The Lord’s Day
Introduction
Most Christians gather on Sundays at least once with their local congregations to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. They have done this since the very beginning of the church as recorded in the book of Acts and in the epistles written by Paul and John. These gatherings share core elements: singing, prayer, reading Scripture, teaching, fellowshipping, giving and the ordinances..
If you have attended more than one church, you have probably noticed that although church services share core elements, they do possess diversity.
• Some dim the lights over the congregation and aim bright lights at those on the stage, while others keep the room well lit.
• Some sing while holding a hymnal, while others project the lyrics onto a screen.
• Some listen to short (25-30 minute) sermons while others expect to hear a sermon 45 mins to even an hour.
• Some congregations participate in reading confessions and prayers while other congregations are expected to remain silent when they are not singing.
• Some observe the Lord’s Supper weekly, while others reserve the memorial for special occasions like Easter and Christmas.
• Some encourage young children to participate with the congregation while others provide instructional time for the young at the same time as corporate worship.
While acknowledging the vast and diverse worship service one might encounter visiting Baptist churches, it is helpful to understand what principles and values shape the worship services at CFNW.
Foundational Principles that Shape Corporate Worship at CF Northwest
The practice of corporate worship falls into the category of methodology, but just as in every area, our practice (method) is shaped and determined by our core beliefs and highest values.
Principle #1 | God Speaks through His Word
The Scriptures are God-breathed. When we read, preach, sing, and pray Scripture we do so with the very words of God. He communes with us as He speaks and we listen. To gather in God’s presence is to gather in the hearing of His Word. To encounter God is to encounter His word.
Implication
• Every movement or element of the service is word centric.
• We set aside significant time to read the Scriptures.
• We select songs that are Scriptural in their wording and in their meaning.
• Sermons are submitted to the original meaning of the text (Expositional Preaching).
• The Word sets the agenda for our gatherings.
Principle #2 | We Are Participants Not Spectators
When the people of God gather they do so to act. They come to interact with God and each other. They do not come as bystanders to witness the activity; rather, they come to participate in the action. They come to hear God and to hear their fellow church members. They come to speak to God and to each other. They come not only to hear the truth proclaimed but to participate in the proclamation. They come not only to receive but also to give.
Implications
• We unite our voices in songs, creeds, and prayers. We not only sing together, but we also at times recite creeds, confess our guilt, and pray in groups.
• We actively get out of our seats and come together to the Lord’s table where we are served.
• We make the lyrics to our songs visible on the screen so that we can all participate.
• We select songs that are easy to sing as a congregation.
• We encourage people to come early and stay after the service to mingle and talk in fellowship.
• We value including children 1st grade and older to participate in corporate worship. They learn much more than information. They learn to participate by watching parents and other members of the community participate.
• We order the service in a way that instructs in the gospel those who participate not only as they listen but also as they act.
Principle #3 | We Value Order and Ordinary
By order we mean, intentional structure of the service. We do not value order for order’s sake. Scripture instructs us to preserve order when we gather. Actions should not be random, haphazard, and disordered. In the absence of order, confusion and error often sneak in under the guise of being “spirit led.”
By ordinary we mean the activities given to us in Scripture for serving each other when gathered corporately. These include: singing, giving, raying, reading and explaining of Scripture, preaching, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper. We trust that God has given these ordinary means of grace and we trust that He will work through them by His Spirit to grow His church into maturity.
Implications
• We follow a basic order of service every week that the congregation can easily follow (for a description of each element see below):
Call to Worship > Song of Praise > Reading of the Law > Confession of Sin > Assurance > Prayer of Thanksgiving > Songs of Thanksgiving > Reading of the Sermon Text > The Sermon > Response Moment > Lord’s Supper > Closing Song > Benediction
• We restrict our activities in corporate worship to those instructed by God’s word. This means that we exclude from corporate worship elements such as skits, dramatizations, fog or smoke, incense, or sophisticated lighting techniques intended to “enhance” or aid the worship experience.
Conclusion
We hold three principles when gathering for worship:
God speaks through His Word.
We are participants not spectators.
Order and the ordinary are good and sufficient.
These principles shape our practice - the things we do when we are gathered on Sunday Morning. We recognize that other churches hold the same values though their practices differ from ours. We do not wish to communicate that we “do church” correctly while everyone else does so wrongly. At the same time, we do believe the Scriptures require us to act intentionally when we gather for worship. We strive to shape our practice in accord with the truth and Godly wisdom.
Order of Service Summary
Call To Worship
The service opens with a reminder of the God we have gathered to approach. Most often the call to worship includes a passage of scripture that highlights the identity and nature of God, but sometimes we together read a creed or confession that articulates what we believe about God.
Song of Praise
With the “Song of Praise” we approach this God with the praise we owe him, and we serve each other by reminding one another of his holiness.
Reading of the Law
The “Reading of the Law” serves to remind us of what God requires of those who approach Him. This is most often the reading of a Scripture text which makes known God’s commands to us.
Confession of Sin
The “Confession of Sin” is the congregation’s acknowledgement that they do not meet the standard. We acknowledge that we have fallen short and ask God to forgive us. The prayer of confession is typically led by the pastor leading the service, but sometimes this is a prayer written by one of the pastors or a prayer borrowed from church history that the congregation prays together.
Assurance
The “Assurance” is normally given by one of the pastors. It is a reminder that God indeed is faithful to forgive those who confess their sins. Believers who confess their sins and ask for forgiveness should know that indeed their sins are removed and that they are secure as they approach God. This is usually a passage of Scripture that explicitly states God’s removal of sin and the believer’s reasonable confidence to approach the LORD.
Songs of Thanksgiving
Assured of God's forgiveness of our sins and favor toward us who believe, we respond by thanking him through “Songs of Thanksgiving.” These songs emphasize God’s goodness and provision for us specifically in His Son and more generally in his providential care.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
After being assured of God’s love and favor, one of the pastors leads the congregation in the “Prayer of Thanksgiving.” First, we are filled with thanksgiving and joy that our sins are forgiven, then we move on to other evidence of God’s grace and power displayed in and through the church. It is our practice to highlight one area of missions in which we are thankful. As always, thanksgiving generates petitions. We know God is good and that he desires to do good to us, so we ask him the desires of our heart. This prayer is typically less extemporaneous and more premeditated.
Reading of the Sermon Text
After thanking God for his favor and kindness, we turn our ears to listen to Him speak. The “Reading of the Sermon Text” is done by various leaders. The reading of the text is concluded with a prayer of petition asking God to illuminate our minds and hearts through the preaching of His Word.
The Sermon
The sermon serves as the focal point of the service, for it is the primary reason the congregation has gathered - to hear from God. We believe that it is the proclamation of God’s Word accompanied by the Spirit that provides life and nourishment to the church.
Response Moment
The congregation is called to respond to the sermon in three specific ways: Praise and Thanksgiving, Confession, and Requests. The preacher helps the congregation by giving specific examples of response for each. This is followed by giving a few moments to respond privately in the individuals’ seat and then an invitation to come to a pastor after the service for prayer or for help taking a next step.
Lord’s Supper
Having examined ourselves and confessed our sins, the pastor presiding over the administration of the LORD’s Supper will explain the elements, fence the table, give instruction for approaching the table, ask the Lord’s blessing on the meal, and then with the help of another elder serve the elements. After all have been served and returned to their seats, the congregation, led by the pastor, will take the meal together.
Song of Praise and Adoration
The closing song is one of praise and adoration as the congregation responds back to the God of glory they have seen and encountered.
Benediction
The “Benediction” is a reminder of God’s promise to His people that he will supply their strength and uphold them throughout the week. Such reminders serve to strengthen the believers. The Benediction is most often one of the handful of benedictions found in the Scriptures, but any passage that serves to remind the congregation of God’s faithfulness and covenant keeping love would be acceptable.
