There is nothing more important that worship. It has been said that “we all worship something or someone.” The question is what or who we worship.

At Bethel Pentecostal Church we want all of life to be worship to God (Romans 12:1-2; 1 Cor. 10:31).

Our Heavenly Father is worthy to receive all glory and honor and power (Rev. 4:11).

It is very important to the leadership of this assembly that our worship services on Sundays and each time we meet together are designed to be pleasing to God. As we gather together on the “Lords Day”, it is crucial we recognize that all we do is done under the authority of God’s word (The Bible). This is our solemn duty and joyful privilege.

It is with that goal in mind that we hold to a number of values when it comes to corporate worship!

1) Glory to God – Worship is ultimately for Him. He is the most important audience at every service.

2) Edifying to God’s people – Corporate worship must build up the body of Christ. Believers should be equipped, comforted and exhorted.

3) Understandable - New words and concepts may be introduced, but the service should be intelligible to all who are in attendance.

4) Biblical - The whole service teaches those who are in attendance, so everything – the prayers, the songs, the preaching must be bible based. We feel it is important to read the Bible, preach the Bible, pray the Bible, sing the Bible and see the Bible fulfilled in our lives.

5) Emphasizing Grace - We are truly aware of the grace that was afforded to us and that we are channels of the grace which we have so freely and generously been given.

6) Relevant Preaching - The proclamation of God’s Word (Bible) is a vital part of each of our services. Each message is carefully, prayerfully prepared through sensitively waiting on the Holy Spirit. Messages are based on scripture and proclaim the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

7) Thoughtful - Our services are planned to give each one in attendance an opportunity to participate in singing and worship and to experience and encounter the presence of our Heavenly Father.

8) Mixing of Old & New – We believe there are new songs to be sung to Jesus. We also believe there is a great heritage of church music that we can embrace. You will find that our services use music from different genres and different times. We also use a variety of different instruments to embrace the gifting and abilities of our members. It is important to us that everyone participates, so congregational singing is encouraged.

9) Prayerful – Our services include a number of different prayers. There may be private prayer where attendees are encouraged to pray silently or out loud. There is the prayer for needs that are mentioned. There may be a prayer of confession of sin. We encourage attendees to feel free to express their needs or offer praise for what God has done in their lives during our worship/prayer times.

Public Worship Expressions Explained:

***Why Do We Lift Our Hands?

1. Uplifted hands are a universal sign of surrender. It is a symbol of giving up control and allowing The Holy Spirit to move in our lives.
2. It is the posture of receiving. Out stretched hands are for accepting a gifts.

• Psalm 63:4 “I will praise you as long as I live, and in Your name I will lift up my hands”.
• Psalm 134:2 “Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord."
• 1Timothy 2:8 "I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing."

***Why Do We Clap Our Hands? This action is used as an expression of gratitude and joy.

• Psalm 47:1 "Clap your hands, all you nations; Shout to God with cries of joy."
• Isaiah 55:12 "You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands."

***Why This Type Of Worship? We encourage each attendee to worship in a way that they are comfortable with. Some will express themselves verbally while others are more comfortable with silent expressions. The important thing for us is that each person is able to feel and sense the presence of the Holy Spirit and have an encounter during their time here.

• John 4:23 – 24 "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

***Why Do We Sing Hymns & Choruses? We believe that all through history there have been individuals who have been anointed and inspired to put their adoration of the Father into poetry and then add music to it. These expressions are like vehicles that lead us to the throne and allow us to experience the presence of the Lord.

• Ephesians 5:19 "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord."
• Colossians 3:16 "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God."

***Why Are Musical Instruments A Part Of Our Worship? God had gifted and equipped different people with abilities to play instruments and it is important for them to be able to use these for the Glory of the one who has provided them. For this reason we desire to offer opportunity for these individuals to express their worship in this way.

• Psalm 150: 3-5 "Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals."

***Why Do We Sometimes Weep In Worship? One song writer penned the words “Tears are a language God understands”. It really is true. Whether those tears are born out of grief and sorrow or guilt and despair or joy and jubilation; every one that flows from our eyes does not go unnoticed by a loving Heavenly Father whose Son showed great emotion while He walked on this earth.

• Psalm 126:6 "He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him."
• Ecclesiastes 3:4 "...a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance."
• Luke 6:21b "Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh."
• Joel 2:17 "Let the priests, who minister before the Lord, weep between the temple porch and the altar. Let them say, “Spare your people, O Lord. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, “Where is their God?”
• Romans 12:15 "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn."

***Why Do We Pray Together? Prayer is a powerful and effective tool that was given to us. It is an open door of communication with the creator of the entire universe. He invites us to come to Him and access His assistance in every aspect of our lives. By praying together in our worship times we are able to join others with like mind and heart to present petitions and to see answers to those prayers.

• Matthew 18:19 "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven."
• Luke 1:10 "And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside."
• Acts 4:24 "When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “You made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them."

***Why Do We Pray Aloud? These prayers are often an encouragement to those who perhaps have difficulty expressing themselves in prayer or give strength to one who may be struggling.

• Psalm 5:3 "In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation."
• Psalm 55:17 "Evening, Morning and Noon I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice."

***Why Do We Speak in Other Tongues? This practice is uniquely evident in Pentecostal Services. It was on the day of Pentecost that the disciples first experienced it in Acts 2:4. We accept this as an outward evidence of the Holy Spirit coming upon believers. A serious study of the scriptures and an open minded appraisal of this manifestation should lead one to conclude the following:

1. Tongues is the initial sign of the baptism with the Holy Spirit. Acts 10:46
2. Some believers, not all, are used to speaking in tongues in public services, which should be interpreted.
3. One of the greatest benefits of tongues is to pray in private devotions. 1 Cor. 14:4, 14, 15, 18.
4. And forbid not to speak in tongues. 1 Cor. 14: 39b

Our desire is that each person will come to a new appreciation of time spent together as community and family in this time of worship. There may be times in which God will take us out of our personal “comfort zone” in an expression of worship but I am truly confident that this will only cause us to draw even closer in our relationship with Him.

Allow Him the freedom to direct our thoughts during this special time together.

Should you have any other questions, please feel free to connect with the pastor.