People often wonder why our worship gatherings at Coram Deo follow a scripted, liturgical sort of pattern. This is (part of) the answer.
My kids were sick a couple weeks ago, so they stayed home from church (to keep from getting everyone else’s kids sick). When we miss church for any reason, we always create some sort of ‘worship service’ at home to reinforce the fact that Sundays are the Lord’s Day. On this particular morning, my 7-year-old son took it upon himself to create a worship script for the family to follow.
Some people think that a free-form worship service is more spontaneous and Spirit-led. My response is: yes, and it also discriminates – especially against kids. Kids love structure. Their little minds don’t yet grasp the abstract truths of the faith, so they have a hard time enjoying a free-flowing, spontaneous worship service. But they can follow a patterned liturgy. Liturgy is like a map: it helps you know where you’re going. And kids like that.
Four years ago, I would have said that liturgical type services are pretty dull and boring. But that’s because every liturgical service I went to was meaningless, empty, and patterned. It wasn’t just the same structure every week, it was the same words every week.
Why I now love the litrugy we have on Sunday mornings is beacuase it means something. There is true community within our body and I get the sense that no one is faking it. We are not just saying words. We are confessing to each other and to God what is important. Also, although the structure is the same every week, the words are not. I like that.
Finally, the most important part that is repeated every week is the Gospel. That’s the best thing about Coram Deo’s liturgy.
I am so impressed that Parker, a 7 year old, would take it upon himself to make an order of service like that! I know I would not have done such a thing when I was 7!
In college I attended (off and on) a church that had a liturgical service. That was my introduction to a liturgy and I loved it. I had never been to a church where we all confessed our sinfullness together or where the Nicene creed or the Apostle’s creed was recited every week. I could see how one could easily fall into mindless repitition, but I found value in a heartfelt remembrance of my lack of sinlessness and whatnot.
Also, there is something to be said for taking communion every week. I can’t really explain it. My dad has asked me a few times why I like it and I’ve never been able to give a good answer, except that doing it once a month didn’t seem good enough. Hmmm.
-Travis