Worship

But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth,
for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

John 4:23-24

What is Worship?

Hebrew Shachah: bow down, prostrate, Gr. Proskuneo: to prostrate, do obeisance to.

The honor, reverence, and homage paid to superior beings or powers, whether men, angels, or God.

The English word means “worthship” and denotes the worthiness of the individual receiving the special
honor due to his or her worth.

While the word is used of humans, it is especially used of the divine honors paid to a deity, whether of
the heathen religions or the true and living God.

When given to God, worship involves an acknowledgment of divine perfections.

It may express itself in the form of direct address, as in adoration or thanksgiving, or in service to God;

it may be private, or it may be public, involving a cul-tus.

Worship presupposes that God is, that he can be known by humans, and that his perfections set him far
above humans.

Worshipping in Spirit and in Truth

In an unlikely encounter with an immoral Samaritan woman, our Lord Jesus uttered one of most important
statements ever made about worship.

The woman being uncomfortable of her sin being exposed by Jesus during their conversation at a well
in Samaria - diverts their conversation by asking Jesus about a worship matter of long dispute between
Jews and Samaritans: “Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the
place where people ought to worship.”

Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in
Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know,
for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will
worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is
spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ), When he comes, he
will tell us all things.”

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 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He”. John 4:20–26

Jesus’ answer thunders with points of significance regarding the momentous transition that He Himself was
bringing about in the history of redemption through His own life, ministry, death and resurrection; but it also
speaks specifically to the theology of Christian worship.

First, Jesus’ great statement that we must “worship in spirit and truth” has implications for every aspect of
biblical worship.

The Bible indicates that worship is both a specific activity and a way of life.

Worship, as an activity, has at least three aspects in the Bible: Public worship, family worship, and
private worship alongside all-of-life worship.

Public worship occurs when the people of God assemble for the express purpose of giving to the Lord the glory
due His name and enjoying the joy of His promised special presence with His own people.

This kind of worship is sometimes called “corporate worship” (because the body, or corpus, of Christ,
that is, the Church, is collectively involved in this encounter with God), and sometimes it is called
“gathered,” “assembled,” or “congregational” worship.

This important aspect of worship is featured in both the Old and New Testaments. While Psalm
100:2 and Hebrews 10:25 speak of “coming before the Lord” and “assembling together” they are both
addressing public worship.

Family worship is led by fathers, or other heads of families, with a view to establishing God-centered homes,
promoting worship in all of life in all the members of the household, and in preparation for public worship.

The Bible makes clear the importance of family worship (Ex. 12:3; Deut. 6:6–8; Josh. 24:15).

Private worship (which is sometimes called “secret worship” or “personal worship”) is taught and modeled
throughout Scripture, especially by Jesus, Daniel, David, and Peter.

Jesus gave specific instructions to His disciples about it in Matthew 6:6, and He exemplified it in Mark
1:35 and Luke 5:16.

David spoke of it Psalm 5:3, Daniel spoke of it in Daniel 6:10, and Peter spoke of it in Acts 10:9.

Worship in all of life is stressed in both the Old and New Testaments and is behind the Shorter Catechism’s
assertion that “man’s chief purpose is to glorify God.”

In Jonah 1:9, when the prophet Jonah described himself as one who reverenced God, he wasn’t
speaking of something he did exclusively on Saturdays, but he was characterizing his whole manner of
life.

Paul, too, says we are to glorify God in everything we do (1 Cor. 10:31), and this is what we mean by
all-of-life worship.

Second, Jesus’ great statement that we must “worship in spirit and truth” means that we must glorify God in
public, family, private, and all of life in accordance with God’s own nature and truth.

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This means at least two things:

First, we must realize that God is Spirit, and worshipping in Spirit means that a person must worship not
simply by external conformity to religious rituals and places (outwardly) but inwardly (“in spirit”) with the
proper heart attitude.

Only those who have placed their faith in Christ are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:9, 1
Corinthians 12:13, Ephesians 1:13-14, John 14:16

Therefore only those who have been regenerated, sealed and indwelt by the Holy Spirit are the only
ones that can truly worship God in Spirit.

Second, we must worship according to the truth of Jesus’ person and work, for He is the truth (John
1:14; 14:6) and, thus, the only way whereby we may truly worship God.

In other words, Jesus is Himself “the truth” according to which we must worship.

He is the very incarnation of God (John 1:14), the embodiment of the Father’s character (John 14:6),
and the fullest revelation of God’s nature and plan (John 1:18; Heb. 1:1–3).

Thus, to worship in truth means to worship in accordance with the truth of and about Jesus — that He
is the Son of God, the Messiah, and the only Savior of sinners.

First, when we say that we are to “worship in spirit and in truth,” we are saying that in public, family, private,
and all of life we are to glorify and enjoy God — which are the two parts of all worship.

Second, we are to worship God in light of who He is (and since He is Spirit we must worship in spirit, or in
accordance with the reality that He is Spirit).

Third, we must worship God in accordance with His revelation that is, carefully adhering to the directions of
His Word.

Fourth, we must worship God in complete dependence upon, and trust in, Jesus Himself who is the truth in
the flesh.

The Development of Public Worship in the Scripture

In patriarchal times there was both the privacy of prayer (e.g., Ge 18) and the public act of setting up an altar
(e.g., 12:7).

From the patriarchs onward, we can divide the Bible into four periods.

First, while Moses established the basis of the public worship of Israel and gave it its focal point in the
tabernacle, we know little about the actual performance of worship.

As 1Sa 1:1, for example, shows, the tabernacle remained the center for the pilgrimage festivals
with their round of sacrifices;

At the same time it shows the wealth and depth of private devotion that they represented.

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 In the second period, worship became highly organized in the temple ritual, which had its origin in the
tabernacle set up in the wilderness.

It was led by priests assisted by the Levites.

It included a complex ritual and system of sacrifices.

The third stage was that of the synagogue, which developed among those who remained in exile.

This greatly differed from worship in the temple; whereas the latter was centralized in Jerusalem,
the former was found wherever there were Jews.

In the synagogues, however, the emphasis was more on instruction than on worship, although
the latter was not neglected.

The fourth stage was that of the early Christian churches.

Jewish Christians continued, as long as they were permitted, to worship in the temple and in the
synagogue, though for them the whole ceremonial and sacrificial system ended with the death
and resurrection of Jesus.

Public Christian worship developed along the lines of the synagogue.

It appears that from the first, Christians met in homes for private brotherhood meetings, and the
time was the Lord’s Day (Jn 20:19, 26; Ac 20:7; 1Co 16:2).

Christian public worship consisted of preaching (Ac 20:7; 1Co 14:9), reading of Scripture (Col 4:16;
Jas 1:22), prayer (1Co 14:14 – 16), singing (Eph 5:19; Col 3:16), baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Ac
2:41; 1Co 11:18 – 34), almsgiving (1Co 16:1 – 2).

The Spectrum of Christian Worship

LITURGICAL, NORMATIVE & REGULATIVE PRINCIPLES OF WORSHIP

LITURGICAL

The American Heritage Dictionary defines "liturgy" as follows: "

1. The rite of the Eucharist.

2. The prescribed form for a public religious service; ritual.

"Looking at Scripture, there is not a "prescribed form for a public religious service" set forth for the church.

While some churches are labeled as "liturgical" because of their very formal and predetermined order and
manner of worship, all churches to some degree have a format that they typically follow.

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 The major distinction would be both the degree to which this is true, and the possibility of changing
that common format if necessary.

It is obvious from Acts 13 that the church in the city of Antioch was flexible in that they were open to
the Holy Spirit's leading.

If a church is so liturgical that changes according to His leading are not a possibility, liturgy has gone
too far.

A church that is too structured would never allow for the Spirit’s leading—they already have their own
"agenda"; they don't need His.

There are two additional possible dangers in relation to liturgical worship:

(1) Liturgies designed by men are fallible and thus need to be examined to see whether they are scriptural. But
this is true both for so-called liturgical churches as well as for those not given that label. In both cases fallible
men set the format of the service.

(2) Liturgies that call for the recitation of repetitious prayers, responses, etc., can begin to be done in rote
without thought or true worship from the heart.

And when this happens they become "vain repetitions."

But nonetheless, it is still very possible for one of a sincere heart to worship God with repetitious
prayers, etc., as he reflects upon what is being said and thus enters into those prayers from the heart.

Besides, even in non-liturgical churches, certain songs and choruses are sung repeatedly over time and
carry the same danger of being sung glibly rather than with reflection upon what is being said and
sung.

Whether a church is liturgical is not as important as the soundness of the doctrine of the church and the
soundness of the pastor doctrinally and spiritually (1 Timothy 4:16; Acts 2:42).

The Book of Common Prayer

Originally collected, edited, and at least partially written by English Reformer Thomas Cranmer, the
Archbishop of Canterbury, the Book of Common Prayer was the first prayer book to include liturgical services
published in English.

The book includes:

Written prayers,

Catechisms,

The “Daily Office” (essentially a thrice-daily Bible reading program),

Collects (short prayers to be recited at certain points in the service),

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 Full orders of service for important occasions such as holidays and baptisms,

A psalter (the biblical psalms arranged for a monthly reading), and a lectionary (a list of readings).

The original 1549 version of the Book of Common Prayer was completed under King Edward VI of England.

Updated versions followed, and King James I of England ordered another revision in 1604 to
approximately parallel his “Authorized” or King James Version of the Bible.

Finally, in 1662, after the English Civil War, the version of the Book of Common Prayer that has
remained fairly standard was released.

Not everyone in England accepted the publication of the Book of Common Prayer.

Groups outside of the Church of England, called “Nonconformist” churches or “Dissenters,” objected to the
king’s insistence that all churches use the Book of Common Prayer in their services.

Groups such as the Baptists, Congregationalists, Presbyterians, and Methodists faced church closure if
they did not agree to use the prayer book.

One preacher in Bedford, England, by the name of John Bunyan refused to use the Book of Common
Prayer in his church.

He was arrested on November 12, 1660, and spent the next 12 years in jail.

Bunyan considered it but a small price to pay for following his conscience and standing for his
right to pray in the Spirit, free from the strictures of ecclesiastical authority.

While in jail, Bunyan wrote his classic allegory The Pilgrim’s Progress.

The 1662 version of the Book of Common Prayer remains the basis for all current editions.

Use of the Book of Common Prayer has expanded beyond the Church of England to many other Anglican
denominations and many liturgical churches throughout the world.

It has been translated into many languages.

Churches such as the Lutheran and Presbyterian denominations have largely based their English-
language prayer and service books on the Book of Common Prayer.

The Book of Common Prayer is a resource for those who appreciate liturgical worship, and it contains some
beautifully written prayers.

While the Book of Common Prayer may be an aid to worship, we should never allow our worship of
God to be limited to a liturgy.

Ultimately, our prayers should be our own, not those written by another person.

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 As Bunyan said from his jail cell, “Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart or
soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit, for such things as God has
promised, or according to His Word, for the good of the church, with submission in faith to the will of
God” (A Discourse Touching Prayer, 1662).

NORMATIVE

The normative principle of corporate worship also uses the Bible as the final authority, but teaches that
anything not expressly forbidden may be incorporated in services.

Drama, special music, movie clips, and PowerPoint presentations may all be used in normative worship
services since they are not forbidden in Scripture.

The supporters of this style of worship point out that every church and every culture expresses worship
differently, even those in Bible times.

They hold that the Bible’s instruction on worship services was not meant to be a list of rules but to be a
guideline for understanding the heart of God.

They argue that regulating worship services creates an unnatural attitude toward worship and God,
rather than allowing the corporate expression to be a continuation of a worshiping lifestyle
Deuteronomy 6:6–8; 1 Corinthians 10:31.

Some strengths of the normative principle are that:

It encourages creative expressions of worship through the arts and technology.

It creates a more relaxed and relevant environment for new believers and those not familiar with the
“churchy” atmosphere.

It allows for differences in taste and style, while still maintaining allegiance to biblical principles.

It brings Scripture into current culture, minimizing the tendency of postmoderns to view the Bible as
outdated and irrelevant.

Some weaknesses to the normative approach are that:

It opens the door to worldliness in its efforts to incorporate culture.

It can also tend toward entertainment-based gatherings rather than pure worship of God.

It may also slide toward a man-centered focus as it incorporates whatever is popular with the
congregation.

Unbiblical Church Movements that Developed from the Normative Worship Principle:

The Seeker-Sensitive and Emergent / Emerging Church Movement:

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The Seeker-Sensitive Movement: An Extreme Normative Principle Practice of Worship

In recent years a new movement within the evangelical church has come into vogue, commonly referred to as
"seeker sensitive."

Generally, this movement has seen a great deal of growth, many “seeker” churches are now mega-
churches with well-known pastors who are riding a wave of popularity in the evangelical world.

The seeker-sensitive movement claims millions of conversions, commands vast resources, continues to
gain popularity, and seems to be attracting millions of un-churched people into its fold.

So, what is this movement all about? Where does it come from? And, most importantly, is it biblical?

Basically, the seeker-sensitive church tries to reach out to the unsaved person by making the church
experience as comfortable, inviting, and non-threatening to him as possible; The hope is that the person will
believe in the gospel.

The idea behind the concept is to get as many unsaved people through the door as possible, and the
church leadership are willing to use nearly any means to accomplish that goal.

Theatrics and musical entertainment are the norm in the church service to keep the unsaved person
from getting bored as he does with traditional churches.

State-of-the-art technology in lighting and sound are common components of the seeker-sensitive
churches, especially the larger ones.

Expertly run nurseries, day care, adult day care, community programs such as ESL (English as a Second
Language), and much more are common fixtures in the larger seeker churches.

Short sermons (typically 20 minutes at most) are usually focused on self-improvement, however, rarely
are sin, hell, or repentance spoken of, and Jesus Christ as the exclusive way to heaven is rarely
mentioned because such doctrines are considered as “divisive.”

Supporters of this movement will say that the single reason behind all the expense is to reach the
unsaved with the gospel;

But the seeker-friendly gospel presentation is based on the idea that if you will believe in Jesus, He will make
your life better.

Relationships with your wife or husband, coworkers, children, etc., will be better.

The message the seeker church sometimes passes on to the unsaved person is that God is a great
cosmic genie, and if you stroke Him the right way, you will get what you want.

In other words, if you profess to believe in Jesus, God will give you a better life, better relationships
and purpose in life.

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 So, for all intents and purposes, the seeker-sensitive movement is a type of system based on giving
unbelievers whatever they want.

What too often happens in such a system is that people make a profession of faith, but when the
circumstances of their lives don’t immediately change for their material good, they forsake Christ,
believing He has failed them.

The seeker-sensitive church movement has pioneered a new method for founding churches involving
demographics studies and community surveys that ask the unsaved what they want in a church.

This is a kind of “if you build it they will come” mentality.

The focus of the seeker church then is not Christ-centered, but man-centered. The main purpose of the
seeker church’s existence is to give people what they want or meet their felt needs.

How are people responding to the “seeker” movement?

Many people have responded and begun attending seeker-sensitive churches.

Many people, indeed, have come to faith in Christ as a result of a seeker-sensitive church.

But the bigger question is, “What does God have to say about all this?” Is it possible for a movement to
be successful from a human perspective, but be unacceptable to God?

The basic premise in the seeker-sensitive movement is that there are many people out there who are seeking
God and want to know Him, but the concept of the traditional church scares them away from faith in Christ.

But is it true that people are truly seeking God? Actually, Scripture teaches the exact opposite! The
apostle Paul tells us that “there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God” (Romans 3:11).

Furthermore, man is dead in his sin in Ephesians 2:1, and he can’t seek God because he doesn’t
recognize his need for Him, which is why Paul says that there is no one who understands.

Romans 1:20-23 teaches us that all unbelievers reject the true God.

Unbelievers does not seek God or understand the things of God until he is made alive by the Spirit of God
according to1 Corinthians 2:14

Until the Father draws him (John 6:44) and the Spirit awakens the heart so he can believe and receive
the gift of faith (Ephesians 2:8), an unsaved person cannot believe.

Salvation is completely the act of God whereby He draws and empowers the dead sinner with what is
necessary to believe (John 6:37, 39-40).

What part do we play in the salvation of others? God has commanded that we are the instrumentality
through which the gospel is proclaimed.

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 We share the gospel, but it is not our responsibility to make people believe, or even to try to be
persuasive or manipulate them into believing.

The basic philosophy, theology, purpose, and end of the seeker-sensitive movement are entirely man-
centered.

We are to be all the more vigilant to model our churches after the instruction of Scripture.

REGULATIVE

The regulative principle of worship maintains that Scripture gives specific guidelines for conducting corporate
worship services and that churches must not add anything to those guidelines.

For example, churches following the regulative principle in worship often do not use musical
instruments, since there is no New Testament command or example that would warrant their use in
the church.

The normative principle is the idea that anything not expressly forbidden by Scripture can be used in
corporate worship.

One of the foundational differences is that the former considers the Bible’s instructions as a strict code
of conduct while the latter sees them as principles to follow.

Both hold to the truth of God’s Word, but they differ on whether or not it clearly establishes an
unalterable blueprint for corporate worship.

The regulative principle is most often associated with Reformed churches, while the normative principle is
widely promoted by modern evangelicalism.

While the more liturgical churches, such as Catholic, Episcopalian, and Orthodox, may appear to follow
the regulative principle, they also include many elements not found in Scripture.

The presence of formality and repetition does not necessarily mean a service is regulative, just as the
presence of a more relaxed atmosphere does not indicate a normative approach.

Often, tradition gives the appearance of biblical truth, when in reality it just seems right because it is
familiar.

But formalism is not synonymous with biblical fidelity.

The supporters of the regulative form of worship believe that God, the One to be worshiped, has clearly
instructed us on how to worship Him.

They also point to Paul’s instructions to the churches at Colossae and Corinth as evidence that there
are a right and a wrong way to conduct services.

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 The Corinthian church was becoming disorderly in her abuse of spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 11:17–
18, 33; 14:23). They were allowing women to disrupt the services (1 Corinthians 14:34) and were
profaning the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:20–22).

The entire chapter of 1 Corinthians 14 addresses specific guidelines for behavior in corporate worship
in response to those abuses.

The church at Colossae was warned not to incorporate “human tradition” within their services
(Colossians 2:8).

So, because of Paul’s specific instructions to several early churches, some have concluded that, under
the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he was giving general instructions for all corporate worship
experiences.

Some strengths of the regulative principle are that:

It seeks to honor God and His Word.

It keeps the focus on God-centered worship rather than man-pleasing activity.

It effectively eliminates worldliness or elements with pagan roots that have been given a Christian flair.

It consults the Bible, rather than popular opinion, for the final word on church questions.

One weakness of the regulative principle is that it can easily become legalistic in its strict rejection of anything
not found in the Bible.

It can also place worship in a category saved only for corporate settings, rather than encourage it as a
daily practice.

It also does not account for many aspects of a worship service not dealt with in the Bible, such as
length of services, instrument use, how much technology should be employed, and dozens of other
cultural questions not applicable in Bible times.

Normative or Regulative?
So which viewpoint is correct?

Every Bible-believing church body must be regulated by the authority of Scripture: If it does not, it has ceased
to be a New Testament church.

But within those churches that hold fast to God’s Word, there is a vast array of acceptable expressions
of worship.

Many congregations embrace a combination of both views.

The extreme of either is displeasing to God;

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 Extreme regulators can become pharisaical, creating rules out of principles and judging anyone
who veers from those rules (Matthew 7:1).

But extreme normatives can be guilty of walking on the edge of worldliness and justifying
questionable activities by claiming they are being “all things to all people” (1 Corinthians 9:22).

Paul addressed this issue in:

1 Corinthians 10:23–24 “‘I have the right to do anything,’ you say—but not everything is beneficial. ‘I
have the right to do anything’—but not everything is constructive.

Galatians 5:13 says, “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an
opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”

It would appear from these passages and others like them that the desire of God’s heart in corporate
worship is that all believers set aside their own preferences in favor of what most benefits others.

It is also clear that simply because something is popular or appealing does not mean we should use it.

The Bible does give us guidelines for the assembly of the church, and no congregation has the authority to
completely disregard them.

Several elements are vital for a healthy congregation: reading the Bible (1 Timothy 4:13), preaching the
Bible (2 Timothy 4:2), singing hymns and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16), prayer
(Matthew 21:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:17), and celebrating the Lord with two ordinances, baptism and the
Lord’s Supper (Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26).

The overarching goal of corporate worship is “to equip his people for works of service, so that the body
of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God
and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12–13).

The church is to function as a body, unified in Spirit, for the purpose of accomplishing God’s will on earth.

However, even though we are unified by one Spirit (Ephesians 4:5), people and cultures have unique needs.

The prevailing law governing every church should be the law of love (Galatians 5:14).

Either viewpoint—regulative or normative—can accomplish that goal as long as we keep Hebrews 10:24–
25 the center of our focus: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good
deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and
all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

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 Music in Worship

Music is an inherent part of every society; The unearthly sounds of throat-singing in Mongolia and Siberia are
as important to their cultures as Bach is to European cultures or drum-driven song and dance are to Native
American cultures.

Music in the Old Testament:

Psalms accounts for over 7 percent of the Old Testament.

In addition to the Psalms are other song- and poetry-focused books such as Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, and
others.

The first reference to a musician in the Bible is in Genesis 4:21.

Jubal was the fourth generation from Adam through Cain and is recorded as “the father of all those who play
the lyre and pipe.”

Two of the Old Testament’s most important figures wrote songs; Moses and David.

Moses has three songs recorded in the Bible:

The song sung after the destruction of Pharaoh’s army wherein Miriam, Moses’ sister, led the Israelite
women “with tambourines and dancing” as she sang. (Exodus 15:1–18);

A song recounting the faithfulness of God and the rebelliousness of Israel, which he sang before all the
people just before his death (Deuteronomy 32:1–43);

And a prayer recorded in Psalm 90.

David, “the sweet psalmist of Israel” (2 Samuel 23:1),

Is credited with writing about half of the 150 songs recorded in Psalms, along with some in the
historical books.

He was the official musician in Saul’s court (1 Samuel 16:14–23).

During David’s own reign, he organized the Levitical musicians, and 1 Chronicles 15:16 and 23:5 record
that more than one in ten Levites in temple service were musicians.

David’s victories were also celebrated in song in 1 Samuel 18:6–7.

When Jephthah returned from battle, Jephthah’s daughter met him with timbrels and dance in Judges 11:34.

Other musicians include Asaph (twelve psalms), the sons of Korah (ten psalms), Solomon (two psalms and
1,005 other songs [1 Kings 4:32] and the Song of Solomon), Heman (one psalm), and Ethan (one psalm).

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Music was used in conjunction with all manner of activities (Genesis 31:27; Exodus 32:17–18; Numbers
27:17; Judges 11:34, 35; Isaiah 16:10; Jeremiah 48:33).

Music was used at coronations (1 Kings 1:39–40; 2 Kings 11:14; 2 Chronicles 13:14; 20:28),

Events in the royal court (2 Samuel 19:35; Ecclesiastes 2:8),

and feasts (Isaiah 5:12; 24:8–9).

It is interesting to note the connection between music and the supernatural: trumpets sounded when
the walls of Jericho fell down (Joshua 6:1–20);

And David played his harp to soothe Saul during demonic attacks (1 Samuel 16:14–23).

Music in the New Testament:

We have song lyrics recorded in Revelation 5, 7, and 15;

Many people also consider Mary’s Magnificat in Luke 1:46–55

The angels’ announcement in Luke 2:14 to be songs.

Two of the Gospels mention the fact that Jesus and His disciples sang a hymn at the end of the Last
Supper. Matthew 26:30 and Mark 14:26.

The example of the apostles’ singing in Acts 16:25.

Elsewhere in the Gospels, music is seen as part of mourning (Matthew 9:23) and celebration (Luke
15:25).

Paul gave instructions regarding the use of music during Christian gatherings in Ephesians
5:19 and Colossians 3:16.

The church is commanded to communicate with each other “with psalms, hymns, and songs from the
Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19).

In Colossians the same is an indication of being filled with the Word of Christ, and the songs come
“from the Spirit.”

In James 5:13 we have this command: “Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.”

Musical Instruments in Worship

In all the examples of believers meeting together for worship in the New Testament, we have no clear instance
of musical instruments being used.

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 Most churches today utilize musical instruments of all kinds.

But some to believe that musical instruments should not be used in the church for lack of biblical
instruction and that our singing should be done a cappella.

While the church is a New Testament concept, we should look at the use of musical instruments by God’s
people in the Old Testament.

Musical instruments were definitely used in worship in the Old Testament.

The use of musical instruments was even commanded in some passages: “Begin the music, strike the
timbrel, play the melodious harp and lyre” (Psalm 81:2; cf. 98:5; 150:4).

Several of the psalms were intended to be played “with stringed instruments” (e.g., Psalm
4:1; 55:1; 67:1; 76:1), as well as the song of Habakkuk (Habakkuk 3:19).

Instrumental musical accompaniment was a common part of worship.

David commanded the leaders of the Levites “to appoint their fellow Levites as musicians to make a
joyful sound with musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals” (1 Chronicles 15:16); in fact, four
thousand Levites were set apart for playing musical instruments (1 Chronicles 23:5).

Christians who believe that musical instruments should not be used in church acknowledge the Old Testament
use of musical instruments, but they rightly assert that Old Testament examples do not set New Testament
church practices.

They assert that, under the New Covenant, the believers’ “instrument” is the human voice.

Just as the Old Testament temple has given way to the “living temple” of the human body (1
Corinthians 6:19), so the old “mechanical” instruments of temple music have given way to the “living,”
Spirit-filled instrument of the human voice.

So, are churches who utilize musical instruments working outside the will of God?

In answering this, we should remember a few important things:

First, our guide for church practice should be Scripture alone, not church tradition, not the writings of
church fathers, and not modern culture.

Second, absent a direct teaching in Scripture, we should exercise grace and tolerance.

There may not be any example of a New Testament church using musical instruments, but, by
the same token, the New Testament nowhere condemns musical instruments in the church.

It’s natural to come up with rules that are not in the Bible, but we should be very slow to
require what Scripture does not require or to forbid what Scripture does not forbid.

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 Third, the fact that there is no example in Scripture of a church using musical instruments does not
imply a command not to have musical instruments.

Arguments from silence are notoriously flawed; saying that the New Testament does not
authorize the church to use mechanical instruments of music is not the same as saying the use
of such instruments is wrong.

The New Testament also does not authorize the church to pass offering plates or install stained
glass windows, yet few would say that those things are “wrong.”

A lack of direct scriptural “authorization” of a certain practice is not an automatic prohibition.

In short, the Bible neither forbids nor commands the use of musical instruments in church.

A church has freedom to use musical instruments in worship, and a church has freedom not to.

Whatever a church decides to do concerning the use of musical instruments, other churches should
accept it as that church’s way of praising the Lord.

With or without musical instruments, we should “do it all for the glory of God”. 1 Corinthians 10:31

Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs

Ephesians 5:18–19 says, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with
your heart” (ESV).

Colossians 3:16 continues that idea: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one
another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

So what is the difference between psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, and how are they to be used?

The word psalm means “praise.”

The book of Psalms is the collection of songs written under the direction of the Holy Spirit (Mark
12:36; 2 Peter 1:21) by ancient Jewish leaders such as David, Moses, and Solomon.

These inspired songs were part of the Hebrew Scriptures and used in corporate worship.

Although many of the psalms are cries for help, laments over Israel, or questions about God’s plan, the
major theme in all of them is worship.

Even when the psalmist was crying out his questions or frustrations to the Lord, he usually ended with
a call to praise God in spite of everything (Psalm 42:11; 43:5; 71:13–14).

The psalms have a timeless quality and are as relevant to our lives as though they were written
yesterday.

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 Many people find great comfort in reading or praying the psalms when they have difficulty finding
adequate words to express their hearts to God.

We can encourage, challenge, and extend comfort to ourselves and others by memorizing and sharing
a psalm.

Many of our modern worship songs are based on the psalms, and when we sing them, we are singing
God’s Word.

A hymn is a song that gives praise, honor, or thanksgiving to God.

In ancient Greek culture, a hymnos was musical praise directed to the gods or heroes of the day- In
Christianity, hymns are directed to the one true God, of course.

Unlike psalms, hymns are not written by divine inspiration of the Holy Spirit and are not considered
part of Scripture.

However, the best ones often incorporate portions of Scripture and are filled with rich doctrinal truth.

Hymns are often metrical poems arranged to be sung corporately.

Even in Jesus’ day, hymns were part of Jewish worship.

After the Last Supper, Jesus and His disciples sang a hymn (Matthew 26:30).

The term spiritual songs is more general.

From Psalms to Revelation, the Bible encourages us to “sing a new song to the Lord” (Psalm
96:1; 144:9; Isaiah 42:10; Revelation 5:9; 14:3).

A spiritual song can be any song with a spiritual theme.

They might not directly praise God, but they will teach a doctrine, encourage the body, or prompt
others toward love and good works.

Exclusive Psalmody

Exclusive psalmody is the practice of singing only the Psalms in a church worship service.

Some churches use the book of Psalms as the one-and-only hymnal for church congregations.

Exclusive psalmody allows no extra-biblical songs.

Churches ascribing to exclusive psalmody draw all lyrics to all their songs straight from the scriptural
psalms.

Churches that teach exclusive psalmody view their position as:

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 Biblical—since their songs are all inspired Scripture—and in keeping with tradition.

By singing only the psalms, they believe they are better able to please God in their worship.

It is proper, they say, for worship of God to be directed by the inspired book of Psalms rather than by
the uninspired words of men.

God gave us a hymnal with 150 songs in it, and the church should not look elsewhere for their music.

While there is nothing wrong with singing from the book of Psalms in church—in fact, there would be a lot
right with it—exclusive psalmody has some problems.

First, there is no verse in the Bible that commands the exclusive use of psalms in worship.

In fact, Ephesians 5:19 lists three types of songs that are proper for the Christian, with no restriction on
using any of the types during corporate worship services.

Contemporary Music

Musical tastes are as varied as church members themselves.

There are those who love the old hymns while others much prefer more contemporary Christian music.

Some music ministers have attempted to appease everyone by blending the old with the new.

Other churches offer two separate worship services each Sunday—one being traditional and the other
a contemporary service. Still, there are churches that tenaciously cling to old-fashioned tradition.

The question of contemporary Christian music (CCM) and whether it is God-honoring and appropriate for
worship services is one that has been debated for decades.

Traditional churches takes pride in their preservation of their all Psalm and Hymnal Worship services.

In contrast, there are churches that employs modern genres of music that are inappropriate or
distracting and are lyrically incorrect from the Scriptures.

The Bible encourages us to “sing a new song to the Lord”: Psalm 96:1; 144:9; Isaiah 42:10; Revelation
5:9; 14:3

We must realize hymns that were written by John Newton, Charles Wesley or Fanny Crosby were
contemporary music during their time.

In addition Ephesians 5:19 promotes worshipping the Lord and encouraging other believers in three different
"styles" of music: "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your
heart to the Lord."

Contemporary Christian music can be classified as a spiritual song, therefore a church has freedom to use it in
their worship services as long as it edifies the believers and it glorifies God in an orderly manner.

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Appendices of Worship Services:

Believers Baptism

Opening Remarks

This morning we have the privilege of celebrating together the baptisms of (Candidates Name) they
have responded to the call of the gospel by repenting of their sin and by faith trusting in the death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ for salvation. You will find their personal testimonies inside your bulletin,
and we encourage you to read how God brought each of them to believe the wonderful truth of the
gospel. We rejoice with them as they come to publicly profess their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and
obey his first command to believers: to be baptized (Matthew 28:18-20)

Brief Comments on Baptism

Fundamentally, Baptism is an outward physical sign of an inward spiritual reality. Nothing magical or
supernatural takes place because someone is immersed in these waters. The act of baptism does not
save you, but only is a symbol pointing to the reality of your salvation. You could liken it to a wedding
ring that, in and of itself, does not make you married, but serves as a sign to the world that you have
committed yourself to marriage to your lifelong spouse. Therefore baptism is a beautiful picture that is
given by the Lord Jesus Christ that points to the spiritual transformation that takes place when one
rightly responds to the gospel message. Romans 6:1-4 teaches that baptism serves as a visible picture
of our death and burial with Christ, along with our spiritual resurrection with Him, and that it identifies
us with Him as our representative head. In addition, baptism not only identifies us as members of
God’s people – the church.

Prayer

Our heavenly Father, we thank you for these who come this morning to make their public their belief
in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. We praise you for your great mercy, having caused them to be
born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. We rejoice in the
wonderful picture of baptism that points to their spiritual death and burial with Christ and ultimate
resurrection to walk in newness of life. May we once again exult in the wonderful reality that through
the power of the gospel we do not come into judgment, but have passed through death to life. We
pray these things in the name of Jesus. Amen.

The Baptism

Note: Repeat sequentially for each person baptized.

1. The pastor (standing in the baptismal tank) announces the first candidate’s name, and he or she
descends the steps into the water.
2. The pastor ask three questions, pausing after each question to allow the individual to give an
affirmative response:
 Do you come this morning to make a public profession that you have placed your faith and
trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? (I Do)
 Do you believe that Jesus died in accordance to the Scriptures, that He was buried, and that
He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scripture (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)? (I
Do)

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  Do you repent of your sins and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ death and resurrection for the
forgiveness of your sins? (I Do)
3. The pastor then baptize the candidate saying; “(Candidate Name), it is therefore my privilege to
baptize you, my brother or sister, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.” He adds,
as the candidate goes under and comes out of the water, “buried with Christ in baptism, raised to
walk in newness of life.”
4. After the final baptism, the congregation joins together in response with a song of worship.

Communion Service

Invitation

Brothers and sisters, as we draw near to the Lord’s Table to celebrate the Communion of the body and
blood of Christ, we are grateful to remember that our Lord instituted this ordinance:

 For the perpetual memory of his dying for our sakes and the pledge of his undying love;
 As a bond of our union with him and each other as members of his mystical body;
 As a seal of his grace to us and a renewal of our obedience to him;
 For the blessed assurance of his presence with us who are gathered here in His name;
 As an opportunity for us who love the Savior to feed spiritually on Him who is the Bread of
Life; and
 As a pledge of His coming again.

Communion Prayer

Father in heaven, we bow our heads now because Jesus bowed His head and gave up His spirit. We
bow in reverence, in respect, in awe, and in adoration for the person of Christ, the words of Christ, and
the cross of Christ. Fill us now with your Holy Spirit afresh, that our worship in this moment will bring
true honor to you – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – and genuine consolation to our souls. We pray this in
Jesus’ name. Amen.

Fencing

This sacred time at the Lord’s Table is for believers who have rested all their hope on the death and
resurrection of Christ. If you are not yet a believer, you should refrain for partaking until you come to
faith in Christ – and then joyfully partake along with the body of Christ. We encourage those of you
who are believers to examine your hearts, so that you can partake in a worthy manner. If your heart is
harboring unrepentant sin, refrain until you can come freely to partake. As the bread and the cup are
served, we ask that you hold them, so that we all partake together.

The Bread

I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when He was
betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is
for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (1 Cor. 11:23-24)

Prayer for the Bread: Christ Jesus, when you came into the world, you said to the Father: “Sacrifices
and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin
offerings you have taken no pleasure.” Then you said, “Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it
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 is written of me in the scroll of the book” (Heb. 10:5-7). You came in the incarnation, and by a single
offering of your body on the cross you achieved what all the offerings on Jewish altars could never
accomplish – the complete forgiveness of our sins. Bread of Heaven, as we now partake of the symbol,
ravish our hearts and refresh our souls. Amen

Distribution

Partaking of the Bread

Jesus said: “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me” (1 Cor.11:24b).

Silence

The Cup

In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood.
Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me,” (1 Cor.11:25)

Prayer for the Cup: Our gracious God, we thank you this day for the new covenant, the covenant sealed
through the blood of Jesus Christ, your Son. And we drink this cup in remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice
for our sins, asking him even now, through the Spirit, to commune with us as we commune with each
other. With grateful hearts. O Christ, we drink of you and to you. Amen.

Distribution

Partaking of the Cup

Jesus said, “Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me” (1Cor.11:25b).

Silence

Care Offering

As few conclude this service, we provide opportunity for people to give to the care offering, which is
used to assist people going through times of financial need. If you are aware of such needs in the body
of Christ, please let us know by contacting a pastor or leader in the church.

Hymn/Song

Benediction

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with
you all” (2 Cor. 13:14). Amen.

Wedding Service

Prelude

Processional

Presentation of the Bride

Minister: “Who gives this woman in marriage?”

Father: “I do.”
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 Father kisses his daughter and gives her to the groom.

Call to Worship

Our Lord Jesus said: “From the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘Therefore a
man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So
they are no longer two but one flesh” (Mark 10:6-8).

Let us worship God as we now witness the marriage of ____________ and ____________ (full names)

Hymn (optional)

Preface

We have come together here in the sight of God and in the presence of this congregation to join together
this man and woman in holy matrimony, which is an honorable state of life, instituted in the beginning
by God himself, signifying to us the spiritual union that is between Christ and the church.

Christ adorned and beautified matrimony with His presence and with the first sign by which he revealed
his glory at a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and Holy Scripture demands that all should hold it in honor.

It is therefore not to be entered upon unadvisedly, lightly, or merely to satisfy physical desires, but
prayerfully, with carefully thought and with reverence for God, duly considering the purposes for which
it was ordained.

It was ordained for the procreation of children and that they might be brought up in the nurture and
instruction of the Lord, to the praise of His holy name.

It was ordained so that those to whom God has granted the girt of marriage might live a chaste and holy
life, as befits members of Christ’s body.

And it was ordained for the mutual companionship, help, and comfort that the one ought to have to the
other, both in prosperity and adversity.

Charge

_______________and______________ (full names), today you are presenting yourselves before this
congregation to declare your intention of uniting your lives voluntarily and honorably for the service of
God and man. You are making a double dedication: to each other, in a lasting and indivisible union that
shall endure for the remaining years of your lives, and to God, that He may make you His dual instrument
for the accomplishment of His purpose both in and by your personalities. The achievement of this
purpose will require appreciation of each other’s abilities and virtues, forgiveness of each other’s faults,
and unfailing devotion to each other’s welfare and development. There must be on your part a united
consent to the purpose of God as He progressively reveals it to you by His Word and by His Spirit, and an
unhesitant acceptance by faith of the challenges that He sets before you.

I charge you, therefore, first of all to consider that your promises to each other are made in the presence
of a God who remembers your pledges and who holds you responsible for performing them. They must
be kept inviolable before Him.

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 I admonish you to keep in mind that each of you is the object of Christ’s redemption and should be
valued accordingly. Neither should be neglected or belittled by the other. Esteem each other as God’s
gift for mutual aid, comfort, and joy, and as a repository of complete confidence and trust.

I encourage you to share willingly and sympathetically your joys and worries, your successes and your
struggles, and to be neither conceited by the former nor depressed by the latter. Whichever may prevail,
cling closely to each other, that defeats may be met by united strength, and victories by united joy.

I charge you to make your home a place where you can have a refuge from the storms of life, not only
for yourselves, but also for others who may by your guests. Let it be a haven for the weary, a source of
uplift for the discouraged, and a convincing testimony to a cynical world.

In short, recognize the Lord Jesus Christ as head of the house, the ruler of your destinies, and the object
of your deepest affection. If you do, He will confirm your marriage by His guidance and will overshadow
it by His peace.

I charge you to love each other, to support each other, and to serve Him with sincere hearts and
determined wills until your mutual service for Him shall be completed.

Consent

Minister:” (G) ____________, will you have (B) _____________as your wife, to live together as God has
ordained, in the holy state of matrimony? Will you love her, cherish her, in sickness and in health, and
forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?”

Groom: “I will.”

Minister: “(B) _____________, will you have (G) _____________ as your husband, to live together as
God has ordained, in the holy state of matrimony? Will you love him, obey him, honor and protect him,
in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?”

Prayer

Hymn (optional)

Scripture Reading

Homily

Vows

Repeated after the minister:

Groom: “I, (G) ______________, take you, (B) ____________, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold
from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love
and cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow.”

Bride: “I, (B) ________________, take you, (G) _____________, to be my wedded husband, to have and
to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health,
to love and cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow.”

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Rings

Minister: “Lord, bless these rings, that as (G) _____________ and (B) ______________ wear them, they
may abide in you and continue in your favor until their lives shall end, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.”

Groom (repeating after the minister): “(B) ___________, this ring I give you, in token and pledge of my
constant faith and abiding love.”

Bride (repeating after the minister): “(G) ____________, this ring I give you, in token and pledge of my
constant faith and abiding love.”

Pronouncement

Minister: “Forasmuch as (G) ______________ and (B) ____________ have consented together in holy
wedlock and have witnessed the same before God and this people and have pledged their faith to each
other and have declared the same by the giving and receiving of rings, I pronounce them husband and
wife together, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“Those whom God has joined together let no one put asunder.”

Unity Candle (optional)

Hymn (optional)

Benediction

Specially prepared prayer for the couple (kneeling or standing).

Minister: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you; the Lord lift up His
countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen

Introduction

Minister: “May I present Mr. and Mrs. _______________ (full name of the groom).”

Recessional

Postlude

Funeral Service

Prelude

The musician may quietly play favorite hymns, Psalms, or gospel songs as the mourners gather.

Prayer

O Lord of life, who dwells in eternity, and who has planted in our hearts the faith and hope which look
beyond our mortal life to another, even a heavenly country: We give thanks to you this day for the bright
shining light of immortality in Jesus Christ. As He has shown us the blessedness of heaven on earth, and
has called us into a kingdom not of this world, so may our life be made ever richer in the things that do

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 not pass away. Raise us up, we pray, in the power of His Spirit, from the death of sin to the life of
righteousness. Prepare us to follow Him, in hope and trust, through the darkness of the grave into the
world of light where He has led the way, in the sure and certain hope of eternal life; through Him who is
the Resurrection and the Life, even Jesus Christ our Lord.

Welcome and Call to Worship

The minister should express thanks on behalf of the family of the deceased for all those who have come. He
should briefly remind the congregation now assembled as to why they have gathered: to honor the memory of
the departed loved one; to seek the comfort of the Holy Spirit and the consolation of God’s Holy Word; and to
renew their hope in the certainty of the resurrection through Jesus Christ. The minister should seek from the
outset to focus on gospel hope, while still giving room for grief. He may introduce his remarks with the following
words.

This is a Christian worship service of praise, thanksgiving and hope, directed to our great and gracious
triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and conducted in loving memory of
___________________________________, a (choice disciple [servant] of our Lord and Savior, Jesus
Christ, and a member of our congregation for _____ years), __________________________ was born
into the church militant on ________________ and passed into the church triumphant on
____________________. (He/she, or name of deceased) was ________ years of age.

On behalf of ____________________ (his/her) beloved (husband/wife); (his/her) children

_______________________,___________________,___________________,
_____________________; (his/her) grandchildren ___________ (number), and (his/her) sisters
_______________, ______________________; and (his/her) brothers __________________,
_____________________; let me express gratitude to you all for honoring the life of
_____________________ ______________________ by your presence here today, even as we
together seed the comfort of the Holy Spirit, the consolation of God’s Holy Word, and renew our hope
in the certainty of the resurrection of the dead through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Let us worship almighty God by carefully attending to the inspired words of Psalm 121:

I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From where does my help come?

My help comes from the Lord.

who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your food be moved;

He who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, he who keeps Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper;

the Lord is your shade on your right hand.

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 The sun shall not strike you by day,

nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all evil;

He will keep your life.

The Lord will keep

your going out and your coming in

from this time forth and forevermore

Invocation

We praise you, almighty God, that you are the sovereign Lord; the maker of heaven and earth; the
governor and sustainer of all things; the God in whom we live and move and have our being. You give
to us life and breath and all things. You declared the end from the beginning; you numbered our days
when as yet there was not one. Against your will a sparrow may not fall from a tree, for you work all
things after the counsel of your will, ordaining whatsoever comes to pass.

We come to you through the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, the Lord of glory, who is the
resurrection and the life, who has gone to prepare a place for us. We pray that all would find peace in
the promise of the gospel. We ask on this day that you would be a refuge and strength, a very present
help in trouble. We plead for you to send your Spirit to comfort, and your Word to console. May the
gospel be more glorious at this moment that at any other, as it draws us close to Christs. Amen.

Hymn/Psalm

Scripture Reading

Suggested readings include Psalm 23; Psalm 39:4-13; Psalm 90:1-12; Ecclesiastes 12:1-7; John 14:1-6; Romans
8:28-39; 1 Corinthians 15:50-58; Revelation 22:1-5.

Sermon

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as
it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and
the glory, forever. Amen.

Hymn/Psalm

Benediction

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the
sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do His will,
working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and
ever. Amen. (Heb. 13:20-21).

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 Child Dedication

The parents are asked to bring the child and stand before the congregation. This is a good time to speak of
Samuels parents bringing the young child to the emple to present him to the Lord. Mark 10:13-16 or Matthew
19:13-15 would be excellent passage of Scripture. The pastor explain that this is not infant baptism but a
recognition that children are a gift from God and that certain responsibilities are to be noted.

1. The parents are charged to bring up the child in the Scripture. it was said of Timothy, “ from infancy
you have known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make wise for salvation through faith in
Christ Jesus.
2. The church are reminded of its responsibility to pray for this new child as part of this family and
their service to the Lord.
Following this a certificate of dedication can be presented to the parents and they return to their seats.

Ordination Service for Deacons

The biblical qualficaion fro deacons is found in 1 Timothy 3:8-9.A charge to the church stating their
responsibility to cooperate and pray for the new deacons and a charge to the new deacons to support the
work of the pastor, be loyal to the church, and be faithful to the Lord’s work is in order. These can be
combined or included in the main message.

1. Hymn –“ Arise O God”

2. Prayer and opening remarks.
3. The charge to the church
4. The charge to the new deacons.
5. Scripture reading, a hymn or a choir number.
6. The sermon.
7. Ordination prayer; the new deacon kneeling at the altar.
8. Laying on of hands; all deacons and pastors participating.
9. Presentation of certificate of orientation.
10. Hymn and benediction.

Ordination Service for Elders or Pastors

1. Hymn –“ Arise O God”

2. Prayer and opening remarks.
3. Examination of the candidate.
4. Recommendation of council to proceed with ordination.
5. The charge to the candidate to be faithful in preaching the Word.
6. Ordination prayer: the candidate kneeling in front.
7. Laying on of hands; all deacons pastors participating.
8. The sermon.
9. The presentation of the Bible.
10. Hymn and benediction.

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Liturgical Worship Service Sample

Praise Cycle
Preparation (Scripture)
Hymn of Praise
Responsive Call to Worship (Scripture)
Invocation
Lord’s Prayer
Doxology (Old Hundredth)
Silent Adoration
Renewal Cycle
Call to Renewal
Prayer of Confession
Silent Confession
Words of Encouragement (Scripture)
Scripture (before Sermon)
Sermon
Commitment Cycle
Offering and Offertory
[Offertory Music]
Community Life
Prayers of the People
Hymn
Invitation to the Table
Creed
Eucharistic Prayer
Giving of the Bread and Cup (Scripture)
[Hymns and Songs]
Prayer of Dedication
Hymn
Benediction and Dismissal

Reformed Regulative Worship Service Sample

Zwinglian Calvinian
Invocation Scripture Sentence
Scripture Confession/Pardon
Sermon Singing of Psalms
Prayer Illumination Prayer
Creed/Decalogue Scripture Readings
Benediction Sermon
Psalm sung
Offerings
Intercession Prayer

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 Creed (sung)
Words of Institution
Exhortation
Communion (with singing or Scripture
reading)
Prayer
Benediction

Benedictions

Two Traditional Protestant Benedictions

The peace of God which passeth all understanding keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and
love of God and of His son Jesus Christ our Lord: and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son
and the Holy Ghost be amongst you and remain with you always. Amen.

Grant, we beseech thee, almighty God that the Words which we have heard this day with our outward
ears, may through thy grace be so grafted inwardly in our hearts that they may bring forth in us the
fruit of good living, to the honor and praise of thy name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

New Testament Benedictions

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you
may abound in hope. Romans 15:13

May the God of peace be with you all. Amen. Romans 15:33

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing
that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 1Corinthians 15:58

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2
Corinthians 13:14

So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have
strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know
the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-
19

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at
work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and
ever. Amen. Ephesians 3: 20-21

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ
Jesus. Philippians 4:7

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be
kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
1Thessalonians 5:23-24

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Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and
good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word. 2
Thessalonians 2:16-17

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all. 2
Thessalonians 3:16

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep,
by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us
that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Hebrews
13:20-21

according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus
Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you. 1 Peter 1:2

Peace to all of you who are in Christ. 1 Peter 5:14

Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, in truth
and love. 2 John 3

May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. Jude 2

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his
glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion,
and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. Jude 24-25

“He may worship God who shouts until the earth rings, and God may accept him. But
he may worship God as truly who sits in silence before the Most High and says not
even a word. It is the spiritual worship which is most acceptable to God, not the
external in any shape or form. It is the heart that has fellowship with the Lord, and it
needs little in the way of expressing itself—neither has God tied it down to this way or
that. It may find its own methods of utterance so long as it is truly ‘moved by the
Holy Spirit.’”
CH Spurgeon

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