Liturgy
What should be some main points in a church’s outline of service?
“Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.” (1 Timothy 4:13 ESV)
I dream of a church that includes these simple points in its liturgy or service outline.
Scripture
While many churches use the Bible like a menu, picking and choosing what they can agree with, Paul had a different view.
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV)
I dream of a church that actually believes the Bible is God’s Word, all of it, that understands different genres, but does not use that as an excuse to dilute it.
Elders
In the early church overseer and elder were synonymous. Again Paul reiterates God’s instruction that the elder must be “the husband of one wife” (Titus 1:6 NASB)
I dream of a church that takes God’s Word at face value.
Dissenters
Every church has probably experienced divisive and disruptive people.
“Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.” (Titus 3:10-11 NKJV)
I dream of a church that is not afraid to curtail such people.
Rest
Though a day off is good for body and soul, our Sabbath rest is no longer in a day but in Jesus Christ (Matthew 11:28-30). Under Moses, a generation of Sabbath-keeping Israelites did not enter the land of rest, because they rebelled. Under Joshua, the following generation of Sabbath keepers entered the land of rest, but he spoke of another day of rest (Hebrews 3-4).
“So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God.” (Hebrews 4:9 NLT)
I dream of a church that focuses more on our eternal Sabbath rest, than a letter-of-the-law day.
A Knowledgeable Church
Too many Christians today are ignorant of their Bibles. The anonymous writer of Hebrews was also disappointed with early Christians.
“In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!” (Hebrews 5:12 NIV)
In a world where many churches only preach short sermons filled with empty platitudes a proper foundation was never laid.
“... the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.” (Hebrews 6:1b-2 NKJV)
I dream of a church that reads and discusses the Bible and where Bible classes are packed with eager students.
