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“We believe that when we gather on Sundays, we meet with God to hear from Him and for Him to hear from us,” Mary Fairchild, Christian minister, writer and editor, wrote. “What goes on is something of a divine dialogue, and a thoughtful liturgy will be structured to reflect the back-and-forth nature of that encounter.”
Every church conducts their service according to a specific order of worship, Cruse wrote. The established order can be defined by the word “liturgy.”
The word, “liturgy,” comes from the Greek word, “leitourgia,” which translates to, “work of the people” or “public service,” Jonathan Cruse, pastor of Community Presbyterian Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan, wrote for Ligonier.
While the liturgy of a service may differ from church to church, there is a typical arrangement of worship many evangelical churches follow, Fairchild wrote for Learn Religion.
Evangelical churches are churches that focus on preaching the gospel, testimonies and Scripture as the basis of faith and active evangelism, according to Britannica.
The length of a service is usually anywhere from one to two hours long, Fairchild wrote. This time will often begin with songs of praise and worship, followed by an opportunity for members to greet each other. A church may request offerings before the pastor begins their message, and the service will typically end with more songs.
Certain churches may include communion, an altar call or a time of prayer for specific needs in their liturgies, Fairchild wrote.
Liturgy is simply how a church conducts their proceedings, and it isn’t going to look the same for every denomination.
Lutheran liturgy includes a prelude before entering a time of gathering, preaching the word, eating a meal and sending, according to The Holy Trinity Lutheran Church.
In Catholicism, there is the Order of Mass, during which there is the liturgy of the Word and the liturgy of the Eucharist, according to The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
For the liturgy of the Word, there will be three Scripture readings. The first reading is from the Old Testament, the second reading is from the New Testament and the third is from one of the four Gospels.
The liturgy of the Eucharist is a time for gifts, offerings and prayers before taking communion.
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While the Bible does not have one specific passage on what liturgical worship should look like, there are verses that provide guidance and instruction.
Leviticus 1:1 talks of how the Lord spoke to Moses from the tent of meeting. Similarly, Hebrews 12:22-24 mentions that the people gathered at Mount Zion, so that they may hear from God and Jesus. Both passages highlight that for centuries Christians have been gathering to listen to what the Lord has to say, Cruse wrote.
1 Corinthians 14:26 calls Christians to worship together, so they might build one another up. It is important that the specific order of a service does not take precedence over the act of worshiping itself, according to Compelling Truth.
“A particular liturgy can greatly honor God, but it can also be used in place of true worship of God,” according to Compelling Truth.
If a church follows the lesson of 1 Corinthians 14:26, then their liturgy should also encourage members to participate in singing and prayers, Fairchild wrote.
“The way a service is structured will inform the way we are structured. A God-centered and Gospel-focused service will produce people who are the same,” Cruse wrote.
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Intentional Worship
Providence Church in Knoxville, Tennessee intentionally thinks about how they structure their Sunday morning services and breaks the mold of a standard evangelical liturgy.
Providence Church began as a small group formed by Lance Robinson, and their first official service was held on Easter Sunday in 1993, according to their website. What started as a congregation of about 30 became a church that extended into Eastern Europe and South Africa.
Unlike most evangelical churches, Providence Church does not begin their service with songs, according to their website. Instead, they begin with a time of prayer and welcoming before singing one or two songs.
“We chose to craft worship services, where music and teaching made it easy for those unfamiliar with Christianity and the Bible to understand how to follow Christ,” according to their website.
Providence Church recognizes that a Sunday service ultimately reflects the culture of a church, Bryan McKaig, member of the worship and creative team at Providence Church, wrote in an article for their website.
“We think that gathering every week is a vital and central part of the identity and mission of any church,” McKaig wrote.
“The literal spotlight may be on the stage, but the real event isn’t the band playing — it’s the church singing. Every voice in the room is meant to be raised to God as one big voice,” McKaig wrote.
Following these songs, an elder or preacher will give the lesson meant to educate their members in the Scriptures, McKaig wrote. After the message, the church will begin their main time of singing, which Providence Church prefers not to call “worship,” as it suggests that the rest of the service is not worship.
“These songs are chosen specifically to reinforce, extend or revisit the themes of the Bible text in ways that apply to our hearts and that allow us to grapple with how Jesus is inviting us to surrender to him,” McKaig wrote.
Providence Church ends their Sunday services with a moment of prayer or sending that encourages members to take what they have learned and apply it to their daily lives, McKaig wrote.
The liturgy of a church is important because it enables Christians to further their spiritual journey when they attend Sunday services. Leaders of churches should take care in making sure that their order of worship is intentional and beneficial.
“So, next time you walk into a worship service — at Providence, or anywhere — take a second to remember that this is an intentional moment for God to work, and ask him how he wants to form you to be more like Jesus in the next hour and twenty minutes,” McKaig wrote.
Intentional worship should continue into the daily lives of Christians. Incorporating liturgical prayer or devotional time each day allows for an authentic pursuit of discipleship. Fulfilling a relationship with Christ doesn’t start and end with a Sunday service, a type of liturgy in itself. The relationship is an everyday and life-long commitment that should be at the center of a Christians’ life in order to prioritize and strengthen their relationship with God.
Shelby grew up in the Bay Area in California. She is currently a junior studying Journalism and Integrated Media with a Concentration in Writing and Publishing at Biola University. She hopes to pursue a career as a writer or editor.
