What we do in worship is important. This blog post will explain why, and also explain how our worship service is structured.
Hey church! I wanted to offer the following explanation for how we order our services of worship here at Rio. I think it will make your worship more fruitful to the Lord if you can participate in a more understanding way. I challenge you to look for this pattern next time we “gather.”
Whenever we worship together, the whole service proclaims the gospel. The sermon teaches that gospel in words, but every component of the service (music, prayer, reading, etc) is designed and ordered in such a way as to reenact the gospel story.
And what is the sequence of that gospel story?
Adoration: First, God calls us to Himself (thus more traditional churches begin with a formal “Call to Worship”), and then we enter God’s holy presence and adore Him who dwells in unapproachable light (1 Tim 6:16).
Confession: But then we see our own darkness in light of God’s glory and we are compelled to confess our unworthiness to Him (Isa 6:1-5).
Assurance: But God does not treat us as our sins deserve (Ps 103:9-10), for He has placed on Christ the full penalty due for our sin (Is 53:6). In Christ we have full assurance of salvation.
Thanksgiving: Then we joyfully express our thanks to our Redeemer by sacrifices of praise (Heb 13:15). Giving tithes and offerings is perhaps the most tangible expression of this.
Petition: Having tasted the goodness of the Lord (Ps 34:8), we then call on Him to show us more, that we may more fully know and serve Him (Rom 11:33; 1 Cor 13:9-13; Luke 17:5).
Instruction: He reveals Himself to us by His Word (1 Jn 5:13; 2 Tim 3:16-17).
Charge: Scripture is not a dead, ancient text, but a living and transformational tool of the Holy Spirit that necessarily demands a response (Heb 4:12). We don’t just hear the Word, we go do it (Jam 1:22).
Blessing: But we go and “do the Word” not in our own self-righteous determination, but in the name of the Lord Jesus, who alone gets the glory for using us as vessels of restoration in this broken world (Jam 1:27; Num 6:23-26).
The point here is not to think, “Okay, now we’re confessing, and now we’re thanking God, and next we’ll petition Him…” That would be misleading (in reality, they’re all interwoven) and also distracting from the more important issue: We “gather” to be shaped by His Word, increasingly into the likeness of Christ. And He accomplishes this work in us as His gospel is not just heard in the message but also demonstrated in every gesture of our worship.
Wow! I loved how you so clearly presented the beautiful mysteries of our Lord and how He reveals Himself in our worship. I wouldn’t miss the Night of Worship for the world!!!!
Beautiful Ryan, a little late in commenting but reading all the blogs yours, Tom & Matt’s for the first time, they’re great!