Our Audience Is God

We believe that the worship service is the time that we come together as a body and offer worship to our Triune God, through Jesus Christ. We believe that the audience for our worship service is God, not the person in the pew. We believe that the pastors and elders leading the service, as well as the musicians are there to lead the congregation in the worship of God. The elements of each worship service will have a theme directed by the Scripture and sermon for that Lord’s Day. Thus, the hymns, the call to worship, the call to confession, the prayer of confession will all be directed by this theme.

Understanding Our Order of Worship

The Greeting

“Grace and peace to you from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.” This greeting or some slight variation of it is used in the opening of every letter the Apostle Paul wrote in the New Testament.

The Call to Worship

Often, though not always, taken from Psalms, the call to worship is done responsively. The Pastor and congregation calling one another to worship.

The Hymn of Adoration

We sing in adoration to the Lord our God.

The Prayer of Adoration

The Pastor then speaks for the congregation in addressing God with adoration and thanksgiving for who He is and for being in our midst as we worship.

The Gloria Patri

Again the congregation joins together in singing to God. “Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost…” It is the very essence of Biblical worship for God’s people.

The Ministry of Music

Those participating in the ministry of music sing to God on behalf of the congregation and seek to lift the congregation in worship and focus attention on some specific aspect of God’s glory.

The Call to Confession

The portion of Scripture chosen for this event in the worship will remind us of our natural tendencies and our position before God. We are told in Scripture that we all sin and that it is an ongoing struggle even for God’s people.

The Prayer of Confession

The congregation joins in a unison prayer of confession. In this prayer God’s people come together as a body to confess their sin and seek God’s mercy in Christ; the only place where true mercy is to be found. Throughout Scripture, we find the prophets and many others addressing God in confession.

The Lord’s Assurance of Pardon

Assurance of God’s pardon can only come from God so it is taken from His Word, and is given in the form of a Scripture verse.

The Giving of Tithes and Offerings

Biblically the ministers are sustained and the expenses of the work of God’s house are provided for by the tithes and offerings of His people, which is in itself an act of worship.

Doxology

Having given the tithes and offerings, we return thanks in song to the source of all we have. “Praise God from whom all blessings flow…” We find the Apostle Paul bursting into doxology at the end of his theological teaching in the first 11 chapters of Romans.

Hymn

This Hymn will, in keeping with the theme of the service, be geared more toward preparing for the Scripture reading and sermon.

The Pastoral Prayer

Scripture commands that intercessory prayer be made and this is the time in the service that we do this as a body with this specific purpose.

The Scripture Reading

The Word of God is read to the Congregation and we give attention as God speaks to us through His Word. In preparation for the preaching of God’s Word the congregation asks God to, “Open our eyes, that we may see wonderful things from Thy Word.”

The Sermon

God’s Word preached is the primary means of the spread of the Gospel. The sermon will be the central piece of the Evangel worship service. We believe that nothing is a suitable substitute for the preaching of the Word. “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” (Romans 10:14-17 ESV)

The Prayer of Application

The Pastor then prays that God would apply the Word that has been read and preached to the lives of the congregation.

Closing Hymn

The congregation then raises its voice in a hymn that is often a hymn of application.

The Benediction

God’s blessing was commanded to be pronounced over His people.

The Lord’s Supper

We celebrate the sacrament of Communion, or the Lord’s Supper, the first Sunday of each month as a part of the worship service.