Ancient Truth | Modern Sound

Change is Good
In the previous article I discussed 15 elements that I believe should be part of any Christian Worship service.  As I have looked at our worship services in light of these liturgical elements, I have worked with some other members of the CrossPoint staff to come up with a monthly plan to incorporate them into what we are already doing.  I will outline the basic plan in this article.

A Little About Us
CrossPoint is a very “missional” LCMS church that has two locations in Katy, Texas (so far), Westgreen is the campus where I serve along with my good friend and partner in ministry Pastor Matt Popovits.  The other location is Seven Lakes where Nathan Huse (myspace.com/nathanhuse) leads worship and serves along side Pastor Dan Hauser (crosspt.org/sevenlakes).  The four of us got together and came up with the list of 15 essential liturgical elements.  Then Nathan and I discussed how we would set them in motion per month.  This is the result of that work.

Not everything is New
Many of the elements have been part of our weekly or monthly services for many years.  For example, we have always had a sermon, praise songs, etc.  Other elements have been included, but not as consistently (which is why we are talking about this.)  We want to be intentional about the components that we include or do not include.  For example, in the past we may or may not have said the Lord’s Prayer in a given month, and in the future we want to include it at least once a month in our services.

The CrossPoint (Great Co)Mission
Another thing to keep in mind is that CrossPoint’s Sunday morning service is an outreach event first and a worship service second.  Both of these ideas are imperatives. Our worship service is always both, but it is important that anything we do on a Sunday morning works through the first imperative to reach the second (not the other way around).  This is actually pretty easy to understand.  If we explain the things we are doing for the guest then the people who have been attending for years will also understand.  If we expect people to understand without explanation, then only the people who have been around for while will get it.  We don’t want that.

As we include these  ancient liturgical elements into our modern worship services we must be intentional, creative, culturally incarnational, and prayerfully diligent to keep our eye on the mission.  Every element must work to reach the unchurched as well as deepen the faith of the people who are already part of the mission.  Our “liturgy” must be attractional, inviting, user-friendly, and authentic, as well as God honoring, theologically articulate, Biblical and deeply Christian.  Horizontal as well as vertical.  Both immanent and transcendent.

With all of this in mind, we submit the following plan:

Every Sunday
• Introit (Entrance) - Opening song
• Invocation - We begin in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  One God.
• Praise songs, Hymns, Spiritual songs
• Salutation (Meet and Greet)
• Hymn or Song of the Day (Feature Song)
• Sermon
• Offering/Offertory
• Confession/Absolution (In response to God’s Word)
• Prayers of the People
• Benediction/Blessing

1st Sunday
• Apostles Creed
• Baptism
• Welcome new members
• Epistle Reading (pertaining to Baptism)

2nd Sunday
• Old Testament Reading
• The Lord’s Prayer (Sung or spoken)

3rd Sunday
• Confession/Absolution - in preparation for Lord’s Supper.
• Epistle Reading (Words of institution)
• Lord’s Supper

4th Sunday
• Gospel Reading
• Apostle’s Creed (unless 5th Sunday)

5th Sunday
• Epistle Reading
• Nicene Creed

Tension
Is it possible to worship GOD in a way that is both reaching out to the people who need to hear the message of hope while at the same time deepening the faith and stimulating the growth of the people who already believe?  Yes, but the two ideas will always be in tension.  We have to intentionally include the components that will both reach outside to people who do not yet believe, and also inspire and nurture the people that GOD has already called to serve Him as part of our mission. Tension is good, with just the right amount of tension we will make something beautiful.  Think of a guitar string.

Now go and tune your liturgy!

 Discussion
- What elements do you think should be added to your worship service?
- What elements are not needed?