As someone who has been involved in planning liturgy full-time for 15 years now, I have seen many different philosophies of what goes into planning a Sunday morning gathering. There are as many values and preferences that can govern the liturgy of a church as there are elements to choose from.
For some churches, the Sunday morning liturgy is shaped by a four-fold structure of Gathering, Word, Table and Sending. For others, liturgy is shaped by a progression like entering the Jewish temple. And for others, gatherings are shaped by a gospel re-telling and have elements like a confession of sin, assurance of pardon and commissioning.
What “builds up” in our gatherings is what makes more of Christ and makes us more like Christ.
But when we consider how we ought to think of the many other possible elements to include in our gatherings – like testimonies, announcements, special holiday elements, child dedications, and many more – often we are left to our own sense of pragmatism or preference.
However, the Scriptures provide a more foundational value that is intended to govern what happens in our gatherings.
A More Foundational Value: Building Up
That value is found in the Apostle Paul’s long-winded instruction to the Corinthian church about their worship gatherings in 1 Corinthians 14. In verse 26, the Apostle Paul (directly addressing the concern about liturgy) says, “What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up” (emphasis added). This priority of “building up” is repeated several times in that chapter!
Paul is clear that, in essence, “Whatever you do, ensure that it builds up.”
But what does it mean exactly to “build up”? In Ephesians 4:12–13, Paul gives us a definition. There, he speaks of the role of apostles, prophets, teachers, and shepherds to “equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”
So, for Paul, “building up” means promoting the glorious knowledge of the faith and of Christ so that we might grow into full maturity in Christ. Whatever leads the church to a greater knowledge of Jesus, whatever leads to maturity in our faith, and whatever leads us to look more like Jesus — that is what builds up!
What “builds up” in our gatherings is what makes more of Christ and makes us more like Christ.
Does Everything we do Build up?
We know that singing builds up by making more of Christ and making us more like Christ. Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs proclaim the beauty and truth of Christ and promote increasing affection and love for Him.
We know that preaching also does this. Expository Preaching declares, by the power of God’s Word and Spirit, His truth to our hearts and calls us to trust and obey Him.
We know that Prayer likewise does this. Supplication leads us to submit ourselves more fully and entrust ourselves more deeply into the care and providence of God.
We know that the Lord’s Table does it. Breaking Bread leads us to a tangible taste of the glorious truth that Christ’s priestly death has graciously afforded us eternal communion with our Heavenly Father.
But what about other elements that we might be tempted to include in our gatherings? How do we evaluate elements the Scriptures do not speak of? Paul’s guidance from 1 Corinthians 14 on this is clear: Does this element result in the maturing of the saints? Does this help to make Christ’s people look more like Him?
Does having that special holiday element, skit, special recognition, announcement, or (fill in the blank) lead to making more of Christ and making mature Christians?
The Apostle Paul, earlier in 1 Corinthians 14:12, will say, “strive to excel in building up the church.” As those responsible for shaping the liturgy of our churches, we must become comfortable asking and answering these questions! We ought to strive to do this well in our gatherings!
In Bob Kauflin’s foreword to Gather God’s People: Understand, Plan, and Lead Worship in Your Local Church by Brian Croft & Jason Adkins, he rightly says, “We don’t have to scour the Internet to find elements that are more interesting, approaches that are more innovative, or content that is more relevant. What matters most is what is right in front of us in the pages of our Bibles.”[1]
So, if you are a worship leader or lead pastor, I would encourage you to make a regular practice of going back through your service orders and examining the elements that were included. Ask yourself the question, “How did this element build mature Christians? How did this element help people look more like Jesus?”
When the saints come to worship, we need less of what the world has to offer and more of what Christ wants to offer us.
Scottish Theologian and Minister Henry Scougal once said: “The practices of religion that are insipid and tedious to others yield the greatest pleasure and delight to souls possessed with divine love. Such individuals rejoice when they are called to go up to the house of the Lord (Ps. 122:1) that they may see His power and glory as they have formerly seen it in the sanctuary.“[2]
We as leaders ought to cherish, prioritize and guard the practices of worship that build up the saints into maturity. When we gather for worship, we need less of what the world has to offer and more of what Christ wants to offer us. The world offers us entertainment and idolatry to our heart’s delight. Let us ensure that we are offering people the most precious thing we have — a full view and glorious enjoyment of Christ.
[1] Bob Kauflin, Foreword, Brian Croft & Jason Adkins, Gather God’s People: Understand, Plan, and Lead Worship in Your Local Church, (Zondervan: Grand Rapids, MI, 2014), pg. 10.
[2] Henry Scougal, The Life of God in the Soul of Man, Crossway Short Classics, (Crossway: Wheaton, IL, 2022), pg. 85.
