The Content of the Time of Worship

1. Hymns of praise sung by the congregation. The Church must be alert to sing hymns with a deep message, with a more spiritual content that will edify the believer and also stimulate him to worship; in other words, a hymn through which the Holy Spirit may work this way in the believer’s heart.

The church does not need to repeat a hymn many times as if it would please the Lord more or, in the worst option, to allow the Holy Spirit to work more in the worshiper’s life so that he/she would feel more joy or other good feelings. This is dangerous because modern religious techniques of mystic religions use this kind of countless repetitions because they know how the repetition of a same tune or rhythm tends to create an atmosphere that makes people feel emotions that make them believe that supernatural powers are at work.

The Church does not need these techniques to create emotions. As it sings a hymn inspired by the Holy Spirit once (based in the Biblical teachings) in a simple manner, without sophistication, even played by a band with little technical qualifications, the Holy Spirit works and edifies the believers strengthening their faith in the Lord’s presence, making them worship Him with all their hearts and with all their understanding, provided that the Church lives in sanctification and, in particular, the instrumentalists and the singers have a good testimony, pray and fast for their activity in Church.

2. Accompaniment by instrumentalists in the Spirit. The Lord showed that the instrumentalists and the singers should be concerned only about worshiping Him. Therefore, the spiritual condition of the members of a praise group should be the foremost concern. The technical ability should come in second place. The reason is simple: the Lord wants the Holy Spirit to move in the midst of the congregation as a result of the praise by instrumentalists and singers.

3. Prayers of praise by the congregation. During the worship time, the Lord is pleased in receiving praise through prayers from all sorts of believers in the congregation: children, youth, adults and seniors. The Lord is satisfied not only with prayers from the praise group and the pastor, but also from the believers in general.

4. An attitude compatible with the operation of the Spirit. As the Church gathers to worship the Lord in a regular service, usually they are not yet spiritually prepared to offer a worship in the Spirit. There must be an initial period of contrition when an opportunity is given for them to confess their sins, seek deliverance from preoccupations with problems they are facing so that they may concentrate in praising the Lord.

For this reason, at the initial period of the service, the Holy Spirit usually does not yet manifest God’s presence powerfully in the Church as a whole. Therefore, adoration should be moderate, with hymns that invite people to “enter God’s presence”. So the Church should not be stirred up to worship with great enthusiasm at this point of the service as if the Holy Spirit were already moving powerfully in their midst. This would amount to bringing “prophane fire” into the Lord’s presence.

But as soon as the Spirit starts to touch and set the congregation free, He will move them to worship in a freer and warmer way that will reflect this visitation. Even then they should be careful to control their behavior so as not to call attention to themselves, because during the service the Church should concentrate its attention just in the Lord Jesus, preventing a behavior that may lead visitors to think that the believers are out of their minds or have lost common sense.

5. The way of worshipping must be compatible with a public service.

If I am at home worshiping the Lord by myself, I have freedom to adore Him in a freer way. I may prostate myself with my face on the ground; I may dance out of joy.

But if in a public service, I should care about (1) order in the service (1 Cor. 14:40), (2) not disturbing others and (3) not scandalizing visitors, who may think the believers are out of their minds (1 Cor. 14:23, 1 Cor 14:29-33).

6. Human emotions do not touch the Lord’s heart.

The Lord accepts the praises of His people just when instrumentalists and singers on the one hand and the congregation on the other are living in the Spirit, in sanctification and in obedience to the Lord and come to service with thanksgiving in their hearts in order to praise the Lord.

For the believers to start singing praises to the Lord and offer prayers of worship and thanksgiving, there must also be reverence, fear and love for the Lord in their hearts. They must be in fellowship with one another and must live to serve the Lord.

Finally, as the service starts, the believers should seek a deeper communion with the Lord through the power of the blood of Jesus, which cleanses them from every sin. Only then will the Lord accept their worship and will, in turn, visit and edify His people.