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PRAYER

The apostle Paul places prayer at the center of the Christian discipline of maintaining a continuous spirit of worship. "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18). There are several reasons that prayer plays such an outsized role in worship. Prayer brings us into God's presence, prayer directs our focus on God, prayer helps us recognize our place and our purpose, and prayer aligns our heart with God's. Understanding these reasons can help us maximize the impact of our worship.

SINGING

The most vital part of singing is the heart, not the vocal cords; the quality of the meditation, not the beauty of the sound. Paul told the church at Ephesus that they should make melody with their heart (Ephesians 5:19). He said that a heart prepared to sing was a heart "filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:19), that is, a heart that is richly filled with the word of Christ (Colossians 3:16). Singing is to be directed to God. One type of song is a hymn (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16). A hymn is a song of praise that is sung in order to honor God and to magnify Him for His great power, His infinite wisdom, and His wonderful character. Through Jesus we are to continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God (Hebrews 13:15). With one accord and with one voice we are to glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 15:6). We are to sing not only to praise God for who He is, but to thank Him for all that He has done and is doing for us- to express our appreciation for the spiritual and physical blessings that we receive from His hand. Our spiritual sacrifices should include the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name (Hebrews 13:15). We are to sing with thankfulness in our hearts to God (Colossians 3:16). We sing not only to God, but we speak to one another as brethren (Ephesians 5:19). We sing spiritual songs that contain truths (and even quotations) from Scripture that instruct us and admonish (or warn) us concerning the consequences of living immorally and failing in our responsibilities (Colossians 3:16). Also, when we sing in the assembly we do so to edify or to build one another up in our faith (1 Corinthians 14:26).

LORD'S SUPPER

We in the church of Christ strive diligently to follow the pattern of worship of the first century Christians. Scripture teaches us that the doctrines and commandments of men render our worship "vain" and worthless (Matthew 15:9). In addition to this Paul taught by inspiration that the Jews being "ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness", had "not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God" (Romans 10:3). So with this thought in mind we recognize that in order to be assured our worship is according to God's righteousness and not men's, we look to the pattern of worship practiced by the first Christians as recorded by inspiration of God and follow only that pattern adding nothing nor subtracting anything from it.

PREACHING

Each Sunday, there is a time of teaching/preaching during the worship assembly. These messages are biblical, practical, and inspiring. Through the preaching of the Word the church is called to grow in the likeness of Jesus. "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work". (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

CONTRIBUTION

The collection, or contribution, is taken only at Sunday worship service. At this time each gives of his means as he has been prospered and as he has purposed in his heart (1 Corinthians 16:1-2). It is voluntary and is the sole means of financing the work by the congregation.

FELLOWSHIP

To followers of Christ, our church's physical gatherings are an essential means of growing spiritually, however common. When the church was born at Pentecost, its unity of Spirit was tangibly expressed in its public gatherings: "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. All who believed were together continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart." (Acts 2:42-46) The words "continued" and "together" and "one accord" all describe a divine template for God's people: gathering regularly, living in purposeful association with other followers of Jesus. The gathered community of God's people is the primary construction site for building Christ-likeness in Jesus' followers. To put it bluntly, if we're to grow spiritually, we need to be relationally present and engaged in one another's lives.

RESOURCES