We believe that worshipping God in truth means to worship according to the directives of Scripture. The Normative Principle says that what is acceptable to God is what is not prohibited in Scripture. We prefer to abide by the Regulative Principle which came out of the Reformation and teaches that the only acceptable ways of worshipping God are by what has been set forth in Scripture.
We must worship the way the Bible directs us “for God is not a God of confusion but of peace.” Our praising and honoring God “should be done decently and in order” (1 Cor. 14:40).
So what are the elements of orderly worship that the Bible commands? The following is a list of worship elements from both the Old and New Testaments with their various Scriptural references:
Preaching God’s Word Public reading / teaching of Scripture Hearing God’s Word Singing Prayer and supplication Observance of the Lord’s Supper Baptism Offerings Showing reverence and thankfulness Worshipping corporately Praising God with instruments and voice -Mark Hamilton, Elder | (Col. 1:25; 2 Tim. 4:2) (1 Tim. 4:13; Rev. 1:3) (James 1:19) (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16) (Phil. 4:6) (Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 11:23f) (Matt. 28:19) (Gal. 2:10; 1 Cor. 9:3-12, 16:1-2; Phil. 4:18) (Hebrews 12:28-29) (Hebrews 10:24-25) (Nehemiah 12:27; Psalm 103; Psalm 150:5) |