We are growing into a worshiping church.  This may seem like a strange statement; after all, don’t we have worship services every week?  Of course! But there is more to being a worshiping church than holding a meeting on Sunday morning.

There are churches where people attend worship and there are churches where people worship. There is a difference. The way the hymns are sung, the sermon listened to and God engaged is noticeably different. The account of the first church in Acts 2:42-47 is that people were enthusiastically engaged in worship, in the temple, in the homes, all kinds of ways.

Worship at our first service is contemporary. We use guitar, drums, key-boards and music is led by a worship band. We sing worship songs by Chris Tomlin, David Crowder and many others.  Some of the songs we sing are the classic hymns with the traditional words set to new melodies.  Others are completely new. What both types of songs have in common, is the amazing and awesome character of God.  We also include classic elements of worship that Christians have used in different cultures and ages going back to our roots; the Lord’s Prayer, the Doxology and the reading of scripture.

Worship at our second service also incorporates the classic elements of worship; the Lord’s Prayer, the Doxology, the reading of scripture and the Gloria Patria. Music is centered around the organ and choir and hymns are sung with the traditional melodies.

The sermon at both services occupies about one third of our worship hour. We place a high priority on the sermon, because learning is central to worshiping God. In the account of the first converts, we read that "devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching," v. 42.  

Sermons and education in general are essential, as we all need to learn how to think and act as followers of Jesus Christ –it does not come naturally. The church from the beginning has placed a high value on education.  Jesus makes teaching central to mission in his Great Commission when he instructs disciples, "teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you," Matthew 28:20. The Apostle Paul articulates the educational mission/ministry of the church "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind," Romans 12:2.

Let’s worship together.