Protestants have always believed that how we worship, the manner of our public worship, matters. The main reason for this is because Protestants believe that the Bible itself, in both the Old and New Testaments, commands a number of important things about how we are to conduct ourselves in gathered worship. There are, of course, historical reasons for this interest in the manner, or how, of public worship as well. For instance, the Protestant reformers believed that the way you worship actually influences and reinforces what you believe. That…Why how we worship matters
Protestants have always believed that how we worship, the manner of our public worship, matters. The main reason for this is because Protestants believe that the Bible itself, in both the Old and New Testaments, commands a number of important things about how we are to conduct ourselves in gathered worship. There are, of course, historical reasons for this interest in the manner, or how, of public worship as well. For instance, the Protestant reformers believed that the way you worship actually influences and reinforces what you believe. That…
Do you need help with prayer? Many Christians struggle there. Over the centuries, learning to pray the Scriptures has been the best solution to the problem. But where can one find help in learning how to pray Scripture? For the last three hundred years, one book has helped Protestants more than any other in learning to pray the Bible back to God – Matthew Henry’s A Method for Prayer (it’s full title is A Method for Prayer with Scripture Expressions proper to be used under each head). I first “met” this book through…
The congregation that aims to be biblically directed and informed in its approach to public worship will gather weekly on the Lord’s Day for Bible reading, Bible preaching, Bible praying, Bible singing and biblical observance of the sacraments. These things will be at the core of what they do in public worship. This means the following for biblically-directed congregational services of worship. They will read the Bible in public worship. Paul told Timothy “give attention to the public reading of Scripture” (1 Tim. 4:13) and so, a…
Why does a congregation gather on the Lord’s Day? More can be said, but not less than this: our aim, as the congregation gathers to meet with God in public worship on the Lord’s Day, is to glorify and enjoy God, in accordance with his written…
“All history is subservient to the great work of Redemption” so begins Thomas Chalmers Sabbath Scripture Readings. From October of 1841 to September 20, 1846, Chalmers wrote a series of devotional-expositional thoughts on each chapter of…
Why do we worship? There is more than one right biblical answer. Surely at the top of the list is “for his own glory” (1 Corinthians 10:31, Psalm 29:1-2). There is no higher answer to “why do we worship?” than because the…
What is worship? Well, the Psalmist tells us succinctly. It is giving unto the Lord the glory due his name (Psalm 29:1-2). Jerry Bridges, noted author of The Pursuit of Holiness and Transforming Grace, recently asked this very question and answered…
On July 8, 1741, Jonathan Edwards preached what may the most famous sermon ever preached in North America: “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” Follow the links below to find more about the sermon, and Edwards. The conclusion of the…
Many of us are familiar with the inspiring story of the audacious German monk, Martin Luther, nailing his Ninety-Five Theses to the church door in Wittenberg on October 31, 1517. Lots of us know that one of his great concerns was the doctrine of…