Worship Distinctives

Our worship style isn't unique—we have learned from a long line of godly people who see God's Word giving us guidance in how we should worship Him.

  • We Praise through Congregational Singing – Congregational singing is achieved when the voice of the congregation is the leading instrument of the church. But it is difficult to achieve because it requires the very congregation’s participation in singing songs together. Throughout the Old Testament, instruments were used to aide Israelites into battle, join them in comfort with loss, and encourage them with hope in praise because of the goodness of God. But in the New Testament, there is one instrument believers are commanded to use in worship: the voice. Our faith’s tradition is to be led and directed by the inerrant and infallible Word of God, the Bible. And throughout Scripture, believers are commanded to sing more than 400 times. Certainly, we aim to use a host of instruments (and we loving using a variety of instruments), for they encourage, guide, and aide our singing.
  • We Proclaim through Expository Preaching – The type of preaching we strive to have in the weekly worship service is called “expository preaching.” Preachers are called to proclaim what God has said and herald what God has done in Christ for His glory. And expository preaching aims to regularly and explain God’s Word as God gave His Word for His people. In doing this, God’s people are spiritually instructed, fed, and guided by His Word. Practically, expository preaching is empowered preaching where the preacher aims to rightfully submit the shape, emphasis, and tone of the sermon to the shape, emphasis, and tone of a biblical text. Or, more succinctly, expository preaching takes the point of the biblical passage as the point of the sermon.
  • We Pray through Corporate Prayers – Our worship rhythm provides a variety of prayers. In a general service, we pray in the following ways: A prayer of adoration (our approach in worship begins with our exalting the greatness of God and expressing our dependence on Him in all things), a prayer of confession (this is the honest response to God of our sin and affirmation of His holiness and mercy; we seek the grace of God in Jesus to take away our guilt), a prayer for the church (This is approaching with our supplications and asking for His guidance), a prayer for illumination (this is asking God to reveal His Word, for us to know His will better, and to be changed for His glory and our good), and a prayer of thanksgiving (we thank God for His mercy and grace in Christ Jesus, and guidance by His Spirit’s Word).
  • We Worship Guided by God's Word – When we gather for corporate worship as reconciled believers in Christ Jesus, we want the Scriptures to call us, center us, guide us, and direct us not just in life our broader lives, but specifically in worship. We believe that the Holy Scriptures were written by divinely inspired men, and are a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction (2 Tim. 3:16-17); that they have God for their author, salvation for their end (2 Tim. 3:15), and truth without any mixture of error for their matter (John 17:17). We believe that the Scriptures reveal the principles by which God will judge us (Rom. 2:12); and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union (Phil. 2:1-2), and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, beliefs, and opinions should be submitted to and evaluated (Phil 1:9-11).