says, “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to

God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he

will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.” When worship becomes a way of

life, when we present ourselves as living sacrifices to the one true King, every action we take

carries eternal significance.

-Written by Emily Migliorisi, Class of 2026

Emily graduated from Penn State University and works at Light of Life Rescue Mission as a Pittsburgh Fellow.