Spirit, Word & Table - A Pentecostal Liturgy for Sunday Worship

Sunday Worship, from the perspective of Scripture & Pentecostal history & theology should be open to the Spirit, rooted in the Word & centred on the Table. Since its inception Pentecostal worship has never chosen between these three things. In fact it is the combination of these three things that makes Sunday worship truly Pentecostal. The following liturgy I am working on & presently seeking to model is very much designed with this in mind. It is designed to help us be what we are.

The longest section in the NT dealing with corporate worship is found in 1 Corinthians & it runs from chapter 11 to 14 (in fact it may even begin in chapter 10). After dealing with issues’ including The Lord’s Supper & spiritual gifts Paul finishes this whole section with the words; “But all things should be done decently & in order.” This is exactly why most churches have intentional liturgies. Yet at the same time the very context of these words encourage us to leave room for the gifts of the Spirit in our liturgy. Paul remember is writing to a church in chaos – the Lord’s Supper was chaotic & the use of spiritual gifts was chaotic, but he doesn’t ask them to stop either of these. For the problem was not with the Lord’s Supper or spiritual gifts, the problem was that there was no order. So he doesn’t forbid spiritual gifts or participation in worship, in fact he encourages it & then concludes; “but all things should be done decently & in order.” In Paul’s mind there is clearly no tension between having order & being open to the Spirit. In Paul’s mind liturgy – order in worship – enables everything to flow better. That is what this is all about.

Let me also make clear that I am not claiming the following order is the one Biblical way to do Sunday Worship, that would be the height of arrogance. However what I have done is make sure that all we do in our time together is rooted in Scripture as well as being considerate of how Christians have ordered Sunday worship down through the centuries. There is no perfect liturgy & I’m not trying to invent one. Paul didn’t give the Corinthians a complete order of service; he gave them some clear directives for sure but then he left them to work the rest out. We’re in the same boat. The following is very much designed with Sunday Worship at Amazing Grace in mind, & its aim is not only to shape our times together but also to help shape the rhythm & priorities of our everyday lives as Gospel believing people. Also this is a work in progress not the finished article.

​A Liturgy for Sunday Worship Amazing Grace

• Welcome, call to worship & opening prayer (Eph. 5:19; Psalm 33:1-3; Psalm 95:1-7)

This is simply a short spot to welcome people before focusing their attention on God & the reason we are gathered. A short Scripture reading & exhortation focusing us on who God is & why we’re gathered before committing our time to him in prayer! This should last no longer than a few minutes but is important as it helps meet people were they are at, focus them on God & set the tone of our time together. We find such encouragement in places like Psalm 95:1-7.

• Opening praise (Psalm 96:1-2; Psalm 100)

This is a time to draw near to God with songs of praise & worship led by the worship team. It should consist of 2 songs & is rooted in the idea of coming before his presence with singing & entering his courts with thanksgiving as in Psalm 100.

• Short time of sharing & Scripture reading (Eph 5:18-20; Col 3:16-17; 1 Tim 4:13)

This time should lead naturally & sensitively from the opening praise & be followed by another song. So the worship team can stay in place as opportunity is given for 1/2 people from the congregation to share a Scripture that has blessed them, a lesson they have learnt, or a testimony etc before the Scripture reading for the day is read. This time is overseen by the leader overseeing the meeting.

• Song to prepare for sermon (Psalm 25:4-5; 1 Chr. 16:29; 1 Cor. 16:1-2))

After the Scripture reading the worship team can conclude this opening section of the service with a third song to help lead us to prayer & the Word. The offering can also be collected at this time as part of our worship. This opening section should be taken as a block & last around 20-25mins. Obviously this is not a rigid but neither should time or order be ignored. It is about being sensitive to what God wants to do & leaving sufficient time for all that needs to happen. There will time for more praise & worship & participation later.

• Announcements & Prayer (Mark 11:17; 1 Tim 2:1-8; Eph 6:18)

Following the announcements we’ll have a short time of prayer when a couple of people can be asked to pray for specific things. For example someone can be asked to pray for activities just announced as well as needs within the fellowship. Someone else can be asked to pray for a current issue in the world as well as for God to speak through the sermon & to the children in Sunday school.

• Sermon (1 Tim 4:13-14 & 5:17; 2 Tim 4:1-5)

The sermon should be rooted in Scripture & applied to life, either an exposition of the text read or a systematic study of a biblical theme. It should last around 20-25 minutes. Like with the opening section of the service this is not rigid but neither should time be ignored. Everyone involved in the worship service should consider their part in the context of the whole service. It is leading somewhere, to our time around the Table. Encountering Christ afresh together is what is most important; everything else is about helping lead us to Communion with him.

• Short time of personal reflection & prayer (Jer. 15:16; 1 John 1:9-10)

This is a short & quiet time of response to the Word & preparation for the Table & also serves as a bridge between the two. It’s a time to be real before God, a time to gently encourage response to the Word, repentance of sin & renewal of faith in the gospel as we approach the Table. This time & what follows can be lead by the preacher or whoever is overseeing the service.

• Communion (Matt 26:26-29; 1 Cor. 11:23-26; Acts 2:42; Luke 24:30-35; 1 Cor. 10:16-18)

Communion is not a time for lots more words, the Word has just been preached, & now we turn to participation. So after the short time of personal reflection & prayer believers should be assured of God’s forgiveness in Christ, perhaps with a NT promise, before being welcomed to partake at the Table. Then the words of institution (Matt 26:26-29; 1 Cor. 11:23-26) can be read before the emblems are prayed over & the Holy Spirit is invited to come & help us commune afresh with Christ. As this point the emblems can be passed around for believers to partake.

• Time of worship at the Table (Eph. 5:18-21; 1 Cor. 12-14 - esp. 14:26-40 (cf. 11:4-5))

Once everyone has taken the emblems people can feel free to offer prayers of thanks & the worship team can be invited to sensitively lead this time having 2/3 songs ready. This time should be free & unhurried, open to participation & to the gifts of the Spirit. The worship team should be sensitive to the spirit of the moment, not rushing into a song but leaving room for people to savour Christ & his finished work. I would hope that there will be Sunday’s when all are happy to linger at the Table, together with him, not wanting to rush away because he has drawn near in a special way. Opportunity for prayer ministry can also be offered during this time. This is why taking on board the time given to other aspects earlier in the service is so important, because ultimately our time is moving towards a fresh encounter with Christ at his Table & we don’t want our part to take away from that but rather to help lead to it. For ultimately it’s not about us & what we do but Christ & what he has done! Walter Hollenweger in his book The Pentecostals notes that; “his study of various Pentecostal movements convinces him that the Lord’s Supper is the ‘central point of Pentecostal worship’, a veritable ‘holies of holies’ of the worship service.” This is one reason why I have become convinced that our Sunday morning worship/liturgy at Amazing Grace should intentionally lead us to the Table.

• Benediction (2 Cor. 13:14; Jude 24-25; Heb 13:20-21; Matt 28:18-20)

When it is time to finish our time of worship together whoever has been overseeing the meeting will simply read one of the NT benedictions or the Great Commission. This helps ensure that our time of worship together begins & ends with God's Word.

John Fitzsimmons, pastor at Amazing Grace Fellowship