A PLAN FOR CONGREGATIONAL TRAINING IN WORSHIP

by Stafford North

  1. The elders should appoint a taskforce involving the preacher, youth minister, education director, an elder, and representatives of different age groups within the congregation. This group should be charged with developing a plan for training the congregation for better worship. While this group might plan some services that are involved in the training process, this should not be a group to plan the worship services. That should be handled through others but those who do plan should be involved in this training so they will know how to follow-up on its benefits.

  2. The planning for the training program should be focused on achieving three basic objectives for the members of the congregation: (1) each member can explain what worship is and how we, through the various means of worship, can communicate with God and edify each other; (2) each member can prepare for worship with private devotion and holy living; and (3) each member can communicate well with God through each means of expression God has given.

    Following are some ideas as to how these objectives may be achieved. This should serve as a beginning point for the taskforce. The plan for each congregation should be developed specifically to fit its needs and circumstances.

    1. Can explain what worship is and how we, through various means, can communicate with God and edify each other.

      1. 1. Sermons can inform the congregation and motivate them to better worship.
        1. What is worship--John 4:23-24

        2. Singing to God--Col. 3:26

        3. What we learn about our worship from the Corinthians--

          I Cor. 14:15-40.

        4. The majesty of God--Rev. 4.

        5. The Holy Spirit Helps Us Worship--Rom. 8:26-27; Eph. 5:18-19; Eph. 6:18; Jude 20.
      2. Bible school classes can focus on learning about worship.
        1. Study the outline attached on Training for Worship for ideas to be used in classes.

        2. Discuss how each person in worship can praise, thank, and edify through each of the things we are to do in worship.

        3. Study some of the great occasions in worship in the Bible: Acts 20:7, 17-38; Matt. 26:36-46; Daniel 9:1-22; Neh. 1:4-11; Ex. 19-20, Isa. 6. Also study some of the great worship psalms: 99, 100, 103, 104, 113, 148, and many others.
      3. At home, talk about worship in the family. Discuss how we should make worship truly a time to communicate with God.
    2. Can prepare for worship with private devotion and holy living.

      1. Sermons on such themes as:
        1. The heart of the worshipper--Isa. 1:10-17.

        2. All of life is not worship but all of life is preparation for worship--Rom. 12:1-2. The more we serve the Lord during the week, the nearer to God we are for worship on the Lord’s Day.

        3. Purity in Life--Matt. 5:1-12; I Thes. 4:1-12.

        4. Private and family worship and study.
      2. Bible classes can deal with topics of high moral standards, being spiritually rather materially minded, and personal devotion to God. Study such scriptures as Gal. 4-6; Eph. 5-6; Phil. 4:4-9; Col. 3-4; Matt. 5-7.

      3. Home studies can focus on discussions of the particular needs of those in the family for holy and righteous living, how to be more spiritually minded with less emphasis on material things. What are our temptations in such matters and how do we meet them and help each other? We can also discuss how to start on Saturday to direct ourselves toward worship the next day and how to have a good mental state as we prepare to attend worship and as we arrive. This will help us worship more effectively.
    3. Can communicate well with God through each means of expression God has given.

      1. Sermons can deal with helping the congregation to understand clearly the ways God has told us to worship Him in the Christian age and how these are effectively done.
        1. Thinking and Feeling as we take the Communion--
          I Cor. 11:18-34.

        2. Thinking and Feeling as we Give--I Cor. 16:1-2; II Cor, 8-9.

        3. Thinking and Feeling as we Pray--Acts 4:23-31.

        4. Thinking and Feeling as we Hear from God’s Word--Neh. 8

        5. Thinking and Feeling as we Sing--Eph. 5:19; I Cor 14:15.
      2. Classes can teach, discuss, and practice on such topics as:
        1. What helps me to keep focused in worship? How can I avoid distractions and keep from distracting others?

        2. Specifically what should I be thinking about when I take the Lord’s Supper? listen to a sermon? give? pray? sing?

        3. The class should study some songs. Read the words, comprehend any poetic expressions or figures of speech, consider the author, analyze the mood, think about word groupings. After studying the song, practice singing it thoughtfully and with feeling. (This is also a good idea for the congregation as a whole on Sunday nights or Wednesday nights).

        4. Ask for prayer requests in the group and then pray specifically for those things. Remind people before the prayer that this is a special time for communication directly with God.
      3. In the home, the family should discuss the topics listed above for classes and practice singing and praying thoughtfully. Involve all the family in such talks and adapt to the level of the children in the home.
  3. The final product of the taskforce should be a specific plan with dates and subjects for sermons and classes on worship. The plan should include not only study of the subject but some specific plans for practice either in classes or for the congregation as a whole. This practice is not to focus on better singing techniques, although it might include some of that, but on how to sing and pray and listen thoughtfully. The plan should also include topics for home study and particular periods of time when families are to do this. There could even be a family retreat when such ideas would be discussed and practiced. Be sure the plan includes specific activities for young people. Some particular times for congregational worship might be set aside when the focus will be especially on putting into practice what has been learned.

  4. The plan should be presented to the elders for their consideration and suggestions and then should be announced and implemented. Bulletin articles, bulletin boards and posters, and classroom decorations can give emphasis to the training while it is going on. It is good to give the entire plan some fanfare so it will come strongly to the attention of the congregation.

  5. Pray throughout this effort that God will bless your congregation and each member within it and all the families with more effective worship to Him.