What goes on at your worship services?
954888
The following is quoted from a tract titled, "What to Expect When You Visit the Church of Christ", written by Calvin Barber. \n\nPerhaps you have heard of the church of Christ through advertisement or by special invitation from its members. Maybe there is a building in your community where the church of Christ meets, and you have considered attending one of their worship services. But you have put it off simply because of the dread of going to a strange place, not knowing what to expect. May we briefly introduce ourselves and let you know what to expect when you visit us.\n\nFRIENDLINESS\n\nYou can expect a warm, friendly welcome.\n\nFriendliness is a natural response of a Christian. We believe that one of the basic foundation principles of Christianity is love and friendship toward our fellowman. \n(Mt. 22:36-40) True Christianity recognizes no sex, social or racial differences. \n(Gal. 3:28) Neither does it permit respect of persons on the basis of poverty or wealth. (Jas. 2:1-9) Jesus is our superb example in friendliness, in that he was compassionate toward all humanity, regardless of their status in life. We believe you will find that same spirit among Christians today. Therefore, when you visit us, you will be considered an honored guest. You will be greeted with kindness and courtesy. Why not give us the opportunity to become your friend? \n(Cf Prov. 18:24)\n\nORDER\n\nYou can expect our service to be with reverence and order.\n\nWe strive to engage in all worship and service with decency and order. \n(I Cor. 14:30) The order of our worship is usually planned by our elders. Each item of worship is usually announced and often briefly explained by the men who lead us in our worship. This enables each of us to know what is going on and helps us to better prepare our minds for worship. We try to avoid all extremism in worship. Neither ritualism nor emotionalism is characteristic of our worship. You can expect our worship to be spiritual, reverent and orderly.\n\nSIMPLICITY\n\nYou can expect our worship to be simple.\n\nIt's simple because it is based entirely on the worship authorized in the New Testament. Jesus taught that our worship was to be spiritual and according to truth. \n(Jn. 4:24) Our worship to God includes the Lord's supper, giving, singing, prayer and teaching the gospel. Each of these blooms with the beauty of simplicity. We do not try to improve on God's divine plan and beauty with pageantry or innovations of men. We believe you will be impressed with the simplicity of our worship.\n\nSINGING\n\nYou can expect congregational singing.\n\nSinging is a vital part of our worship. All members of our congregation will blend their voices together in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. The purpose of our songs is to praise God, to teach and admonish one another through our singing. \n(Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16) Since the command to sing is specific and addressed to the individual, we do not add a mechanical instrument of music in our worship in songs. For the same reason we do not have choirs to sing for us or any type of mood music to entertain us. Many who have visited us have been highly impressed with the beauty and spirituality involved in congregational singing. Why not come and see for yourself?\n\nGIVING\n\nYou can expect us to give a free-will offering.\n\nAs the Bible teaches, we give liberally as God has prospered us, on the first day of the week. \n(I Cor. 16:1-2) Our liberality is an evidence of our devotion to God. \n(II Cor. 8:1-8) There are many factors that determine the amount of our offerings, but above all they must be free-will offerings. \n(II Cor. 9:6-7) When the offering is taken, it is entirely the choice of our guest whether they will give an offering or not. We will not embarrass you by personally asking for an offering. Neither do we want you to feel embarrassed if you choose not to or cannot afford to give.\n\nPRAYER\n\nYou can expect our public prayers to be led by men.
352949
everything. the congregation, the pastor, the church staff, volunteers, etc. Also staying dead on with the scriptures and being open to new converts and believers. Also, just because a church doesn't have all the amenities you may want at the present time doesn't mean that it should be overlooked.  \n\nSometimes all they need is you to step up to the plate.  I run the powerpoint/overheads at my church on saturday nights, a service which usually draws around 1,000 people.
414587
try visiting a church
131384
You need to check the local zoning ordinances.  It's one thing to conduct a weekly bible study or an occasional "worship" service, but quite another thing to run a church from you home.
33479
go to church,pray,read the bible
355576
Go to church, celebrate the resurrection of Christ.  Teach Sunday School.  The children & grandchildren join us for church, Sunday school and the Easter egg hunt that follows service.  Then we go out to eat & visit.
1063440
You go to church not because you have to, but because you truly love God and want to serve him. You want to "fellowship" with other people who love God. God never forces anyone, he wants real love service.
834042
Worship is basically... say, greeting them for the morning with a simple gesture that you have deemed necessary for appropriate worship, and also praying before bed. Or having an item like a hematite stone to remind you that, say, Loki is your personal god that you worship and you let people know it.\n\nAcknowledgement is more difficult to explain, because you know there are higher-ups in the universe but you don't do much with that...
943237
What? We go to the mosque? what are you taking about exactly?\nMen and women have different sections where they pray in, but that is that!\n\nMy husband and I go together with our son to the Mosque!
286702
Sounds like a good idea. Although I think it would have to be taken as an individual church thing and then submitted to a common website. I think it might help people looking for churches although it might make some churches aspire to be better at this and that taking away from the real reason they have worship service in the first place. Just a thought.
239495
A Church I would like to see\n\nI don't get excited about being a spectator and hearing only what some elitist has to say ... a paid professional ... a "money changer" so to speak. But that is what churches are these days. I would prefer that everyone brought their own message in their heart and a song on their lips, and that the worship was led by the Spirit, and not by some sheet of paper. So the type of morning worship that I would get excited about is if the clergy kept quiet unless they were either led by the Spirit to speak something and then shut-up right after. So it would be a place where all people could suggest a song, or stand up and share what God has taught them .. and how God has delivered them from evil that week.\n\nI also don't get excited about a church with million dollar building budget. To me, that is sad to see a pristine building with plush landscape in a decapitated neighborhood. What a slander of Christ's message! I would prefer that the church building be the least of the buildings in the community. Does every member and every neighbor have air conditioning? If not, then the church should install it in their house BEFORE they install it in the church. Do all the homes have a new paint job and cut grass? \n\nThis would be a church building that I could really get excited about ... the one that is the least, and the last to be upgraded. Because I know that in that building are people that put themselves last, and they shall be put first by the Lord.\n\nWhen the people are sick of the condition of the church building, or the leaders of the church's homes, then they can just make sure that everyone else around there has it better off, and then do the upgrades to the church properties last.\n\nWe can call it Last Baptist Church in __ (your town here.) Want to come?
301382
cross or crucifix; pews (seating); aisle; offering plates; candles; choir section; organ; office for pastor or priest; hymnals; Bibles
79719
I am.  And since I am on the praise team, I am there three times a week: twice on Sundays and once on Wednesdays. My pastor has ingrained a teaching into my stubborn brain called the "WOWSE" Principle.  That stands for "With Or Without Somebody Else.  Another one is "KOKTD" which stands for "Keep On Kicking The Devil".  God is starting to really move in the Adult Midweek service and although it is a new thing for some of the adults, it is a plateau that I had reached a some six years ago in church camp.  \n\nI used to live my life as a double-headed person.  Sundays I would act like a Christian and I was so good, I fooled many.  Looking back I realize that being double minded is not only hard, but not what Christ had intended for me.  Our worship leader is currently teaching on true worship and how to apply it to daily living.
314763
Alot of people go to church to observe and to see what is happening there.  I appreciate your openness and not going there to mock them but to here and see if what is happening truly is. \n\nAssemblies is good, although you may be a little uncomfortable if your looking for the cold religious style church.  AOG and Apostolic are a very lively bunch at times and you could say "on fire" for Jesus.  Be careful of Apostolics though.  Depends on the what type of Apostolics they are.  Some are very heavily legalistic, like the woman cannot cut their hair and must wear dresses.  Some even believe that all other Christian churches are not true, they they are the only ones.  This is sad to say.  But I do believe that God works with all of us, even when we do get a bit judgmental and error.\n\nGod Bless, and I pray you have an opportunity to taste and see the Lord is good.  He is real, tangible and very active in our lives.
994159
you pray to Jehova and stuff happens
1163121
The church I attend is more like a family in that we make it a point to be involved in each others lives.  We "deal with" the good, bad, and ugly (so to speak).  My wife and a good friend started a clothing ministry which provides clothing to the needy.  We are also working with recent African refugees that escaped the killings in their country and are now lost in this one.\n\nI personally am always looking for ways to help others.\n\nBy the way, this church "family" has a lot of us who are going on a motorcycle ride after church today as it is "Biker Weekend" here.\n\nCome visit if you're ever in town.
692014
Trust in the Lord Jesus to lead you. \nA good start is pray.\nAnd how would you like to be welcome if you was being welcome to that church.