Why So Many Words in Worship? by  Kevin DeYoung

Perhaps you’ve wondered why Christian worship is so heavy on words? Perhaps you or your church has been criticized for being too propositional, too auditory, too…wordy. Well, here are twenty-five reasons why verbal proclamation–through the reading, preaching, singing, and praying of the Bible and biblical truth–should have the preeminent place in corporate worship . . . (more)

Should Worship Be Fun? by Bob Kauflin

More than once I’ve heard Christians claim that worship should be fun, or act like they had a responsibility to prove that Christians knew how to “party” in church. I’ve always been uncomfortable with that connection, so I started thinking about the place of “fun” in worship, if one even exists. I’d like to address this question by answering it as I posed it, and then considering two other ways it might be phrased.  Should worship be fun? (more)

Making the Most of Worship

Pastor’s note: Some years ago, Reformed Theological Seminary’s quarterly publication used the theme of worship. I kept one page which contained some worship helps which Reverend Skip Ryan used with his congregation at Trinity Presbyterian Church, Charlottesville, Virginia. These helps are reprinted here for our benefit.  (more)

Why We Do the Things We Do

Part 1 -- Introduction
It was in the mid 1960’s that the Temptations recorded the hit record, “The Way You Do The Things You Do.”  For some time I have wanted to write a series of short articles about the content and order of our public worship, with some general teaching on worship itself.  I’ve always thought the best title for this series is “why we do the things we do,” and I can’t think of it without remembering this old Temptations hit; nevertheless, my hope is that these short articles will be helpful to adults and children in our congregation, to visitors who worship with us, and to those who visit our website to learn more about what we believe about and do in worship. (more)

Part 2 -- Not Forsaking Our Own Assembling . . .
Obey Your Leaders and Submit . . .
We meet on Sunday because it is the Lord's Day or Christian Sabbath.   In the Old Covenant, God’s people were to keep the 7th day holy.  Under the New Covenant, it is the 1st day of the week.  Jesus Christ was raised on the 1st day and this day was the day upon which Christians gather for worship, and was called the Lord’s Day. (more)

Part 3 -- Get Me to the Church on Time
Being on time for worship is one of the things we are to do; but what I’m about to write here goes far beyond an on time issue, and could significantly change the way you consider worship, even if you are one of those folks who is always on time. (more)

Part 4 -- Are You Ready to Worship?
Our time together in worship usually begins with music being played while the congregation is gathering.  Hopefully, before arriving, worshippers have prepared for worship such as confession of sin, prayer for the Holy Spirit's blessing, attempts of reconciliation with other belivers, etc.  (more)

Part 5 -- Breaking News
Welcome Announcements and Minute for Ministry -- We welcome visitors and emphasize some announcements to the congregation before worship begins because we believe that such is not a part of worship.  This is simply a time of greeting.  We try to keep it short because time is limited and there are more important things to follow in worship.  (more)