As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
Gathered worship, local church worship, corporate worship.
“These four posts will move from the more fixed and foundational things to the more practical and flexible—from theological foundations (Part 1) to liturgical rhythms (Part 2) to preparation of a Sunday gathering (Part 3) to tips for getting organized (Part 4).” - 9 Marks
“A ‘top-down approach’ essentially means that theologically speaking, God has the right to inform and reform how I — or anyone — should approach him in worship.” - P&D
A questionnaire for gathering feedback on worship services - 9 Marks
Churches worship in a variety of ways—some good, others … not so good. The “right way to worship” question often ends up at a discussion of the regulative vs. normative principles. Here, I’ll do something different. I’ll simply describe how our congregation worshipped one Sunday in April 2024. Perhaps it will help you. Perhaps it will encourage you. Maybe it will give you some ideas. Maybe it’ll let you know what not to do! But here it is.
This is our service order:
‘Be Careful’ With Worship Music From Bethel, Hillsong and Elevation, Says Ministry Leader Allen Parr - C.Leaders
“It’s good when we seek God in the ordinary, see the sacred behind the common, open our eyes to the beauty of the world, and meet God in the everyday rhythms of life…. But not at the expense of his transcendence.” - TGC
“The question of whether to mention the latest blockbuster from the pulpit requires wisdom. When are pop culture references from the pulpit distracting? When are they appropriate?” - TGC
“If God, or biblical truths, or anything in a worship service is simply means to achieving a religion emotion, then the religious emotion is the true object of our affections.” - Churches Without Chests
“Worship is about believers speaking the message of Christ to one another. But when the focus of the service becomes about everyone on the platform doing the right thing at the right time, worship begins to look more like a performance than a gathering of believers.” - Lifeway
“The Psalms teach us to praise God with the full spectrum of human emotion, from rejoicing to lamenting, sometimes even within the same passage.” - TGC
Discussion