Liturgical Worship - Do you like it?
 

I enjoyed some liturgical worship today at the local Missouri Synod Lutheran church.

There are aspects of a liturgically structured service that I enjoy very much and others not so much. Like our own Pentecostal services, it's apparent there is plenty tradition - be that good or bad.

Re: Liturgical Worship - Do you like it?
 

Liturgical? By that do you mean Hymns?

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Yeah is there a video example?

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Actually the entire service. Very formal, alternate readings of scripture, a few candles... Reciting the Apostles creed... etc. (no incense, Holy water or icon busts of saints though)

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I wouldn't say that I prefer that mode of worship, but I will let you in on secret----I do enjoy those same Churches and thier Christmas Eve Carols by candle light!:whistle

Re: Liturgical Worship - Do you like it?
 

I enjoy visiting high church worship services that feature ritual and contemplative prayer. There are some things I like about it, there other things I don't like. Same as our low church worship style. I'd like to see a blend of both, that'd be cool.

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An interesting side note is that liturgical worship is allegedly patterned after scenes in Revelation with the incense etc.

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I generally do not like liturgical worship. I probably had my fill of that growing up Catholic.

Re: Liturgical Worship - Do you like it?
 

I enjoy liturgical worship. The readings and responses keep the congregation grounded in the Word via the reading. The homilies are short and to the point, very little ranting, rambling, or drifting from topic to topic. If I remember correctly liturgical worship evolved in the first century church because there wasn't a "Bible" that each member brought to church. The appointed bishops and elders of a church often had the Scriptures and as NT letters were compiled they would read them aloud and the congregation would repeat the reading for both learning and memorization.

I have a close friend who is Catholic and she's invited me to come to Mass with her sometime in the near future. She lent me a Catechism, which I've been studying, and I'm looking forward to the service.

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Liturgy is not for me! :)

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That stuff is too close to Catholicism for me.

Re: Liturgical Worship - Do you like it?
 

In our church we have a liturgy but not a 'high' one. Most of our music is comtemporary along with hymns but a definite pattern is present. Kind of nice not to worry about what comes next......

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:shockamoo is what comes next...ha...:hanky

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:dancing:choir:preach am headed out to our service...
It is going to be great!
We have about 20 more getting ready for baptism.

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Thought I´d put in some sign language in case you wonder what we do in church! ha...

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Probably not:whistle

Re: Liturgical Worship - Do you like it?
 

Even many of our Pentecostal services are structured worship and honestly...I hate it. I think we need to make time to just wait on God to move instead of rushing through our program

Re: Liturgical Worship - Do you like it?
 

I have very mixed feelings on this.

I find aspects of the formality to be reverent and respectful of God and the place of assembly. For example reciting (and praying) the Lords Prayer in unison is generally a very sacred and moving thing to me. As is confessing our sins, together, out loud... a deliberate and specific admission of our need followed by the reassurance that the payment was made for once and for all.

I think the idea that a planned and structured service is by definition contrary to the anointing and God's will is erroneous.

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Can people honestly picture the early church running a liturgical service? Incense, ominous, funeral-like hymns?

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That is true, but there must be order as well.

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Now I don't think I could go along with some of the other practices found in these liturgical churches...

In the case of the Lutheran Missouri Synod there seems to be a very close attachment of forgiveness of sins and communion - which is a weekly practice. However, I have similar reservations regarding the Pentecostal custom of altar calls for saints and shockamoo as a "sign" of connecting to God.

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Sure, schedule a formal move of God.

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Not in the extreme - no. But neither do I believe the early church was rock'in out to "Jesus on the Mainline" or a typical Pentecostal revival service.

Re: Liturgical Worship - Do you like it?
 

You know what? I've been around the barn a few times. Ok, maybe more than a few. I grew up in a semi-formal church that didn't worship the liturgy, but certainly used enough in their services to be considered a liturgical congregation. Then I moved to an Apostolic Church for many years. And now I am back in a church that is probably less liturgical than the church I grew up in, but liturgical still-the-same.

I used to think "Catholic" or "Lutheran" when you said the word liturgical. I've changed that. Now when I think liturgical, I think of following a familiar form in worship.

In that sense, I have to tell you that I would probably find MOST, if not all, Apostolic Churches to be liturgical in their own ways. Even those who don't follow a familiar formula for most of their services do something that I consider liturgical: when things don't seem to be "working", they return back to the familiar - to what has worked in the past.

So do I like liturgical worship? I guess you could say I do :) I don't like things like a high mass or something like that. But I do like the familiar where I can feel most comfortable and just relax and worship my God without worrying that I'll get busy worshiping and the service will take a sudden turn, leaving me behind and embarrassed. LOL

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I used too.....

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Pentecostals do. It's called a 'revival'.

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Thats why I say we need to make time. I believe we should have ordered services, but not so tight that we have to rush through programs.

We used to spend a lot more time between songs in just worship

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What I mean is, when the entire services is so structured that you are going from one program to another...structured. It becomes mechanical when you are not allowed to just spend time freely worshiping

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The dates are scheduled to have special services.

Not the same

Revival may or may not occur.

I assume this was in jest.

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Not really......

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Well, I just got in from a wonderful service and I am exhausted! We had an awesome time...WOW...
Those young people got with it tonight...I saw even some kids talking in tongues...

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I love spontaneous worship services. I love to feel the presenceof God.

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This is sort of what I was saying earlier... much of this subjective... There was very little spontaneity involved this morning, but I very much felt the presence of God and His comfort.

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Lest we forget, it's primarily about Him...we're secondary.

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Does it have to be either / or?????? I participate in many "types" or "styles" of worship.
Worship really isnt about what I "like". Blessings!!!

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You are right it does not have to be either/or. I can appreciate various styles.

I guess the point is well taken that it's not about us and what we like... but somehow I can't imagine a worship experience that is desirable to God but loathed by the worshiper.

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I don't think I could take it for too long or on a regular basis.

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I wonder what Paul and Silas would have to say about the topic..
Blessings!

Re: Liturgical Worship - Do you like it?
 

I understand that. I was only answering the question "Liturgical Worship - do you like it?" :)

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Yeah, I understand.