What is the line between worship and Christian entertainment?

In this powerful session from Creative Tides Summit Conference, Tim Smith, former Worship Pastor at Mars Hill Church, challenges the Church to recover a biblical vision of worship rooted in the glory of God—not performance, pragmatism, or preference.

Drawing from years of pastoral and worship leadership experience, Tim argues that when we fail to clearly define the purpose and mission of worship, church gatherings slowly drift into Christian entertainment—measured by what works, what draws crowds, or what feels effective—rather than faithfulness to God’s revealed glory.

In this session, we explore:

- Why worship must be grounded in a clear theology of God’s glory

How pragmatism subtly reshapes church culture and worship practices
The danger of measuring worship by impact instead of faithfulness
How churches unintentionally become entertainment-driven
Recovering a God-centered vision that shapes songs, services, and leadership
Why understanding why we worship must come before how we worship

This conversation is especially relevant for worship leaders, pastors, creatives, and church teams who feel tension between excellence and faithfulness and want to resist the pull toward consumerism, while leading people toward genuine awe of God.

If you’ve ever felt uneasy about the direction of modern worship, unsure how to define success, or hungry for deeper theological grounding, this session offers clarity, conviction, and course correction.

📍 Recorded live at Creative Tides Summit Conference

👉 Join the conversation in the comments:

How do you guard against worship becoming entertainment in your context?

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Stop Making Worship Christian Entertainment | Summit Conference 2025 Breakout Session with Tim Smith