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WORSHIP
SERVICES
Worship
services are in the first place to worship God.
They help us to communally celebrate what God has done
for us in
Jesus Christ
. But worship
services also have the effect of helping us to grow spiritually.
Already
in the Old Testament, God made it clear the He wanted His people
to gather for worship. So,
we see that God calls His people to come and commune with Him.
And they can confidently expect His blessing as they
gather and rejoice before God.
The
New Testament leaves much freedom for how
we worship. The
importance of coming together is clear from many Bible passages.
(eg Heb 10).
The
way we do things here at
Grace
is not the only 'proper' way.
Other Christian Reformed Churches have slightly different
orders. However, you will generally find the same components in
CRCA worship services.
THE
COMPONENTS OF A WORSHIP SERVICE
1.
Elder
shakes Minister's Hand - The
handshake signifies that the minister enters the pulpit on the
authority of the elders. (The
minister is accountable to elders)
2.
Minister
enters Pulpit
- The 'official' public worship service has now begun.
3.
Welcome
etc.
4.
Call
to Worship - An
appropriate Bible
verse(s) is read placing before the congregation the great acts
of God in
Christ
, and thus giving God's people the motive for worship:
This
is our God, and these are His gracious deeds!
Let us praise Him!
5.
Silent
Prayer - a
time for a short individual prayer.
6.
Invocation
and Greeting
-
Greeting:
This is the Lord's greeting to his people.
eg
"Grace and peace to you from God our Father and
the Lord Jesus Christ who gave himself
for our sins to rescue us fro this evil age,
according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be
glory for ever and ever.
Amen"
7.
Songs
of Praise
8.
Confession
and Assurance
-
Confession
is made in a variety of ways:
-
A
prayer of confession.
-
A
prayer of confession plus a penitential psalm
-
A
reading from Scripture in unison by the congregation.
-
A
prayer of confession is prayed in unison.
-
The
singing of an appropriate Psalm or Hymn.
9.
Assurance
of pardon:
This follows logically after we speak to God of our sins
-
-
He
speaks to us of His grace in
Christ
.
-
This
item must be dealt with solemnly and with much care, so that
we do not give the impression of cheap grace, nor may the
assurance be separated from repentance and faith.
10.
Congregational
Response - usually
in the form of a song of praise sung to a joyous tune, or a more reflective one.
11.
Reading
of God's
Will
-
(or Rule of Gratitude) - to remind us of how God wants His
redeemed people to live.
12.
Congregational
Dedication - our
expression to God of our intention to live in obedience to His
will. This is
usually done by means of an appropriate song.
13.
Offering
- (Note:
we do not use the word collection) - this is an act of worship -
a sacrificial part of the congregations response to God's grace.
14.
Offertory
& Congregational Prayer - praying
that our gifts may accomplish what they are given for, and can
include such aspects as adoration, confession, thanksgiving,
intercession and dedication.
15.
Children'
Segment - it
has a twofold purpose:
-
to
recognise that children are part of God's people and that
God's Word also speaks to them.
-
as
an introduction to the sermon theme, resulting in people's
minds getting more from the Scripture readings which follow.
16.
Prayer
of Illumination -
In this prayer, we ask the Holy Spirit to open our hearts to the
Word, for without His work, the reading of the Bible and the
preaching is of no benefit.
17.
Bible
Reading
18.
Sermon
- an
exposition of some aspect of the glorious good news!
19.
Hymn
- as
a response to what God says to us through the preaching of His
Word.
20.
Benediction
-
this is not a prayer, but a proclamation on the part
of God, that is to be received by faith.
-
eg
The blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy
Spirit to upon you and remain with you, now and always.
21.
Congregational
Response to the Benediction -
a doxology or the three fold AMEN.
22.
The
Handshake
of elder with minister signifies that the authority, which the
elders vested in the preacher now returns to the elders.
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