Some words of wisdom from Gary A. Parrett and S. Steve Kang:
That the formation of God’s people is a legitimate concern of our worship gatherings can be demonstrated by appeal to a number of biblical passages. First of all, worship itself is presented as intrinsically formative–for good or for ill. We read in several Old Testament passages, for example, that those who worship idols are doomed to become like the objects of their worship.
…That which is true in such profoundly negative and destructive ways, however, is also true in the positive. In other words, those who worship the living God will become like the object of their worship. Those who abide in the presence of the Lord, reflecting or contemplating his glory, are “transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Cor 3:18). Worshiping the God who is love, who is holy and righteous and true, we shall ourselves become more loving, holy righteous and true.
–from Teaching the Faith, Forming the Faithful: A Biblical Vision for Education in the Church, pp. 339-340
