Achurch service (or aworship service) is a formalized period ofChristian communalworship, often held in achurch building. MostChristian denominations hold church services on theLord's Day (offering Sunday morning and Sunday evening services); a number of traditions have mid-week services, while some traditions worship on a Saturday.[A][2] In some Christian denominations, church services are held daily, with these including those in which the sevencanonical hours are prayed, as well as the offering of theMass, among other forms of worship.[3] In addition to this, many Christiansattend services on holy days such asChristmas,Ash Wednesday,Good Friday,Ascension Thursday, among others depending on the Christian denomination.[4]
The church service is the gathering together of Christians to be taught the "Word of God" (theChristian Bible) and encouraged in theirfaith. Technically, thechurch in "church service" refers to thegathering of the faithful rather than to the physical place in which it takes place. In most Christian traditions services are presided over byclergy wherever possible, but some traditions utilizelay preachers. Styles of service vary greatly, from theCatholic,Lutheran,Eastern Orthodox,Oriental Orthodox,Reformed (Continental Reformed,Presbyterian andCongregationalist) andAnglican traditions ofliturgical worship to informal worship characterized by certainfree church traditions, common amongMethodists andBaptists, that often combine worship with teaching for the believers, which may also have an evangelistic component appealing tobacksliders and the non-Christians in the congregation (cf.altar call).Quakers and some other groups have no formal outline to their services, but allow the worship to develop as the participants present feel moved.
The worship service is a practice of Christian life that has its origins inJewish worship.[5]Jesus Christ andPaul of Tarsus taught a new form of worship of God.[6] As recorded in thegospels,Jesus met together with his disciples to share teachings, discuss topics,[7] pray, and sing hymns.[8] The holding of church services pertains to the observance of theLord's Day in Christianity.[9]
TheOld Testament set a precedent for a pattern of morning and evening worship that later gave rise to Sunday morning and Sunday evening services of worship held in the churches of many Christian denominations today, providing a "structure to help families sanctify the Lord's Day".[9] For example, inNumbers 28:1–10 andExodus 29:38–39, "God commanded the daily offerings in thetabernacle to be made once in the morning and then again at twilight".[9] InPsalm 92, which is a prayer concerning theobservance of the Sabbath, the author writes that "It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night" (cf.Psalm 134:1).[10][9] Church fatherEusebius of Caesarea thus declared: "For it is surely no small sign of God's power that throughout the whole world in the churches of God at the morning rising of the sun and at the evening hours, hymns, praises, and truly divine delights are offered to God. God's delights are indeed the hymns sent up everywhere on earth in his Church at the times of morning and evening."[9]
The first miracle of theApostles, the healing of the crippled man on thetemple steps, occurred becausePeter andJohn went to the Temple to pray (Acts 3:1). Since the Apostles wereoriginally Jews, the concept offixed prayer times, as well as services therefore which differed from weekday toSabbath to holy day, were familiar to them.Pliny the Younger (63 –c. 113), who was not a Christian himself, mentions not onlyfixed prayer times by believers, but also specific services—other than theEucharist—assigned to those times: "They met on a stated day before it was light, and addressed a form of prayer to Christ, as to a divinity [...] after which it was their custom to separate, and then reassemble, to eat in common a harmless meal."[11]
The real evolution of the Christian service in thefirst century is shrouded in mystery. By thesecond andthird centuries, suchChurch Fathers asClement of Alexandria,Origen, andTertullian wrote of formalised, regular services: the practice ofMorning andEvening Prayer, and prayers at the third hour of the day (terce), the sixth hour of the day (sext), and the ninth hour of the day (none). The concept of major hours of prayer corresponding to the first and last hour of the day likely correspond to Jewish practices; that Sunday services (corresponding to theSabbath in Christianity) are more complex and longer (involving twice as many services if one counts theEucharist and the afternoon service) also likely have root in Jewish practices. Similarly, the liturgical year fromChristmas viaEaster toPentecost covers roughly five months, the other seven having no major services linked to the work of Christ. Though worship services had their origins in Jewish services, it is unlikely that Jewish services were copied or deliberately substituted (seeSupersessionism).
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Contemporary worship services have their origins in theJesus Movement of the 1960s.[12] In the 1980s and 1990s,contemporary Christian music, comprising a variety of musical styles, such asChristian rock andChristian hip-hop was adopted by evangelical churches.[13][14][15] Over the years, theorgans have been replaced bypianos,electric guitars anddrums.[16][17] These contemporary worship services feature asermon based on theBible. Worship service inEvangelical churches is seen as an act of God's worship.[18][19] It is usually run by a Christianpastor. It usually contains two main parts, thepraise and thesermon, with periodically theLord's Supper.[20][21][22][23] During worship there is usually anursery for babies.[24] Prior to the worship service, adults, children and young people receive an adapted education,Sunday school, in a separate room.[25] With the 1960s'charismatic movement, a new conception ofpraise in worship, such as clapping and raising hands as a sign of worship, took place in many evangelical denominations.[26] In the 1980s and 1990s,contemporary Christian music, including a wide variety of musical styles, such asChristian Rock andChristian Hip hop, appeared in thepraise.[13][14][15] Some churches have services with traditionalChristian music, others withcontemporary Christian music, and some offer both in separate services.[27] In the 2000s and 2010s, digital technologies were integrated into worship services, such as thevideo projectors for broadcastingpraise lyrics or video, on big screens.[28][29] The use of social media such asYouTube andFacebook to retransmit live or delayed worship services, by Internet, has also spread.[30] Theoffering via Internet has become a common practice in several churches.[31][32] In some churches, a special moment is reserved forfaith healing withlaying on of hands during worship services.[33] Faith healing or divine healing is considered a legacy ofJesus acquired by his death and resurrection.[34] The taking up oftithes andofferings (gifts made beyond the tithe) is a normative part of the worship services.[35] The main Christian feasts celebrated by the Evangelicals areChristmas,Pentecost, andEaster for all believers, among others depending onChristian denominations (cf.evangelical feasts).[36][37][38]
Quakers (the Religious Society of Friends), like otherNonconformist Protestant denominations, distinguish between achurch, which is a body of people who believe in Christ, and a 'meeting house' or 'chapel', which is a building where the church meets.[39][40] Quakers have both unprogrammed and programmed meetings for worship. Unprogrammed worship is based on waiting in silence and inward listening to the Spirit, from which any participant may share a message. In unprogrammed meetings for worship, someone speaks when that person feels that God/Spirit/the universe has given them a message for others. Programmed worship includes many elements similar to Protestant services, such as a sermon and hymns. Many programmed meetings also include a time during the service for silent, expectant waiting and messages from the participants.
A church service generally includes a reading ofscripture verses and possibly apsalm. If the church follows alectionary, this will identify the readings to be used, and if there is asermon, this will often relate to the scripturelections assigned to that day. Bible services are devoted primarily to the reading and explanation of biblical texts. Styles of service vary greatly, from the Catholic, Lutheran,Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Reformed (Continental Reformed, Presbyterian, and Congregationalist), and Anglican traditions of liturgical worship to informal worship characterized by certain free church traditions, common among Methodists and Baptists, which often combine worship with teaching for the believers, which may also have an evangelistic component.
Often services include the singing ofhymns. Vocal music is traditionally sung by achoir or thecongregation (or a mixture of the two), usually accompanied by anorgan.[41][42] Sometimes other instruments such as piano, classical instruments, or modern band instruments may be part of the service, especially in churches influenced by thecontemporary worship movement. Some churches are equipped with state-of-the-artmulti-media equipment to add to the worship experience. The congregation may sing along inhymnals or words to hymns and worship songs may be displayed on a screen. More liturgical denominations may have the words to specific prayers written in amissalette orprayer book, which the congregation follows. Though most of the services are still conducted in church buildings designed specifically for that purpose, some services take place in "store front" or temporary settings.[43][44]
For those unable to attend a service in a church building a burgeoningtelevangelism and radio ministry provides broadcasts of services.[45] A number of websites have been set up as "cyber-churches" to provide a virtual worship space free to anyone on the internet. Church services are often planned and led by a singleminister (pastor) or a small group ofelders or may follow a format laid out by the dictates of the denomination.
Some churches are "lay led" with members of the congregation taking turns guiding the service or simply following format that has evolved over time between the active members. More commonly, anordained minister will preach a sermon (which may cover a specific topic, or as part of a book of the Bible which is being covered over a period of time). Depending on the church, a public invitation follows whereby people are encouraged to become Christians, present themselves as candidates for baptism or to join the congregation (if members elsewhere), or for other purposes. Many congregations begin their church services with the ringing of abell (or anumber of bells); a current trend is to have an introductory video which serves as a "countdown" to the beginning of the service.Eucharistic churches have usuallyHoly Communion either every Sunday or several Sundays a month. Less liturgical congregations tend to place a greater emphasis on the sermon. Many churches will take up a collection of money (offertory) during the service. The rationale for this is taken from1 Corinthians 16:1–2,1 Corinthians 9:9–11, and1 Timothy 5:16–18. But some churches eschew this practice in favor of voluntary anonymous donations for which a box or plate may be set up by the entrance, or return-address envelopes may be provided that worshippers may take with them. Offering through the Internet has become a common practice in many evangelical churches.[31][32] On occasion, some churches will also arrange a second collection, typically occurring after Communion, for a specific good cause or purpose.[46]
Some churches offerSunday school classes.[47][25][24] These will often be for younger children, and may take place during the whole of the service (while the adults are in church), or the children may be present for the beginning of the service and at a prearranged point leave the service to go to Sunday school. Some churches have adult Sunday school either before or after the main worship service.
Attendance for the whole of a church service is the norm. TheSecond Vatican Council stressed for Catholic church members that taking part in "the entire Mass" was important, especially on Sundays andholidays of obligation.[48] In the Eastern Orthodox Church, members of the congregation may leave the service and return later if they wish, for example worshippers with children may often take a break and return later.[49]
Following the service, there will often be an opportunity for fellowship in thechurch hall or other convenient place. This provides the members of the congregation a chance to socialize with each other and to greet visitors or new members. Coffee or other refreshments may be served.[50]
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Church services take many forms, and set liturgies may have different names. Services typically include:
Places of worship are usually called "churches" or "chapels".[51][52][53] Some services take place in theaters, schools or multipurpose rooms, rented for Sunday only.[54][43][44]
Christians have historically tended to wearmodest clothes at church services (cf. 1 Timothy 2:9–10).[56][57] Men have traditionally removed their caps while praying and worshipping, while women have traditionally worn aheadcovering while praying and worshipping (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:1–11).[58][59][60][55] These practices continue to be normative in certain churches, congregations, and denominations, as well as in particular parts of the world, such as inEastern Europe and in theIndian subcontinent, while in the West, attention to these observances has waned generally (apart from those denominations that continue to require them, such asConservative Anabaptist churches).[60][61][55] In manynondenominational Christian churches, it may be customary, depending on the locality, for people to be dressed casually.[62]
The Sunday morning service has been well attended, as have also the Sunday evening and Wednesday evening services.
Starting with Shroe Tuesday (locall known as Pancake Day), and proceeding through Ash Wednesday to Good Friday, families increased their church attendance and, especially, engaged in the embodies practices of fasting and/or "giving up something for Lent."
Historically, at least in our country, tithing is the practice of giving 10% of one's income to one's church. Offerings are gifts given above and beyond the tithe, either to the church or to other Christian ministries.
In the Orthodox tradition, this is a big no-no. Of course, no one would kick a bareheaded woman out of an Orthodox church, should she walk in, but she is very likely to face some disapproving and judging looks, especially from the local babushkas (you'll always find a few babushkas inside an Orthodox church in Russia). The reason is simple: in an Orthodox church, a woman should wear a headscarf.
Hippolytus an early Church Father wrote, "Let all the women have their heads covered." Others who taught this practice in the Church were, John Calvin [father of the Reformed tradition], Martin Luther [father of the Lutheran tradition], Early Church Fathers, John Wesley [father of the Methodist tradition], Matthew Henry [Presbyterian theologian] to name just a few. We must remind ourselves that until the twentieth century, virtually all Christian women wore head coverings.
One of the most questioned practices in the New Testament in the modern day Western Church is the practice of Head Coverings for women. Yet to get perspective we need to look over the panoply of God's Church for 2000 years and see that this is not something new but old—and has been practiced diligently over the ages. It is hard to imagine but since the 1960s the Church almost entirely practiced this tradition. The influence of secular reasoning, feminism and liberal theology have led to the questioning and, ultimately, the casting aside of this practice in the Church at large in the evangelical world.
At Five Lakes Church in Sylvania, where a non-denominational and multi-generational congregation sports everything from that suit and tie to summertime shorts and flip-flops, Pastor Micah Sutton offered a similar take. He hopes the casual-to-formal range signals to visitors that they're welcome in the congregation, and that they belong there, regardless of how they style themselves.
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