DRESS FOR WORSHIP.

My First Baptist Church members will remembers the dress code back in 1980, which I might add was the code in society as well. My position was dress for the glory of Christ, men or women.

When the local church ministries started to reach out to the lost world, they had to say, "come as you are to our church." And that would have been okay, but what happen, Christians began to come as they were to church, and then there was not a difference between the lost and the saved. The lost could not see any difference between them and the saved people.

While it is true that your dress doesn't necessary say you are a Christian, its your attitude and love for Christ. at the same time, you don't want to say you are not a Christian by your dress, clothing.

Here is my point, make sure your manner of appearance appears to be one that expresses your true love for the Lord Jesus Christ and that others can see by your behavior and appearance you love the Lord.. However that is fleshed out, will be the key.

Interesting artical on this subject as well here

DO YOU SEE ENJOYMENT ON SUNDAY

Orange Ave Baptist Church in the 1950's where my Dad was the pastor. (I need a picture of the other side) (Mr. Bennett, Dester, Song Leader John H. Jones, and Mrs. Pugh, (where am I))

Victory Baptist Church, West Portsmouth Ohio where Bob Temple was the pastor and I was the Youth Director, our youth group look like they were having a good time? 1974 was the year.

(Note in the 50's we were standing and in the 70's we are standing, and in 2008 we are still standing.)

This is in a church in 2008 looks like a good church service?

DO YOU ENJOY THE MUSIC AND THE PREACHING/TEACHING IN THE CHURCH GATHERING, AND HOW DO YOU DETERMINE THAT?


DO YOU ENJOY THE MUSIC AND THE PREACHING/TEACHING

Group of worshippers singing. No this is not Rivers of Joy Baptist Church. Yet.


It's ironic that our desire and unexamined criteria for "enjoying" the public gathering of the church may be eroding our deeper enjoyment of it. We may be like those crabs with one big claw and one little claw. We may have a big-claw, overdeveloped sense of enjoyment as near-the-surface emotional response to things that entertain (even in the best sense of that word), while having a little-claw, underdeveloped appreciation for those spiritual disciplines that require more work to produce enjoyment and fruit (things like prayer, Bible study, fasting, giving, the Lord Supper, and listening to the word).

I am going to address this issue and this conclusion later today:

ENTERTAINMENT IN THE CHURCH WORSHIP

• If I'm correct that these are the things that increase enjoyment of prayer and preaching, then it should be obvious why an entertainment ethos in public gatherings is so spiritually destructive.

The Church Bulletin and Order of Worship

WHY THE CHURCH BULLETIN

THE ELEMENTS OF WORSHIP

Weekly church bulletins, what can I say? I don't like them very well. I was getting ready to put out this Sunday's bulletin and wondering what kind of design to use. I was looking on Window 2007 to see what they had. There was one named "Protestant Church Bulletin" so I downloaded this spread sheet. That was different, not Baptist, but good. A bulletin is to give the members an idea of what the service is going to be about and what the weekly activities are going to be, etc. I think? I have put out different kinds of newsletters, papers, over the years and collected a number of bulletins from various churches.

So in the process, I ask. just how would God want us to have worship on Sunday and during the week.

CAN WE KNOW HOW GOD HAS PRESCRIBED WORSHIP FOR THE LOCAL CHURCH?

There are as many ways local churches worship as there are local churches. So are they all right?

So I was researching this idea of should we seek to do God's work in His Church in a way that He as prescribed in His Scriptures?

We believe that God, who has lordship and sovereignty over all, is holy, and does good unto all, and is therefore to be worshipped because He is God, He is to be feared, praised, and called upon, and trusted in, and served, with all our hearts, and with all our soul, and with all our might. The Lord our God, who alone is to be worshiped, teaches us the way in which we are to worship Him in His Word.

As we have said, the BIBLE, which is the Word of God, is entirely sufficient for everything in our faith, life and practice and we do not need to add anything of our own, nor really should we. Rather we should seek to have our worship to be ordered according to God's instructions and not according to our imaginations or traditions, or our desire to see more people come to our services, or in any way God has not prescribed for us. This is not to say we don't desire to see the Lord add to His church, we do. Its not to say we do not desire to see visitors come and visit we do. But we desire first and foremost to see the Lord glorified and honored by our worship to Him.

While there are many ways, it seems to interpret the general directions the Lord has given in the Bible about how He wants to be worship there is a pattern He has given.

WHAT SHOULD A WORSHIP SERVICE BE LIKE:

1. PRAYER: Outside preaching/teaching prayer is the most important aspect of our worship. Acts 3:1, I Corinthians 14:14-19, Acts 6:4.
   
2. READING OF SCRIPTURE. Reading the Scripture is a vital element in the public worship of the church. In 1 Timothy Paul instructs Timothy that it is his duty as an elder of the church to devote himself to "the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.. (4:13). Its the Word in which God speaks to us, and we worship Him by hearing with reverence, diligent attention, self application and obedience. Reading the Scripture as a part of the services gives a voice of God in our worship.


3. THE SOUND PREACHING OF THE WORD. God has ordained preaching of the Word of God as a means for His Church to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ in every age. In preaching/teaching, God's whole counsel is proclaimed, and the way of salvation in Jesus Christ is made clear. Mark 16:15, Acts 10:42 and 2 Timothy 4:2

THE PURPOSE OF PREACHING

1. That God might be edified.
2. The lost might be converted.
3. The people of God might be edified and build up in faith.

PREACHING SHOULD BE:

1. Biblical sound (Titus 2:1) That is doctrinally correct.


2. Diligent (Acts 18:25.)


3. Faithful (I Corin 4:2).


4. Complete (Acts 20:27.


5. Powerful (1Corin 2:4)


6. Clear and easy to understand (1Corin 3:2).


7. Filled with fervent love toward Christ.

4. THE ATTENTIVE HEARING OF THE WORD. It is the responsibility of all God's people to worship the Lord in Spirit and in truth. A critical part of our right worship of Christ is the paying of close attention in hearing the word of God preach on Sunday morning.

Give special attention preparing ourselves to hear that word through our personal prayer and the study of the Scriptures.

"I didn't get much out of that sermon?" the real reason I would say for that is that we didn't put much into that sermon. Should we really expect to be captivated by something that, through our lack of preparation, we are totally unprepared to receive what we hear?

5. THE SINGING. The singing of praise unto the Lord is a vitally important element in the scripture worship of God. Col. 3:16. I Corin 16:9. Eph 5:19 and Col 3:16.

6. PUBLIC CONFESSION OF OUR FAITH: 1 Timothy 6:11-12. I take this to mean in my opinion, confession of our faith in Jesus Christ. Testimony would be a way of confession public our love for Christ.

7. THE COLLECTION: Now note 1 Corinthians 16:1-2.

• Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also; On the first day of the week let each one of you lay somethings aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come."

• Paul is saying the members of the church: it is their duty to give as the Lord has prospered them for the relief of needy members of the church. Coming to the church the first day of the week, (I wonder if this would be Saturday as well?) to give a portion of the riches that God has given for the need of the poor, the spreading of the Gospel, and other expenses of the church.


• Is Paul saying to give ten percent? we have always heard this, give 10 percent? I would agree that we should give a portion of our income. In the Old Testament they gave 30 percent. That would be good. I say, we should made sure all our income will bring glory to Christ. And if you do the more you can give to the cause of Christ in the church.

8. The Lord's Supper and Baptism

• I Corinthians 11:23, Matthew 28:19, Col 2:11, Acts 2:38-39, Matthew 26:26
• I will address baptism in another blog soon. When are we to baptize a believer? How old should a person be to be baptized?
• When are we to take of the Lord's Supper? Who is to take the Lord's Supper?

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WHAT WORSHIP MIGHT BE
Part Two

BACK TRACK TO WORSHI0P TO WORSHIP

So how do you get started? First, you must repent. The failure to worship God in spirit and in truth is not just an unfortunate lapse in spiritual enthusiasm, it is a sin. To love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, and mind is not the greatest suggestion in the Law, it is the greatest commandment (Matt. 22:36-40). Confess your sin, clear your conscience, and get ready for step two––prepare to worship God.

Acceptable worship doesn't happen spontaneously–– you must prepare yourself. Let's look at Hebrews 10:22. "Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." That verse begins with the phrase "let us draw near"––it is our call to worship. What follows are four checkpoints to help you prepare for worship.

The Checkpoint of Sincerity –– We are to draw near "with a sincere heart." That speaks of a genuine heart, devoted to pursuing God. It is hypocritical to be worshiping God when you are really apathetic or preoccupied with self. Draw near to God with your whole heart.

The Checkpoint of Fidelity –– We are to draw near "in full assurance of faith." The Hebrews were clinging to Old Covenant forms of worship to find acceptance before God; but the coming of Christ put an end to ceremony and sacrifice. Each person had to be willing to say, "I'm coming to God in full confidence that I am not saved by a system of ritual. I come fully by faith in Jesus Christ." You too are to be fully assured that God accepts your worship, not because of what you do, but because of what Jesus did in providing atonement for you.

The Checkpoint of Humility –– We are to draw near to God "having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience." That is, you come to God with the knowledge that you are unworthy to be in His presence. The only reason anyone can come to Him is the blood of Christ, which was shed on the cross as a cleansing for sin.

The Checkpoint of Purity –– We are to draw near having "our bodies washed with pure water." That refers to the daily cleansing by the Word of God. The process of sanctification ferrets out sinful thoughts and exposes sinful behavior. Before you worship, confess the sins that God uncovered through His Word so you can draw near in purity.

Every time you worship, whether corporately or privately, try preparing yourself by asking these questions:

• Am I seeing God anew in the Word through discovery and meditation so I am compelled to draw near to Him?
• Am I being sincere? Is my heart fixed on Him and undivided?
• Am I fully assured that only faith in Christ can bring me to God's throne?
• Am I coming humbly, realizing I can draw near only because of what Christ has done for me?
• Is there any sin in my life I haven't dealt with?

Perhaps you've been attending church for years, but you've never really drawn near to God, nor have you sensed His nearness––even in your own private devotions and prayers. Now you know, or perhaps have been reminded: God has redeemed you so you can worship Him. It is the purpose for which you were created. Continue living in the light of the wonders you iscover about God in His Word, and ask Him to teach you more and more by experience what it is to worship Him in spirit and in truth. That is a prayer our great God will delight in answering.

What is worship? Let me give you a definition: Worship is "honor paid to a superior being." It means "to give homage, honor, reverence, respect, adoration, praise, or glory to a superior being." In Scripture, the word is used indiscriminately to refer to the homage given to idols, material things, or to the true God. So the word in itself is not a holy word, it only describes honor given to a superior being.

The common New Testament word for worship is proskuneo, which means "to kiss toward, to kiss the hand, to bow down, to prostrate oneself." The idea of worship is that one prostrates himself before a superior being with a sense of respect, awe, reverence, honor, and homage. In a Christian context, we simply apply this to God and prostrate ourselves before Him in respect and honor, paying Him the glory due His superior character.

Essentially, then, worship is giving - giving honor and respect to God. That is why we, as Christians, gather together on Sunday. We don’t gather to give respect to the preacher or those in the choir, we gather to give honor to God. The sermon and the music are just to be the stimuli that create the desire in our hearts to honor Him.

So, if you attend church for what you can get, (i.e., to "get a blessing"), you’ve missed it! When we gather together to worship the Lord, our focus is to be on giving to Him, not getting from Him. Worship is a consuming desire to give to God, and it involves the giving of ourselves, our heart attitudes, and our possessions.

Drafted by Charles E. Whisnant 01 08 07

If people didn’t see it in the bulletin they wouldn’t know what worship look or felt like

part one

I have said often "If people didn't see it in the bulletin they wouldn't know what worship look like." Most people don't know. The worship leader will say, "Now we will start worship." following the prelue. Can worship be turned on on cue? As preachers we need to teach what is meant by Worship.

Who is God? What is He like? Every fledgling believer asks those questions––the answers he finds evoke wonder and praise. Do you remember that time? Your appetite for truth was craving, you attended every Bible conference you could, and you were faithfully involved in every ministry and program the church had to offer. Everything you learned about God filled you with joy and ignited zealous activity.

So, what happened? Sadly, I've watched many Christians lose the wonder of worship as the years pass. Life for them grinds on monotonously and church attendance becomes rote behavior––you sing, you listen to a sermon, you greet a few people with handshakes and smiles, and you go home.

If that sounds familiar, return to God by submitting to James' imperative: "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded" (4:8). To know the one true God is your glorious calling. Are you ready to draw near? Let me give you some practical encouragement on how to do that.

Discerning Worship

Worshiping God is the essence of being a Christian. Jesus explained that point to a Samaritan woman this way: "An hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers" (John 4:23). If we are Christians, we are worshipers. Our hope of eternal life is really an anticipation of unhindered, unadulterated worship. "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent" (John 17:3). With that in mind, we evangelize the lost to gather more worshipers to fill our ranks. Worship then is at the heart of everything we are and do.

Tragically, many Christians today have set their affections on the temporal things of this world, exchanging their great privilege of knowing God better for that which is mundane. King David had the best this world had to offer––money, power, success, fame––and yet he said, "One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple" (Ps. 27:4,(

Let me make an important observation at this point. I think some people get the sense that doctrinal precision equates to emotional sterility. Though we can all point to examples of that, nothing could (or should) be further from the truth. There is no lack of passion in David’’s psalms, and his theology––under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit––was impeccable. Knowledge of God to Him was "to behold the beauty of the Lord" and he wanted to meditate on it for the rest of his life. Does that sound like cold orthodoxy to you?

Here's a simple way to look at worship: Worship is an overflow of a mind renewed by the truth of God. Cast in that light, delving into the truth of God's Word becomes discovery rather than dry and lifeless study. When you discover a great truth about God, you meditate on that truth––mulling it around in your mind––until it captivates your whole thinking process. That in turn will lead to worship.

Worship is really the outcome of two of the simplest Christian disciplines: Bible study and prayer. Study the Bible with the goal of discovering the wonders of God. Once you latch on to some great truth, fill your mind with it and ponder it in prayer before God. Your inner man will respond with righteous affections that will fill you with joy and renew your zeal to serve others.

Drafted by Charles E. Whisnant

SCRIPTURAL CHURCH GROWTH COULD MEAN

Part One

My argument in this paper is to point out that when there is True Worship in the Body of Believers there will be increase in the number of that body. When the body of believers are doing the work of the ministry and are fulfilling the commands of Christ for His church there will be growth. What kind of growth?

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another -- all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Heb. 10:19-25)

What should happen when you go to a local church to attend the service.? What does the Lord direct the church to do? Is it just a once a week function? What does Church look like? What does a 2007 church look like vs. a church Paul established in 60 A.D.

Is the importance in what we do? How we do it? Is church in the United States to be the same as the church in England? Is the form of worship to be the same in every church? Is the music in every church to be the same?

The question that I will be trying to address will be:

What is the understanding of Scripture about the order and purpose of doing ministry that is to be found in the local church?

My mother in law said coming out of a church they were visiting while on vacation, "Now that is what I believe is worship." And my father in law said, "Honey you are right, I believe I worshiped the Lord today." Most Christians go to church to Worship, but I am afraid most leave our churches and can’t say what my in laws said about going to church.

I would say John Piper’s definition of worship experience would be different than that of John MacArthur. Most likely the worship of C.J. and DeWayne Prosser would be different ideas. But you say, what’s the Bible’s idea of worship? And again I would say, all the four above men would say they are doing biblical worship.

It’s possible that many in our churches would not know "worship" if they saw it. They might read in the bulletin the words "Let Us Worship" and have no idea what worship is. John MacArthur did a ten message series to his church on "What Is True Worship". He must have believed the church needs to understand what is biblical worship.

This idea of WORSHIP has been a subject of my thinking for a number of years, since John MacArthur did a series on Worship

So does the local church start with an understanding of the Worship?

So what is the understanding of Scripture about the order of ministry that is to be found in the local church?

My understanding of the Scripture is to reach people. Growth:

"to arise or issue as a natural development from an original happening, circumstance, or source:" Is one definition of the term growth.

Drafted by Charles E. Whisnant and Proof Read by Charity Whisnant