How Was Your Worship Service Today?

[Classical Presbyterian]

No one attacked me afterward, so I guess the poor hymn choices on my part were politely overlooked by a gracious people!

Be careful with hymns, Toby! I remember one Lord's Day (it was Easter Sunday, in fact), the church I was pastoring traditionally closed Sunday school with a song selected by the SS superintendent (I always select the hymns for worship, like you). 99.9% of the time he picked songs from the ARP psalter known as Bible Songs, so they were safe. This one Sunday, however, he decided to pick "He Lives." You know, the one with the chorus that ends, "You ask me how I know He lives, He lives within my heart." Well, I just hate that line (most of the rest of it stinks too, sorry if that offends anyone). So during the sermon, preaching on the resurrection, I commented on how that sentiment was just plain wrong. I don't know that Jesus lives because I have a warm subjective feeling in my heart; I know He lives because God's words declares it to be so! The next day, one of the ladies in church called me up and complained b/c that was one of her favorite hymns. Sigh.

I always wanted to edit that old thing: "You ask me how I know he lives? The Bible tells me so!"

We're using the Word hymnal and it's all generic evangelical. We'll find a better one someday, or I'll get better at picking them!

 

[PresbyDane]

You guys need to come over here and do a worship service, I can not find anywhere to go, so sometimes I go anyway to get communion, but most often I just stay home and read, and that is not good for me, but going to church being feed poisen is even worse.

 

[he beholds]

This morning we had a missionary join us from India. He taught our Sunday School class, more of an informational talk about what they are doing and how we can help. Then during the worship service he preached on Rev 5:1-10

5:1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, 4 and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

6 And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. 8 And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation,
10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.”

He began in Genesis, though, and went through the Bible using the illustration from a glacier dripping one drop of water and a drop becomes an ocean. So in Genesis it begins, and Adam and Eve were told to be fruitful and multiply. God could have created a full earth, but chose to have Adam and Eve begin the multiplying, and then Noah, and all these were looking forward to the time when Christ would come to redeem. And even Christ began with twelve, where God could have called many, many people immediately. And while in the OT they were looking forward to Christ, we have already seen that Christ has conquered, but we are still looking forward to heaven.

And my husband is on the mission committee, so we stayed for lunch with the missionaries after church. And they shared some more specific prayer needs.

I did not do justice to retelling of the sermon, but today was such a perfect day!
He used many illustrations, which typically distract me, but he was a very talented speaker, I think.

Churches supporting missionaries does so much for the church itself. We get to be encouraged by the amazing things that God does through mere men. Praise God!

 

[SolaScriptura]

Have you attended a worship service where the pastor was inexperienced and clumsy, he forgot to tell people to stand, forgot to announce his Bible text - he just started reading - tried to use a little humor at his own expense to "cover" his little mistakes, his sermon was kind of choppy and not really "fine-tuned"... but yet, somehow, almost inexplicably, you were blessed by the service?

That was my experience in worship today.

 

[Ivan]

Have you attended a worship service where the pastor was inexperienced and clumsy, he forgot to tell people to stand, forgot to announce his Bible text - he just started reading - tried to use a little humor at his own expense to "cover" his little mistakes, his sermon was kind of choppy and not really "fine-tuned"... but yet, somehow, almost inexplicably, you were blessed by the service?

That was my experience in worship today.

I didn't see you today!

 

[Guido's Brother]

This afternoon I preached on Lord's Day 30 of the Heidelberg Catechism, explaining the great differences between the Lord's Supper and the Roman Catholic mass and between worthy and unworthy partakers of the Lord's Supper.

Tonight I go to a retirement complex and I'll be preaching on Ephesians 2:1-3 as part of a series on the doctrines of grace.

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

A charming sermon on the meaning of the death of Christ and how limited atonement is a blasphemous modern idea, and that when you find two extremes on a position in scripture, it is the wise and proper thing to do to just affirm them both while claiming "I don't know how they work", and that the idea that there might be an "elect" or "chosen people" of God is a dangerous idea that motivated people like Hitler to commit acts of evil, and that if you believe man can't save themselves, then you have no reason to go out and preach the gospel.

Was he talking about how these ideas are heretical or was he endorsing them?

I don't go to a Reformed church. He was speaking against limited atonement.

Yowza! Come out from among them, brother!

AMR

 

[Rangerus]

Worship was great and the sermon was very inspiring as always. Dr Michael Lewis spoke on "Unashamed Love for God's Word" The sermon was from Psalms 119: 41-48.

The real interesting part however of my Sunday was the Bible Class. I made a judgmental error and I waded off into a discussion about Apostasy not realizing it would be too deep for some. We are in 2 Thessalonians 2 where Paul says "that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first." It seems we have one fellow in our class that just cannot believe that a person who "confesses with his mouth" may not actually be saved in the sanctified regenerated sense.

I guess he thinks that if he hears it (confession of Christ) then it must be so. And of course it could be, but not always, hence the Apostasy. It was John MacArthur, who said:

Apostates have received light but not life. They have known and accepted the written Word, but have never met Christ, the Living Word.

I am working this out myself, because I see it as a huge problem in the Reformed Bible Churches of today. Falling away in Christ, to me, is like breaking the marriage vow and forsaking all.

The time of testing will be a time of breaking and leaving. I am existential enough to see this as what happens to us daily. In the silent recesses of our most basic choices is the battleground for apostasy or faithfulness. Each decision sets us in a particular direction. Most are minor quakes, but the 7.9 will surely come. Do we stand or run? --J Scott McKay

Please pray for me as the Lord is teaching me about Apostasy, how to understand it, explain it, identify it and what we are to do about it.

 

[JBaldwin]

We are still working our way through Genesis. Today it was chapter 15. The pastor covered all the major points of the chapter, but here are a few that stuck with me.

God calmed Abram's fear by telling him "I am your shield and your great reward." What better protector than God? What greater reward than God Himself?

God made a covenant with Abram, and He sealed the covenant. As the hymn "The God of Abraham praise puts it "He by Himself hath sworn, I on His oath depend."

The cost of redemption and grace is not cheap, since God is the one keeps up both ends of the covenant (ours and His).

We sang a rousing setting of Isaiah 43:1-3, and a setting of Psalm 62 (which I've already posted somewhere on this board), both were particularly encouraging.

Our Bible study this evening was a continued discussion of Genesis 15.

 

[bookslover]

If Steven is not of age he is under the authority of his parents.

Actually, Bill, the introduction which he wrote about himself (in his public profile) says that he's 18. So, legally, he is old enough to make his own decisions. Still, I appreciate his decision not to upset his parents - unless, of course, he decides that the preaching at his church is just execrable that he simply has to leave.

 

[Brian Withnell]

When I talk about the worship service at my church, I find that I tend to sound like I'm going overboard, but then I really believe Bethel OPC has worship done right.

Every aspect of worship is thought out and is planned to be worship of God. Before the service begins, one of the deacons read a passage of scripture chosen to help those in the church focus on the glory of God and his call to us to worship him. During the time immediately after, music is played, and it is expected that people be circumspect in allowing people to meditate on entering worship. The call to worship is a reading of just a couple of verses, done responsively. The people then sang a hymn of praise. A prayer is offered, and we sang the Gloria Patri. The first section is done.

The next section is the reading of the law (the summary of the moral law contained in the ten commandments). Followed by a corporate prayer of confession, and then a time of person, silent prayer of confession with each person encouraged to confession their individual and particular sins individually and particularly. The pardon of Christ (always a quote of the scripture) is then pronounced on those that have truly and sincerely confessed and repented of their sins. The second section ends.

A responsive reading is done, followed by an offering (always stated as giving a token back to God, because of his rich blessing on us, and representing us giving all our lives to him). The deacons take up the offering, and bring it forward to the table of fellowship, and one of them leads the congregation in asking God to bless not just what was offered, but also bless our continued stewardship of what he allows us to retain.

We confessed our faith with the Nicene Creed.

We were then lead in the pastoral prayer, and then joined in praying the Lord's prayer together. End section 3

We sang (this week, Rock of Ages, in honor of the passing from this age into the next Elenor Kellogg, who died just hours short of her 96th birthday) a hymn of preparation. Received the reading of God's word (from Matt. 26 this week) and then heard the most gifted preacher I have ever heard provide a sermon that was in keeping with the quality of excellence I have heard week after week. The sermon was followed by a hymn of response (to hearing God's word) and then we received the benediction.

Every part of our service was designed to honor the thrice holy Lord of the Universe. Each part bringing to mind and heart that God, even though holy and just, still loves those whom he choose and demands our devotion (which we gladly bring). It is always a difficult thing for me to miss our worship service, and what I find even more amazing is that we will in the new age have worship that surpasses what I have seen these past many years. I am blessed beyond degree.

 

[toddpedlar]

Our church was devasted with sickness. Had 2/3s of the congregation missing.

We've had weeks like that this year. What a year for flu!

Slim pickens.

Slim Pickens was there? Yaaahooooooo!

 

[Ivan]

I did say devastation, didn't I? lol

BTW, that was a cool movie.

 

[Marrow Man]

You guys need to come over here and do a worship service, I can not find anywhere to go, so sometimes I go anyway to get communion, but most often I just stay home and read, and that is not good for me, but going to church being feed poisen is even worse.

That so very much stinks, brother. Perhaps the Lord will raise up a godly man in your country to faithfully proclaim His word.

I do remember one of the guys on the White Horse Inn radio program (the one who is a Lutheran) state that even in the U.S. in Lutheran congregations that are liberal, there is still some benefit from worship because of the liturgy. The word is read frequently, so there is benefit in that.

 

[Ivan]

It doesn't help when one family represented 20% of our attendance...it's a BIG family!

 

[Michael Doyle]

We were thoroughly blessed today as we had a pastor/ missionary from Mesa AZ visit us. He led us in SS and educated us on his future missionary journey to Scotland. He then preached on Genesis 1:26-28. He preached on giving man dominion over the earth. Gods first missionary command to man, to go and subdue the earth. It was a very good sermon using the text in a fresh way, in my opinion. We then had a meet and greet and one of our elders homes were he talked about the challenges facing him in Scotland. Postmodernism, Formalism, and Specialization. We had a great time of prayer and my wife and I talked about helping short term in Scotland that we may dip our toe in the water so to speak.

It was an awesome Lord`s day and I am rejoicing as we reflect. My sons youth group talked of Justification and Sanctification. It was a joy hearing him rehash the lesson.

 

[cih1355]

David Brickner, the executive director of Jews for Jesus, spoke at my church this morning. He preached on Acts 1:1-11. He spoke on how Jesus appeared to his disciples, the things that Jesus taught concerning the kingdom of God, how the Holy Spirit would empower the disciples to be His witnesses, and Christ's ascension.

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

A charming sermon on the meaning of the death of Christ and how limited atonement is a blasphemous modern idea, and that when you find two extremes on a position in scripture, it is the wise and proper thing to do to just affirm them both while claiming "I don't know how they work", and that the idea that there might be an "elect" or "chosen people" of God is a dangerous idea that motivated people like Hitler to commit acts of evil, and that if you believe man can't save themselves, then you have no reason to go out and preach the gospel.

Again I ask you, why do you not come out from this group? We are geographical neighbors and I know you have other options in the Phoenix metro area.

AMR

 

[Poimen]

Haggai 2:6-9 in the morning (as part of a series on the book) - “God’s Restoration People are Called to Contemplate the Coming Glory”

and Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 1 in the afternoon (readings from John 14) - “Only the Triune God Can Give Us True and Lasting Comfort”

 

[discipulo]

Sunday 15th February, Igreja Reformada de Massamá, 11 am.

My Pastor preached from several verses of Romans 1, and he clearly pointed to God’s wrath over sin and rebellion against God’s Law.

He denounced all the rebellion going on in society, as Portugal last year legalized abortion, homosexual marriage is being considered, TV and media are just promoting sexual immorality, adultery, one recent newspaper even announced the end of monogamy. It’s terrible.

And he declared how that is causing God’s anger and wrath upon our nation and people.

I found very important that his exposition of Romans 1 also mentioned how Christians cannot be silent and in apathy seeing all these things happening.

From vs 32, my Pastor made the very important point that it’s not enough for Christians not to do those things, obeying God mean also to denounce them , to publicly disapprove them, to witness of God’s Law against them, to resist them.

Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. Vs 32

Afterwards he told the congregation that there is Grace and forgiveness in Christ to all who repent, and it was a very fine preaching of the Gospel.

Christians here, even being a small minority, must take a stronger stand against what is going on in our country.

 

[Herald]

It doesn't help when one family represented 20% of our attendance...it's a BIG family!

You have one of those too? We call 'em the "large" family. When they're not there it's noticeable.

 

[Rich Koster]

We are going through Nehemiah. It is a sermon series based upon receiving God's vision, getting God's concern about the condition of the people, and doing what God wants in His timing. Only in chapter 2 , but so far good stuff.

 

[fredtgreco]

It doesn't help when one family represented 20% of our attendance...it's a BIG family!

You have one of those too? We call 'em the "large" family. When they're not there it's noticeable.

We have that too! In fact two of them! We have a family with 10 children and one with 8. The largest family had illness and it brought our attendance down as well.

 

[ColdSilverMoon]

We had an adult baptism of a new believer, some wonderful hymns and songs, and the sermon was on Romans 1:18-25. Our pastor focused primarily on our ingratitude for God's revealed glory in His creation because our hearts our fundamentally rebellious, which leads to suppression of the truth of Him, which leads to selfishness and idolatry. He made the point that everyone has a god of some sort in their lives, whether it be sex (as Paul uses in Romans), greed, religious moralism, etc, or the true God of the Bible. From there he illustrated how if our desire is for anything but God the worst thing that can happen is for God to give us that desire, because it always leads to our destruction.

His final point was that the only way to escape our idolatry and supression of God is through "radical grace" that He gives us. He concluded by saying that if we understand that Christ gave Himself up for us on the cross, it should change our hearts to a desire for the Gospel that satisfies all desires, the same way the angels long (he said it could also be translated "lust") to look into the Gospel as it says in 1 Peter. The bottom line is that only through longing for Christ alone will the desires of our hearts be quenched.

-----Added 2/16/2009 at 10:50:52 EST-----

When I talk about the worship service at my church, I find that I tend to sound like I'm going overboard...

Every part of our service was designed to honor the thrice holy Lord of the Universe. Each part bringing to mind and heart that God, even though holy and just, still loves those whom he choose and demands our devotion (which we gladly bring). It is always a difficult thing for me to miss our worship service, and what I find even more amazing is that we will in the new age have worship that surpasses what I have seen these past many years. I am blessed beyond degree.

Well said!

 

[bookslover]

It doesn't help when one family represented 20% of our attendance...it's a BIG family!

And, if they're the biggest (or, at least, among the bigger) financial supporters of the church, that can be a dangerous combination.

 

[steven-nemes]

Ask Mr. Religion: I know a church near to me, but the parent situation is sketchy...

 

[Contra_Mundum]

Here's our Order of Service for Sunday

AM Service (songs from the Psalter-Hymnal)

Call to worship Mt. 19:14
Invocation
Hymn 206 My Soul, Bless the Lord! (vv1-4)
Law Ex. 20:1-17
Comfort 1 Jn. 2:12-14
Hymn 206 My Soul, Bless the Lord! (vv5-8)
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Hymn 394 Spirit of God, Dwell Thou Within My Heart
Text Proverbs 1:20-33
Sermon Please, Allow Me to Introduce Myself...
Hymn 59 Ye Children, Come, Give Ear to Me
Benediction
Responsive hymn 4 O Lord, How Swiftly Grows (vv1-2)



PM Service (songs from the Trinity hymnal)

Call to worship 1 Cor. 5:4, 7-8
Invocation
Hymn 102 All Glory Be to Thee, Most High
Creed WLC34

​

Question 34: How was the covenant of grace administered under the Old Testament?
Answer: The covenant of grace was administered under the Old Testament, by promises, prophecies, sacrifices, circumcision, the passover, and other types and ordinances, which did all foresignify Christ then to come, and were for that time sufficient to build up the elect in faith in the promised Messiah, by whom they then had full remission of sin, and eternal salvation.​

Hymn 637 What Shall I Render to My God
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Hymn 420 At the Lamb's High Feast We Sing
Text Exodus 12:1-28
Sermon But if I See the Blood
Hymn 512 I Lay My Sins on Jesus
Benediction
Responsive hymn 723 Come Away to the Skies (vv3-4)

 

[TheocraticMonarchist]

You guys need to come over here and do a worship service, I can not find anywhere to go, so sometimes I go anyway to get communion, but most often I just stay home and read, and that is not good for me, but going to church being feed poisen is even worse.

It sounds like you need a Missionary. I'll be praying for you brother

 

[A.J.]

You guys need to come over here and do a worship service, I can not find anywhere to go, so sometimes I go anyway to get communion, but most often I just stay home and read, and that is not good for me, but going to church being feed poisen is even worse.

Martin, I feel sad to hear about that. I agree with Jonathan that your country needs Reformed missionary work. There are Reformed believers like you who feel the same about the situation in their homelands. Many of them go to the USA and study for the ministry there. They become members of a good Reformed church, finish their studies, wait for a call to the ministry, get ordained, and go back to their respective countries as missionaries. Such an endeavor would obviously be expensive, and might meet some resistance from family and friends. But I do think that would be a good investment for you and your family, and Denmark as well.