Worship leader, songwriter, and Circuit Riders co-founder Lindy Cofer is calling Christians back to a deeper understanding of worship-one rooted not in music, emotions, or religious performance, but in a life fully surrendered to Jesus.
Appearing on a recent episode of the Bible Study Podcast, Cofer joined hosts Darren Rouanzoin and Angela Halili for an expansive discussion on worship, discipleship, Scripture, and the transformative power of the Gospel. The conversation quickly moved beyond worship songs and church services, exploring how every believer is shaped by what they ultimately devote their attention, affection, and allegiance to.
Drawing from Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman in John 4, Cofer explained that true worship is not confined to a place, a style, or a moment on Sunday morning. Instead, it is a lifestyle empowered by the Holy Spirit and anchored in biblical truth.
"If we let culture define worship instead of Scripture, we'll be led astray," Cofer said, emphasizing that worship must be shaped by God's Word rather than trends, popularity, or personal preference.
The discussion also highlighted Cofer's remarkable ministry journey. Since moving to California in 2012 as part of a small team carrying a vision to reach university campuses with the Gospel, she has witnessed the explosive growth of Circuit Riders, a movement committed to evangelism, discipleship, and worship among young adults. What began as prayer meetings in a Huntington Beach garage eventually grew into a global ministry impacting campuses and churches worldwide.
Yet one of the most moving moments came when Cofer opened up about her personal testimony.
Raised in a Christian family, she described years of battling severe depression beginning at just twelve years old. Although she learned to cope with the struggle, she said the darkness remained a constant, hidden battle throughout her teenage years.
Everything changed when she attended a discipleship training school at eighteen.
During a teaching on the cross, Cofer said the reality of Christ's sacrifice became more than a familiar church message-it became a personal revelation.
"The wages of our sin was death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus," she recalled. "Something in me broke."
She described falling to the floor under the overwhelming realization of God's love and waking hours later with a completely different understanding of herself, her identity, and the Gospel.
"I never looked the same. I never acted the same," Cofer said, explaining that years of self-hatred and depression were broken through a fresh revelation of Jesus and His finished work on the cross.
Now, nearly two decades later, Cofer says she still draws strength from that moment.
"I don't need another encounter," she said. "I have the encounter."
Throughout the episode, Cofer repeatedly pointed listeners back to the Gospel as the foundation of worship. Rather than chasing emotional experiences, she encouraged believers to remain captivated by the person of Jesus and the reality of His death and resurrection.
She also challenged Christians to evaluate their daily habits, suggesting that screen time, social media use, career ambitions, and personal priorities often reveal where worship is actually directed.
"Where are your sacrifices directed?" Cofer asked. "Show me the sacrifice of your time and I'll show you what you worship."
For Cofer, worship extends far beyond a worship set or a church gathering. Drawing from Romans 12, she described worship as offering every part of life to God-our work, relationships, parenting, finances, dreams, and daily decisions.
After more than twenty years of ministry, Cofer believes the greatest challenge facing believers is not a lack of worship music or spiritual resources, but a failure to remain captivated by the Gospel itself.
Her appearance on the Bible Study Podcast serves as a powerful reminder that true worship begins not with a song, but with a heart transformed by Jesus Christ.
