Every church does things a little differently. It’s nice to know what’s going on before you get there for the first time, and it’s also nice to know why a church follows a certain practice, even if you’ve been going for a while.
We have listed some of the major elements of most worship services at GraceLife. That way, you know what we do and why we do it, even if you’ve never come into a church before.
The Call to Prayer
In the Sunday morning worship service our pastor will lead the congregation in a special moment of prayer as we all kneel in submission to our God. Kneeling is not absolutely necessary to pray but it is an outward expression of an inward attitude.
The Offering
Often overlooked as sort of a mundane part of the worship service, the offering is actually very important. It is an opportunity for everyone to offer something to God. Other than financial contributions, worshipers might offer their attention, loyalties, prayer concerns or personal dedication.
The Sermon
The “centerpiece” of the worship service is the preaching of God’s Word. We believe that the scriptures are “God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness”(2 Timothy 3:16). During the sermon, the Holy Spirit moves among the congregation to speak in a variety of ways to address a variety of needs.
The Invitation
The culmination of the worship service is aimed at God’s people responding to God’s voice. When God speaks He expects a response. Therefore, at the conclusion of our corporate worship times, we offer an opportunity for anyone to make a public acknowledgement of an inward decision. This could be concerning a decision to follow Jesus Christ, to join the church, request prayer or some other spiritual matter. The pastor will invite those who would like to respond.