Examples of communal and private worship
Evangelical worship
Worship in evangelicalGroup, or church, placing particular emphasis on the gospel and the scriptures as the sole authority in all matters of faith and conduct. churches is non-liturgical worshipA church service which does not follow a set text or ritual. This type of worship is often called 'spontaneous' or 'charismatic' in nature.. Services are informal and focus on the Bible and the adorationPraising God for his greatness and admitting dependence on him. of God. Services can attract huge congregations, so often large auditoriumA place where the audience are situated to see and hear the performance. are used. These services often feature pop-style music played with instruments including electric guitars.
Many Evangelical Christians believe that the Holy SpiritThe third person of the Trinity. Active as God's presence and power in the world. is present when they worship, actively inspiring what happens during the service. This means that services can be quite spontaneous and unscripted. Evangelical Christians may clap, sing or shout at any point during a service as they worship God with their whole body, not just their mind.
Society of Friends (Quakers)
Members of the Society of Friends denominationA group within a religion. Christian denominations include, for example, Roman Catholic and Anglican denominations. of Christianity are also known as QuakersMembers of the Religious Society of Friends.. Rather than holding services in churches, Quakers worship together in meeting houseA Quaker place of worship.. Meetings last about an hour and have no set hymns, prayerCommunication with God. A means of developing a personal relationship with God. or sermonReligious teaching usually given verbally to a group of believers.. Everyone worships as equals – there is no leader and worshippers usually sit in a circle to show that there is no hierarchy.
Quakers spend most of their meetings in silence, using the time to connect with God. However, one of the worshippers might voice a thought for everyone to think about, for example: “How are you involved in the work of reconciliationA return to friendly relations. between individuals, groups and nations?” If someone wants to stand up and speak, either in response to the thought or on wider topics, they are free to do so. This is called giving ministry.
A day in the life of a young Quaker, Ceredwin
Private worship
Private worship is informal and often takes place at home. It can be liturgical worshipA church service which follows a set structure or ritual. and follow a set pattern of praying, Bible readings and rituals. Alternatively, it can be non-liturgical, which means it does not follow any set pattern.
Some examples of private worship are:
- saying prayers of thanks before a meal
- reading a passage from the Bible every day
- saying set prayers using a rosaryA string of beads used as a method of prayer or meditation, for example by Buddhists and Roman Catholic Christians. (Catholic Christians)
Private worship can be an opportunity for Christians to explore their personal connection with God.
Question
What is worship?
Any act that shows devotion to or love for God.
