Reformed Baptist Church of Northern Colorado

Liturgy

By definition, a liturgy is nothing more than a particular arrangement of a service. All churches have a liturgy, whether they use this term or not. Reformed liturgy stands out from much of what happens in today's "seeker" service in that its primary goal is to be biblically rather than culturally driven. It also stands out from Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox liturgy in that it is not driven by adding human traditions to God-ordained worship. Its primary focus is to glorify God by approaching Him on His terms rather than our own, for "our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29).

Our Typical Service Liturgy:

Call to worship
Prayer of invocation
Hymn of adoration
Hearing from God's law
Prayers of confession
Silent confession
Prayer of repentance
Confessing of our faith
Hymn of worship
Hearing the gospel
Prayer for illumination
Gospel response (Gloria Patri)
Psalm of response
Prayers of intercessions
Preaching of the word
Hymn of preparation
Communion
Hymn of response
Tithes and offerings
Doxology
Benediction

Reformed liturgy is thus uniquely special in that it allows us to connect with the past while perpetually meeting the needs of today's worshipper. Because God himself does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17), Reformed worship does not change with fluctuating cultural currents in order to be "relevant" God's worship is always relevant to Him.

Yet, not for tradition's sake do we worship God by a liturgy. The Reformation was nothing if not a reformation from unbiblical man-created additions to worship. We do not recite creeds, confess sin, and sing psalms because it makes our grandparents comfortable. We do it because God has told us this is how He wants us to approach him. There are no candles, no ornaments, and no rituals to follow in the liturgy, only the simple few acts that the first Christians (Acts 2:24) followed as put into a logical and orderly progression that attempts to emulate in a worship service what every believer's life should look like throughout the week. The Reformation motto was "the church always reforming", thus reformed liturgy is always attempting to make its music, its structure and its content as biblical as possible with appropriate forms and styles that fit the overall message of the liturgy, while not doing damage to the message or detracting from it.

Finally, Reformed worship insists that worship must be done not only in truth but also in Spirit. Because everything God commands is for our good, Reformed liturgy insists that God's spirit stirs a persons' emotions and influences the heart and affections in deeper and more profound ways than a sentimental approach ever could. As you meditate this evening and as you follow together the liturgy below, ponder the words you speak and pray for God's Spirit to make you open to both conviction and peace that will transcend all understanding. In our day it is easy to let our emotions drive our thinking about worship. Tonight, we invite you to let your emotions and your mind, as they humbly submit to Holy Scripture, work in harmony as you consider the beauty of this age-old form of Protestant worship. Let God satisfy you as he brings you up into the eternal, heavenly realm to meet Christ through the ordained biblical means of worship presented in the liturgy