Every few weeks I like to share an example of one of our worship services from Grace Fellowship Church. I do so hoping they serve as a model of how one church attempts to worship the Lord in a distinctly biblical way.
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This service’s cast of characters included Paul as our service leader and preacher, Brian as our lead worshipper, and Dwight as the elder who read the Scripture text and prayed. Steve, our associate pastor, closed out the service with a commission. Our band consisted of two guitars, cajon, and piano accompanying one male and one female vocalist. The various elements of the service are in bold with the name of the person who led the element in parentheses. Items in quotes or blockquotes represent roughly what the person said to the congregation. Items not in quotes are explanatory. The entire service took approximately 90 minutes.
Welcome & Call to Worship (Paul)
Paul began the service with a welcome which included reading Psalm 150. After the reading he this: “Who is worthy of all praise? Who deserves all the credit? Who shall we stop and worship today? The Lord, great and mighty.” We then stood to sing.
Singing (Brian)
- “How Great How Glorious”
Opposite Text Reading (Alex)
Alex read from Genesis 39:6-12.
Prayer of Confession and Word of Assurance (Paul)
Paul asked, “Have you fled from every temptation this past week like Joseph fled from Potiphar’s wife? If not, then it is right and good for us to confess our sins to our Maker before we go any further. Take a moment to silently pray to God and confess your sins.” After this silent prayer of confession, Paul gave a word of assurance by reading Psalm 30:1-5 and saying “Beloved Christian, since you are in Christ and have asked him to forgive you, be assured he has! And rejoice in his great mercy to you.”
Singing (Brian)
- “His Mercy is More”
- “A Debtor to Mercy Alone”
- “There is a Redeemer”
Pastoral Prayer (Dwight)
Dwight led the pastoral prayer. He prayed for a number of matters, including joy in trials, for conversions in Toronto, and for preparations for our church plant.
Scripture Reading (Dwight)
“Please take your Bible and turn to James 1. We will be be reading verses 2-19. That will be on page 1011 if you are using one of our church Bibles.” He began the reading with “This is what Holy Scripture says…” and ended it with “This is the word of the Lord,” to which the congregation replied, “Thanks be to God.”
Singing (Brian)
“We are happy to provide our Early Years Ministry: We have a Nursery for kids 0-24 months and a pre-school program for 2- and 3-year-olds; those have both already begun. We also have a Kindergarten for 4- and 5-years-olds, and that begins now. You may send your kids down to their teachers as we stand to sing.”
- “And Can It Be”
Sermon (Paul)
Paul preached a message titled, “How to Walk Your Talk Through Temptations” based on James 1: 12-19.
- Rejoice that your trials point to heaven (12)
- Accept that temptations are going to come (13-14)
- Remember that God is sovereign, but your sins aren’t God’s fault (13-15)
- Admit that all your sins are your fault (14-15)
- Believe that God will give you what you need not to sin (16-19a)
Singing (Brian)
- “May Your Power Rest on Me”
Commission (Steve)
Steve commissioned the church to live out the truths we heard in the service and especially in the sermon. This served as a bridge to tell about some of the events and opportunities coming up in the week(s) ahead.
Benediction (Steve)
“Receive this blessing of the Lord from His Word: ‘The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.’ AMEN.”